Author's Note: This is a co-authored/co-written story by emptyvoices and Azaadin, which combines characters from Lost in Time and Shae. If you haven't read Shae, it's wonderful and it's two chapters long but you'll love it! This is actually my first attempt at writing Eleven solely although Azaadin has more of an affinity and practice for him, I think but I hope you'll give it a chance You'll need to read both Lost in Time and Shae to follow along but that's really it. This is an unrelated work to Living Fiction and Worlds within Worlds or takes place in a very different universe.

"But something more is happening Doctor." The Ood told him. "The Master is part of a greater design, because a shadow is falling over creation. Something vast is stirring in the dark. The Ood have gained power to see through time, because time is bleeding. Shapes of things once lost are moving through the veil, and these events from years ago threaten to destroy this future, and the present, and the past."

"What do you mean?"

"The end of time itself." Sara muttered at the same time as the Ood. The Doctor glanced down at her momentarily before pulling her out of the ice cave and in the direction of the TARDIS. She had difficulty catching her breath as she tried to maintain her sprint admitting only to herself that her stamina had been weakened during her rigors of self-deprivation. She was pulled through the door where she sank into the jump seat as the Doctor began to input commands into the navigational system. "You have to go earlier." She pleaded. "I've seen it already. You'll be late and Lucy will already be dead."

His expression became calculating as he rapidly input commands on the directional unit mainframe in order to accomplish the task while activating the dematerialization sequence. The ride was a turbulent one and she nearly fell out of her seat until it came to an abrupt end. The Doctor stumbled too in his position. Sara wondered whether she would ever get used to the sensation and how his companions ever did. She started to rise to her feet hoping only to glimpse and see if they made it in time so that Lucy Saxon could possibly survive. Distantly, she heard a clatter on the floor as an object rolled against her ankles. In curiosity, she bent down to investigate to realize it was a sonic screwdriver. Her eyes widened as she looked back at the Doctor. He had not paid any notice to what occurred and quickly Sara snatched the device, hiding it within the depths of her coat just before the Doctor approached her.

She was taken by surprise when the Doctor suddenly took her wrist and she felt something cold and metallic click into place. "What are you doing?" She yanked her hand back to see a silver bracelet fastened in place as she glanced back at the Doctor suspiciously.

"Insurance." He answered flatly. He hoped it wouldn't be necessary but Sara had attempted to escape him far too many times for his taste. Her last suicide attempt ruled out the possibility of leaving her alone for an extended period of time and he hadn't lied to her when he informed her about not making the same mistake twice.

"I don't under-" Sara started to say but he was already pulling her outside and she could see the familiar outline of the prison as it arched towards the night sky. Night. It's still night. We're not too late.

She attempted to make her may forward as an explosion suddenly rocked the ground as she fell back stunned to see fire consume the entire building. "No," She gasped. "We have to help her." Sara said in desperation as she clambered to her feet moving forward. It was a ridiculous notion but the Master had survived and maybe if they just reached her in time…

"Sara, stop."

"She could still be alive." She wasn't thinking clearly as she headed towards the smoke filled entrance. He just left her to rot in there. What was it all for? Her journey towards the prison was suddenly cut drastically short as she felt a throbbing pulse emanate from her wrist springing through the rest of her body like an electrical current and she gasped in panic while in response a sudden burst of energy seemed to surge through her in connection to the electrical discharge she felt from the bracelets. Bright light appeared to rip right through her as she suddenly screamed in agony.

"Sara!" The Doctor called out making his way towards her but he realised his mistake too late. The bangles he had forced her to wear had caused a rapid, localized depolarization. A crack in the very fabric of reality was starting to form and the Doctor yanked out his sonic in his attempt to seal it.

Too late. Far too late. As quickly as the light came, it disappeared. Trees, plants, even a park bench was ripped away by the time he reached the spot. So was someone else whom he realised now, he had simply just taken for granted or merely as a burden. "Sara!" He shouted as he gazed at the barren ground in horror at once suddenly desolate and alone.

His companion was suddenly gone. She's…the thought stuck in his mind as he was frozen on the ground in front of the raging inferno, unable, incapable of moving. He could only stare at his hands imagining the blood, her blood adding to the insurmountable pile of corpses that his mind so carefully tallied in his head struggling to overcome the horrific wave of despair he wanted so much to suppress.

Amidst the wreckage and the ashes falling from the flames, he tried to find his way to his feet.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"My head." Sara groaned as she blinked her eyes opened feeling the frigid air come to greet her. She found herself in an alley and dazed she stared at her surroundings. Cobblestones, the air shrouded with fog and people walking to and fro just in front of her in nineteenth century attire. Is this a dream?

"Miss?"

She looked to see some variation of a police officer bending over her in examination. "Miss, can you hear me? You all right there?" He seemed circumspect at her attire. "Did someone lay hands on you and steal your dress?"

"I….." Sara looked at him confused, hardly knowing what to say. "I don't know. Where….where am I?"

"London. Directly off the Strand." He looked at her warily. "Taken leave of your senses? Were you an inmate at Bedlam?"

Bedlam. Sara knew what that was. A mental hospital that only ran until the early twentieth century.

"No." Sara managed. "I think…" She paused. "I fell." She took a deep breath. "My head. It just hurts and as for my clothes…" She couldn't think of a reason to explain their fundamental difference.

The officer's face relaxed moderately. "It seems ruffians might have absconded with them. It would be my pleasure to assist you to Scotland Yard for you to file a report." It was strange that the girl still had her jewelry intact since that alone would merit a small fortune but perhaps he had interrupted the robbers at just the right time.

Sara looked at him reluctantly as the officer continued with a gentler tone. "I believe my wife has clothing that I keep on the premises that would suit you."

"I…" She pressed her lips together. "Thank you. I am grateful." She glanced at her surroundings as the officer offered her his hand to assist her to her feet. "It is hard to remember…" Sara told him as tears came to her eyes.

"An advert can be posted." The officer promised. "I am quite certain your family is very concerned as to your whereabouts."

Doubtful. She thought as he led her out onto the street. Victorian London. Late nineteenth century judging by the bustles Sara saw the women wearing who looked upon her with an expression she could only term as scandalized. The officer quickly removed his coat, putting it around her shoulders and looked at the crowd who merely stopped to gawk.

