When the Sun Sets ☼ Eleven x Reader

XIII - Mysterious Faces

'Give me a quick rundown.' you say as you reach his side.

'Well, your brother, sister-in-law and about 4000 other people are trapped up in a spaceship with one hour until they crash, potentially killing everyone on board and on the ground below. Can't use the Tardis, because it can't lock on. So, that ship needs to land. But it can't land unless a very bad man suddenly decides to turn nice just in time for Christmas Day.'

He's cut off by Amy's response. 'Doctor, I can't hear you. What is that? Is that singing?'

'A Christmas Carol.' he replies.

'A what?'

'A Christmas Carol.'

'A what?'

'A Christmas Carol!' you finally shout into the device, tired of the conversation continuing to repeat itself. The Doctor moves the device away from his ear, and winces down at you.

'Ow!' he says. 'You shout loud.'

You mime a quick 'sorry', but the Doctor had already turned away. He's worked out what he needs to do, and the curious look he was giving Kazran Sardick's beacon did not not look too good. Whatever he had in mind, you knew it wasn't going to be boring, that's for sure.

[-]

Once the Doctor had finished setting up his plan, he was beaming like a child. When you got up into Mr Sardick's living room once again, you found him asleep in his armchair, with the fire still lit and cracking behind him. He was snoring gently, and stirred a little when you stepped on a creaky floorboard as you tiptoed through. Guided by the Doctor's shushing and calm humming, he eventually rolled his head away from you and towards the fire.

'You're surprisingly good at lulling people to sleep.' you remark. 'You'd make a wonderful father.'

'Well, I did.'

'You had children?'

'Once. A long time ago.' he says, his voice raising a little too far above the hushed tone you'd both been speaking in. Sardick stirred again, and this time you craned your head slightly over past the side of the chair, and spoke softly until the rhythmic snoring continued. 'I think you'd make an excellent mother.' the Doctor finishes, having already walked away from you before you had time to respond. He turned quickly and smiled at you as he headed towards an old projector in the corner. The second his hands were tightly grasped around it, you knew it was involved in his plan.

Mr Sardick eventually woke to the sound of the projector rolling, and clips from his childhood playing on the black and white film. Once he had noticed what he was watching, he stood quickly, and walked towards it with his hand outstretched, as if he could reach into the picture and relive it.

'So when do we come in?' you whisper lightly to the Doctor, from the side of the room where you'd been hiding since the film had begun.

'You mean when do you come in.' he corrects. 'You'll know. I know you will. Just follow your instinct, and make sure he gets to where we need him to be by the end of it.'

You looked up at his face for more guidance, but it looked as if it were sealed off, and any hints as to how you were to approach the coming moments were accessible only by him. You took a deep breath, and turned your eyes back to the screen just as a man- Kazran's father, you guessed- whips his hand quickly across a young Sardick's face. The boy on the screen melts into tears, and the old man in front of you looks as if he isn't far from doing the same. The Doctor wraps his arms delicately around you from behind, and rests his chin on the top of your head. He squeezes you tightly, before giving you a reassuring nod. You step out into the room, and place a hand on Kazran's shoulder, before he turns and jumps in shock.

'What have you done? What is this?' he yells angrily.

'Found it on an old drive.' you say, trying your best to emulate the Doctor's tone of voice. 'Sorry about the picture quality. Had to recover the data using quantum enfolding and a paperclip.'

Sardick paced around the room in an angered fit, searching for something to do to stop you. You decided the best response would be to sit in his chair, and act as if you own the room. You winked back to the Doctor as you did so and he smiled back at you sarcastically, obviously not loving the impersonation.

'Oh, I wouldn't bother calling your servants.' you continue as Kazran attempts to ring for assistance. 'They quit. Apparently they won the lottery at exactly the same time, which is a bit lucky when you think about it.'

'There isn't a lottery.'

'Yeah, as I say. Lucky.' you say, keeping your tone flat and mysterious, leaving just enough to the imagination to sound intriguing.

'Who are you?'

'Tonight, I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past.'

You try and maintain the dark stare for as long as you could, but broke character immediately as soon as you spotted the Doctor creeping out from the corner. His face was cracking into a smile, and so you thought you had no choice to stand up and join him. You walked slowly, as to keep up the façade that you were in control here.

'How'd I do? Was that good?' you ask eagerly as you reach the Doctor.

'Oh yeah. Wonderful. Just try and keep the look going for a bit longer, see. Mysterious face, mysterious face.' he says contorting his face into the positions he described. Naturally you copied him, pulling a face back at him before the two of you began to laugh. At the noise, Kazran turned around, and the two of you immediately snapped into your mysterious faces.

'Get out!' he shouted. 'Both of you! Get out of my house!'

'Okay. Okay, but we'll be back. Way back. Way, way back.'

The Doctor gently guides you out of the door, and into the TARDIS.

'So, how far back are you planning?'

'Well, how old is that film?'