#which is really nice to put opposite yaz

[rearranging-deck-chairs]

thasmissy thesis statement

[ssaalexblake]

I’ve always kind of thought that 13 views Yaz through a ‘she’s a lot like Clara’ lens, even though i don’t think Yaz is like Clara much at all, because their relationship involves a Lot of lying and hiding and not necessarily active dishonesty but more of a willingness to casually not mention it (it being, you know, the important parts of both of their personalities). 

And when you don’t know that Yaz has massive self esteem issues, when you don’t know she doesn’t have self value and mimicks others to feel good and you don’t know her past of mental health issues, Yaz can come across as Remarkably Clara like in demeanor and action, rushing in headfirst, the self assuredness and willingness to yell at people if they do something crappy. 

Clara yelled at people, yelled at the doctor, told people what she thought of them and rushed in head first towards danger as well, but for the total opposite reason to Yaz... Clara was really arrogant. She was full of herself. 

Like, on the surface they are exceptionally similar, but context shows us a different picture. 

Meanwhile you have 13 who seemingly has a Clara like companion, the last wishes of her previous regeneration to live up to (nice, kind, laugh etc etc) who is actively attempting to hide her inner bastardness from the companions. In S11 it works, because she’s got it easy and is living the life. In S12 it gets considerably less easy, and when 13′s being called on something it’s Ryan and Graham being the calm ones and Yaz jumping in loud and angry (you know, like Clara would).  

I feel like it’s a fair conclusion to reach that 13′s aware that the reason Yaz hasn’t been yelling at her the whole time is because she’s been hiding herself from her. 13′s probably like ‘well i was right about needing to hide it all’. 

Now this is funny and not so funny for a variety of reasons, i mean, Clara taught 12 lessons on autonomy and how to treat people with respect and imo 13 has been trying to live by that with Yaz and respecting her actions even if they’re dangerous, but Yaz ISn’t Clara and while Clara was arrogant her choices were informed ones. Are Yaz’s? If her feelings are she is only worth it by acting like the doctor and putting herself in danger, if her bad mental health is leading her to this conclusion that puts her in danger, Is it right to allow it to continue? Is that an informed choice if Yaz incorrectly believes she doesn’t have a choice herself?

 I feel like there is a lesson here in how sometimes you have to cater your responses to people by their personality and circumstances, there is no catch all code for how to interact with people. What is correct for Clara, no matter how similar they may seem to be, is not what is appropriate for Yaz. It’s still about autonomy, but the kind where you recognize people are not a monolith and you have to do right by them in the different ways they all require. 

Now, that’s a moot point rn, because the Doctor and Yaz are both doing the exact same thing as the other and know basically nothing about the other because they don’t ever share, which is kind of funny tbh because Yaz was angry about it the whole of the last season and it doesn’t look like this is about to change any time soon... Yaz, I mean this in the nicest way, but you have little right to talk here, you are just as bad as 13. 

This is a very long winded post, but due to all of the above i have always thought 13 treats Yaz with Clara gloves and has assumed the reason she doesn’t get yelled at a lot is because of her own lying/obsfucating/convenient ability to not mention anything about herself ever, which means that moment when Yaz calls her out in the Tardis in the NY special, and that moment when Yaz shoved her in Graham’s house all 13 was thinking was 

oh F*ck i’m getting Clara’d again. 

[might-be-a-zygon]

"i'm not going anywhere, i promise." for Yaz/13

Sorry this took so long! I’m actually really awful at writing fluff so it tends to take me a while! Also sorry it’s so short, again, it’s something I struggle with. Hope you like how it turned out.

It Means Time

When you met someone like the Doctor- someone who was mysterious and terrifying and wonderful in equal parts- you quickly got used to the idea that you could love her with all your heart, but you’d never really know her.

Yaz was learning quickly that there were certain things she just had to get used to, loving a woman like that. Waking up in the middle of the night to find her gone, her awful dress sense, her frankly bizarre eating habits, and the days where she hardly understand a word the Doctor said were all things that were well worth dealing with.

Still, it was getting very hard not to see that odd, wistful look the Doctor got in her eyes sometimes when they were alone together in some brief moment of peace. They’d be cuddling on the sofa, and the Doctor would be watching her not the movie. They’d crawl into bed after a very long day, and the Doctor wouldn’t close her eyes until long after she thought Yaz was asleep. They’d kiss, and the Doctor would look right through her.

:readmore:

It was in one of those quiet moments- when they were sitting in one of the TARDIS kitchens trying their best to have a lazy morning- that Yaz finally plucked up the courage to ask about it.