"This young lady just endured a brutal attack." He said sternly. "Now everyone, be on your way."

Sara looked at him surprised but filled with gratitude as he continued to escort her to the station while straight away taking her to a dressing room to change into his wife's attire. Although simple with a high neck white blouse, a black skirt and a cloak for warmth, to Sara she looked utterly refined. Her jewelry, she secreted in the pockets of the skirt as she returned to the questions the officer was pressing for answers.

It was by all means, a difficult session. She attested to a form of amnesia but inferred that the story of an attack was an accurate one. When it was finally over, the officer escorted her out of the building, a look of regret in his eyes. "I'll take to posting adverts in due course but in the interim…" He pressed a series of pounds in her hand. "This should be enough to afford you London rooms for a fortnight until we find your family."

"I…." Sara was moved by his generosity. "I thank you, Mr. Bennett. You will be repaid. Have no doubt in that." She had garnered his name through the course of their conversation and somehow, she knew would repay the simple kindness he had shown her.

"Let me know if you require any further assistance." He said and Sara nodded before they parted ways as she headed down the street. As preoccupied as she was with her thoughts over her predicament, she didn't notice the figure she nearly ran headlong into while turning a corner.

Jenny. Sara stared at the girl with sudden recognition who looked at her briefly in surprise.

"Oh, pardon me, miss." Jenny said as Sara managed to nod, standing stock still while the girl circumvented her to walk in the opposing direction. Glancing up at the sky, she took a deep breath. He's here. She thought. The Doctor was up in the clouds feigning indifference but was it her Doctor or….? Sara swallowed. What was she going to do? She was out of time and she knew she lacked the desire to remain what was left of her existence in this era that didn't have a favorable opinion towards women. Revealing herself to the Doctor…that had a share of risks. All the memories of the suffering she endured at his hands raced through her mind.

So preoccupied was she that she nearly tripped over another woman, only semi conscious on the ground in similar attire for which Sara too had arrived in. Amazed, Sara looked at her as she knelt on the ground. Could she have traversed from another reality by accident or just simply through time? Still, she was the closest to everything that seemed to resemble home.

Gently, she took the girl's arms, instantly noticing how cold she was. "Hey, are you okay?" She gave a little shake. "Come on. Just talk to me."

"My son." The woman mumbled. "Can't find him. Do you know where he is?" She appeared utterly disoriented. "Just left him in the backyard and then…" She seemed to gasp as her eyes started to roll back in her head.

"No, wait." Sara tried. "Just stay with me. Wake up." Her voice was firm as she was filled with empathy. If she was ripped away from her universe before it was destroyed and didn't know….Sara felt tears come to her eyes. "I'll help you but you need to keep talking. Need to…" Her pleas suddenly ended, as she was astounded to see her skin starting to luminesce and a veil of vibrant blue energy emanated to the surface. The particles began to float off her, transferring to the girl directly in front of her who suddenly let out a gasp. Her breathing appeared to be less staggered but suddenly light shot out all around them burning through the nearby alley wall causing debris to scatter as holes were melted into various waste receptacles.

Startled by the chaos, Sara yanked her hands away and all at once, the noise ended. Distant flames started to flicker as the woman in front of her opened her eyes looking at Sara hazily. "Who are you?"

"I'm…" Sara paused, astounded by the havoc that had been caused before taking a deep breath. "I'm Sara Thomas. Are you…" She was about to ask if the woman was from another reality but having just regained consciousness, decided the shock of such a question should be kept until later. "What is your name?"

"Shae, I'm…" The woman hesitated, suddenly noticing Sara's clothes. "What are you wearing? Is this a LARP?"

"A what?" Sara asked, surprised by the question.

The woman – Shae – was studying the damaged alley as she answered. Her voice sounded distant as though her thoughts were otherwise occupied. "Live Action Role Play. My brother LARPed every second Saturday." Shae turned her narrow blue-grey eyes back to Sara and continued speaking without waiting for a response. "Can you get me out? I need to find the police. I can't –" She choked on her words.

"I'm sorry, I'll help you," Sara promised, "but the police can't. This isn't a LARP." The word felt unfamiliar in Sara's mouth. "This is Victorian London."

"Yes, I can see that," Shae groused. "Where's the exit? I need to find… Home. I need to get home."

Sara could see the woman trembling with emotion – no, she was shivering. She quickly unclasped her cloak and threw it around Shae's shoulders. She internally nodded to herself – the cloak would keep her warm, and also protect them from the public's mortified stares at her immodest clothing.

"Thank you," came the murmured response as the woman drew the cloak tight.

"Come on, Let me help you." Sara reached out for the other, careful not to touch her skin again after what happened the last time. Holding her by the shoulders, she helped Shae as she staggered to her feet. Shae was a little taller than Sara, but the cloak still fell comfortably to her ankles.

The two women slowly set off down the cobbled street together. Quickly thinking through the needs of the other, Sara made a vague plan of action. First a café, or equivalent, they both needed a warm drink and some hot food in this chill, and then they could buy Shae some warm period clothing. After that, they could begin determining a way to return to the future. Sara glanced at the cloaked woman again. Was she from the future or…

"What happened to you?" she asked gently.

Shae shivered, but it wasn't from the cold. "I don't know. I was at home, and then…" Her voice trailed off and she shook her head, as though she was trying to displace the cobwebs within. Suddenly, her eyes shot around the street wildly once more, and her fingers nervously toyed with her lip. "Jesse," she whispered. "I can't find Jesse! He's only two! I just left him for a second! Where is he?! What if something happened to him?!" Sara could hear the desperation in her voice.

"Were you both at home alone?" Sara asked, worrying for the little boy.

"No, my parents were there." Shae's anxious voice was slightly mumbled as she continued to worry at her bottom lip with her fingers.

Sara felt herself heave a sigh of relief. "Then he's probably fine," she assured the distressed woman. "If he wasn't with you when you arrived, then he's probably still at home with them. All we have to do is get back to the future and you can go home." Once more, Sara hoped she was telling the truth. If Shae was from the future, then her son should be fine, but if Shae came from her universe… Sara pressed her lips together tightly while she delicately phrased a question in her head. "Do you know about time travel, about what you should and shouldn't do, from books or movies or TV?"

