Author’s note: I have decided to put it in the story then in a one shot. So i hope you all like it.
~00~
The Doctor and Maddie stumbled out of the fireplace. “Ah. Yes. Blimey. Sorry. Christmas Eve on a rooftop. Saw a chimney, my whole brain just went, what the hell.”
“Yeah and my brain went what the hell either, cause that was just stupid.” Maddie told him as then she looked at the family that stared at them.
The Doctor went to them. “Don't worry, fat fellow will be doing the rounds later. I'm just scoping out the general chimney-ness. Yes. Nice size, good traction. Big tick.”
“Fat fellow?” The father asked.
“Father Christmas, Santa Claus or, as I've always known him, Jeff.” He replied to him.
“There's no such person as Father Christmas.” The boy countered.
“Oh, yeah?” The Doctor produced an old photograph. “Me and Father Christmas, Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge, 1952. See him at the back with the blonde? Albert Einstein. The three of us together. Brrm. Watch out. Okay? Keep the faith. Stay off the naughty list.” Then he spotted what looks like a big cinema organ. “Ooo. Now, what's this then? I love this. A big flashy lightly thing. That's what brought me here. Big flashy lightly things have got me written all over them. Not actually, but give me time, and a crayon. Now, this big flashy lightly thing is connected to the spire in your dome, yeah? And it controls the sky. Well, technically it controls the clouds, which technically aren't clouds at all. Well, they're clouds of tiny particles of ice. Ice clouds. Love that.” Then he noticed the girl in ice thingy. “Who's she?”
“Nobody important.” The old man replied harshly.
“Nobody important.” The Doctor repeated. “Blimey, that's amazing. Do you know, in nine hundred years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before.” Then he went to a machine. “Now, this console is the key to saving that ship, or I'll eat my hat. If I had a hat. I'll eat someone's hat. Not someone who's using their hat. I don't want to shock a nun, or something. Sorry, rambling, because, because this isn't working!”
“The controls are isomorphic.” The old man told him. “One to one. They respond only to me.”
“Oh, you fibber. Isomorphic. There's no such thing.” The Doctor told him, rudely. Then the old man reached over and switches it off then on again. All the Doctor was getting annoyed from the beeps, even with the screwdriver. “These controls are isomorphic.”
“You don’t say.” Maddie muttered sarcastically.
“The skies of this entire world are mine.” The old man explained. “My family tamed them, and now I own them.”
“Tamed the sky?” The Doctor looked confused. “What does that mean?”
The old man turned and walked off, he shook his head. “It means I'm Kazran Sardick. How can you possibly not know who I am?”
“Well, just easily bored, I suppose.” The Doctor glanced at the children that were in the room with them.
Maddie looked at Sardick. “So, we need your help, then.”
“Make an appointment.” Sardick grumbled.
The Doctor wanted to talk, but Maddie interrupted him and walked toward the old man, looking angry. “Excuse me, but there are four thousand and three people in a spaceship trapped in your cloud belt. Without your help, they're going to die.”
“Yes.” Sardick nodded.
The Doctor and Maddie blinked at the old man. “You don't have to let that happen.”
“I know, but I'm going to.” Sardick told them. “Bye, bye. Bored now.” then he called his servants. “Chuck.” They grabbed them as well as the family that were there. The Doctor and Maddie wriggled out of the clutches of the servants and went to Sardick, who was settling into a tall leather armchair by the fireplace.
“Ooo, look at you, looking all tough now.” Sardick comment to them.
“There are four thousand and three people I won't allow to die tonight.” The Doctor told him, a little angry.
“Do you know where that puts you?” Maddie added, also angry.
Sardick looked at them. “Where?”
“Four thousand and four.” The Doctor replied/ threatened to him.
Sardick wasn’t impressed. “Was that a sort of threat-y thing?”
“Whatever happens tonight, remember you brought it on yourself.” The Doctor replied to him, angry.
“Yeah, yeah, right.” Sardick didn’t believe him as then he looked at his servants. “Get them out of here. And next time, try and find me some funny poor people.”
Then the boy throws a stray piece of coal at Sardick as he, his family and the Doctor were hustled out. Sardick runs over to hit the child. “No, stop, don't.” The Doctor shouted to the old man.
“No, don’t do it.” Maddie shouted as well.
“Don't you dare.” Even the father shouted. “You leave him.”
“Get them out of here.” Sardick ordered his servants. “Get that foul-smelling family out of here. Out!”
“We're going!” The boy shouted to the servants as they were let outside as the Doctor and Maddie pushed the servants outside as well with the family.
“What?” Sardick looked at them. “What do you want?”
“Peacefully night.” Maddie replied to him.
“A simple life.” The Doctor looked at the old man. “But you didn't hit the boy.”
Sardick looked at him. “Well, I will next time.”
“You see, you won't.” The Doctor rambled. “Now why? What am I missing?”
“Get out.” Sardick was getting sick of them. “Get out of this house.”
“The chairs.” Maddie replied to the Doctor, looking at the chairs.
The Doctor nodded. “Of course, the chairs. Stupid me, the chairs.”
Sardick looked confused. “The chairs?”
“There's a portrait on the wall behind me.” The Doctor began. “Looks like you, but it's too old, so it's your father. All the chairs are angled away from it. Daddy's been dead for twenty years, but you still can't get comfortable where he can see you.”
“There's a Christmas tree in the painting, but none in this house, on Christmas Eve.” Maddie finished him. “You're scared of him, and you're scared of being like him, and good for you, you're not like him, not really. Do you know why?”
Sardick looked at them. “Why?”
“Because you didn't hit the boy.” The Doctor replied to him. “Merry Christmas, Mister Sardick.”
“Merry Christmas, sir.” Maddie told him.
“I despise Christmas.” Sardick almost shouted bitterly.
“You shouldn't.” The Doctor told him lightly. “It's very you.”
“It's what?” The old man was very confused at him. “What do you mean?”
“Halfway out of the dark.” The Doctor replied to him, then they went to leave the place and the servants returned.