She’d been standing there, buttering her toast her hair half-up, wearing a set of pyjama shorts and a battered jumper which had apparently belonged to the Doctor’s previous face; The Doctor had been sat at the table with a plate of custard creams (“Breakfast of champions, Yaz”), still wearing boxer shorts and an oversized t-shirt, with her hair sticking up at odd angles.

It was one of those brief, domestic moments that was so painfully ordinary it made her heart ache.

Yaz wouldn’t trade her life of adventure for the world, but there was certainly something beautiful in these moments of normality that made all the running feel just a little more worth it.

She put the butter knife down, beginning to dig through the cupboard for the jam that wasn’t blue, when she felt the Doctor’s eyes on the back of her head. She didn’t even have to turn around to know she was wearing that expression again.

“Why’d y’ keep lookin’ at me like that?” Yaz finally asked, turning to catch the Doctor’s eyes before she could look away.

“You look nice.” Her girlfriend rattled off almost automatically, shoving a custard cream into her mouth to avoid having to answer any more questions.

Yaz just shot her a look, her eyebrow raised. She didn’t need police training to know that the Doctor was hiding something- her guilty expression did that all on its own. Giving up on finding the jam, she brought her toast over to the little table, taking a seat opposite her.

“You’re lookin’ at me like you feel guilty about somethin’ or-“ She paused, tilting her head slightly to one side, “like- like you regret something?” Now that was an upsetting prospect. “Do you regret this, Doctor?”

“No.”

The reply came a little too quickly to be believable, and Yaz felt her stomach drop. She thought that what they’d had going on between them- well it wasn’t normal, but nothing ever was anymore. It wasn’t normal, or easy, but what they had was good- and for now Yaz was happy with good.

She’d thought the Doctor was too.

“Oh.” Was all she could actually manage- as though the Doctor wasn’t lying through her teeth. The lie didn’t seem to matter much when they both knew the truth that cowered behind it. “So, you do, then? Regret it. ‘Cause I know that face, Doctor.”

“No-“ The Doctor began again, her spoon clattering uncomfortably loudly against the side of her mug as she looked for something to do with her hands. “I didn’t mean-“

Yaz could see she was floundering for an explanation or excuse. In any other circumstance she might have tried to help, but not this time.

“Do you regret this?” She asked again, a little more firmly, “’Cause I thought things were goin’ well with us and-“

“No- No they are. I promise. It’s not that-“ She shook her head as though she was trying to physically clear it. “I said I wasn’t gonna do this anymore.”

“Do what anymore?”

“This!” The Doctor elaborated rather unhelpfully, gesturing wildly with both hands as though it was supposed to help. “You and all the- the domestics, and the fallin’ in love with humans.”

Yaz’s head snapped up to look at the Doctor. Had she really just said that? Neither of them had said that, yet. It wasn’t that she didn’t feel the same way just- there was always something vaguely intimidating about admitting any genuine emotion to the Doctor, especially when she got like this- already racing ahead on her train of thought while Yaz was still trying to process her slip of the tongue. With the speed at which she was talking, it seemed likely she hadn’t even noticed her own mistake.

“Wasn’t even meant to be bringin’ anyone else along, really. I always say that. After Rose I ran into Martha and I kept saying I was gonna take her back but she was brilliant and- and I treated her rubbish. Then she was alright and Donna kept cropping up and-“

“Doctor?” Yaz tried, her tone a little more gentle now, though it did nothing to prompt the Doctor out of her rant- she was already in full swing.

“And it wasn’t like I even got a choice with River- I married her before I met her! And with Amelia- the new face got all sentimental and started doing emotions. And Martha and Donna were married by then, and Rose was happy and Jack- I couldn’t do anything about him but I thought that time I was getting’ better.”

“Doctor!”

“Then Rory had to come along, and I said after the Pond’s I wouldn’t take anyone else but Clara was so clever and she kept turning up everywhere, and then Nardole wasn’t human so he didn’t count and Bill was getting’ attacked and I didn’t have much choice there, and then you lot- mmff“

Yaz had grabbed a fistful of the Doctor’s oversized shirt, pulling her across the table and planting a kiss square on her lips, desperate to jolt her out of the panicked ramblings long enough to get your attention. It was certainly enough to silence her, earning her a questioning look from the blonde, who looked baffled, if not displeased.

“Did I say something good?” She asked as she settled back into her seat.

“You said fallin’ in love.”

“Yeah?” The Doctor shot Yaz a maddeningly blank look, as though she didn’t even realise the weight of what she’d said.

“And was that about me? ‘Cause you haven’t said that before.”

Something seemed to fall into place for the Doctor, based on the shift in her expression, at least. “I thought you knew.” She admitted, “I thought- I mean, you’re brilliant. Course I love you. M’just not supposed to.”

“Why not? because we’re happy, right? You make me happy.”