"Of course. Doesn't everybody? I mean…" Her voice broke off as her eyes slowly traversed the street around them. "No!" she vehemently denied. "I mean, technically you can travel to the future by approaching the speed of light, and technically you can see into the past, depending on how far away you are from what you're looking at, but you can't time travel to the past! That's impossible!"

"What?" Sara asked in surprise. "Where's that from?"

"Documentaries," came the simple answer.

Okay, a little more blunt, Sara thought. "But just imagine that you did fall through the Time Vortex and landed in-"

"What?" the other cut her off with a scoff. "Time Vortex? Like in Doctor Who?" Sara grimaced to herself – Shae had come from the same universe as her. She felt her eyes' stinging. Her son..!

Shae continued uninterrupted, not noticing the change in her companion. "Fun as that would be, we're talking reality here, and time travel is not real!"

"Fun?" Sara asked aghast. "Did you not see the episodes where he's the Time Lord Victorious? How is that fun?"

"Oh, I hated those, especially Mars. Only watched them once or twice, but, but – What does it matter?" She cut off angrily, but soon continued her tirade against time travel.

Sara found herself grimacing at Shae's words as the other continued to rant. She saw Christina fall down in front of her. She saw the blood pouring out of her spacesuit. She screamed and tried to help her friend, but he dragged her away. It's my fault, her mind whispered. It's all my fault. Oh, Christina!

She felt hands on her shoulders and her eyes shot open and she jumped back. Had he found her again?

Shae was looking at her with surprised but gentle eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked. Sara was surprised to find herself hyperventilating. "Just breathe." Shae demonstrated. "Slow deep breaths. It's okay, you're okay." Shae breathed out slowly once more. "See, slow breaths."

Dots were swimming through her vision, but Sara finally managed to regain control over her chest and her rapid gasps steadied.

"That's it. That's it," the other girl reassured her.

Sara suddenly realized how tightly she was gripping Shae by her elbows. She didn't even remember grabbing them, but now she had to consciously remove her claws from the other woman's arms.

"How long have you been here?" Shae asked her gently. "Not that I'm buying the whole 'time travel' thing," she qualified.

"Too long," Sara muttered, trying to hold her voice steady as she shook off the residual fear. "Far too long." She knew she wasn't really answering the question Shae was asking, but it was the answer that felt the most true. She swallowed, taking a breath to steady herself. "We should find rooms here. Lodging." She rubbed her arms with the palms of her hands. "We'll catch hypothermia standing out here." With that encouragement as well as the continued snowfall both women proceeded to walk down the street while Sara examined the directions the officer at Scotland Yard had given her.

"How did this happen?" Shae asked still feeling utterly befuddled by her surroundings. Her concerns about her child were prominent and if somehow she had been displaced…..she took a deep breath. The air truly felt frigid and her clothing beneath the cloak Sara had provided was completely soaked to the skin. "This can't be a dream." She never had one this realistic before where every sensation seemed so entirely vivid.

"Believe me, I wish it was that simple." Sara replied, shaking her head as Shae glanced over at her. "It's…." Her voice trailed. She couldn't tell Shae about the destruction of the universe right here, much less the reality of the Doctor in this dimension. It had only been weeks ago but she remembered vividly how she reacted when the Doctor dragged her off the bridge before blurting out the truth. She could still hear herself screaming at the news she had just received. How can I tell her? Sara glanced at Shae, cringing inwardly. A little boy. I have to tell her that he's… Tears came to her eyes momentarily at the thought but she knew she would be unable to lie. Certainly not about this. Hadn't the Doctor taught her that lesson by now?

"It's…what?" Shae prompted.

"Not here." Sara shook her head as they arrived upon their destination. It was a modestly furnished building where the landlady prided herself on running a proper boarding house for single women. She did appear askance as to Shae's state of dress for which Sara had to derive a response inferring to a likely burglary. With the assurance that Sara had been referred to her establishment by an officer from Scotland Yard, the woman showed all due sympathy leading them to a bedroom and smiled at Sara's assurances that she would purchase clothing of their own.

Sara was relieved to postpone the dreadful task of telling Shae about the destruction of her dimension to run her various errands while the landlady insisted on keeping Shae company.

That began with a visit to the pawnshop to sell the bracelets the Doctor fitted on Sara as well as the other jewelry she wore with the exception of her locket. The bangles fetched a higher price, which the shop keep found the purity of gold remarkable. Sara in turn drove a hard bargain but she in turn satisfied to leave the store with an extra fifty pounds. It would suffice to keep them off the streets for the next several weeks but Sara was in deep consternation, knowing they had to find a way back to the modern era. She grimaced as she was forced to purchase two dresses for both Shae and herself, looking at the corset with disdain.

"It will have to do." She muttered to herself, walking out of the store, her purchases in hand. So deeply immersed in her thoughts was she that the swiftly moving stranger barreled directly into her, knocking the items directly out of her grasp.

"Well, excuse you." Sara grit her teeth at the temerity of the man. He didn't even have the decency to pause to offer an apology but was attempting to continue his journey down the street. Upon hearing Sara's voice, he did suddenly cease and slowly turned to face her, looking upon at her with a renewed focus in those all too familiar ancient green eyes.

Sara's breath suddenly caught in her throat. She could hardly move or speak as time seemed to move around her in still frames. No….not again….please, not again. Oh, God, please. Her hands clenched at her sides. She could feel herself once more imprisoned under the stasis field unable to move slowly going insane. 'No second chances. I'm that kind of man.' She shook her head at the memory. "Not him." She whispered to herself. "Not the Time Lord Victorious…I can't…"

"What did you say?" The Doctor was utterly baffled and started to approach the girl he had the misfortune to collide with on the street. He wanted nothing but his own measure of solitude since he lost every vital member of his remaining family. Did he hear her correctly? Was Strax blurting out details about his past to Vastra and Jenny while she was in the proximity? He frowned. It would explain a few things given her sudden level of terror at his presence.

Sara started to scramble backwards at his approach and he released a sigh. "I'm not going to hurt you." He bent down and picked up the various clothing pieces she had dropped and held them out to her as an offering. "See, hardly a scratch." He kept his tone even as she took the items from him, clutching them to her chest. "Now, where did you hear that name? Have a friend of mind who has the tendency to get very easily confused and-"

"Strax?" Sara was unable to stop herself from saying the name and then she saw the serious expression steal over the Doctor's face. "But…." Her words trailed. She didn't know what to say. He actually didn't know who she was. Another Doctor? Were the timelines out of sync? Either way, she didn't like the look he was giving her at that moment. "Look, I'm just-"

"Oh, there you are, sir." Strax had made his way over from the carriage parked across the street. "Are you interrogating a hostile enemy threat?" He glanced at Sara eagerly who looked back at him disconcerted. "Should I retrieve the plasma carbines?"

