Trenzalore - Series 2
Episode 3/6
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
Previously:
The Doctor has been sent to a town called Christmas on the planet Trenzalore, where the Time Lords are calling out his name through a crack in the wall. Clara Oswald and the TARDIS are gone, and for company the Doctor has the townspeople. The Doctor meets Archie Sawyer, the old Sheriff of Christmas, and April, his adventurous teenage daughter. Over fifty years later...
Archie Sawyer has been dead many years, and the Doctor has just parted ways with his now sixty year-old daughter, April, allowing her to travel the universe in her own ship.
The Doctor has been sent to a town called Christmas on the planet Trenzalore, where the Time Lords are calling out his name through a crack in the wall. Clara Oswald and the TARDIS are gone, and for company the Doctor has the townspeople. The Doctor meets Archie Sawyer, the old Sheriff of Christmas, and April, his adventurous teenage daughter. Over fifty years later...
Archie Sawyer has been dead many years, and the Doctor has just parted ways with his now sixty year-old daughter, April, allowing her to travel the universe in her own ship.
Prologue
Two old weary men sat in the same bell tower. Both had lost so much. They had the same thoughts but they evoked such different feeling in each of the pair. One grieved for April Sawyer, the other for the loss of his whole world thrice over. The only thing that separated them was the decades in between. But what was about to happen would happen to the both of them.
One was the Time Lord known as the Doctor, sheriff of Christmas. The other, the Time Lord known as the Doctor, sheriff of Christmas. This is the story of how one became other; by facing their demons, and… their angels.
One was the Time Lord known as the Doctor, sheriff of Christmas. The other, the Time Lord known as the Doctor, sheriff of Christmas. This is the story of how one became other; by facing their demons, and… their angels.
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
Written by JACK HUDSON
"...but the heroine saved him. Then the whole mountain opened up, exploding up into the heavens. But the Doctor, that clever, clever Doctor, had known the ghost's plan all along. He used his power to take over one of the ghost's monsters and he brought the whole mountain down, trapping the creatures down there forever."
"Wow." The young boy was sat bolt upright on his bed, intent on absorbing every word his Grandad told him. "And this all really happened?"
"Every word. I know this story very well. Cause you know what was special about this one?"
"What?"
"The heroine and the hero were your great grandparents. Tyckele and Olevena Hope. My Mum and Dad." The old man smiled at the memory, but the sadness he felt was clear.
His grandson was oblivious. "Wow! And the man at the start of the story... Eliseo... That's what Grandma called you!"
Eliseo laughed. "Yes, it's my name. I was named after that poor brave man. Your great, great grandfather. You and I come from a very special family. You should be proud."
"One day, I'll be a hero with the Doctor too! Like all the rest of them."
"Well, we'll see about that. Heroism is a dangerous business..." He trailed off, but snapped out if it and smiled once more. "Goodnight, Barnable Hope."
"Night night Grandad." The flame-haired boy laid down, as his grandfather tucked him in to bed.
***
"Not there you plum! Come here, give me your hand." She took his hand in hers and guided it upward. "Can you feel?
"Yes!" Ty shouted with glee, as he felt his baby kicking in his wife's womb. "We should talk about names. I've been thinking... I want a name that means something. Why not April, for a girl. She did so much for Christmas, and for us."
"Yes." Olevena agreed. "She was an amazing woman."
"Is."
"I suppose. It feels like she's gone. We are doing the right thing aren't we? To raise a child in a world like this..."
"Hey, of course we are. Remember, the children of Trenzalore never cry. The Doctor's here." Ty moved his hand away. "You should try and get back to sleep, you need it."
"Yeah. Can it be Eliseo for a boy? After Dad?"
"Of course" Ty said with a smile. He bent down to kiss her. "Night."
"Night Ty."
***
The Doctor was laid by the fire, asleep, with his feet up on a stool. He had a walking stick which was propped up against his chair, and the flickering fire illuminated his ancient wrinkled face. It was not a happy face. He slept to pass the time, but he would always have bad dreams.
"Alert. Information available: Approximated 5 minute warning. Alert."
The Doctor awoke with a start and looked to the source of the noise, his robot head. "Handles?! What's going on?"
"This is the time we agreed they would return. You must work with your other self and defeat them. Warm clothing and precautionary measures for the protection of lives is advised."
"You mean... The second front? The other side of the attack, 90 years ago?"
"Affirmative, Doctor."
"But I don't remember... What did happen back then?"
"Memory banks corrupted."
"Oh no, it's not that simple. Events that have happened are happening now. Anything could happen back then or now. We need to know. We need... Eliseo!"
***
Ty had left Olevena sleeping and was making his way away from their home. He was going to see the Doctor, who seemed to sleep even less than Ty. Since April had gone, Ty made sure he saw to him as much as possible. The Doctor didn't show that he appreciated it, he was so closed off now, but if Ty knew him at all then he did.
He reached the clock tower and entered the building. The Doctor was awake and odder to Ty in greeting. Although Ty was now physically a similar age to the Doctor he still saw him as an elder, and he suspected that would continue always.
"How are you?" Ty asked, as he began to tidy the Doctor's desk.
"Good."
Ty gave him a look.
"Fine, not good. Whatever you want."
"The baby's started kicking."
The Doctor nodded.
"We were thinking about names. We thought, if it's a girl, we might call her April-"
The Doctor looked shocked at what he said, but this faded and he smiled the first real smile Ty had seen from him for a long time. Sensing an opportunity, Ty stopped tidying and went and sat down opposite the Doctor.
"Talk to me. Do you miss her?"
"Of course. But I knew I would."
"Then why did you send her away."
"Because she deserved it and because she would have been leaving me soon anyway. They all would. Soon I'll be able to count the people who were here when I arrived on one hand. And not long after that they'll all be lost. The amazing community that I arrived in, gone from the universe."
"But - now there's a new one. Me. My child."
"Yeah. But one day you'll all be gone too. How many Christmases will I have to lose before the end?"
***
"Is he asleep?" Alma Hope asked, as her step-father returned to the sitting room.
"He soon will be." Eliseo replied smiling as he sat down beside Alma.
"How does he seem to you? I'm worried he's lonely. Loretta says he never has anyone to play with when she takes him out."