The Doctor’s expression became resigned, and she lent back across the table, taking one of Yaz’s hands between both of hers.

“Being with me is dangerous Yaz, I-“

Yaz shot her an exasperated look, pulling her hand back. “Hey! Stop. We knew the risks when we came with you. I knew the risks when I decided to stay. You’re- You’re the Doctor! You don’t get scared. Stop being scareda me.”

“I get scared of losing you.” She admitted.

Yaz leant a little closer, taking the Doctor’s hand again, and squeezing her fingers gently, trying to bring her back from whatever dark place she’d strayed into. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

“People always go, eventually.”

She thought back to Jack, and to what he’d said. Nothing lasted forever with the Doctor- she already knew that, but they had the now- and how many people got to be loved by someone like her? What they had was rare, and if it was fleeting, she wouldn’t waste what time they did have worrying about the time they didn’t.

“I’m here now.”

The Doctor’s face softened, and she squeezed Yaz’s hand back, before saying, “Happily ever after doesn’t mean forever. It just means time.”, in a quiet, knowing way- they were words she’d said before, clearly.

“Who said that?” She asked, half-curious, half just keen to keep the Doctor from starting down the ‘I’m too dangerous for you’ path again.

“Someone a lot cleverer than me.” A shadow of something unfathomably sad ghosted across the Doctor’s face for a moment, before her lips turned up into a softer, more genuine smile. “So. Yasmin Khan. All of time and space. Where to next?”

Loving a woman like the Doctor would never be easy. There’d be ups and downs and twists thrown in you could never see coming. Sometimes loving her meant soaring higher than you’d ever dreamed. Sometimes loving her meant hurting worse than you ever knew you could hurt. One thing, though, would never ever change. Loving the Doctor- it meant time. Time to fly and time to fall. Time to celebrate, and time to grieve. Time to run, and, sometimes, on those few days when things were just good, there was time to sit, and to relax, and to love.

[apples-r-rubbish]

Institute (13th doctor x reader) Part 3

Summary:  The Doctor decides to drop in a few times to check up on you Word Count: 2.1k AN:  This is mainly filler, I need to edit part 4 and Because I feel nice (and to make up for this) it’s coming out within the next hour or so :) -L x Warnings: death mention Tags: @startrekkingaroundasgard @penguinwithitsarseonfire

(PART 1) (PART 2) (PART 4) (PART 5) (PART 6) (PART 7) (PART 8) MASTERLIST

It had been months since The Doctor had seen you. After having a particularly awful encounter with a dalek in late December, she decided she had to visit you, to give you some updated information. When she exited you were sitting in your chair, legs pulled up to your chest, silent tears slipping from your eyes.

“How do you manage to get it in the same spot every time? Is it something you’ve practiced or is it coincidence?” You asked, not giving her time to say hello. You were wearing jeans a crumpled t-shirt, you had clearly been here a while, and it was late, wine was on the desk a half drunk bottle on the desk

“My expert flight skills and mainly luck. What’s up? What’s wrong?” She asked anxiety clear in her face as she rushed to you, cautiously wrapping her arms around you

“My girlfriend and I split up. She’d been cheating on me,” You explained. A small pang of jealousy hit the doctor. 

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend- or well did- sorry timelines again,”

“Future you met her once, I mean it doesn’t really matter now. Where are we now?” You said stopping the conversation abruptly pulling out a notebook from your desk, “you’ve visited me after 40s India, and modern day Norway,” You frowned staring at your notes

“Done all that, got a few more on your end however, but you’ll soon find out. You keep notes?”

“Of course. River basically threw a notebook at me and told me it was best. If we’re out of sync we have to compare.” You replied scribbling down something. 

“What’s the date? I realise I never ask,” 

“New years eve, 2019 at quarter to midnight if you must know,” You frowned checking your watch “and I‘m sat in my office crying, wine drunk about a girl who really doesn’t care about me,”  You laughed bitterly taking another sip from the wine bottle. She frowned and snatched the bottle from your hands 

“That’s quite enough of that,” she remarked “It’s new years eve, you’re not sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. C’mon we’re watching fireworks,” she dragged you out of the chair by your hands to one of the many floor to ceiling windows in your office. Her hand was warm, not overly smooth but not rough either.  Most of London was visible from your windows

“Me liked the view, she liked London and she knew that she’d be handing the position to myself most of the time so, I was allowed to design the office,” you smiled at the memory 

“How long have you worked here?” she asked as if the question had been on her mind for months

“5 years, put straight in this position, Me found me, insisted I was necessary to the plan, important enough to be involved. We’re a skeleton staff, less than 100 people- 1 institute,” you explained 

“You are important. You’re important to me,” she insisted, remembering her hand was in yours “you’re my friend and I care about you and your feelings,” 

You laughed at that, “Why do you put up with us all? I never understand it,”

“I like you all, you’re kind and funny and passionate. You all want to achieve so much, you aspire to be better,” she looked away from you, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. As you opened your mouth to say something the ominous looking counter flashed up on big ben. You whispered the numbers, as the seconds drew nearer.  She pressed a hand against your face, “3...2…” you were cut off by the feeling of lips on yours. You stayed that way quietly for a moment, breathing heavily, as the celebratory fireworks went off behind you.