"No, why would you…" The Doctor looked at him exasperated. "Just the memory worm for now." He clenched his jaw. "Have you seen this girl before?"

"Girl, sir?"

"Yes, she happens to be a girl and not a…." The Doctor turned back to where the woman had been standing only to find that she had swiftly departed while their attention was diverted.

The Doctor was silent, examining the alley pondering whether this girl was a threat to his sojourn in isolation as Strax stood stoically by his side.

"I would suggest a full round of thermal grenades." The sontaran volunteered unhelpfully. "And-"

The Time Lord glared at him purposefully, which sent him into silence as they both made their way back to the carriage. I'll have Vastra keep an eye out. The Doctor thought with a level of impatience. The very fact that this girl knew his identity made him justifiably nervous. He could no longer relish his isolation if a stranger was privy to details about who he was.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Sara, are you all right?" Shae asked when Sara returned only to collapse on the other bed, clutching her hands in front of her as she tried to maintain her breathing.

"I'm…" Sara didn't know how to tell her. The Doctor is real. Their dimension was destroyed by the daleks. Everything they loved is now gone and they were all that survived. But why? She shuddered. What could they do? Her experience had taught her regardless of form, the Doctor was still a threat. That same base personality lurked behind every regeneration he invariably took. "I ran into someone while I was shopping. Reminded me of my past."

"Who?", Shae wanted to ask, but it was apparent that whomever Sara was reminded of, it wasn't a welcome memory. Not knowing what to say without sounding either dismissive or morbidly curious, Shae instead picked up the clothes that had fallen from Sara's hands the instant she entered the room. She took a moment to carefully lay them on her bed, but when she turned back, Sara was unmoved from her huddle on her bed. Nervously, Shae sidled up to the bed and knelt beside her friend. She placed her hand on Sara's back, just between her shoulders, wordlessly trying to offer some form of comfort. "Did you want to talk about it?" she asked softly after a moment.

Sara closed her eyes, pressing her hands on the mattress before righting herself to a sitting position. "Shae, there's something I have to tell you and..." She paused nervously clenching her hands together. "and it's going to be hard to believe but, you know I told you we went back in time." She pressed her lips together as Shae nodded, glancing at her surroundings. "It's...not that simple." She managed. "My entire family, everyone I knew was gone when I woke up in the Tower of London." She swallowed. "I thought I was dreaming when I saw him. I told him he wasn't real but none of that mattered. What we thought. Everything we saw on television." Sara briefly frowned. She was having difficultly placing Shae's accent. Was she British or...She shook her head. She had to stay focused. "I'm sorry. It sounds crazy but you didn't just go back in time." She looked at Shae directly. "This is another reality and the Doctor..." She took out the sonic that she managed to secrete from her previous Doctor, holding it out to Shae. "He happens to be real. That was who I..." Her voice trailed as Shae took the device from her staring at it in shock.

Suddenly, Shae's features hardened and she threw the screwdriver on the bed before her. "Are you kidding me?" She demanded, but Sara could hear a hint of fear beneath her scathing tone. "Yeah. I've got a collection of those at home too."

Shae stood and stepped away from the other woman. She started to head towards the window, something that usually calmed her at home, but instead she broke off and walked to the writing desk at the side of the room instead. She didn't want to look at that street just now; it was a lie, it wasn't real.

Sara stood up and slowly approached her. "You know, I understand. I felt-" She started, before correcting herself. "I feel the same way." She picked up the discarded sonic. "I wasn't even a fan of the show. My friends were and I," Sara shrugged, "Well, I was just along for the ride." She paused. "I made so many mistakes. Saw people die right in front of me and it was my fault and now..." She took a deep breath. "Like an idiot I got his attention. He wasn't paying me a second glance but I had to call out to him just because..." Her voice trailed. She heard voices down the stairs and her eyes widened at the familiar tones. Vastra and Jenny.

"I understand you just acquired a new tenant this morning." Vastra said to the housekeeper, donned in her usual black veil.

"My residents are assured of their anonymity." The landlady was indignant. "I run a proper boarding house and I resent the implication of otherwise."

"Oh, no implication. On the contrary, we're following up on the investigation from Scotland Yard and..."

"Oh, of course." The landlady looked alleviated. "Forgive me. Yes, the two young ladies upstairs."

"There are two?" Jenny asked in confirmation.

Sara quickly shut the door and locked it, leaning against the wooden exterior heavily, trying to come to a decision. Shae was frozen by the writing desk trying to make sense at what she just heard until a series of knocks sounded on the door.

"Miss Thomas? Miss Orr? There are two ladies who would like to have to word about your investigation." The landlady said. Sara put her finger to her lips as Shae folded her hands into her lap, her face flooded with anxiety.

"I know those voices!" Shae whispered, her eyes wide with fear and disbelief.

Sara ignored the other woman, instead rushing over to the window and throwing it wide. There was a planter box out the window, but there was no way for them to climb down safely, especially with Sara constrained by the corset given her by Officer Bennett. She looked over at Shae. They could try bluffing their way out, but Shae's clothes...

"You have to change," she told the other in a harsh whisper. "Quick." She rushed over to Shae's bed as she spoke and gathered a few garments in her arms.

"What?" Shae asked. She hadn't moved from her spot next to the desk. Her knuckles were white from where she tightly clenched the back of the wooden chair beside her.

"Miss Thomas? Miss Orr?" the landlady's voice called again as her knuckles rapped against the door.

"Quick!" Sara hissed, shoving a dress at the hesitant woman. Shae caught the clothes on reflex, but she didn't move to do anything with them. Her eyes met Sara's again, radiating confusion, disbelief and fear. "We'll pretend we're just like everyone else. Not from the future or anywhere else, but you have to change!"

"Why?" Shae whispered fearfully.