~00~
Ones they were outside, Maddie comment to the Doctor. “Poor idiotic man. It’s sad even.”
“Yeah.” He nodded to her. Then he called Amy as she picked it up.
“Have you got a plan yet?” She asked him, Maddie listenened in by the Doctor.
“Yes, I do.” The Doctor replied to her.
“Are you lying?” Amy asked, not believing him.
“Yes, I am.” The Doctor replied.
“Don't treat me like an idiot.” Amy told him.
They heard Rory asking. “Was he lying?”
“No, no.” Amy replied to him.
“Okay, the good news.” The Doctor told her. “I've tracked the machine that unlocks the cloud belt. I could use it to clear you a flight corridor and you could land easily.”
“Oh, hey. Hey, that's great news.” Amy told him, happily.
Then there was the bombshell as Maddie told her. “But he can't control the machine.”
“Less great.” Amy sighed.
“But we've met a man who can.” The Doctor told her.
“Ah, well there you go.” Amy told him.
“And he hates the Doctor.” Maddie sighed.
“Were you being extra charming and clever?” Amy asked her.
“Yeah, he was.” Maddie asked confused. “How did you know?”
“Lucky guess.” Amy comment, dryly.
“Oi.” The Doctor comment back.
Just then the father called to them. “Sir? Ma’am? Sir. Ma’am.”
“Hang on.” The Doctor told to Amy, then they turned around and looked at the father.
“I've never seen anybody stand up to Mister Sardick like that.” He told them. “Bless you, sir, and merry Christmas.”
Maddie looked at the father, happily. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas.” The Doctor told him, also happily. “Lovely. Sorry, bit busy.”
“You'd better get inside, sir.” The father told them. “The fog's thick tonight, and there's a fish warning.”
“All right, yeah.” The Doctor looked confused. “Sorry, fish?”
“Yeah.” The father replied to him. “You know what they're like when they get a bit hungry.”
“Yeah, fish, I know fish.” The Doctor mimed the swimming creatures.
“Fish?” Maddie added.
“It's all Mister Sardick's fault, I reckon.” The father told them. “He always lets a few fish through the cloud layer when he's in a bad mood. Thank you. Bless you once again, sir, Ma’am.” Then he walked away to his family.
“Fish?” The Doctor glanced at Maddie, who just shrugged.
Amy spoke though the phone. “Doctor, the Captain says we've got less than an hour. What should we be doing?”
Then there was a little fish swimming around the street light, the Doctor and Maddie looked in awe. “Fish.”
“Sorry, what?” Any asked confused.
“Fish that can swim in fog.” The Doctor smiled. “I love new planets.”
“Me too.” Maddie comment, looking at the fish.
Amy sighed. “Doctor. Maddie, please don't get distracted.”
The little fish nibbled at the Doctor's outstretched fingers while a big shadow passed some way behind them. “Now, why would people be frightened of you tiny little fellows? Look at you, sweet little fishy-wishies. Mind you, fish in the fog, so the cloud cover. Ooo. Careful up there.”
“Oh great, thanks, Doctor, because there was a real danger we were all going to nod off.” Amy told him sarcastically. “We've got less than an hour!”
Then the town clock shows 11 o'clock as they looked at it. “We know.”
“Doctor? Maddie?” Amy asked to them. “How are you getting us off here?”
“Oh, just give me a minute.” The Doctor replied to her. “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.”
Just then there was someone singing as Amy told him. “Doctor, I can't hear you. What is that? Is that singing?”
“A Christmas carol.” The Doctor replied to her.
“A what?” Amy asked confused, she didn’t hear him.
“A Christmas carol.” Maddie replied this time.
“A what?” She asked, didn’t hear her.
“A Christmas Carol!” The Doctor replied.
“Doctor?” Amy asked confused. “Maddie?”
“Kazran Sardick.” He replied.
“Doctor!” Amy shouted to them. “Maddie!”
The Doctor put the phone away. “Merry Christmas, Kazran Sardick.”
Maddie looked at him. “Oh, Merry Christmas indeed.”
~00~
The Doctor touched Sardick on the shoulder as Maddie stood close by, they had heard everything on the video. “It's okay, it's okay.” He told him.
“What have you done?” Sardick snarled. “What is this?”
“Found it on an old drive.” The Doctor replied to him. “Sorry about the picture quality. Had to recover the data using quantum enfolding and a paperclip.”
“Oh, I wouldn't bother calling your servants.” Maddie added. “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.” Sardick told them.
“Yeah, as I say, lucky.” The Doctor told him.
Sardick looked at them. “Who are you?”
“Tonight, I'm a Ghost Of Christmas Past.” The Doctor replied to him.
“Well, we are.” Maddie added.
“Did you ever get to see a fish, back then, when you were a kid?” The Doctor asked to him.
Sardick looked bitterly. “What does that matter to you?”
“Look how it mattered to you.” He glanced at the screen.
“I cried all night, and I learned life's most invaluable lesson.” Sardick looked at the screen.
“Ah.” He asked to him. “Which is?”
“Nobody comes.” He looked at them, then he shouted. “Get out! Get out of my house!”
“Okay.” The Doctor told him. “Okay, but we'll be back. Way back. Way, way back.” As then he grabbed Maddie’s hand and went through the door and into the TARDIS, which dematerialized in the now and rematerialized outside Kazran's window. “See?” Then he opened it. “Back.”
“Who are you?” The young boy asked to them.
“Hi. I'm the Doctor and this is Maddie.” The Doctor introduced themselves. “We are your new babysitters.”
“Where's Mrs. Mantovani?” Kazran asked to them.
“Oh, you'll never guess.” The Doctor replied to the boy. “Clever old Mrs. Manters, she only went and won the lottery.”
“There isn't any lottery.” Kazran told him.
“I know.” The Doctor nodded to him. “What a woman.”
Kazran looked at them. “If you're my babysitters, why are you climbing in the window?”
Maddie looked around the room as the Doctor replied to him. “Because if we were climbing out of the window, we'd be going in the wrong direction. Pay attention.”
“Nice room.” Maddie comment to the boy.