She pulled away, “Sorry if I crossed a line, I just know it’s a thing humans do,” She gave a small sweet smile, as if she’d known exactly what she’d done. 

“You didn’t cross a line it’s ok,” You said and then hesitated “But I know you, you do this, you’ll get in that blue box and fly away. But it means next time we might sync so can I get in that box with you.”

There was a comforting silence between you both, “we’re running in different directions, and at some point we might get on track,” You said,

She pecked your lips again, “Soon, I’m sorry.”

“I know, I’ll hold you to that,” You said with a wink as she backed into the TARDIS.

It had been a handful of weeks since the doctor had seen you, she was returning on an adventure with the fam “Sorry fam, got to drop that off at the institute,” referring to the alien tech, they’d taken from a recent adventure. 

“You want an excuse to see her don’t you? See if your timelines are aligned yet,” Yaz sighed at the doctor, she tried to deny it  but both Ryan and Graham nodded at the other woman, 

“Fine, i want to see her, especially after new years, just want to check in on her,” She explained with a slight annoyance to her voice. She flipped a few switches before landing, in your office as she usually did, same spot as always. You were laughing with your girlfriend, or in her timeline, former girlfriend. The other woman was sat on your desk, pressing a kiss to your lips when the doctor strolled out of her TARDIS, “So exciting thing, we found some alien tech that we think- sorry am I interrupting something-” She rambled turning her head, a edge to her voice that was unexpected, the others filled out the ship after her making similar awkward expressions. 

“Christ, can you give us a warning? Have you learnt to do that through our complex timeline?” You laughed, a heavy blush evident on your cheeks “This is my girlfriend. Babe, this is the Doctor,” You smiled, waving your hands between the two of them, she cringed at the nickname. Your girlfriend went to introduce herself, the doctor shot her a sharp glare remembering new years eve, before turning to you, “where are we up to?”

“Uh, you’ve just told me about 17th century witch trials,” You said trying to remember off the top of your head

“Good, that was a fun one,” She smiled at the memory, before, placing the alien tech in your hand, her hand lingering on yours for a bit too long, “Get one of the archive staff to lock that away, you might need it at some point. Maybe, depends, better to have it just incase, it’ll keep you safe, if I can’t be there,” 

“Ok thanks, we’ll get someone on that right now,” You replied, professionalism clear in your voice and face. You felt colder to her, she had forgotten what you were like in the early days. She nodded at you, before turning on her heel, restraining herself from wrapping her arms around you.  She extended a hand to your girlfriend, to which she accepted. The Doctor leant in and whispered “I know what you’re doing, cheaters get what’s coming to them,” She then plastered a fake smile before turning into the TARDIS after giving you a genuine smile. Team TARDIS followed behind her, giving small goodbyes and polite waves to you and your future ex partner. 

“Well that could have gone literally miles and miles better,” Graham frowned, after the ship had taken off

“Yeah, doc, you should have seen your face it was fun- wasn’t funny actually- Ow,” Ryan said between Yaz hitting him on the shoulder trying to help the situation

“Look, she doesn’t even know about new years because it hasn’t happened yet so it’s not like she can help it and saying that to her ex probably wasn’t the best route,” 

“She also kisses me when the institute gets attacked, which is about a month after new years, which is two months after this,” She turned to Yaz anger heavy in her voice “What would you have done in that situation? Hm? What would any of you have done? Exactly. Don’t criticise me when you have not been in situations like that, because it has happened to me far too many times for me to take advice from any of you!” she shouted her final words anger bubbling over the surface finally, as she scraped her hands down the console, in another attempt to knock something nonvital off of it. A pin could have dropped in the TARDIS and everyone would have heard it, “Look, I’m sorry, I keep thinking about her on that planet and I think it’s my fault, and I can’t stop it. I’m just worried, I care about her, and I don’t want to see her with anyone else and I don’t want to see whatever is coming, not on that planet especially,” 

“You never said, what planet it was,” Ryan said unexpectedly 

“It doesn’t matter, it isn’t important.” She frowned quickly “Look, new adventure, got a planet picked out and everything,” 