"He's okay. He's got his family."
"Yeah. I'm so glad you're here. I don't know what he'd do without his Grandad."
They heard the door open in the kitchen and waited a moment, before Loretta Hope entered the room.
"Dad! The Doctor wants to see you. It's urgent, apparently."
"Me? What for?"
"No idea. Shall I walk back up with you?
"No, it's fine. I suppose I better hurry. Not every day you get an appointment with the Doctor."
***
The Doctor and Tyckele had come to be sitting in a comfortable silence, noticeably different to the awkward ones they had been sharing in the recent past. They were interrupted by a familiar noise, which was followed as usual by the voice of the Mother Superious, Tasha Lem.
"Doctor. Doctor!"
The Doctor sighed. "Go and see what she wants Ty."
"Me?! Talk to... Her?"
"If you wouldn't mind?"
"Erm, sure."
He made his way towards the stairs and up to the top of the bell tower, speeding up into a run as Tasha Lem's calls became more urgent. He reached the top, and stared up at the colossal face looking down upon him.
"Er, hi church - boss lady." He said nervously.
"Where is the Doctor? Fetch him at once, human."
"I don't think he'll come."
"Still sulking over his pet? The one he begged me to let leave? Very well. Tell the Doctor this: Trenzalore is facing a crisis."
"Another alien? The Doctor will deal with them."
"This is no simple attack. We have been closely monitoring the timelines lately to keep track of the Kovarian chapter and we are now seeing strong signs of time manipulation on Trenzalore itself. The events about to happen to you are linked inexplicably to events in an estimated 91 years in your planet’s future. Tell the Doctor he must be ready. Something is coming. Or, more likely, they are already there."
***
Eliseo arrived at the bell tower and entered without knocking.
"Doctor?" He called, looking around for the sheriff.
"Eliseo!" The Doctor was sitting on his rocking chair, resting his chin on his stick in thought, before using it to rise off his seat.
There was an always moment of silence between the pair, as if both were expecting the other to speak.
"My daughter tells me you want to talk to me?"
"Yes."
"Urgently?"
"Oh, yes!" The Doctor said, his mind seemingly springing back into action. "You're 90 years old. Looking great on it if I may say so, but 90 years of living all the same."
"Yea, I am..." Eliseo replied, confused.
"Currently the oldest creature on this planet. Apart from me."
"What's this about Doctor?"
"Well, this is where it gets all science-wiencey, so bear with me. I'm a time-sensitive, a Time Lord. For me, time is all wibbly-wobbly. There's more than one present and no past. You've spent 90 years on this planet in the right order, from birth. You have one present and that's right here, right now. And therefore, the past is the past for you. You know what's happening now because for you it will only ever be then. Understand?"
"Er-"
"Good! Right, now what I need you to do is think back to your childhood. Attacks on this planet can remain facts for a good few years before they become stories. There’ll have been an attack, probably a big one either just after or just before you were born. Can you remember anything about it?"
Eliseo's face looked saddened and slightly angered. "Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what? What's wrong?"
"Wrong? You know what happened in the attack before my birth."
"Eliseo, this attack hasn't even started yet. I know you can't understand that, but it's true. You have to tell what you know."
"You really don't remember?"
"No."
"The attack before my birth was the attack that killed my father."
The Doctor looked stunned. "Tyckele Hope... You're right. I remember everyone, and I have no memory of what happened to him. It's in flux."
"Flux? You mean, he isn't dead?"
"If you remember that he died, then he will. There isn't anything we can possibly do to change it. Now, I need you to think, who attacked? Who killed your father?"
"The angels. The angels of stone."
The Doctor stared in horror.
***
"Did you hear all that?" Tyckele asked, as he came down the stairs and walked back over to the Doctor.
The Doctor nodded. "Yes. But I don't understand what cou-"
They were interrupted by a cry.
"That's Olevena!" Tyckele shouted, running for the door. He ran out into the snow closely followed by the Doctor. They looked around and spotted Olevena halfway down the path heading up to their cottage. She was crouched down awkwardly in the snow. Ty and the Doctor ran up towards her and realised she was leaning over a body.
"What's happened? What are you doing here?" Ty asked, crouching down beside her.
"I couldn't sleep, I was coming to find you, and the Doctor."
"And then you found this?" The Doctor asked sadly.
"No. She was... talking to me. She was scared and confused. I don't know who she is. She said she felt odd and that something had attacked her. Then something darted past us, I didn't see it but I heard it. I looked around but it was gone. And then, when I looked back to her... She was on the ground. Dead."
The Doctor examined the body. "Snapped neck." He turned the body over to see her face. "That's... That isn't possible. I know every face in this town. And this is not one of them."
"I thought it was Hattie for a moment. Looks a lot like her..."
"Yes..."
"Doctor!" Tyckele was staring to the hills around the town, pointing through the snow. "There's something there. Lots of them, surrounding the town. Not moving..."
The Doctor peered at the creatures through the snow. Suddenly, his face darkened. He began to walk determinedly away. "Do not follow me."
***
"So you're saying that the angels are coming back, now."
"Yes. They may be here already. Eliseo, this is the most dangerous enemy we have ever faced. Go back home, collect Barnable and tell anyone you meet on the way. Then, get Loretta and Alma to run around the town. Everyone needs to get inside here, it's the best place to protect everyone. I'll go sound the bell. Go on, go!"
***
"What's he doing?" Olevena asked, watching the Doctor in the distance, heading out of the town.
"I don't know. I'm going after him."
"N-"
"Don't argue. You should probably tell everyone about the creatures. Get someone to go up and ring the bell."
He ran off after the Doctor.
***
Eliseo was walking back to the clock tower hand in hand with Barnable.
"What's going on Grandad? Why are we going to the Doctor's house?"
"We're all going, Barnable. Everyone. So we can be safe."
"From what? Is it monsters?"
"Yes. But you're going to be fine."
"So are you, Grandad. The Doctor will keep us safe."
"Yeah."
"What's that Grandad? Over there." He pointed further down the road, to a statue.
"It's an angel... this must be... Baranable, you're going to have to be brave now okay?"
"Why?"