“Thank you, ma’am.” Kazran looked at her as then he looked at the Doctor. “But Mrs. Mantovani always my babysitter.”
“Don’t call me ma’am.” Maddie muttered.
“Times change.” The Doctor looked at something. “Wouldn't you say? You see? Christmas Past.”
“Who are you talking to?” Kazran asked confused.
“You.” The Doctor replied to him. “Now, your past is going to change. That means your memories will too. Bit scary, but you'll get the hang of it.”
Kazran looked confused. “I don't understand.”
“I'll bet you don't.” The Doctor told him. “I wish I could see your face.”
“I can imagination.” Maddie told him.
“Right then, your bedroom.” The Doctor comment to Kazran. “Great. Let's see. You're twelve years old, so we'll stay away from under the bed.” He opened a closet. “Cupboard! Big cupboard. I love a cupboard. Do you know, there's a thing called a face spider. It's just like a tiny baby's head with spider legs, and it's specifically evolved to scuttle up the backs of bedroom cupboards which, yeah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned.” Then he closed it and looked at the young boy. “Right. So. What are we going to do? Eat crisps and talk about girls? I've never actually done that, but I bet it's easy. Girls? Yeah?” Then he looked at Maddie. “Maybe not then.”
“Are you really a babysitter?” Kazran looked at him, then he pointed at Maddie. “She, I would believe.”
He showed Kazran the psychic paper. “Oi, I think you'll find I'm universally recognized as a mature and responsible adult.”
“It's just a lot of wavy lines.” Kazran told him as Maddie laughed.
“Yeah, it's shorted out.” The Doctor comment as he put it away. “Finally, a lie too big. Okay, no, not really a babysitter, but it's Christmas Eve. You don't want a real one. You want me.”
“Yeah, I’m not really a babysitter either.” Maddie admitted. “But you want him and me.” She gestured to the Doctor and herself.
“Why?” Kazran looked between them. “What's so special about you?”
“Have you ever seen Mary Poppins?” The Doctor asked to him.
Kazran shook his head. “No.”
“Good.” The Doctor clapped with his hands. “Because that comparison would've been rubbish. Fish in the fog. Fish in the clouds. How do people ever get bored? How did boredom even get invented?”
“My dad's invented a machine to control the cloud belt.” Kazran replied to him. “Tame the sky, he says. The fish will be able to come down, but only when we let them. We can charge whatever we like.”
“Yeah.” Maddie comment, little grumpily. “We've seen your dad's machine.”
Just then, a shark glides past behind the Doctor's and Maddie’s back as the window was still open. Kazran looked at them. “What? You can't have.”
“Tame the sky.” The Doctor replied to him. “Human beings. You always manage to find the boring alternative, don't you? You want to see one? A fish. We can do that. We can see a fish.”
Kazran frowned. “Aren't you going to tell me it's dangerous?”
“Dangerous?” The Doctor looked at the young boy. “Come on, we're boys. And you know what boys say in the face of danger.”
“What?” Kazran asked confused.
“Mummy.” The Doctor replied, Maddie face palmed.
~00~
Later, the sonic screwdriver is dangling from a string passed through a lamp fitting in the ceiling and leading into where the other end was tied to the Doctor's finger. “Are there any face spiders in here?” Kazran asked to them.
“No, of course not.” Maddie replied to him.
“Nah, not at this time of night.” The Doctor glanced at him. “They'll all be sleeping in your mattress. So, why are you so interested in fish?”
“Because they're scary.” Kazran replied to him.
The Doctor smiled at him. “Good answer.”
“What kind of tie is that?” Kazran gestured the tie around the Doctors neck.
“A cool one.” The Doctor replied to him.
“Why is it cool?” Kazran asked to him, looking confused.
“Why are you really interested in fish?” The Doctor asked back.
“My school.” Kazran replied to him, hugging his knees. “During the last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack. Loads of them. A whole shoal. No one was hurt, but it was the most fish ever seen below the mountains.”
“Were you scared?” Maddie asked to him.
“I wasn't there. I was off sick.” Kazran replied to her.
“Ooo, lucky you.” The Doctor comment, then Maddie glared at him. “Not lucky.”
“It's all anyone ever talks about now.” Kazran told them. “The day the fish came. Everyone's got a story.”
“But you don't. I see.” The Doctor understood him.
“I understand.” Maddie nodded in understanding. “When I was little, I missed a girly thingy, cause I was also sick. Had a aspirin up, got sick after. All because I had a headache.” The Doctor listened to her story, he felt it deeply. “Thankfully it was only half.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Kazran asked to her.
“Cause, there will more moments that you miss, but there are also moments that you will witness it. Moments of life experience.” Maddie replied to him. “Life is hard, but its your life as you make it.”
Kazran nodded as then he looked at the laptop. “Why are you recording this?”
“Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?” Maddie asked back.
Kazran looked confused. “Sorry, what?”
“Because you're not paying attention now.” The Doctor replied as then something is tugging at the string and went to the door, followed by Maddie. “Shush.”
“Doctor, Maddie, are you sure?” Kazran asked to them.
Maddie looked at the young boy. “Trust us.”
“Okay.” He nodded.
“Oi.” The Doctor smiled to him. “Eyes on the tie. Look at me. I wear it and I don't care. Trust us.”
“Yes.” He nodded.
“That's why it's cool.” The Doctor told to him as then he and Maddie went out of the closet. Then they saw a fish was investigating the flashing sonic screwdriver. “Hello, fishy. Let's see. Interesting. Crystalline fog, eh? Maybe carrying a tiny electrical charge. Is that how you fly, little fishy?”
Maddie looked at the little fish. “Cute, little fishy.”
“What is it?” The boy asked from in the closet. “What kind? Can I see?”
“Just stay there a moment.” The Doctor replied/shouted to Kazran.
“Is it big?” He asked, curious.
“Nah, just a little one.” The Doctor replied to him. “So, little fellow, what do you eat?” Then a shark swoops in and devours the little fish and the sonic screwdriver in one big toothy bite.
“How little?” Kazran asked to him.