The familiar wheezes filled your office. You pulled out a handgun you kept in your desk drawer and pointed it at the doors unflinchingly, the doctor stepped out cautiously, “Tell me what I said to you, in this office when the cyberman attacked the institute!” You shouted at the woman

“(Y/N)-”

“Tell me!” You snarled locking the gun, not blinking

“You- You said you should keep wine in your desk, for when we synced again, and you said we should go on a date,” She stammered out. You lowered the gun and out it back on your desk

“Sorry, issues with the Zygons again. Bonnie and Oswald stepped up and helped though, helps to be cautious considering we didn’t have some of their new abilities on file. Gun was fake anyway before you shout at me, just needed to be sure,”  You said kicking your feet onto the desk

“What are we up to on your terms?” She asked avoiding your previous statements 

“The cyber incident was the last time I saw you and that was about 5 months ago. You?”

“Dropping tech off, saw your ex, a month ago for me,” She said taking the seat opposite 

“So we’re even then? Finally, nothing sneaky, just us in my office,” 

“I think so. Unless one of us is lying but we both know better than that,”

“Good,” You replied pulling out a bottle of wine from your desk drawer “5 months, that’s been in there, just incase,” 

“Yeah, well I’d prefer the date,” 

“Are you flirting?” 

“Maybe,” She smirked

“Watch it old man. Don’t want you having a heart attack trying to keep up,” You laughed,as you stood and grabbed your jacket, “I believe we promised each other a date.”

London was warm unsurprisingly, given the time of year. The bar was empty given the fact it was a Tuesday, you ordered a drink for yourself and some juice for the doctor, “I guessed and said apple because I figured you did not want alcohol,” you said taking a seat at the table she had picked. 

“I could love it, you never know,” She replied,  you proceeded to offer her your drink, she took a sip and made an odd face “Ok nevermind then, I take it back,”

“In my defence, your new face might have liked it, not my fault I didn’t know,”

“Definitely not for me,” She stuck her tongue out after her comment. You talked for hours despite the glares of the slightly annoyed bar staff, telling stories of space travel and times long gone, or the times yet to come

“I’ve never visited victorian england, I imagine it would be nice. Those were always assigned to someone else,” You said suddenly 

“We could go if you’d like, another date, sightsee and do a bunch of touristy things, meet the queen, I’m sure she wouldn’t recognise me with this face,”

“I feel like it’s somewhere I'd like to go to before I die, like I’d save it for a bucket list, a sort of time bucket list,” You rambled. That was a sobering reminder for the doctor, the way you looked at her, a bittersweet happiness in your eyes and a knowing smile, a different version of you compared to the one in front of her.

“Travel with me, please.” You gave her a look “I know what you said, but we’re finally synced up again, what’s the worst that could happen. I doubt they’d notice you gone, you essentially just sit in your office and try to avoid boredom all day, you might as well travel.” 

“Fine, you aren’t going to drop it until I agree so yes, I’ll travel with you,” You said finishing what was left of your drink, she had already stood up a giddy smile clear on her face. The Doctor pulled you to your feet, “c’mon, need to do some maintenance on the TARDIS and we’ll meet up with the others and go somewhere.”

[moth-and-raven]

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Julian manages to stand up on his third try, though he still leans heavily against the bloodied stone wall. I wrap his arm around my shoulders myself when he makes to step away from it. He smiles weakly to feel me tucked into his side, but most of his concentration is focused on staying upright; he turned white as a sheet as soon as he got his footing. I remember what Mazelinka said, about him passing out after using his healing mark. I’ll just have to make sure he’s in bed by the time his strength gives out.

I hear voices filtering down from the barracks when we reach the foot of the stairs, but there are far fewer than before, and they sound familiar. Portia laughs, though there’s still a catch in her throat, and Balam’s fast-flowing speech wraps around the murmur of the others like eddies in a river. Julian and I take the stairs slowly, one at a time, until we emerge in the now-empty room.

“Oh, Ilya!” Portia sees us first and scrambles to her feet to rush to his side, dropping Balam’s hand. She swallows hard seeing the blood soaked into his clothes but gives him a gentle hug anyway. “I’m gonna tear them apart,” she hisses as she pulls back. “Piece by fucking piece.”

Skylar moves to Julian’s other side and takes some of his weight. “With any luck, Salsa will have already found them and gotten a good head start on that. She’s a great tracker when she wants to be.”

“Tracker?” I ask. “What happened?”

Portia growls. “They up and vanished. All of them. The whole court.”

“What?!”

“Valdemar, Vlastomil, and Vulgora, anyway,” Balam says. She’s sitting on Yazakh’s lap in the corner with her arms around them. She sighs and leans her cheek against theirs; they don’t react, focused on a spot on the opposite wall. “We don’t know about Valerius or Volta yet, officially, but it seems only likely that all of them disappeared at once. Yaz just got the report a few minutes ago, that all of their estates and suites are empty.”