"I'm sorry," they heard a muffled voice on the other side of the door as the landlady addressed the Victorian duo. The jangling sound of keys had Sara on edge. "Perhaps they've stepped out. Miss Thomas was asking about purchasing dresses earlier." The lock began to rattle.

"Just a moment, we're getting dressed," Sara called out in a panic.

"It is no matter. We're all ladies here," a familiar reptilian voice replied.

No time. No time. Sara thought. She quickly raced to the door and grabbed the cloak that hung beside it. Rushing back to a still unmoving Shae, she swept the cloak around her shoulders and covered the woman's modern outfit, and not a moment too soon.

"Don't say anything," she whispered. "Don't trust them. Trust me!"

Shae's terrified eyes almost appeared to bulge from her pale face, but she met Sara's gaze and managed a small, weak nod.

The landlady bustled into the room, and Vastra quickly followed her. Her eyes pierced through her veil, studying the women and their surroundings with practised perception. It was the women's expressions that concerned her the most. While she was used to invoking a response of fear in the more primitive apes, these strangers also displayed a remarkable amount of recognition. Once Jenny had entered the room behind her, the Silurian turned to the matron. "Thank you, kindly. But we will now require some privacy."

Sara took a deep breath to ready herself. After all the best defense was a good offense and Shae was hardly prepared for this. No. She had to protect her. She suffered from the worst of what the Time Lord Victorious had to offer and was not about to stand by to let it happen to someone else.

When their landlady left the room, she folded her arms across her chest, stepping in front of Shae, while lifting her chin in determination. "Is there something I can do for you?"

Vastra carefully evaluated the girl in front of her taking note of her defensive posture. "Miss Thomas," She started. "Do you know who I am?"

Sara was silent for a moment considering her response cursing the fact that she was a terrible liar. Finally, she looked at both women with a hint of disdain. "Oh, of course I do. I believe you're the ones invading our privacy." She clenched her hands together. "What gives you the right to enter our room and interrogate us?" She raised her eyebrows speaking quickly. "Have we committed some crime except for being accosted by a-"

"Now, that is what I intend to discuss with you, Miss Thomas." Vastra considered her briefly. "Or may I call you Sara?" She glanced at Shae. "And you I believe-"

"She has nothing to do with this." Sara interceded, her temper flaring while Vastra and Jenny exchanged glances. When the Doctor contacted them and asked them to follow up on the girl, he didn't consider it a complicated assignment. Now, intuition told the Silurion otherwise.

Shae was starting to feel like she had utterly lost her mind. Vastra. Jenny. They were supposed to be fiction. If this was a dream, she very much wanted to awake right now.

"You spoke with an associate of mine. He is..." Vastra was trying to decide on the right word. "concerned. You are aware you called him the Time Lord Victorious, are you not?"

Shae let out a gasp and Sara glanced at her, shaking her head before turning back to Vastra. "I was confused. Mistaken."

"Apparently not to such a degree that you failed to identify Strax as his ally."

Sara closed her eyes, pressing her lips together. "All right. I'm sorry. I know your identities. But..." She took a deep breath. "I won't tell anyone. So there is no point in using a memory worm on us. We won't say anything. All this..." She gestured around herself. "It was an accident. You have our word. I just can't..." Her words trailed as her voice started to shake. "I can't do this again."

"Can't do what again?" Jenny asked, speaking up for the first time. She looked concerned when Sara suddenly dropped into a chair, putting her face into her hands. "What happened?" She glanced at Shae and her tone softened. "Could you tell us?"

Shae jolted slightly when Jenny addressed her, but she refused to look at the woman's face; looking at her face risked making the fictional character real, and she wasn't real, was she? Shae's eyes flickered from the hem of Jenny's skirt to Vastra's black dress. But out of the corner of her eye she noticed Sara shivering. She turned from the two intruders so she faced Sara directly but could still see Vastra and Jenny in her periphery. "We can talk later, if you want," she whispered. "Don't say anything now." She gave Sara a comforting squeeze on the shoulder before standing to face the illusion in front of her. Despite her best efforts, however, she still couldn't bring herself to look them in the eye, which she knew only weakened her position.

It's not real, she whispered to herself. It's just pretend. It's just a dream, just a game - like roleplay... I'm good at roleplay... Her heart thudded in her throat at the fear that she was lying to herself. "I don't know," she answered Jenny, "but you're upsetting her and I think you should leave now."

"My dear," the scaly voice overrode her gently. "We are here to help."

Shae held back a scoff at the misdirection. Who were they here to help? She swallowed heavily as she tried to think her way out of the situation.

"It's a'right, love," Jenny told her. "You can trus' us."

'Don't trust them, trust me,' Sara had whispered.

Shae thought through the episodes she'd seen with the Victorian trio, searching her mind for some way to escape their predicament. "We've heard of you," her voice croaked out. She cleared her voice and tried to speak with more confidence, but her words continued to wobble from her control. "The great detective that, that..." What was the writer's name again? "That Sherlock Holmes was based on..." she finally decided on. She hoped this would explain how she and Sara knew of them, but she doubted she'd been very convincing.

"Where are you from, my dear? I can't place your accent." Shae was surprised by the Silurian's random question. Obviously Vastra was trying to throw her of guard with her obscure approach.

"Sydney." He voice wavered again as she answered. She did briefly consider lying, but she had never been to the United Kingdom before. All she knew about England she had learned from Doctor Who.

"Ahh," Vastra said in understanding. "You do realise, don't you," she continued, "that in this era a woman of your apparent station would be unable to gain passage from the penal colonies back to the British isles? To succeed at such a feat, you would have come from a family of significant standing, and would not have been left in a position to be forced to stay in an establishment such as this. Which tells me that you are either lying to me, or you are... displaced." The last word was enunciated with precision.

Shae froze, her eyes fearfully wide as she stared at the hem of the reptilian woman's dress. What year was it again? How had she forgotten her history. Of course she couldn't have come from Australia...

She felt Sara stir beside her. Without warning, the other woman was standing in front of her, coming to her defence.

"Enough." Sara took a deep breath, regaining herself fully. "Who do you think you are accusing my friend like this?" She scowled at them. "Sydney happened to be colonial and Shae's husband was an officer until the smallpox epidemic hit and she was forced to move." Sara's arm's folded across her chest. "Not everyone who lived there was in a penal colony or don't you know your history?"