"You always beat me at staring contests. That's all you need to do. Just stare at the statue."
"What f-"
Suddenly the statue lurched forward to them, appearing mere metres away.
"It's a monster Grandad!"
"Keep looking at it Barnable."
"The Doctor will save us!"
"I'm not sure he will… Barnable."
"Why ever not Eliseo? When haven't I?" the Doctor appeared from behind the statue. He was holding Handles. "It's fine, don't worry. The useful thing about a Cyberman, sentient but robotic. No blinking. As long as I've got him, that angel cannot move.
"Doctor. I detect flaws in you strategy. Likelihood of sucsess, zero percent."
"What are you talking about Han-Argh!"
The angel darted forward, grabbing Handles by the helmet bar.
"No!" the Doctor pulled at Handles but the angel could not and would not release its grip.
"Get back from it Doctor!" Eliseo shouted "We need to get Barnable to safety."
"You go if you want to. I'm not leaving him!"
"It's just a toy!"
"And I'm not asking you to help me. Go!"
"You can't take risks like this Doctor. Not when the whole town depends on you. Barnable get to the clock tower. There'll be others there by now."
Barnable ran off.
"I told you to go too."
"You'll die if there's no one to look at that thing."
"Die? That's not how the angels work. They displace you in time."
"That's not what happened last time. They... broke people’s necks."
"Really? How interesting. Right Handles, I'm sorry, but we'll just have to find you a new name." He got out his sonic screwdriver and held it against the handle bar. It began to burn and cut through. He did the same on the other side of the angel’s hand, allowing him to pull Handles away, leaving a section of the handle bar in the angel's hand.
"Right, run. Backwards!"
***
"Doctor! DOCTOR!"
Tyckele was running up the hill after the Doctor, who had picked up a laser gun left over from a church mission on his journey out of the town. The Doctor reached one of the statues and paused a moment, seemingly unsure what to do. He raised the gun and fired it, almost absentmindedly but as he expected all it did was chip a tiny bit of stone off the creature.
Ty finally caught up with him. "What the hell are you doing Doctor?" The Doctor did not react. "Doctor!"
The Doctor turned to face Ty, and saw that an angel had appeared behind him. He turned back and saw that the other was centimetres away from his face. "Turn around and look at the statue Ty! Do not blink."
"Why?" Ty asked, turning to face the weeping angel.
"Blink and they move closer to you. Fast. They should have us by now though..." The Doctor blinked quickly, testing his luck. "I don't think they care about us... Come on, let’s get back to the town."
***
"I regret to inform you that my visual circuits have been irreparably damaged for 7 years, 125 days, 8 hours. 13 minutes and approximately 33.33333333333333-"
"Yes, Handles." The Doctor interrupted "I get the idea. Why haven't you told me this before?"
"My sensors detect that your emotional circuits are overloaded. I estimated that this information would have further negative impact."
"You silly old thing Handles. Silly, blind thing. Are you sure there's nothing I can do about it?"
"Affirmative, Doctor."
Something tugged at the Doctor's shoulder. He looked down to see Barnable, smiling. "Excuse me Doctor, but everyone seems to be panicking."
"Ah. I'll be right there Barnable."
"How do you know my name?"
"Your name? I know the name of everyone on Trenzalore, past and present."
He saw Barnable's face fall.
"And I've taken a special interest in you. The latest Hope. You've got a lot to live up to."
Barnable beamed.
***
When the Doctor and Ty returned everyone was gathered in the town square.
"Ty!" Olevena ran up and hugged him. "What's going on?"
"That's what I'd like to know. Why are you so angry Doctor? What are the angels? You've met them before?"
"Oh, yes many times. With... With... Amy and Rory" The Doctor fell to the floor and sat on the steps up to the clock tower, seemingly damaged by the words he spoke.
"Who are they?" The whole town was staring quietly now, listening to the Doctor.
"Amy and Rory? I must have mentioned them?"
"No." Mary-Ann replied. She was the oldest woman in the town and so she had heard most of the Doctor's stories. "You've told us about Ian and Barbara, Martha Jones, Clara Oswald but never Amy and Rory."
"I must have- No, I don't suppose I have. I might not have even said her name since it happened. Amelia. My Amelia Pond." He smiled, it felt good.
"Who was she?" Tyckle asked, kindly.
"She was my everything. My world."
"She was your lover." A man in the crowd said, as if he understood.
"No, oh no. She was so much more than that.”
The man looked slightly offended, but the Doctor didn't notice.
"She once asked me what it was a Time Lord prayed to. Of course, we don't have any religion. The ancients did, in the dark times, but once a species has conquered time travel and seen all of that it's impossible to believe there’s a god out there. The truth was, I 'prayed' to her. It was her faith in me that took us to that place, but equally, it was my faith in her. My faith in her to keep me right, keep me fair and keep me brave. I didn't used to need that, but then the war came. And after it, I lost people over and over so fast. Amy, I knew her for hundreds of years. She helped me to be the Doctor again. And the angels... The angles took her from me. And I swear, I will remove- no, I will destroy, every weeping angel on this planet!"
***
"Doctor, not everyone's here. Sally appears to be missing."
"Interesting..."
As he spoke, the doors flew open, revealing three angels standing on the other side. The Doctor tried to fix his eyes on it, but there was panic and people ran across his line of sight.
"John!" a woman's voice shouted.
"Everyone, clear a path to my chair!" They eventually did so. "And now, close your eyes!" Despite their fear, everyone did as the Doctor said.
When they opened them, the Doctor saw the crack in the wall pulsating, and the angels were gone.
"What happened?"
"Weeping angels can never resist a crack. They'll have tried to absorb the energy, but it's absorbed them instead. And on the slim chance that they do make it through, the only place a truth field would be transmitted from is inside the matrix. They'll be trapped in the cloisters for eternity. Angels are telepathic though. That trick won't work a second time."
"Doctor, doctor!" a woman broke through the crowd "John, he just vanished!"
"Vanished? Then I think I've worked it out now..."
***
The townspeople stood silently, almost as if they were in fear of the Doctor.
Suddenly, a man appeared in the middle of the square, screaming.
"What's going on? You all look... Who are you?"
The Doctor ran over to the man.