No wonder Yazakh isn’t responding. Just glancing at them, I can see the calculation in their amber eyes, putting together what they know about the courtiers. They’ve been Nadia’s bodyguard, and head of palace security, for a long time; I think they worked for Lucio before that, too, in his mercenary company, so they know what they’re doing.

I’m a little surprised I don’t see anger in their face, though. If Valdemar, or Vulgora, or whichever other V-name, had a contingent of guards at their beck and call, that would mean that some of their staff went rogue. Maybe it just isn’t in their nature to get outwardly upset; I get the sense that they’ve been through some shit. In any case, being around Lucio for as long as they were could turn anyone off of huge displays of emotion, I think.

“Is Nadia still here?” I shift closer to Julian. “We really need to talk to her.”

Balam nods, looking at Yazakh as if for permission to continue. Whatever she sees must grant it. “She’s been briefed on what happened and wants to see you both right away.”

That’s convenient. At least we’re all on the same page. “Where is she?”

Abruptly, Yazakh stands, shifting Balam into their arms like she weighs no more than a doll and setting her back down on the bench they left. “I will escort you,” they say, their voice betraying nothing. “It may no longer be safe to walk the halls of the palace alone.”

Their words linger in the still air. Portia and Balam glance at each other as Yazakh strides to the door. Skylar hesitates before urging Julian to take another step, and I follow.

“I’m right as rain, truly,” Julian complains, trying feebly to duck away from our support. “This is nothing. Actually, it’s strangely similar to—”

“If you’re about to tell the pregnant war elephant story again, I will hit you,” Skylar says bluntly.

“Or the pirates who taught you how to fence,” adds Portia.

“Or the leech farmers.”

“Or the—”

“Alright, alright!” Julian sighs dramatically. “Tough crowd.”

Skylar laughs, then pats him on the shoulder. “If you really think you’re fine, I’ll let Reyja deal with you. She seems to know how to handle you already.”  

“Oh, does she ever.” Julian lolls his head onto mine and places a sloppy kiss on my forehead.

“Same horny bastard as always, aren’t you?” Skylar says fondly.

Before Julian can respond, Portia takes Skylar’s hand. “If you’re not gonna go with them, come with us. We have something… interesting to show you.”

Skylar cocks his head, intrigued. I assume, by the looks on their faces, that Portia has filled Balam in on what we learned from Lucio, and now she’s only too eager to see their touching reunion. If Balam is a magician too, the three of them should have no trouble connecting to him. Part of me is certainly curious, especially because Skylar doesn’t seem to have known that the Count was lusting after him the whole time, but I have bigger problems to deal with first.

One of which, pressingly, is that Nadia’s bodyguard has now been told, nearly directly, that Julian and I are romantically involved. If they hadn’t figured it out earlier, now it’s clear. 

I don’t want to leave him to walk on his own, but he shrugs my touch away and heaves a steadying breath, following it with the best smile he can muster in an attempt to reassure me. For a moment, I’m frozen, stuck between declaring my affection openly to Nadia by staying at his side and at least pretending I haven’t been lying to her all along. Julian senses my hesitation and reaches for my hand, dropping a kiss to my knuckles. I suppose he’s right: we couldn’t hide this even if we wanted to, not in person. 

So be it.

Portia and Balam file into the hall behind us, arms linked, with Skylar bringing up the rear. We linger; it feels like everyone has something to say, like this is some sort of turning point. Nothing will be as it was once we part. Even Yazakh rests their hand on Balam’s shoulder before stepping aside. 

Skylar breaks the tension first: “Well, we’ll see you later, then. At dinner, maybe?”

“Oh, yeah! That’s what we can do afterwards!” Portia beams. “We’ll get something nice from the Masquerade practice food. I’m sure the cooks are going crazy right now.”

“I saw surmai when I went past the kitchens this morning,” Balam says. “And cardamom mishti.”

“Yum! Yep, that’s what we’ll do. Um…” Portia trails off, then drops Balam’s arm to surge forward and give Julian another quick hug. “Stay safe, Ilya,” she murmurs into his chest. “Please.”

He responds in Neviv, and she laughs. But it isn’t enough to staunch a fresh burst of tears.

“I’ll see you soon, Pasha,” he says, ruffling her hair as they part.

“Last time you said that, you disappeared for ten years.”

“This time I mean it.”

“You fucking better.”

------

Portia, Skylar, and Balam take the southern branch of the hall. Yazakh waits until they’ve turned the corner at the far end before catching us in their calm golden gaze and starting in the opposite direction. Julian and I follow, fingers linked, nerves growing with every step we take closer to Nadia.

