Every end is just a new beginning
"Any moment now, is a-coming."
"Who's coming?"
"The Doctor."
"You… You are the Doctor."
"Yep, and I…"
Suddenly, everything was on fire.
"Doctor, what's happening?"
"I don't know, it's…"
The Doctor didn't reach the commands before the regeneration. Clara fall on the chair, dazzled by the light, while the Tardis was still on fire. And… A new face. The angry man looked at Clara in the eyes.
"Do you know how to fly this thing?"
"I… You never told me how to do!"
"Well, we have a problem."
An explosion.
Two explosions.
Three explosions.
The Doctor, in the panic, touched two or three buttons. He tried to look clever, but Clara clearly saw that he had absolutely now idea of what he was doing. One explosion later, the Doctor activated a lever, trying to do something, anything.
"Maybe if I activate the teleportation system..."
"Are you sure?"
The Doctor looked at her with those scary eyes with those scary eyebrows.
"I don't know, but we need to run away from whatever is shooting at us."
"And what is shooting at us?"
"Excellent question." He looked at a screen, even if Clara wasn't sure if this was efficient, given that the screen was on fire. But the Doctor shrugged and pushed the screen away. "Daleks. A single ship, who escaped from the big destruction. Now, I need to activate the teleportation system."
The angry old man pulled the lever at the exact same time of a new explosion. The Tardis flew away, but not to the expected direction.
A moment after, everything was calm again. Even if the Tardis was still on fire. But everything was calm again outside of the Tardis.
"Doctor? Are you okay?"
The old man was laying on the ground, facing the ceiling.
"Doctor? You can stand up, we're safe now."
"There's something wrong in there."
"Obviously. The Tardis is on fire."
"Not on the Tardis. It's something… bigger. It's more global."
"…"
"It's… We need to go on Earth."
"What? Why?"
"To check something."
The Doctor pushed two buttons, the Tardis made its famous sound. Clara opened the door. They were in London, next to the Tames.
"There's nothing wrong in there, Doctor. See? Everything is normal."
"Wait a minute. Look at the people."
"They are human. There is no problem."
"Not like that. Look at how they look at us. How do you feel when they look at you like that?"
"It's strange… I feel kind of… famous…"
"Are you famous?"
"No… Well, I think not."
"You're a school teacher. Of course you're not famous."
"Hey! That's offensive!"
The young Doctor would never talk to her like that. Will she handle the change? She had always loved him, her adventures. But now, it's like he's not the same any more. A complete stranger.
"Now Clara, the question is: why do everyone look at us like we were famous?"
"Maybe because we came out of a box which appeared from nowhere?"
"They don't care about the box, it has a hiding filter. Plus, they don't look at us like weird aliens. It's like they love us, they admire us."
"Seems like you're right. Oh, look! A boy is coming!"
Indeed, a teenager was walking to them, very excited.
"Excuse me, Mr Capaldi, could you please sign this?"
He gave the Doctor a photo of him posing with Clara and the Tardis, already signed in a corner. The boy looked Clara, a little bit embarrassed.
"I didn't ask you because you already signed, you see. Don't think it's because I don't like you or anything, it's…"
"Oh don't worry, it's not a problem."
Clara answered naturally. Maybe she was made to be famous, after all.
"How did you got this?" Asked the Doctor, looking the teenager in the eyes.
"It was at the London Comic Con, you came with the team to promote the new season of Doctor Who."
"Oh. That's… Surprising. You see Clara, I told you there was a problem."
"I can see that very well, thank you. So… If I understand, on this planet, we're famous actors?"
"Not only on this planet. Told you, it's more global."
"Global, like the galaxy?"
"No. More global like the entire Universe."
"Oh. Great… Wait! Wait. You're telling me that we're not in the same Universe?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying. We changed of universe. Obviously when I regenerated."
"And now, what do we do?"
"I don't know. I don't like it."
"Excuse me, Mr Capaldi? What's happening? You're making a joke, aren't you? I don't understand anything…"
"Yeah. A lot of people do that."
"So… Can you explain?"
"I already explain. If you could please concentrate."
"So… You're from another universe. You're the Doctor and you're actually real."
"Kind of."
"And you're calm and all. But… DO YOU FUCKING REALISE WHAT DOES THAT MEANS?"
"Actually, no. But if you could calm down and explain."
"You're… You're the hero of one of the most famous show in Great Britain and you're actually fuking real I can't believe it it's absolutely awesome but how could this be real oh God this is fucking real. No. This is a joke. There are cameras or something."
"I assure you there are absolutely no cameras and this is absolutely real."