“Er.” The Doctor stuttered.
Maddie has eyes wide open. “Oh, boy.”
“Can I come out?” Kazran asked to them.
“No.” Maddie shouted.
“No, no.” The Doctor added. “Maybe just wait there for a moment.”
“What color is it?” Kazran asked them.
“Big.” Maddie replied, glancing at the Doctor.
“Big color.” The Doctor added as then they made their way to the closet and closed it behind them.
“What's happening?” Kazran asked to them.
“Something big, very big fishy.” Maddie replied to him.
“Well, concentrating on the plusses, you've definitely got a story of your own now.” The Doctor added holding the door closed. “Also, I got a good look at the fish, and I think I understand how the fog works, which is going to help me land a spaceship in the future and save a lot of lives. And I bet I get some very interesting readings off my sonic screwdriver when I get it back from the shark in your bedroom.”
“There's a shark in my bedroom?” Kazran asked/ shouted to them.
“Oh fine, focus on that part.” The Doctor rolled with his eyes.
“Rude!” Maddie sighed.
Bang! Against the door, then it was quiet. “Has it gone?” Kazran asked to them. “What's it doing?”
“What do you call it if you don't have any feet, and you're taking a run-up?” The Doctor asked to him.
“It's going to eat us.” Kazran looked at him with eyes widen and the Doctor and Maddie over to him, away from the door. “It's going to eat us. It's going to eat us. Is it going to eat us?” Then the shark came and was stuck in the closet door.
“Well, maybe we're going to eat it, but I don't like the odds. It's stuck, though.” The Doctor thought quickly. “Let's see. Tiny shark brain. If I had my screwdriver, I could probably send a pulse and stun it.”
“Well, where's your screwdriver?” Kazran asked to him.
“Well, concentrating on the plusses, within reach.” The Doctor replied to him. “You know, there's a real chance the way it's wedged in the doorway is keeping its mouth open.”
“There is?” Kazran asked to him.
“Just agree with me, because I've only got two goes, and then it's your turn.” The Doctor replied to him.
Kazran looked at him. “Two goes?”
“It will take more goes.” Maddie muttered to the Doctor as he sighed.
“Two arms.” The Doctor replied to Kazran. “Right, then. Okay. Geronimo. Open wide.”
~00~
Kazran sat on his knees and had put his hands on the shark that was stunned. The dome was still under construction behind them. The Doctor and Maddie stood by him. “What's the big fishy done to you? Swallowed half of you, that's what.” The Doctor spoke, he looked at his half screwdriver. “Half a screwdriver, what use is that? Bad, big fishy.”
“Doctor? Maddie?” Kazran looked up at them. “I think she's dying.”
“Half my screwdriver's still inside, but yeah, I think so.” The Doctor looked at him. “I doubt they can survive long outside the cloud belt. Just quick raiding trips on a foggy night.”
“Can't we get it back up there?” Kazran looked at them. “We were just going to stun it. I didn't want to kill it.”
“She was trying to eat you.” Maddie comment.
“She was hungry.” Kazran comment back.
“I'm sorry, Kazran.” The Doctor shook his head. “I can't save her. I could take her back up there, but she'd never survive the trip. We need a fully functioning life-support.”
“You mean like an icebox?” Kazran looked at them. “Okay.”
“You have something like that?” Maddie asked to him.
“Yes, follow me.” Kazran looked at them, then they run down the stairs. There was a decorated Christmas tree in the room.
“Ooo, a tree. A tree.” The Doctor comment, examining it.
Maddie called him. “Doctor.” Then he turned and looked at her, then Kazran got a lamp and they went downstairs.
~00~
When they arrived outside the Cryovault, they stood outside of the vault door as the Doctor asked to Kazran. “What is this?”
Kazran tried to open it but failed. “The surplus population. That's what my Dad calls it.” Then they all try to open the door, but failed again. “Oh, it's not turning. Oh, why won't it turn?”
There is a keypad nearby as the Doctor tried to sonic it, with a half screwdriver. It didn’t work as he asked to Kazran. “Ah, what's the number?”
Kazran shook his head. “I don't know.”
“This place is full of alarms.” The Doctor told them. “It's not just the door. I need the number.” He tried to open the door again, but failed as he repeated. “I need the number.”
“I'm not allowed to know until I'm older.” Kazran comment to him.
Then the Doctor run away from them and quickly thought to Maddie. ‘I’m going to get the number.’
‘Alright.’ Maddie thought back, then she said out loud to Kazran. “He’s going to get the number.”
Moments later, he returned with the number and shouted to them. “Seven two five eight. Seven two five eight.” Kazran entered the code on the keypad and when he finished, the door opened and they walked inside of it. “Ah, there's fish down here, too.” The Doctor comment, ones they were inside.
“They are cute.” Maddie comment as the Doctor pouted. She noticed it and told him smiling. “You are also cute.” Then he smiled back.
“Yeah, but only tiny ones.” Kazran told them. “The house is built on a fog lake, that's how Dad freezes the people. They're all full, but we could borrow one.” He comment, ones they were stopped by a familiar face. “Yeah, this one.”
“Hello again.” The Doctor looked at the woman, he greeted her.
“Oh, hello.” Maddie comment, also looking at the woman.
Kazran looked at them. “You know her?”
“Only, seen her.” Maddie muttered.
“Why her?” The Doctor looked at him. “Important, is she?”
“She won't mind. She loves the fish.” Kazran smiled, then he pressed a button and a recording started.
“My name is Abigail Pettigrew, and I'm very grateful for Mister Sardick's kindness. My father…”
"Like from Harry Potter?" Maddie looked at the Doctor.
He shrugged. “Think so.”
“She starts to talk about the fish in a minute.” Kazran comment excitedly.
“But I would not allow it. I could not have chosen this path were it not for the compassion and generosity of the great philanthropist and patron of the poor, Mister Elliot Sardick. But I'm also surrounded by the fish, the beautiful, iridescent, magical fish.”
“Why are these people here?” The Doctor asked to him.
“they dash beneath the light as they dart through the fog.”