"Quite astute." Vastra told her. "But I'm inclined to think that's not the truth."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black." Says Sara. "You clearly lied to speak to the two of us." Sara lifted up her chin. "And we're finished here." She headed to the door, starting to open it. "Mrs. Howard?" She called out to the landlady.

The door was suddenly pushed close and Sara gasped, stumbling back as she looked at the two women in front of her.

"We only wish to help. Our residence could provide a far more accommodating atmosphere then this one." Vastra offered. "Certainly, we could attempt to send you back to your own time."

"No, thank you." Sara said. She was hardly in a position to trust anyone. Shae could barely look at the two women in front of her. She must be struggling to cope with the idea that they were indeed real.

"They're fiction." She whispered, largely to herself and Sara grimaced feeling in her pockets for an item that might provide some offer to leverage.

"Oh, on the contrary dear, we are quite real." Jenny affirmed and Sara took a deep breath.

"Leave us alone." Sara ordered, her voice took on a serious edge as the two women looked at her, seeming to evaluate her.

"I'm afraid that is out of the question." Vastra said. "This doesn't need to become unpleasant or..." Her voice trailed in midsentence as Sara suddenly removed the sonic pointing it at the two in front of her.

Shae looked in disbelief, wondering what a toy based on fiction would be able to accomplish but Vastra and Jenny suddenly froze under Sara's order. What are you going to do? Assemble a cabinet at them? The words came to the forefront of her mind.

"Might I inquire as to where you got that?"

"It was my lucky day." Sara told them. "Mine, but as it seems, not yours. Leave right now." She ordered. "I know how to use it."

Again, Shae was utterly bewildered. Did they mistake a toy for a weapon. Had Sara lost her wits? "Sara...?" She started.

Meanwhile Vastra headed her off. "You have no idea what is in your possession."

"Don't I?" Sara looked at them stoically pressed the default setting. A lantern broke into pieces at the nearby side table and Shae suddenly jumped looking at the fragments in disbelief. That was no toy. That could only mean...

Sara aimed the screwdriver at the pair. "I think I do. That setting looks pretty fun. Should I try for another?"

"Mum..." Jenny started, addressing Vastra. "We can't..."

Sara fingers were sweaty, slipping over another setting. The overhead light exploded, showering them with sparks as they dodged the falling piece of equipment. In that instant, Sara seized Shae's hand pulling her out the door.

"What are we doing?" Shae gasped as they jogged down the stairs.

"Run." Sara was breathing hard. "We have to run."

Sara held tightly to Shae's hand, as the other woman was almost tripping over the cloak as they barreled down the stairs. Shae used her free hand to gather the dark wool up and she looped it over her arm.

"Miss Thomas?" the surprised and distressed landlady called out as the two women staggered passed her towards the front entrance. Suddenly, Sara stopped. If they'd parked their carriage out the front, then Strax would be waiting for them there... She turned and pulled Shae in the opposite direction, bumping into the matron once more. Shae pulled back against Sara's hand, pausing briefly in the dim corridor.

"Mrs. Howard," She spoke quickly. "Those women are liars. They're trying to kidnap us because our families are rich." Sara tugged her arm at the clattering sound on the staircase. "Help us!" Shae called over her shoulder, as she followed Sara weaving through the house.

Behind them, the matron cried out in a loud, angry voice, but the two women were too focused on running to hear her words. The building seemed to erupt around them. Women and servants poured into the halls in uproar, but Sara managed to slither through the kitchen exit into the back garden with Shae in her wake before they became trapped in the chaos.

The tight corset was already impacting her breathing, but she pushed her awareness of it aside and concentrated on reaching the wooden gate that lead to the refuse alley at the back of the block. Once in the alleyway, Shae took the lead, dragging the gasping woman behind her. Initially, Sara had been frustrated when Shae refused to don the clothes the kind housekeeper had lent her. She understood that Shae didn't want to acknowledge that she had somehow become trapped in Victorian England, but her modern clothing would make it difficult for them to explore and determine a way back to their own time. Now, however, she was relieved by the other woman's stubbornness. She was able to run and help Sara while Sara herself was struggling to sufficiently fill her lungs.

Neither of the women noticed, but a shadowy figure followed them through the gate and kept a constant distance from the fleeing pair. He didn't approach them - no, he'd overheard the results that would bring - but he followed and listened. Perhaps after the encounter with Vastra and Jenny they would be sufficiently distraught as to let some information slip so he would know what they were.

Sara wasn't sure how long they ran, surely only a few minutes, when she felt Shae struggling to untie the lace on the front of her dress. She held her hand up. "No, no, I'm alright. Just give me a minute..."

The two rested, each trying to regain control of their breath. Shae recovered more quickly than her corset-wearing counterpart.

"But if…they're…real," She breathed out heavily, "then the Doctor's real, right? Maybe he can help us..."

Sara rounded on the naïve woman. "Remember Mars? Remember the Time Lord Victorious?" Shae looked aghast, but Sara couldn't let her hold the delusion that the Doctor was a 'good guy'. "He might change his face. He might act like a child. But he's still the same person! He's dangerous. We can't trust him!"

Hidden just out of their sight, the Doctor's face pulled into a tight frown. In just a few words, these women had implied detailed knowledge of something he hadn't shared. Who were they? How did they know him? Depending on what they knew, how they knew it, and how long they'd known, the memory worm would be useless. He might have to take years from them, and yet they may still be aware of him. No, he needed a different approach for these strangers.

Shae glanced over her shoulder at the corner behind her. In her mind's eye she could picture him standing, listening, just out of sight. "But he's the…Doctor," she retorted, shaking the image away.

"You said you hated Mars," Sara interrupted. "That you didn't want to watch it. He's still the same man. Just because you don't like that bit doesn't make it go away."

"I'm sorry." Sara told Shae as her hands began to shake. "But you can't ever trust him. You have no idea of what he's really like." She took a deep breath. "The Time Lord Victorious...he's the one that kidnapped me. Dragged me onboard. Tried to break a fixed point. I had to sit there and watch my only friend die and he told me it was all my fault. My responsibility." Her mouth quivered as she frowned deeply. "He didn't snap out of it like you saw on the show. He knew Adelaide was going to kill herself, took the gun away and I..." Sara took a deep breath. "I had to pull the weapon." She closed her eyes. "Kept trying to tell myself that it was for the universe. That's why she had to die. Adelaide told me to do it too but I couldn't." Tears streamed down Sara's face. "And then she rushed me. The gun went off. All that blood…."