Clara was kind of… Absent. After all, she was stuck in another universe with an absolute fanboy. Unbelievable. But she would give up for nothing at all. What they have to do now is to understand where they are, why, and how to go back. First step : Who are you?
"What's your name, boy?"
"Aaron. But why…"
"I like to know the people I talk to. So, Aaron. You're telling us that in this Universe, everything that happen to us is a TV show?"
"Yes. But it can't be real! How can it be real?"
"I don't know neither. That's what me and the Doctor are trying to understand."
Second step : checking.
"So. If there is a show about us, you must know things about us. Can you tell us some… things?"
"Your name is Clara Oswald. You had many differents lives with the Doctor, and everytime you save him. He calls you the Impossible Girl. One time you were a Dalek, and another time you were a waitress in London. Every time you die. Everything is because one day on Trenzalore, the place where the Doctor die, you entered in his timeline. One day, UNIT called you because they found a painting on Gallifrey. Because of that you met the Tenth Doctor and the War Doctor, who had a decision to take about The Moment, a weapon that could destroy Gallifrey. The Tenth Doctor married the Queen Elizabeth. And after that…"
"Okay, you can stop now, that's enough. Thank you. Doctor… Doctor ?What are you doing?"
"He's checking gravity."
"How do you know that?"
"He does that every time."
"Ah, yes. Of course."
By the time they were talking, a group of people had gathered around them and the Tardis. They didn't dare to come closer, but you could see excitation in their eyes. They thought they were going to meet their idols. Of course, the Doctor didn't care at all, busy jumping everywhere he could.
"Doctor? What do we do?"
"Into the Tardis, now."
Clara followed him inside, hoping that the fans would stayed out and that the Doctor had an idea.
She didn't even had the time to say anything before she was interrupted by a scream.
"OH MY GOD IT'S REAL! IT'S REAL!"
"Aaron? What are you doing?"
"The Doctor said to go inside the Tardis."
"He was talking to me!"
"I guess it's too late now. Because if I go outside, I will tell everyone that the Doctor is inside."
"Oh you little… Nevermind. Yeah, it's too late. Don't go out until we have a solution."
The Doctor was checking things (lights, buttons, levers. As usual) and he didn't even noticed Aaron before he bumped into him.
"Aaron? How did you get inside?"
"I used the doors."
"He can't go out, Doctor. He told me that if you don't let him stay he will let everyone enter."
"Well played, boy. I guess you can stay."
"This is literally the best day of my life! Can I visit?"
"Do what you want as long as you don't destroy anything."
Aaron ran in a corridor and disappeared behind a corner. Clara turned to the Doctor, still busy to something only him could understand.
"So, what are we doing now?"
"I'm trying to see how we can go back. The problem is, the Tardis is linked to our Universe by the Eye of Harmony, the source of its energy. Now that we are disconnected from our Universe, the star is losing its power."
"That means that we can't go back to our Universe?"
"That means that we need to be fast if we want to go home."
"So what are you waiting for?"
"Aaron. We need him to leave."
"I'm going to search for him."
Clara left the room and took the same corridor as Aaron. One or two corner later, she found him in the library.
"Aaron, what are you doing?"
"I'm looking. This is so beautiful. You can't imagine how much I'm happy."
"Yeah, I guess. But, you know, we can't stay here forever. We need to go back."
Aaron put back the book and sighed.
"I know. You're here to tell me to leave, aren't you?"
"I… Yeah. We need to go back to our Universe quickly, if we don't want to be stuck here forever."
"I knew you wouldn't stay. But… I hoped… Well, I suppose your Universe needs you. So… I need to go out, don't I?"
Aaron left the room, and Clara followed him. They came back to the central console, where the Doctor was still looking to… to things.
"Goodbye, Doctor. I'll miss you."
"You will see me again, Aaron. Just watch Doctor Who."
The boy smiled, and opened the doors. After a last look inside the Tardis, he left the place.
"Now Doctor, maybe we could... Aaron! I thought you were supposed to leave!"
"I tried! But I was kinda attacked by a big group. Journalists, fans… I think you were noticed."
"How is that even possible? The Tardis has a hiding filter!"
Aaron checked his phone.
"You were filmed by someone, when you came out. Now, there is a lot of people who know that there are two actors of Doctor Who in the center of London."
"And now, what do we do? We can't go if you're onboard. It would be… Bad."
"Well, we don't have any choice now, Doctor. We must stay here for a while."
They were stuk here. For how long ? The more Clara was thinking about what was happening to her, the more she was worrying. So, she tried not to think.
It didn't work.
While he was looking at his phone, Aaron got a concerned look.
"Aaron ? What's happening?"
"Steven… Steven Moffat is here."
"Who?"
"The actual showrunner of the show."
"Wonderful! I want to talk to him!"