“What's all this for?” Maddie asked, looking around her.
“My dad lends money. He always takes a family member as, he calls it security.” Kazran replied to her and there are hundreds of them, standing all around them.
“Hard man to love, your dad.” The Doctor looked at Kazran. “But I suppose you know that.”
“Nature. I am not alone, and I am at peace.” Then the recording ended.
Kazran looked at them. “What's wrong?”
“Just my half a screwdriver trying to repair itself.” The Doctor replied to him. “It's signaling the other half.”
“The other half's inside the shark.” Kazran told him.
Maddie looked at the boys. “Yeah? Sounds like she's woken up.”
The Doctor held up his half screwdriver. “Okay, so it's homing on the screwdriver.” And there was the shark again.
“Run!” Maddie shouted to them as then they run away from the shark. Kazran finds a place to hide, and Jaws cruises behind him. Maddie and the Doctor found a place to hide as well as then the guest opera singer does her thing with Christina Rossetti’s poem.
“In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan. Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone. Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow. In the bleak midwinter long ago.” Abigail was out of her cryochamber and the shark was calm beneath her hand.
Then they went out of their hiding spot and to the singing, the Doctor looked at Maddie. “Are you okay?”
Maddie nodded to him. “Yeah, I am.”
Then the Doctor looked at the young boy. “It's not really the singing, of course.”
“Yes, it is.” Kazran shook his head.
“Nah.” The Doctor waved it off.
Maddie looked at him. “Well, you see it yourself and you still don’t believe it?”
“The fish love the singing. It's true.” Kazran added.
“Nah. The notes resonate in the ice crystals, causing a delta wave pattern in the fog.” The Doctor robbed his neck. “Ow. A fish bit me.”
“Shut up, then.” Kazran snapped. Maddie laughed at the Doctor silliness.
“Heaven and earth shall flee away…”
“Of course.” The Doctor rambled. “That's how the machine controls the cloud belt. The clouds are ice crystals. If you vibrate the crystals at exactly the right frequency, you could align them into…” Then he exclaimed. “Ow! Why do they keep biting me?”
“Look, the fish like the singing, okay?” Kazran looked at the Doctor. “Now shut up.”
The Doctor blinked. “Okay.” Maddie laughed even more.
“In the bleak midwinter, falling down before, the ox and ass and camel which adore.”
~00~
Abigail and Kazran were looking inside the TARDIS. “It's bigger on the inside.” Kazran comment.
“Yeah, it's the color.” The Doctor comment. “Really knocks the walls back.”
The shark was in Abigail's cryochamber, Maddie looked at them. “Shark in a box, to go.”
Abigail looked around her. “This is amazing.”
“Nah, this is transport. I keep amazing out here.” The Doctor opened the doors. They were in the clouds, amongst the fish. “Come on, then. Let's get this shark out.”
Kazran took a photograph as the shark was released. “Hey, look at her go.”
The Doctor closed Abigail's cryochamber and saw a set of dials on the front - 000 008. “Abigail, this number. What does it mean?” As Maddie stood by the console, ready to move them again, but with the help of the Doctor.
“It pertains to me, sir, not the fish.” Abigail replied to him.
“Yeah, but how?” The Doctor asked confused.
“You are a doctor, you say?” Abigail asked, looking at him. “Are you one of mine?”
“Do you need a doctor?” The Doctor asked, still confused as then the microwave goes ding! “Ah. Sorry. Time's up, kids.”
“Why?” Kazran asked to him.
Instead Maddie replied to him, solemnly. “It's nearly Christmas Day.”
~00~
They put Abigail back in her cryochamber. “If you should ever wish to visit again.” She told them.
The Doctor looked at her. “Well, you know, if Maddie and I are ever in the neighborhood.”
“They comes every Christmas Eve.” Kazran told her, happily.
“What?” The Doctor asked confused.
“Yeah, they do.” Kazran looked very happy. “Every time. The Doctor promises.”
“No, I don't.” The Doctor protested as then Kazran closed Abigail's cryochamber.
~00~
Then it opened again, with the Doctor, Maddie and Kazran wearing red fur-trimmed hats. “Merry Christmas!” They all said to her. Now it was a year later.
Abigail looked at them. “Doctor! Maddie! Kazran! What are we going to do?”
“The Doctor's got a great plan.” Kazran replied to her. “Wait till you hear.” Then they run out of the vault as the dials on Abigail's chamber click down to 000 007.
~00~
“You are out of your mind.” Abigail looked at them. “This will never work.”
"Never say never." Maddie comment.
They have a carriage with nothing to pull it. The Doctor pointed his half a sonic screwdriver into the sky. “Oh, don't think shark, think dolphin.”
“A shark isn't a dolphin.” Abigail comment.
“It's nearly a dolphin.” The Doctor comment back.
Abigail shook her head.“No, it isn't.”
Maddie looked at the Doctor. “It really isn’t, love.”
“That's where you're wrong, because…” He trailed off. “Shut up.”
“It could be anywhere.” Kazran looked up. “Will it really come?”
“No chance. Completely impossible.” The Doctor replied to him.
Then Maddie added. “Except at Christmas.”
~00~
So the three went on a shark powered sleigh ride through the skies. “How are we going to get back?” Kazran asked them.
“I don't know.” The Doctor replied to him.
“Do you have a plan?” Abigail asked to him.
“I don't know.” He replied to her.
“He has a thing.” Maddie told them.
“A thing?” Kazran asked.
“Yeah, a thing in process, now shut up.” The Doctor replied to him a little rudely.
“Rude.” Maddie muttered to him.
“And still not ginger.” He countered.
“Like Amy?” Maddie asked as then she saw his face, grumpily. “Ah grumpy, you haven't be like that.” Then he pouted. “Not like that either, love.” Then they buzz the roof tops, causing delight to the viewers.
~00~
Ones they were back, Abigail told them all. “Best Christmas Eve ever.”
“Till the next one.” Kazran told her, before he closed the door.
~00~
“Merry Christmas!” They shouted happily to her.
“Doctor. Where to this time?” Abigail asked to him.