By the time we reach the door of her salon, my heartbeat is lodged firmly in my throat. Yazakh glances at us and I feel the command to stay put as surely as if they had said it aloud. They aren’t even gone long enough for Julian and I to speak to each other; he squeezes my hand, once, a silent reminder that we’re in this together, then lets go. I’ve just drawn a breath when Yazakh returns and beckons us inside, shutting the door behind us.

The room is a picture of elegance with its cream-colored upholstery and dark wood, gold-accented lamps and drawer pulls, purple-and-red gauzy drapery framing the evening through a wide window on the opposite wall. And in the middle of it, in a large suede armchair, sits the Countess herself, sipping jasmine tea. She sets the cup aside — carefully aligning it on its ceramic coaster — and rises to greet us.

“Reyja. Doctor Devorak.”

Julian shifts. “Countess Satrinava,” he says hesitantly. 

“There is no need to stand on ceremony, Doctor. Please, call me Nadia.”

“May I insist, then, Nadia, that you call me Julian?”

“Very well. Do come in.” She indicates the sofa across from her chair. “Would you care for some tea?”

I don’t like this. She’s being too nice. If she’s going to condemn him, I wish she would just do it so this tension has somewhere to go.

“Ahm…” Julian stops himself from looking at me, but not before his hand twitches towards mine. “I must say, dear Nadia, that this isn’t the welcome I was expecting.”

She levels her dark gaze at him, smiling faintly. “I believe my courtiers saw to your welcome already, did they not?”

“Ah, right.”

“And rest assured, they will be soundly, fully, and completely punished for such a foul act of cruelty.”

What? What? Julian seems as baffled as I am. In her eyes, he’s still a criminal… isn’t he? 

Nadia gestures to the sofa again. Both of us sink onto it. This… this isn’t going according to plan at all.

“I sincerely apologize for their horrific treatment of you, Doctor—” She catches herself. “Julian. Anything at all you need to assist in your recovery, do not hesitate to ask. I will see to it that you leave here as spritely as you arrived.”

“L-leave?” Julian asks weakly. “Erm, forgive me, but aren’t you—? Weren’t you, erm, searching for me?”

“I was. I employed a skilled magician to follow your trail, and here you are.”

I open my mouth, but I’m not sure why. My tongue is too dry to speak.

“Indeed, skilled magician—” Nadia turns to me. I swear she winks. “Would you kindly regale me once more with the evidence you have gathered?”

“Um,” I say eloquently. “Um, s-sure.” 

I pause for a moment in a futile attempt to gather my poise. It isn’t until Julian’s fingertips brush mine, in a move he attempts to disguise as repositioning himself on the sofa, that I find my voice.

“So. Three years ago, this man, Julian Devorak, came to work here at the palace. Vesuvia was in the midst of the Red Plague, a horrible disease known for killing thousands. He was searching for a cure, like many others, and worked in a large group of medical providers to learn as much as he could while also caring for the sick. He took copious notes and sought out the opinions of colleagues and friends in other areas of expertise. By the end of the Plague, he was one of, if not the only, doctor still working.”

Nadia is listening raptly. I take a breath and continue.

“He looked after Lucio himself, noting his condition and complaints. Even though multiple sources indicate that he himself had suffered some sort of loss prior to coming here, he worked very hard to keep Lucio comfortable. All the way to that final Masquerade, he pushed himself to do more.”

I hope Julian’s listening too.

“He worked under Quaestor Valdemar, employed by the palace then in the same capacity they are now. They were getting close to a cure, though their methods were…” I trail off, thinking fast. The swelling around Julian’s plagued eye has lessened enough for him to open it now, though he’s been keeping it closed out of habit. I turn to him and brush his bangs back; he catches on and blinks, showing Nadia the vibrant scarlet sclera. “... less than ideal.”

“You were infected?” she asks, surprised.

“I was,” he answers. “At the end, they, erm… Of course I don’t want to speak ill of any of your esteemed court, but—”

I interrupt bluntly. “They held him down and infected him on purpose.”

Nadia’s eyes widen. “How horrible,” she says, almost to herself. 

“Yes, erm, it certainly wasn’t—”

I cut him off again. As much as I love hearing him talk, now isn’t really the time to be mincing words. “It nearly killed him. And from what I’ve found out, several things happened around the same time right after that: Valdemar left when they saw evidence that the Plague had taken root, possibly to visit Lucio’s chambers themself. Julian followed, though by then he was hallucinating vividly and, by his own admission, can’t remember what he did or found. But based on what remains of Lucio’s suite, a huge explosion took place, burning everything inside, including Lucio, to ashes. The only power I know of that can affect such a large area without leveling the entire building is magic. Even then, most magicians couldn’t handle something like that alone.”