"Doctor! You look younger, much younger... What's happening to me?"
"The angels have displaced you in time. It's 91 years ago, for you. What's your name?"
"You know my name!"
"No, I don't. I will, but not yet."
"John."
"Family name? Mother's name?"
"Erm, Grant. Elizabeth."
"What!?" a boy and a girl stepped out of the crowd, about sixteen years old.
"Ahha! Ultimate proof that you're not 'just friends'"
The pair blushed.
"Mum, Dad? This isn't right. You're dead! And you're children."
"I know this is beyond weird, but you'll get used to it. You should already be remembering a Grandad, or an uncle, who looked very, very similar to you."
"No, I'm not! Mum and Dad were the only family I had!"
"Oh. Perhaps it'll take a-"
There was a sound of something passing. The Doctor looked down, and John was dead on the ground.
"No!" the young girl ran to the body. "What do we do Doctor?"
"There's nothing we can do."
"But, in the future? Am I supposed to have a baby, to let it die like that?"
"You have to, now. And you can never, ever tell him what you know. But I'm sure he had a good life. Someone take her home. I know what's going on now. She won't be in any danger."
"And what is going on Doctor?" Ty asked.
"Well-"
***
"So the angels want to send us back 90 years, just to snap our necks when we get there? Why?"
"Because that's how they feed. And this time around, they've decided to clear up their waste. But that's not all. They'll leave an empty town. Defenseless. And the Weeping Angels have some pretty good reasons to want the Time Lords destroyed... what's that noise?"
There was a crawling and scratching sound, all around the building, getting louder and louder.
"They're climbing up the walls!"
***
The Doctor finished explaining the situation.
"So, we're not actually in any danger then?" Olevena asked.
"No, I don't think so. Not unless we anger them..."
***
"Doctor, what are they doing?"
"I don't know..."
Barnable was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, looking scared.
"Barnable!" Loretta came over to him "Come here darling, Mummy's got you."
The crawling noise stopped. Barnable hugged his Mother tight, until suddenly, he was hugging no one.
"Argh!" People screamed, as many Weeping Angels were on the staircase, twisted around each other. Loretta had disappeared, and Barnable was staring an angel in the face, until he was scooped away by Eliseo.
"Everyone out!" The Doctor shouted, and everyone ran for the doors in a rush, spilling out into the town square. "Don't let them touch you! Form a circle."
The townspeople formed a large circle around the well in the square, with the children in the middle. The angels were coming for them, dropping down off the clock tower and moving towards the square.
"What are we going to do?"
"I- I don't know" the Doctor answered, with fear in his voice.
"What's happened to Loretta. Is she... dead?" Alma asked.
"No, she's not dead." Eliseo answered. "This is how Dad died. Saving a stranger, a woman with frizzy hair..."
***
A woman appeared in the square.
"Barnable! What..."
Without warning, Ty ran towards her pulling Loretta towards the clock tower. "Get inside there! Now!"
"No Ty! You should have let her run herself. Now the angels will want to kill both of you. Go in with her and we'll protect you."
Suddenly, two angels appeared, one right next to Ty, the other further away, but blocking his entrance to the clock tower. Olevena screamed. The rest of the town had gone home to safety, and there was only the three of them to watch the angels.
"Do not blink. But you're their prey now. I don't know what we can do..."
***
"Doctor?"
"Yes, Eliseo?"
"It's happening now isn't it? My Dad is dying, right now."
"Yes, I think so. I'm sorry..."
"No need to be sorry Doctor." He turned away from him, and walked to the middle of the circle. He hugged Barnable and whispered something into his ear.
"Why are you saying that now?"
Eliseo smiled at him, and patted his head. He turned to Alma. "The Doctor will get you and my daughter together again, I'm sure of it. Goodbye."
"Goodbye?"
"Seeya Doc. And thank you, for everything."
Before anyone could stop him, he darted out of the circle, and into the arms of an angel.
***
Eliseo appeared in the same square. He looked ahead of him, and saw his father about to blink. There was an angel, with its hand outstretched towards his father's neck.
He ran forwards and the snapping of bones was heard...
***
"What happened?" Alma asked "The angels, where have they gone?"
"It's a paradox. It's killed them. Son saving father before he was born, because he knew his father died..."
***
Eliseo was laid on the floor, shaking. His back was broken. Loretta ran out of the clock tower.
"Dad!" She went down to him.
"Who is he? Tyckele asked.
Loretta looked up. She studied their faces, and saw Olevena's bump. "Oh my god. Grandad, Grandma." She took their hands and pulled them down with her. "This… is your son."
"He saved me..."
"Why did you do it, Dad?" Loretta asked through her tears.
"Memories." Eliseo answered in a whisper "New memories. A life spent with my father. More than worth the year or two I had left." He looked up to Tyckele. "Goodbye, Dad."
Eliseo's eyes slowly closed...
***
"Eliseo won't be coming back." the Doctor said. "But he'll have died happier than ever before, I promise. I remember Tyckele's life, now. Best Dad on Trenzalore."
Barnable began to cry, and Alma hugged him. "What about... Loretta? We can't lose her too."
"It's okay, it's okay. I've thought of something, so he will have too. Any second now..."
A cleric appeared in a blue light. Beside was a white chamber, and inside... a frozen Loretta. "Delivery for Alma Hope?"
The Doctor beamed "Clever old me."
***
"Doctor, look, over there!" Ty pointed across the square and stood there, badly damaged, was a Weeping Angel.
"Ah." The Doctor walked towards the angel. "One angel survives. Typical."
He looked up to the sky "TASHA LEM!"
Her face appeared in the sky. "Doctor?"
"Weeping angel, co-ordinates seven zero two slash D eight zero four. OBLITERATE!"
***
"Doctor, look, over there!" Alma pointed across the square and stood there, badly damaged, was a Weeping Angel.
"Ah." The Doctor walked towards the angel. "One angel survives. Typical."
He looked up to the sky. "TASHA LEM!"
Her face appeared in the sky. "Doctor?"
"Weeping angel, co-ordinates seven zero two slash D eight zero four..." He smirked. "...send me down a mirror."
***
"Doctor?" Tyckele came and sat beside the Doctor on the steps.