The Doctor looked at her. “Did I mention, at any point, all of time and space?”
~00~
And the next time.
“Merry Christmas!”
“Doctor.”
~00~
“Merry Christmas!” The Doctor shouted as Kazran was a shy teenager. They are both wearing very long, striped scarves.
“Doctor.” Abigail looked at him as her counter clicks down to 4. They visit somewhere mountainous.
~00~
“Merry Christmas!” They shouted to her.
Kazran was now a strapping young man. Abigail looked at him. “Kazran.” As they walked to the TARDIS and went inside. “You've grown.”
“Yes.” Kazran blushed.
“And now you're blushing.” Abigail told him.
Kazran looked down. “I'm sorry.”
“That's okay.” Abigail shrugged.
Then Kazran looked at the Doctor and Maddie. “So, Doctor, Maddie, where this time?”
“Pick a Christmas Eve.” The Doctor replied to him. “I've got them all right here.”
Abigail looked at them. “Might I make a request?”
“Of course.” Maddie smiled at her.
“This one.” Abigail nodded.
~00~
They strode to the town and looked everywhere, Abigail was in shock who things change when you were frozen, then they came by a little home. Inside, the family were preparing for Christmas as Abigail stood outside the door. Whilst the Doctor, Maddie and Kazran were a little way off. “Who are they?”
“Her family. The lady's her sister.” The Doctor gestured between himself and Maddie. “We met her once, when she was older.”
“Abigail's crying.” Kazran looked at them.
The Doctor blinked. “Yes.”
“When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?” Kazran asked to them.
“I have absolutely no idea.” The Doctor replied to him.
“You don’t have to talk to her, just listen to what she have to say.” Maddie advised to him. He nodded and went to Abigail.
Abigail had noticed that Kazran was by her. “My sister's family. They're so happy.”
Kazran noticed. “They look very poor.”
“They are very poor.” Abigail looked at him. “Doesn't mean you can't be happy.” Then their view was shut off.
“And then why aren't you?” Kazran asked to her.
“Because this is the life I can never have.” She replied to him.
“Why not?” He asked to her.
Abigail squeezed his hand. “I think you're blushing again.”
Just then the Doctor opened the curtains from the inside. “Come in.” He shouted to them, Maddie was beside him.
~00~
The Doctor tried a card trick on the youngest boy as Maddie sat beside him, for them were sitting the sisters and by the fireplace were standing the father and Kazran, doing the lights. “Pick a card. Any card at all.” The Doctor told to the young boy as Maddie looked over at Abigail and her sister Isabella.
“Every Christmas Eve? I don't understand.”
“I'm not sure I do.”
The Doctor looked at Ben. “You memorize the card, you put it back in the deck. Don't let me see it.”
“Is this what it looked like last year?” Erik asked to his wife.
“It doesn't have to be exactly the same.” Isabella replied to her husband.
“I'm starting again. Come on, Kazran, we're starting again.” Erik told Kazran.
“That's Sardick's boy, isn't it?”
“He's not like his father.”
“His father treats everyone like cattle. One day that boy will do the same.”
“No. He's different.”
“The three of clubs.” The Doctor held up a card.
Ben shook his head. “No.”
“You sure? Because I'm very good at card tricks.” The Doctor told him.
Maddie looked at the Doctor, who blushed. “Ha, like when you trying to grab a wallet?”
“Shut up.” He muttered to her.
“Not a chance, dear.” Maddie comment, he blushed even more.
“It wasn't the three of clubs.” Ben interrupted them.
“Well, of course it wasn't, because it was the seven of diamonds.” The Doctor smirked smug.
Ben shook his head. “No.”
“Oi, stop it, you're doing it wrong.” The Doctor comment, Maddie laughed at his silliness. Then the sisters continued to talk.
“I see him around the town sometimes. Never any friends.”
“He's got me.”
“All those Christmas Eves, you never once came to see us.”
“I'm here now.”
“Then stay. Stay for tomorrow. Have Christmas dinner with us.”
“I can't.”
“Well, then. Tomorrow's Christmas dinner is cancelled, as my sister refuses to attend.”
“Isabella…”
“Instead, we'll have it tonight.”
~00~
They all sat around the dinner table, crackers were pulled. “Three, two, one, pull!” The Doctor shouted.
Ben's has a playing card in it. “How did you do that?”
“Your card, I believe.” The Doctor looked at Ben, it was the eight of hearts.
“No.” Ben shook his head.
“Oh, shut up.” The Doctor muttered, grumpily, the others laughed.
Then Kazran proposed a toast. “Er, Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas.” The others followed soot as under the table, Abigail and Kazran were holding hands.
~00~
After the dinner, they were back in the Cryovault, Abigail told them. “Best Christmas Eve ever.”
“Ah. Till the next one.” The Doctor told her.
Maddie smiled at her. “Yeah, till the next one, Abigail.”
“I look forward to it.” Abigail told them, then she gestured to Kazran. “Now I'd like to say good night to Kazran.”
“Of course, yes. Well, on you go.” The Doctor was confused as to what she meant.
“Doctor.” Maddie looked at him. “I think she wants to alone with Kazran, like we sometimes want.”
“Oh. Oh.” The Doctor realized. “Yes. Right. Sorry. I'll, er, I'll go, then.” To Abigail. “Good night.” To Kazran. “Good luck. Night. Good night.” Then they went back to another cryochamber, the Doctor bumped into it. “Sorry.” He mumbled.
Kazran went after them. “Doctor. I, er, I think she's going to kiss me.”
“Yeah, I think you're right.” The Doctor nodded.
“I've never kissed anyone before.” Kazran asked him. “What do I do?”
“Well, try and be all nervous and rubbish and a bit shaky.” The Doctor replied to him.
“Why?” Kazran asked confused.
“Cause that’s what men do.” Maddie muttered.
“Because you're going to be like that anyway.” The Doctor advised. “Might as well make it part of the plan, then it'll feel on purpose. Off you go, then.” Then he pushed him towards Abigail.
“What, now? I kiss her now?” Kazran asked confused.