Immediately Shae put her arm around Sara's shoulders in a comforting gesture. "I'm sorry. I didn't know but he was wrong. What happened to your friend. It was an accident. How could any of that been your fault?"

"Because I was there." Sara's voice shook. "He said I was a weapon. The information I knew about his future..." She looked at Shae. "If he finds out about you, he'll do the same." She took a deep breath. "Don't ever think to tell him that we watched the show on television because he won't believe it and..."

"And what?" Shae prompted. The image in her mind of the Doctor standing out of sight listening refused to dismiss itself. Maybe it was on account of her paranoia.

"He'll lock us up. Fifty or sixty years in one room. All by ourselves. Or strap us to a table to run tests or experiments on us...until we die." Sara murmured. "That's the Doctor." She shook her head. "That's my nightmare."

A voice suddenly echoed behind them. "Freeze in the name of the Sontaran Empire, you putrescent, alien filth."

Sara and Shae suddenly turned to gasp at the very alien who stood armed behind them. "Prepare to surrender now and submit for full interrogation or we will employ the use of scalpel mines and acid."

The Doctor sighed in irritation. The information he had hoped to glean from the two women freely was now interrupted on behalf of his gender-confused associate and he sighed wearily. He slowly rounded the corner and cautiously stepped forward, trying not to startle the women any further.

"No, we will not Strax." His voice distant as he carefully began approaching the women he had been trailing. "I apologize for him. Clan warrior race. Typical middle child of six million." He glanced at Sara's whose eyes widened in sudden fear. "Don't worry. No one's going to hurt you." He attempted to keep his voice calm.

"Oh no...that wouldn't be like you, Doctor." Sara spat. "Torture. Now that's far more your style. How many days are you going to strap us to a table with a stasis field? Two?" She challenged. "Three?"

"Sara, just relax," he attempted. "The three of us should talk and-"

"No!" She protested. "No more talking! Just stay away from us!"

Shae for the moment had stared at him stunned. It was indeed the Doctor and he looked so very real. She swallowed. From what Sara said, he had tormented her. Imprisoned her unjustly while running tests on her to sate his own curiosity. She never thought it possible from the Doctor she'd seen on the show. Wouldn't he stand as her only chance to get back home? Or would he do as Sara inferred. Imprison her in a room and she would have no hope of ever seeing her son again.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." The Doctor's voice while not harsh was flat. Almost impatient. Whatever he expected, it certainly wasn't this and now he was forced to act. Two women with that acute precognition was a danger to him in any time period and the particular odor that resonated around the two women. There was a distinct smell about them that was all too familiar reminding him of his TARDIS. "Listen to me..."

But Sara seized Shae's hand, pulling her in the opposing direction as they stumbled away only to nearly run directly headlong into Vastra and Jenny themselves. Both gasped as Sara shook her head violently in refusal at their presence.

"I promise that we intend no harm." Vastra's voice was gentle to the now cornered women on the street.

Sara's head whipped back and forth, her eyes glaring viciously as she searched for an escape. Her hand groped in her pocket again, searching for that silver tool.

Shae, on the other hand, clung tightly to Sara's hand, almost cowering behind the other woman.

He couldn't be real. Surely, he wasn't real... But deep down she knew she was fighting a losing battle. The other three she could explain away; make up, prosthetics, a very poor taste practical joke show. But the Doctor...

She'd always enjoyed the way he was portrayed on the telly, the way the actors were able to personify the centuries old alien who looked young, but had old eyes. But they held nothing against the Doctor. His presence in the alley was like a physical weight in the air - suffocating. She made the mistake of looking at him when he first appeared. And his eyes... No actor, no human, could ever possibly do his eyes justice. They were impossible. So many characters on the show commented on how old his eyes were, and during that brief instant when she glanced at him, Shae could see it. Luckily, he had been looking at Sara at that moment. If he had been looking at her..? Shae shuddered and her heart went out to the woman beside her. This was when the Doctor was reasonably good, if a little lost, but Sara had been trapped with the Time Lord Victorious.

No, Sara was right. They couldn't let themselves be caught. They had to escape. There had to be a way out. She began running scenarios through her head, trying to find one that didn't result in the doors of the TARDIS closing behind them. "There's always a way out," she whispered to herself as a comforting mantra.

The Doctor's eyes flickered between the women. Was it just a coincidence that she repeated words with the same inflection that he had spoken a long time before? He wanted to think so, but under the circumstances he thought it unlikely. He set the thought aside to ponder later, and refocused his attention on the more volatile of the two women.

"'No harm'," Sara scoffed. "Sure, he said that once too." She clutched the sonic tightly in her hand, but didn't pull it out of her pocket yet; it would only cause him to do the same, and she wanted him to act first.

"I think we both know that I'm not him," the Doctor interrupted as he slowly crept forward. "Another Time Lord, perhaps, but not me."

Maybe it's his future self, Sara has had dealings with. But then why would she call that version of him the Time Lord Victorious. Maybe his timelines were out of sync with the version of himself Sara had met. Had he deliberately changed his own past to alter what he'd done to this woman? Then why did this version of her still exist? Had something gone wrong? Maybe she was so precognitive she was picking up on timelines that never occurred. Maybe she was picking up and reliving someone else's experiences, someone else's experiences that never happened. That could be the first sign of insanity. The Doctor's thoughts touched on Donna. Human minds can be so fragile, he told himself.

The Time Lord's mind shifted to a time line he'd narrowly escaped. The Valeyard. The alien cringed. He'd barely beaten the evil possible future version of himself the last time, and that was with the help of the Master. Could he defeat a version of himself all on his own? A version of himself not limited by morality, not limited by his rules? There was a reason he had rules after all. Preventing mistakes like the Valeyard was one of them. Maybe the Gallifreyan widower was overreacting. He heard a memory of River telling him to calm down, telling him he needed to stop being so emotional. The echo ripped at his hearts. And he wished he could just go back to his TARDIS. He wished he'd never bumped into a woman named Sara Thomas. He wished he could simply forget. Internally, he glared at the women for interrupting his grief. He hated them for forcing him to figure out their mystery. Couldn't the universe just leave him alone? Hadn't he suffered enough? Hadn't he lost enough? But he knew he couldn't just leave them. They knew too much about him. Something's just couldn't be ignored.