"Doctor, we were supposed to be in a rush to come back!"
"Well, we can't come back. So, I enjoy my time here!"
The Doctor opened the door. Two seconds later, he came back.
"I'm afraid I have absolutely no idea of how he looks…"
He looked at Aaron's phone, and left just after.
A few seconds later, he came back with a man next to him. The man, about 50 years old, short curly black hair, stopped at the doorway.
"Oh… Oh my… It… It exists! It's real! It's bigger on the outside… Than it is… On the outside! I've always dreamed about saying that!"
"So, sir. You're the showrunner of Doctor Who, are you?"
"Yeah… Yeah, I am. Sorry, it's just… You're actually real! It's the best day of my life!"
"Why did you come here?"
"Well, there were rumors. I thought about a joke from Peter and Jenna, but I learned that they were shooting today. I didn't say anything to anyone, and now I'm here! Why did you want to talk to me, Doctor?"
"Nothing special, just… Seeing the man writing my wonderful and amazing adventures."
"Why are you here?"
"Technical issue on the Tardis."
"Well…Where were you, in your universe?"
"I've just reincarnated on Trenzalore."
"Just like here. We released the last episode of the Eleventh Doctor yesterday. Maybe our timelines are synchronised?"
"Of course, that's logical! Two parallels universe. In one, I exist and in the other one, I'm the main character of a famous show!"
"So, if you stay too long… What happen?"
"I have no faintest idea."
"But… There could be a time paradox! The timelines of the two Universe are going to be desynchronized! What could happen?"
"I don't know. Maybe… Something terrible… Maybe one of the two universe will disappear."
Clara heard this like if it was a dream. The two other, Steven and Aaron, were so still she could think time has stopped. The Doctor looked concerned, like if he was thinking about to find a solution. Clara wanted to be sure about that last thing.
"But… Doctor, you will find a solution, will you? You always do that. You always save everyone. Always. Tell me you have a solution."
"I don't have any solution. If I go back to our Universe, time will have passed, and there is a paradox. If I stay, time will pass, and there is a paradox. And if I had a solution, we just have 1 minute to save two Universe."
"You are the Doctor, you saved more planets and more lives than everyone in the Universe, and you're saying that we're going to die?"
"Or… Maybe it's me that is going to die."
Aaron woke up at the same time.
"But… You are the Doctor! You're a hero! If you die, who is going to save everybody? You… You are without any hesitation the most important man, in your Universe, but also in this one! You're a model for a lot of people! You can't die! Who is going to replace you? No one can be like you!"
"Maybe I'm the Doctor. I'm maybe a hero. I may have saved so many people, so many planet, I lost count. I even saved the Universe more than once. But I'm not essential, and I'm surely not irreplaceable. Because you think no one can be good the way I am, doesn't mean that no one can be good. Be good in your own way, in your own life. Because, no matter when, no matter where, no matter how, being good always make a difference. So, go. Fly away. Be good, be your own hero. And, thanks to people like you, Universe will be safe."
And he just smiled. He looked everyone in the eyes, and whispered "Goodbye."
For one moment, everything was bright. Clara felt strange, and she fell on the ground. After a time, she opened one eye. The Doctor was looking at her.
"Are you alright ?"
She got on her feet.
"Yeah… Well, I think. Where are we?"
"Still in London, in the parallel Universe. It's the when that matters."
"So, when are we?"
"At the exact time of our arrived here. I think… Well, I'm pretty sure that the two Universe are safe. The things that are not safe, is us."
"Why?"
"To equilibrate the timelines, the Universe erased me. I have never existed, and I'm going to disappear."
"But… I need you. Everyone need you! You can't just die!"
Tears were rolling down her face. The Doctor couldn't die! The Doctor smile at her.
"For our original Universe, we can't do anything. But for this one, at least… The thing this Universe needs, is a model, like Aaron said. I did some research, when you were sleeping. I took notes."
"What are we going to do?"
"We're going to tell to everybody that everyone is important, and that they need to be good and kind."
"What does that mean?"
"We're going to recreate the show. You're not forced to come with me."
"Am I going to die too?"
"Well… Maybe…"
"Tell me the truth, Doctor."
"Yeah. You're going to die, just like me."
"I follow you. For you're last mission. I want to save the Universe too!"
"So, we're going back to 1963! Come on, Clara, we've got work to do!"
Somewhere in Great Britain, in 1963, Sidney Newman got the visit of a strange mad man and a strange funny girl, after a blue police box appeared in his garden.
He never told the story to anyone, but thanks to that, he got an idea to finish the work asked by Donald Baverstock, his boss.
Sidney Newman is now known as the creator of the longest sci-fi show in the world.