"I asked that woman. I asked her if I move on, from April Sawyer."
"What did she say?"
"She said she didn't know that name. I block from my thoughts, like I did to Amy."
"You'll talk about her again one day. I know you."
"I'm not sure I can do this anymore Ty. That other Doctor, he's a lifetime away, and he's not even the end. How many more can I lose?"
"As many as you gain, Doctor. And my son, that amazing man, will be next."
***
The Doctor stood in the cemetery, as a grave for Eliseo was assembled, to bury some of his possessions. How many funerals had he attended now? Generations and generation were buried under his feet, and he had known every single one of them. But he did know that they had all been happy, in their short lives. And that gave him the strength to carry on. He thought of the other Doctor, and remembered a conversation he had had with Tyckele. It was time.
"Everyone? Come to the square later. I've got a story to tell you. The story of April Sawyer..."
"Wow." The young boy was sat bolt upright on his bed, intent on absorbing every word his Grandad told him. "And this all really happened?"
"Every word. I know this story very well. Cause you know what was special about this one?"
"What?"
"The heroine and the hero were your great grandparents. Tyckele and Olevena Hope. My Mum and Dad." The old man smiled at the memory, but the sadness he felt was clear.
His grandson was oblivious. "Wow! And the man at the start of the story... Eliseo... That's what Grandma called you!"
Eliseo laughed. "Yes, it's my name. I was named after that poor brave man. Your great, great grandfather. You and I come from a very special family. You should be proud."
"One day, I'll be a hero with the Doctor too! Like all the rest of them."
"Well, we'll see about that. Heroism is a dangerous business..." He trailed off, but snapped out if it and smiled once more. "Goodnight, Barnable Hope."
"Night night Grandad." The flame-haired boy laid down, as his grandfather tucked him in to bed.
***
"Not there you plum! Come here, give me your hand." She took his hand in hers and guided it upward. "Can you feel?
"Yes!" Ty shouted with glee, as he felt his baby kicking in his wife's womb. "We should talk about names. I've been thinking... I want a name that means something. Why not April, for a girl. She did so much for Christmas, and for us."
"Yes." Olevena agreed. "She was an amazing woman."
"Is."
"I suppose. It feels like she's gone. We are doing the right thing aren't we? To raise a child in a world like this..."
"Hey, of course we are. Remember, the children of Trenzalore never cry. The Doctor's here." Ty moved his hand away. "You should try and get back to sleep, you need it."
"Yeah. Can it be Eliseo for a boy? After Dad?"
"Of course" Ty said with a smile. He bent down to kiss her. "Night."
"Night Ty."
***
The Doctor was laid by the fire, asleep, with his feet up on a stool. He had a walking stick which was propped up against his chair, and the flickering fire illuminated his ancient wrinkled face. It was not a happy face. He slept to pass the time, but he would always have bad dreams.
"Alert. Information available: Approximated 5 minute warning. Alert."
The Doctor awoke with a start and looked to the source of the noise, his robot head. "Handles?! What's going on?"
"This is the time we agreed they would return. You must work with your other self and defeat them. Warm clothing and precautionary measures for the protection of lives is advised."
"You mean... The second front? The other side of the attack, 90 years ago?"
"Affirmative, Doctor."
"But I don't remember... What did happen back then?"
"Memory banks corrupted."
"Oh no, it's not that simple. Events that have happened are happening now. Anything could happen back then or now. We need to know. We need... Eliseo!"
***
Ty had left Olevena sleeping and was making his way away from their home. He was going to see the Doctor, who seemed to sleep even less than Ty. Since April had gone, Ty made sure he saw to him as much as possible. The Doctor didn't show that he appreciated it, he was so closed off now, but if Ty knew him at all then he did.
He reached the clock tower and entered the building. The Doctor was awake and odder to Ty in greeting. Although Ty was now physically a similar age to the Doctor he still saw him as an elder, and he suspected that would continue always.
"How are you?" Ty asked, as he began to tidy the Doctor's desk.
"Good."
Ty gave him a look.
"Fine, not good. Whatever you want."
"The baby's started kicking."
The Doctor nodded.
"We were thinking about names. We thought, if it's a girl, we might call her April-"
The Doctor looked shocked at what he said, but this faded and he smiled the first real smile Ty had seen from him for a long time. Sensing an opportunity, Ty stopped tidying and went and sat down opposite the Doctor.
"Talk to me. Do you miss her?"
"Of course. But I knew I would."
"Then why did you send her away."
"Because she deserved it and because she would have been leaving me soon anyway. They all would. Soon I'll be able to count the people who were here when I arrived on one hand. And not long after that they'll all be lost. The amazing community that I arrived in, gone from the universe."
"But - now there's a new one. Me. My child."
"Yeah. But one day you'll all be gone too. How many Christmases will I have to lose before the end?"
***
"Is he asleep?" Alma Hope asked, as her step-father returned to the sitting room.
"He soon will be." Eliseo replied smiling as he sat down beside Alma.
"How does he seem to you? I'm worried he's lonely. Loretta says he never has anyone to play with when she takes him out."
"He's okay. He's got his family."
"Yeah. I'm so glad you're here. I don't know what he'd do without his Grandad."
They heard the door open in the kitchen and waited a moment, before Loretta Hope entered the room.
"Dad! The Doctor wants to see you. It's urgent, apparently."
"Me? What for?"
"No idea. Shall I walk back up with you?
"No, it's fine. I suppose I better hurry. Not every day you get an appointment with the Doctor."
***
The Doctor and Tyckele had come to be sitting in a comfortable silence, noticeably different to the awkward ones they had been sharing in the recent past. They were interrupted by a familiar noise, which was followed as usual by the voice of the Mother Superious, Tasha Lem.
"Doctor. Doctor!"
The Doctor sighed. "Go and see what she wants Ty."
"Me?! Talk to... Her?"
"If you wouldn't mind?"
"Erm, sure."
He made his way towards the stairs and up to the top of the bell tower, speeding up into a run as Tasha Lem's calls became more urgent. He reached the top, and stared up at the colossal face looking down upon him.
"Er, hi church - boss lady." He said nervously.
"Where is the Doctor? Fetch him at once, human."