“Kazran, trust me.” The Doctor glanced at Maddie. “It's this or go to your room and design a new kind of screwdriver. Don't make my mistakes.” He gestured to Abigail. “Now, go.” Then Kazran returned to Abigail, who pulled him to her and kissed him.
~00~
They were on a party in Hollywood, 1952. The Doctor ran onto an old friend and from that, he was suddenly engaged to Marilyn Monroe. Then the Doctor appeared from behind a tree as Abigail and Kazran were kissing. He has lipstick on his face as Maddie was very angry. “Guys, we've really got to go quite quickly. I just accidentally got engaged to Marilyn Monroe. How do you keep going like that? Do you breathe out your ears? Hello? Sorry. Hello? Guys, she's phoned a chapel. There's a car outside. This is happening now.”
“Yoo-hoo!” Miss Monroe shouted for the Doctor.
“Yoo-hoo.” The Doctor shouted back. “Right. Fine. Thank you. I'll just go and get married then, shall I? And Maddie is very angry about and would likely kill me or something else.” He sighed. “See how you like that. Marilyn? Get your coat!” Then the Doctor leave A
As then Maddie went back to TARDIS, being very angry.
~00~
When they were back, they were by her cryochamber, Kazran said to her. “Good night, Abigail.”
“Good night, Kazran.” Abigail told him, then Kazran sealed Abigail in her cryochamber.
The Doctor and Maddie walked up to Kazran. “There we go.” He said to him. “Another day, another Christmas Eve. I'll see you in a minute, eh? I mean, a year.”
Then they walked to the Tardis as Kazran called them. “Doctor? Maddie? Listen, why don't we leave it?”
“Sorry, leave what?” The Doctor asked confused.
“What changed?” Maddie added, frowning. “We thought it was going well.”
“Oh, you know, this.” Kazran looked at them. “Every Christmas Eve. It's getting a bit old.”
The Doctor looked confused. “Old?”
“Why?” Maddie asked confused.
“Well, Christmas is for kids, isn't it?” Kazran replied to them. “I've got some work with my dad now. I'm going to focus on that. Get that cloud belt under control.”
The Doctor looked at him. “Sorry, I didn't realize I was boring you.”
Maddie looked sad. “And me.”
“Not your fault.” Kazran looked at them. “Times change.”
“Not as much as I'd hoped. Kazran. I'll be needing a new one, anyway. What the hell.” The Doctor gave Kazran his half a screwdriver. “Merry Christmas. And if you ever need us, just activate it. We'll hear you.”
“I won't need you two.” Kazran looked at them.
“What's happened?” The Doctor questioned him. “What are you not telling me? What about Abigail?”
“I know where to find her.” Kazran gestured the cryochamber as then he walked away from them.
“Yeah.” The Doctor muttered, the counter on the cryochamber was down to 000 001.
~00~
Kazran returned to his room and took the screwdriver from his desk drawer. The Doctor and Maddie were standing outside the window. Kazran draws the curtains on him and put the screwdriver back.
~00~
Not much later, the Doctor and Maddie were in the TARDIS. They were waiting for Amy to call them. Just then she called for them as they had heard the whole thing. “Doctor? Maddie?”
“Yeah?” The Doctor replied to her.
“Are you hearing this?” Amy asked to them.
“Loud and clear.” Maddie replied to her.
“I can hear.” The Doctor added.
“He's here? Where are they? Doctor? Maddie? Doctor! Maddie!” Sardick shouted at the end.
Then they appeared behind him. “I'm sorry. I didn't realize.” The Doctor sighed.
Maddie looked sad. “I didn’t either.”
Sardick looked at them. “All my life, I've been called heartless. My other life, my real life, the one you rewrote. Now look at me.”
“Better a broken heart than no heart at all.” The Doctor told him seriously.
“Oh, try it. You try it. Why are you here?” Sardick told him bitterly.
“Because I'm not finished with you yet. You've seen the past, the present, and now you need to see the future.” Maddie told him this time.
“Fine. Do it. Show me. I'll die cold, alone and afraid. Of course I will. We all do. What difference does showing me make? Do you know why I'm going to let those people die? It's not a plan. I don't get anything from it. It's just that I don't care. I'm not like you. I don't even want to be like you. I don't and never, ever will care.” Sardick rambled.
“And I don't believe that.” The Doctor shook his head.
Sardick looked at them. “Then show me the future. Prove me wrong.”
“We are showing it to you.” Maddie told him, seriously.
“We are showing it to you right now. So what do you think? Is this who you want to become, Kazran?” The Doctor looked at him as Sardick turns around to see little boy Kazran standing there in his dressing gown.
“Dad?” The little boy asked to his old self.
Sardick was about to hit his younger self when he remembered his father saying something and the time he nearly hit Benjamin's son, and kissed Abigail and put her back to live forever. Then he cried as his younger self cried as well, then they hugged each other. “I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. It's okay, don't be frightened. I'm, I'm so, so, so…”
“Paradox, Doctor.” Maddie muttered to the Doctor.
The Doctor looked at them, they ended the hug. “Kazran. We don't have much time.”
~00~
Doctor was on view screen. “Hello? Hello? Ah, hello, everyone. Prepare to lock on to my signal.”
“Doctor, what's happening?” Amy asked to him.
“I just saved Christmas. Don't go away.” The Doctor replied to her.
“Doctor? Doctor!” Amy shouted as the contact was broken.
~00~
Sardick was at the controls of his father's machine. “We good to go, then?” The Doctor asked to him.
“The controls, they won't respond.” Sardick replied to him.
“Not good.” Maddie muttered.
“Of course they will. They're isomorphic. They're tuned to your brainwaves. They'll only respond to you.” The Doctor denied.
“They won't respond.” Sardick repeated.
“That doesn't make sense. That's ridiculous. Why wouldn't? Oh. Oh, of course. Stupid, stupid Doctor.” The Doctor rambled, casting on what Maddie thought already.
Sardick looked at him. “What's wrong? Tell me, what is it?”