Sara sneered at him, but she couldn't prevent her eyes for ricocheting around as the trap closed in on them. "Don't kid yourself. Maybe I wasn't there, but you're still him." He was getting too close! She knew what would happen if he came within arms reach of them, the same thing that he'd done so many times before. He'd get into her head and force her to bend to him, force her to sleep. She fingered her sonic again. If only he pulled his out, then she had a chance at disabling it. If she didn't, there would be nowhere they could run that he wouldn't find them.

"The snow," Shae whispered beside her. Sara's lips twisted into a momentary frown, and she saw as all eyes turned to her friend. "It's the snow." Suddenly, Shae turned to her and very clearly commanded, "Picture a blizzard with a clear path for us but not them."

Ooooh, he didn't know what she was talking about, but it didn't sound good. The Doctor quickly pulled out his screwdriver and pointed it down to scan the snow, to try to determine what purpose she had for it. But just as he began his search, the sonic sparked painfully in his hand and he dropped it with a yelp. Around them, a blinding blizzard appeared, but rather than coming from the skies above, the snow swirled up from under their feet, painfully whipping their flesh as it was driven by the non-existent air.

He quickly lunged forward to grab them, but his hands came up empty. And now, the snow was so thick in the air that he couldn't even see a hand in front of his face, let alone the two fleeing women. Even the sound of the storm drowned out any chance of him being able to hear where they ran. He stumbled forward, colliding with someone, but he knew the girls had already vanished. The localised storm lasted nearly fifteen minutes, and then it dissipated the same way it appeared; with no warning and no measurable cause for its existence.

He huffed to himself where he stood. He knew they couldn't have gone far, especially with Sara running in a corset, but he had no way of tracking them; no tracks in the snow, no scent on the breeze - the storm had erased every trace. He turned and walked back into the alley, eyeing the fresh snowdrifts for any sign of his screwdriver.

"But, what was that? How could they do that?" Jenny was asking, but the Doctor ignored her question. He would be able to determine what they did to the snow once he found them again. He kicked a particular snowdrift, unearthing his broken sonic.

"Right," he turned, using the silver tube to point at his associates. "You," he pointed at Jenny, "go back to the boarding house and ask questions. See if you can find out Orr's first name. You two," he rounded on Vastra and Strax, "see if you can track them down. Don't approach them, just find them." He turned and began stomping away down the alley.

"It happens to be Shae." She paused. "And what is your intention?" Vastra called to him. Sara had let slip Shae's first name when she attempted to contrive a background story for her friend, which Vastra was able to plainly see through.

"I need to fix my sonic." He grimaced to himself after stepping out of their view and into the fading sunlight. He knew Sara had a sonic device, he'd heard her use it when they were still in their room with Vastra and Jenny. But he hadn't expected it to look identical to his older model. Nor had he expected her to use it to fuse the circuits in his own device. He frowned again as he contemplated something else he hadn't expected; when he accidently bumped into some random woman earlier that afternoon, causing her to drop her bundle of clothes, he hadn't expected it to lead to a day like this one...

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"If he finds out about the energy inside of me, he can use the signature to locate me." Sara tried to explain to Shae who looked at her aghast. They had just used the telepathic snow to their advantage. It was beginning to become too much for the other woman. The fact that there was a real Doctor, telepathic snow...this very universe that existed.

Shae took a deep breath. "But he doesn't necessarily know right?" She indicated. It had been two hours since they escaped the Doctor and his associates. They were searching for rooms in another boarding house. The other, they both knew, was compromised. Sara still had the money she had obtained directly on her person. Still, the night air was becoming chill and to obtain rooms required references. As reluctant as they might be, they might have to give the new landlady Mrs. Howard's name so they could be ensured they weren't engaging in prostitution.

Mrs. Howard seemed aghast at the deceit that was played on her and even though she might not give any further information to the Silurion or Jenny, if the Doctor got it into his mind to approach her with psychic paper or use telepathy, their pretense would be at an end. Not to mention, the damage that was done in their escape from the building, Sara had her doubts she would be displeased to see their return.

"Your signature?" Shae repeated. "What signature?"

"Time energy." Sara shook her head as she stared at her hands in momentary disgust. "I have time energy from a TARDIS in my cells. It…." She took a staggered breath. "It was how I survived the void but the Doctor, he saw me as a weapon." She grit her teeth. She had to tell Shae about what happened to their universe now before things got any worse but she knew how horrifying this proposition it would be. A vivid memory of her standing on the other side of the bridge prepared to jump was etched out in her mind. She had so desperately wanted to end the dream. "Shae, you need to know-"

"A weapon?" A voice sounded behind them causing the two women to turn and let out a startled gasp. "Such an intriguing sentiment." Walter Simeon's voice was flat as he coldly observed the girl's in front of him. Indeed, he had born witness to their demonstration with the telepathic snow. The very fact that they knew about it and used it to their advantage…."It seems fortuitous that our paths have indeed crossed."

"No, nu-nu-nu-nu-no," Shae muttered fearfully. "This is bad. This is all kinds of bad."

Sara in contrast groped for the sonic in her pocket, bringing it up defensively against the villain.

Simeon turned slightly and gestured for the women to walk with him. "If you would accompany me, I have an associate who is eager to make your acquaintance."

"Not a chance," Sara spat. "We've just gotten away from one psychopath. Do you really expect us to walk into the arms of another?" Her voice shook as she spoke, but her hand holding the sonic was steady. She reached back and gently urged Shae to begin a slow retreat down the empty alleyway.

"I'm afraid I must insist," he assured them emotionlessly.

"And we decline," Sara sneered. "We're not going anywhere with you."

Simeon faced the girls directly once more. His face was almost blank apart from the ever-present twist that fouled his lips. "I think you forget," his voice oozed out, "that you are not the only ones who can control the snow."

But a voice interrupted them moment, a voice Sara and Shae never thought they feel so relieved to hear.

"Surrender and prepare to be obliterated for the glory of the Sontaran Empire."

Author's Note: As always reviews and insight is appreciated to see if we are doing okay or if we're sort of spinning our wheels. If we have written Eleven correctly. We have to thank LovelyAmberLight for her amusing anecdotes. They were helpful.