"I don't think he'll come."
"Still sulking over his pet? The one he begged me to let leave? Very well. Tell the Doctor this: Trenzalore is facing a crisis."
"Another alien? The Doctor will deal with them."
"This is no simple attack. We have been closely monitoring the timelines lately to keep track of the Kovarian chapter and we are now seeing strong signs of time manipulation on Trenzalore itself. The events about to happen to you are linked inexplicably to events in an estimated 91 years in your planet’s future. Tell the Doctor he must be ready. Something is coming. Or, more likely, they are already there."
***
Eliseo arrived at the bell tower and entered without knocking.
"Doctor?" He called, looking around for the sheriff.
"Eliseo!" The Doctor was sitting on his rocking chair, resting his chin on his stick in thought, before using it to rise off his seat.
There was an always moment of silence between the pair, as if both were expecting the other to speak.
"My daughter tells me you want to talk to me?"
"Yes."
"Urgently?"
"Oh, yes!" The Doctor said, his mind seemingly springing back into action. "You're 90 years old. Looking great on it if I may say so, but 90 years of living all the same."
"Yea, I am..." Eliseo replied, confused.
"Currently the oldest creature on this planet. Apart from me."
"What's this about Doctor?"
"Well, this is where it gets all science-wiencey, so bear with me. I'm a time-sensitive, a Time Lord. For me, time is all wibbly-wobbly. There's more than one present and no past. You've spent 90 years on this planet in the right order, from birth. You have one present and that's right here, right now. And therefore, the past is the past for you. You know what's happening now because for you it will only ever be then. Understand?"
"Er-"
"Good! Right, now what I need you to do is think back to your childhood. Attacks on this planet can remain facts for a good few years before they become stories. There’ll have been an attack, probably a big one either just after or just before you were born. Can you remember anything about it?"
Eliseo's face looked saddened and slightly angered. "Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what? What's wrong?"
"Wrong? You know what happened in the attack before my birth."
"Eliseo, this attack hasn't even started yet. I know you can't understand that, but it's true. You have to tell what you know."
"You really don't remember?"
"No."
"The attack before my birth was the attack that killed my father."
The Doctor looked stunned. "Tyckele Hope... You're right. I remember everyone, and I have no memory of what happened to him. It's in flux."
"Flux? You mean, he isn't dead?"
"If you remember that he died, then he will. There isn't anything we can possibly do to change it. Now, I need you to think, who attacked? Who killed your father?"
"The angels. The angels of stone."
The Doctor stared in horror.
***
"Did you hear all that?" Tyckele asked, as he came down the stairs and walked back over to the Doctor.
The Doctor nodded. "Yes. But I don't understand what cou-"
They were interrupted by a cry.
"That's Olevena!" Tyckele shouted, running for the door. He ran out into the snow closely followed by the Doctor. They looked around and spotted Olevena halfway down the path heading up to their cottage. She was crouched down awkwardly in the snow. Ty and the Doctor ran up towards her and realised she was leaning over a body.
"What's happened? What are you doing here?" Ty asked, crouching down beside her.
"I couldn't sleep, I was coming to find you, and the Doctor."
"And then you found this?" The Doctor asked sadly.
"No. She was... talking to me. She was scared and confused. I don't know who she is. She said she felt odd and that something had attacked her. Then something darted past us, I didn't see it but I heard it. I looked around but it was gone. And then, when I looked back to her... She was on the ground. Dead."
The Doctor examined the body. "Snapped neck." He turned the body over to see her face. "That's... That isn't possible. I know every face in this town. And this is not one of them."
"I thought it was Hattie for a moment. Looks a lot like her..."
"Yes..."
"Doctor!" Tyckele was staring to the hills around the town, pointing through the snow. "There's something there. Lots of them, surrounding the town. Not moving..."
The Doctor peered at the creatures through the snow. Suddenly, his face darkened. He began to walk determinedly away. "Do not follow me."
***
"So you're saying that the angels are coming back, now."
"Yes. They may be here already. Eliseo, this is the most dangerous enemy we have ever faced. Go back home, collect Barnable and tell anyone you meet on the way. Then, get Loretta and Alma to run around the town. Everyone needs to get inside here, it's the best place to protect everyone. I'll go sound the bell. Go on, go!"
***
"What's he doing?" Olevena asked, watching the Doctor in the distance, heading out of the town.
"I don't know. I'm going after him."
"N-"
"Don't argue. You should probably tell everyone about the creatures. Get someone to go up and ring the bell."
He ran off after the Doctor.
***
Eliseo was walking back to the clock tower hand in hand with Barnable.
"What's going on Grandad? Why are we going to the Doctor's house?"
"We're all going, Barnable. Everyone. So we can be safe."
"From what? Is it monsters?"
"Yes. But you're going to be fine."
"So are you, Grandad. The Doctor will keep us safe."
"Yeah."
"What's that Grandad? Over there." He pointed further down the road, to a statue.
"It's an angel... this must be... Baranable, you're going to have to be brave now okay?"
"Why?"
"You always beat me at staring contests. That's all you need to do. Just stare at the statue."
"What f-"
Suddenly the statue lurched forward to them, appearing mere metres away.
"It's a monster Grandad!"
"Keep looking at it Barnable."
"The Doctor will save us!"
"I'm not sure he will… Barnable."
"Why ever not Eliseo? When haven't I?" the Doctor appeared from behind the statue. He was holding Handles. "It's fine, don't worry. The useful thing about a Cyberman, sentient but robotic. No blinking. As long as I've got him, that angel cannot move.
"Doctor. I detect flaws in you strategy. Likelihood of sucsess, zero percent."
"What are you talking about Han-Argh!"
The angel darted forward, grabbing Handles by the helmet bar.
"No!" the Doctor pulled at Handles but the angel could not and would not release its grip.
"Get back from it Doctor!" Eliseo shouted "We need to get Barnable to safety."
"You go if you want to. I'm not leaving him!"
"It's just a toy!"
"And I'm not asking you to help me. Go!"
"You can't take risks like this Doctor. Not when the whole town depends on you. Barnable get to the clock tower. There'll be others there by now."
Barnable ran off.
"I told you to go too."