“It's you. It's you. We've changed you too much. The machine doesn't recognize you.” The Doctor replied to him.
Sardick looked at him. “But my father programmed it.”
Maddie shook her head. “No, your father would never have programmed it for the man you are now.”
“Then what do we do?” Sardick asked to them.
“Er, er, I don't know. I don't know.” The Doctor replied to him, a little panicking.
“There must be something.” Kazran comment, looking at them.
“This. You can use this. I kept it, see?” Sardick showed the half screwdriver.
“What, half a screwdriver? With the other half up in the sky in a big old shark, right in the heart of the cloud layer.” The Doctor began.
“If we use your aerial to boost the signal, set up a resonation pattern between the two halves.” Maddie continued.
“Ooo, come on, that would work.” The Doctor finished. “My screwdriver, coolest bit of kit on this planet. Coolest two bits. It could do it.”
“Do what?” Sardick looked confused at them.
“Well, my screwdriver is still trying to repair. It's signaling itself.” The Doctor looked at him.
“We use the signal, but we send something else.” Maddie added, looking at the old man.
Kazran looked confused. “Send what?”
Sardick looked at Maddie. “Well, what? What?”
“I'm sorry, Kazran.” Maddie replied to him, sadly. “I truly am.”
“I don't understand.” Sardick was still confused.
“We need to transmit something into the cloud belt. Something we know works.” The Doctor explained.
“We need her to sing.” Maddie told to Sardick, seriously.
~00~
In the Cryovault, they wanted to wake Abigail up. “Her voice resonates perfectly with the ice crystals. It calmed the shark. It will calm the sky, too.” The Doctor told to Sardick.
“Could you do it? Could you do this?” Sardick looked at the Doctor as he was busy waking Abigail up. “Think about it, Doctor. One last day with your beloved. Which day would you choose?”
A few moments later, Abigail woke up. “Christmas.” She looked at Sardick. “Christmas Day. Look at you. You're so old now.” She put her hand on his face. “I think you waited a bit too long, didn't you?”
“I'm sorry.” Sardick told her.
Abigail smiled at him. “Hoarding my days, like an old miser.”
Sardick looked at her. “But if you leave the ice now….”
“We've had so many Christmas Eves, Kazran.” She told him, gently. “I think it's time for Christmas Day.”
He nodded to her. “Yes.”
~00~
The Doctor had hooked up the screwdriver to the beam transmitter in the dome and Abigail was using it as a microphone. “When you're alone, silence is all you know.” She song.
Sardick looked at the Doctor and Maddie. “Well? Well?”
“Well, the singing resonates in the crystals. It's feeding back and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver.” Maddie replied to him.
“Now, one song, filling the sky.” The Doctor further explained. “The crystals will align and I'll feed in a controlled phase loop, and the clouds will unlock.”
“What does that mean, unlock? What happens when a cloud unlocks?” Kazran asked to them, looking at them.
“Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time now.” The Doctor replied to him.
“When you're alone, silence is all you see. When you're alone, silence is all you'll be.”
~00~
Sometime later, it was snowing and Abigail was still singing. “When you are here, music is all around. When you are near, music is all around. Open your eyes, don't make a sound.”
Then the shark glides overhead as Sardick comment. “Hello, my old friend.”
“Let in the shadow.”
“Let's go.” The Doctor smiled at the young Kazran as then they go into the TARDIS.
“Let in the shadow, let in the light of your bright shadow. Let in the shadow, let in the shadow.”
Then the TARDIS dematerialized, leaving a clear square in inch or so of fresh snow.
“Let in the light of your bright shadow.”
~00~
Later, the Doctor was rubbing noses with a snowman as Maddie stood next to him, smiling at him as then Amy comment to them. “You know, that could almost be mistaken for a real person. The snowman isn't bad, either.”
“Ah, yes, you two.” The Doctor turned around to look at them as well as Maddie did turn around. “About time. Why are you dressed like that?”
“Er, kind of lost our luggage.” Rory replied to him. “Kind of crash landed?”
The Doctor looked at them. “Yeah, but why are you dressed like that at all?”
Amy ignored him, she talked about something else. “Yeah, they really love their snowmen around here, don't they? I've counted about twenty.”
“They are lovely.” Maddie comment.
The Doctor looked at Amy. “Yeah, I've been busy.”
“Yeah. Yeah, you have.” Amy looked at him. “Thank you.”
“Pleasure.” The Doctor told them all. “Right, come on then, let's go.”
“Got any more honeymoon ideas?” Rory asked to the Doctor.
“Well, there's a moon that's made of actual honey.” The Doctor replied as they walked towards the TARDIS. “Well, not actual honey, and it's not actually a moon, and technically it's alive, and a bit carnivorous, but there are some lovely views.”
“Yeah.” Rory told him. “Great. Thanks.” Then he went inside the TARDIS.
Amy looked at the Doctor. “Are you, are you okay?”
“Of course I'm okay.” The Doctor looked at her. “You?”
“Of course. It'll be their last day together, won't it?” Amy asked to them.
“Yes.” Maddie replied to her.
“Everything has got to end some time, otherwise nothing would ever get started.” The Doctor told the girls.
Then Rory poked his out of the TARDIS. “Your phone was ringing. Someone called Marilyn. Actually sounds like the Marilyn.”
“Idiot.” Maddie muttered.
Amy looked at him. “Doctor?”
“Tell her I'll phone her back.” The Doctor told to Rory. “And that was never a real chapel.”
“Where are they?” Amy asked to the Doctor and Maddie. “Kazran and Abigail.”
“Off on a little trip, I should think.” Maddie replied to her.
“Where?” She asked them.
“Christmas.” He replied to her.
“Christmas?” She asked.
“Yeah, Christmas.” Maddie nodded as then Amy joined Rory in the TARDIS.
“Halfway out of the dark.” The Doctor muttered as then he and Maddie joined Amy and Rory in the TARDIS. Sardick and Abigail flow past in their carriage pulled by the shark.
~00~
Author’s note: I hope everything is good written, cause I wrote it on my phone.
Until next time in my series from Doctor Who!!!