"You'll die if there's no one to look at that thing."
"Die? That's not how the angels work. They displace you in time."
"That's not what happened last time. They... broke people’s necks."
"Really? How interesting. Right Handles, I'm sorry, but we'll just have to find you a new name." He got out his sonic screwdriver and held it against the handle bar. It began to burn and cut through. He did the same on the other side of the angel’s hand, allowing him to pull Handles away, leaving a section of the handle bar in the angel's hand.
"Right, run. Backwards!"
***
"Doctor! DOCTOR!"
Tyckele was running up the hill after the Doctor, who had picked up a laser gun left over from a church mission on his journey out of the town. The Doctor reached one of the statues and paused a moment, seemingly unsure what to do. He raised the gun and fired it, almost absentmindedly but as he expected all it did was chip a tiny bit of stone off the creature.
Ty finally caught up with him. "What the hell are you doing Doctor?" The Doctor did not react. "Doctor!"
The Doctor turned to face Ty, and saw that an angel had appeared behind him. He turned back and saw that the other was centimetres away from his face. "Turn around and look at the statue Ty! Do not blink."
"Why?" Ty asked, turning to face the weeping angel.
"Blink and they move closer to you. Fast. They should have us by now though..." The Doctor blinked quickly, testing his luck. "I don't think they care about us... Come on, let’s get back to the town."
***
"I regret to inform you that my visual circuits have been irreparably damaged for 7 years, 125 days, 8 hours. 13 minutes and approximately 33.33333333333333-"
"Yes, Handles." The Doctor interrupted "I get the idea. Why haven't you told me this before?"
"My sensors detect that your emotional circuits are overloaded. I estimated that this information would have further negative impact."
"You silly old thing Handles. Silly, blind thing. Are you sure there's nothing I can do about it?"
"Affirmative, Doctor."
Something tugged at the Doctor's shoulder. He looked down to see Barnable, smiling. "Excuse me Doctor, but everyone seems to be panicking."
"Ah. I'll be right there Barnable."
"How do you know my name?"
"Your name? I know the name of everyone on Trenzalore, past and present."
He saw Barnable's face fall.
"And I've taken a special interest in you. The latest Hope. You've got a lot to live up to."
Barnable beamed.
***
When the Doctor and Ty returned everyone was gathered in the town square.
"Ty!" Olevena ran up and hugged him. "What's going on?"
"That's what I'd like to know. Why are you so angry Doctor? What are the angels? You've met them before?"
"Oh, yes many times. With... With... Amy and Rory" The Doctor fell to the floor and sat on the steps up to the clock tower, seemingly damaged by the words he spoke.
"Who are they?" The whole town was staring quietly now, listening to the Doctor.
"Amy and Rory? I must have mentioned them?"
"No." Mary-Ann replied. She was the oldest woman in the town and so she had heard most of the Doctor's stories. "You've told us about Ian and Barbara, Martha Jones, Clara Oswald but never Amy and Rory."
"I must have- No, I don't suppose I have. I might not have even said her name since it happened. Amelia. My Amelia Pond." He smiled, it felt good.
"Who was she?" Tyckle asked, kindly.
"She was my everything. My world."
"She was your lover." A man in the crowd said, as if he understood.
"No, oh no. She was so much more than that.”
The man looked slightly offended, but the Doctor didn't notice.
"She once asked me what it was a Time Lord prayed to. Of course, we don't have any religion. The ancients did, in the dark times, but once a species has conquered time travel and seen all of that it's impossible to believe there’s a god out there. The truth was, I 'prayed' to her. It was her faith in me that took us to that place, but equally, it was my faith in her. My faith in her to keep me right, keep me fair and keep me brave. I didn't used to need that, but then the war came. And after it, I lost people over and over so fast. Amy, I knew her for hundreds of years. She helped me to be the Doctor again. And the angels... The angles took her from me. And I swear, I will remove- no, I will destroy, every weeping angel on this planet!"
***
"Doctor, not everyone's here. Sally appears to be missing."
"Interesting..."
As he spoke, the doors flew open, revealing three angels standing on the other side. The Doctor tried to fix his eyes on it, but there was panic and people ran across his line of sight.
"John!" a woman's voice shouted.
"Everyone, clear a path to my chair!" They eventually did so. "And now, close your eyes!" Despite their fear, everyone did as the Doctor said.
When they opened them, the Doctor saw the crack in the wall pulsating, and the angels were gone.
"What happened?"
"Weeping angels can never resist a crack. They'll have tried to absorb the energy, but it's absorbed them instead. And on the slim chance that they do make it through, the only place a truth field would be transmitted from is inside the matrix. They'll be trapped in the cloisters for eternity. Angels are telepathic though. That trick won't work a second time."
"Doctor, doctor!" a woman broke through the crowd "John, he just vanished!"
"Vanished? Then I think I've worked it out now..."
***
The townspeople stood silently, almost as if they were in fear of the Doctor.
Suddenly, a man appeared in the middle of the square, screaming.
"What's going on? You all look... Who are you?"
The Doctor ran over to the man.
"Doctor! You look younger, much younger... What's happening to me?"
"The angels have displaced you in time. It's 91 years ago, for you. What's your name?"
"You know my name!"
"No, I don't. I will, but not yet."
"John."
"Family name? Mother's name?"
"Erm, Grant. Elizabeth."
"What!?" a boy and a girl stepped out of the crowd, about sixteen years old.
"Ahha! Ultimate proof that you're not 'just friends'"
The pair blushed.
"Mum, Dad? This isn't right. You're dead! And you're children."
"I know this is beyond weird, but you'll get used to it. You should already be remembering a Grandad, or an uncle, who looked very, very similar to you."
"No, I'm not! Mum and Dad were the only family I had!"
"Oh. Perhaps it'll take a-"
There was a sound of something passing. The Doctor looked down, and John was dead on the ground.
"No!" the young girl ran to the body. "What do we do Doctor?"
"There's nothing we can do."
"But, in the future? Am I supposed to have a baby, to let it die like that?"
"You have to, now. And you can never, ever tell him what you know. But I'm sure he had a good life. Someone take her home. I know what's going on now. She won't be in any danger."
"And what is going on Doctor?" Ty asked.
"Well-"
***
"So the angels want to send us back 90 years, just to snap our necks when we get there? Why?"
"Because that's how they feed. And this time around, they've decided to clear up their waste. But that's not all. They'll leave an empty town. Defenseless. And the Weeping Angels have some pretty good reasons to want the Time Lords destroyed... what's that noise?"
There was a crawling and scratching sound, all around the building, getting louder and louder.
"They're climbing up the walls!"
***
The Doctor finished explaining the situation.
"So, we're not actually in any danger then?" Olevena asked.
"No, I don't think so. Not unless we anger them..."
***
"Doctor, what are they doing?"
"I don't know..."
Barnable was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, looking scared.
"Barnable!" Loretta came over to him "Come here darling, Mummy's got you."
The crawling noise stopped. Barnable hugged his Mother tight, until suddenly, he was hugging no one.
"Argh!" People screamed, as many Weeping Angels were on the staircase, twisted around each other. Loretta had disappeared, and Barnable was staring an angel in the face, until he was scooped away by Eliseo.
"Everyone out!" The Doctor shouted, and everyone ran for the doors in a rush, spilling out into the town square. "Don't let them touch you! Form a circle."
The townspeople formed a large circle around the well in the square, with the children in the middle. The angels were coming for them, dropping down off the clock tower and moving towards the square.
"What are we going to do?"
"I- I don't know" the Doctor answered, with fear in his voice.
"What's happened to Loretta. Is she... dead?" Alma asked.
"No, she's not dead." Eliseo answered. "This is how Dad died. Saving a stranger, a woman with frizzy hair..."
***
A woman appeared in the square.
"Barnable! What..."
Without warning, Ty ran towards her pulling Loretta towards the clock tower. "Get inside there! Now!"
"No Ty! You should have let her run herself. Now the angels will want to kill both of you. Go in with her and we'll protect you."
Suddenly, two angels appeared, one right next to Ty, the other further away, but blocking his entrance to the clock tower. Olevena screamed. The rest of the town had gone home to safety, and there was only the three of them to watch the angels.
"Do not blink. But you're their prey now. I don't know what we can do..."
***
"Doctor?"
"Yes, Eliseo?"
"It's happening now isn't it? My Dad is dying, right now."
"Yes, I think so. I'm sorry..."
"No need to be sorry Doctor." He turned away from him, and walked to the middle of the circle. He hugged Barnable and whispered something into his ear.
"Why are you saying that now?"
Eliseo smiled at him, and patted his head. He turned to Alma. "The Doctor will get you and my daughter together again, I'm sure of it. Goodbye."
"Goodbye?"
"Seeya Doc. And thank you, for everything."
Before anyone could stop him, he darted out of the circle, and into the arms of an angel.
***
Eliseo appeared in the same square. He looked ahead of him, and saw his father about to blink. There was an angel, with its hand outstretched towards his father's neck.
He ran forwards and the snapping of bones was heard...
***
"What happened?" Alma asked "The angels, where have they gone?"
"It's a paradox. It's killed them. Son saving father before he was born, because he knew his father died..."
***
Eliseo was laid on the floor, shaking. His back was broken. Loretta ran out of the clock tower.
"Dad!" She went down to him.
"Who is he? Tyckele asked.
Loretta looked up. She studied their faces, and saw Olevena's bump. "Oh my god. Grandad, Grandma." She took their hands and pulled them down with her. "This… is your son."
"He saved me..."
"Why did you do it, Dad?" Loretta asked through her tears.
"Memories." Eliseo answered in a whisper "New memories. A life spent with my father. More than worth the year or two I had left." He looked up to Tyckele. "Goodbye, Dad."
Eliseo's eyes slowly closed...
***
"Eliseo won't be coming back." the Doctor said. "But he'll have died happier than ever before, I promise. I remember Tyckele's life, now. Best Dad on Trenzalore."
Barnable began to cry, and Alma hugged him. "What about... Loretta? We can't lose her too."
"It's okay, it's okay. I've thought of something, so he will have too. Any second now..."
A cleric appeared in a blue light. Beside was a white chamber, and inside... a frozen Loretta. "Delivery for Alma Hope?"
The Doctor beamed "Clever old me."
***
"Doctor, look, over there!" Ty pointed across the square and stood there, badly damaged, was a Weeping Angel.
"Ah." The Doctor walked towards the angel. "One angel survives. Typical."
He looked up to the sky "TASHA LEM!"
Her face appeared in the sky. "Doctor?"
"Weeping angel, co-ordinates seven zero two slash D eight zero four. OBLITERATE!"
***
"Doctor, look, over there!" Alma pointed across the square and stood there, badly damaged, was a Weeping Angel.
"Ah." The Doctor walked towards the angel. "One angel survives. Typical."
He looked up to the sky. "TASHA LEM!"
Her face appeared in the sky. "Doctor?"
"Weeping angel, co-ordinates seven zero two slash D eight zero four..." He smirked. "...send me down a mirror."
***
"Doctor?" Tyckele came and sat beside the Doctor on the steps.
"I asked that woman. I asked her if I move on, from April Sawyer."
"What did she say?"
"She said she didn't know that name. I block from my thoughts, like I did to Amy."
"You'll talk about her again one day. I know you."
"I'm not sure I can do this anymore Ty. That other Doctor, he's a lifetime away, and he's not even the end. How many more can I lose?"
"As many as you gain, Doctor. And my son, that amazing man, will be next."
***
The Doctor stood in the cemetery, as a grave for Eliseo was assembled, to bury some of his possessions. How many funerals had he attended now? Generations and generation were buried under his feet, and he had known every single one of them. But he did know that they had all been happy, in their short lives. And that gave him the strength to carry on. He thought of the other Doctor, and remembered a conversation he had had with Tyckele. It was time.
"Everyone? Come to the square later. I've got a story to tell you. The story of April Sawyer..."
NEXT TIME: I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS(Co-written by the Genie and Jack Hudson)
An attack on the Papal Mainframe leads the Doctor into a trap which could end in his destruction. But after generations on Trenzalore, he's finally offered the chance to run away and never look back. Will he take it up? And what would be the price if he did? |
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