Nadia nods. “And after that explosion?”

“I think it’s safe to say that that’s what killed Lucio,” I offer. “And I also think it’s safe to say that Julian is not a magician. I spoke to many people, including other magicians, who’ve known him for a long time, and none of them said anything about it.”

“I see.”

I swallow hard. It might hurt my presentation to admit this, but it also feels too obvious to leave out. “So I don’t know who it was. Yet. But I can almost guarantee it wasn’t him.”

Nadia leans back in her armchair and stares at us. As my conclusion fades away, it takes more effort than I expected to stop myself from leaning into Julian’s arms. I’m very tired; from the heaviness of the shadows under his eyes, and the pallor of his skin, I can tell that the reserves of strength he’s been drawing upon since I brought him out of the dungeons are almost depleted too. He needs to rest. We both do. But our next move is out of our hands now.

After what feels like an infinite moment, Nadia sits up again and takes a sip of her tea. “You have certainly been busy, Reyja,” she says. I wonder if I’m imagining the hint of laughter in her voice. “And, indeed, your work has paid off. I see no evidence of a crime in your actions, Julian, nor do I see motive or intent. I no longer believe you killed my ex-husband. Therefore, I have no need or inclination to prosecute you further.”

In the beat of silence that follows her words, my heart surges. 

“B-but—” Julian stutters.

“I understand this may come as a shock. While I cannot truly atone for the mistaken accusations leveled at you three years ago, I fully intend on providing restitution in the form of lost wages and the reinstatement of your South End clinic, should you wish to resume seeing patients. The records of the building’s purchase remain, though you may have some cobwebs to clear out.”

“But I—”

“Shall I word it plainly? Very well: Doctor Julian Devorak, I, Countess Nadia Satrinava, hereby award you an official pardon, clearing you of any culpability in the murder of Count Lucio of Vesuvia.”

I could cry. I might still cry. I barely dared to hope we would come out this cleanly. Yes, we still have a mystery to solve: the Hanged Man’s involvement, Lucio’s actual murderer, and now where the courtiers ran off to. But this is a victory. Once again, I have to hold myself back from sagging against him.

Julian, apparently, has no such qualms, and turns to me with joy in his mismatched eyes, barely hesitating before he cups the back of my head and kisses me soundly.

When we part, Nadia is grinning like a cat. “Do you need a moment?” she asks, laughter spilling out from behind her mask of courtesy.

I smile sheepishly as Julian clears his throat. “Did you know all along?”

“I guessed. You were hardly subtle, Reyja, though I expect you were trying to be. Yazakh confirmed my suspicions when they announced your arrival, as, clearly, have you.”

“I’m sorry, I—”

She holds up her hand to stop me. “You need not explain the twists of fate,” she says. “I understand all too well.”

“I’m, um… thank you.”

“You are quite welcome. And, truly, if you wish to retire, please do so. I will have Portia bring dinner to your room, unless you would prefer to be alone.”

“No, that’s fine.”

“And you do not mind being waited upon by your sister, Doctor?”

Oh. She really does know everything, doesn’t she? 

Julian blanches. “I swear to you, Countess, on my parents’ graves, Pasha had nothing to do with—”

“Portia is my trusted handmaiden and confidante, and will remain so. Her relation to you is irrelevant in that regard. And, indeed, you have no more reason to worry: you are a free man.”

I think it might take him a little while, and some sleep, and a solid meal, to realize that. 

Nadia sees us to the door. Julian’s leaning heavily on me again, barely able to put one foot in front of the other. Nevertheless, he smiles broadly at the Countess as he shakes her hand, dropping a grateful kiss to her knuckles and bowing as low as he can manage. “Thank you, Nadia. More than I can ever articulate, thank you.”

She smiles back before turning to me. “I had hoped yours would prove an unbiased perspective, Reyja,” she laughs. “More fool me for thinking so. It would seem there are few in this city unaffected by the Plague even now, though in the most remarkable of ways. I could not have predicted this.”

“Me neither,” I say. 

“Indeed! Sleep well, both of you. We shall speak more in the morning. I’m afraid this is merely the end of a chapter, not the whole story.”

I nod. But I’ll sleep well tonight, regardless.

------

Portia brings us the food she promised alone, skillfully balancing a tray laden with heaped plates in one hand as she closes the door of my room. She sets it down on the desk and throws herself into Julian’s arms, near tears with happiness at the good news. He hugs her tightly in return.

When she pulls back, she’s grinning through her sniffles. “Well, let’s eat before it gets cold.”

We settle down to the sumptuous meal. Luckily for me, it’s not fish, but thick coconut curry sauce slathered over chicken on beds of sticky rice, with sweet samosas and yogurt and a handful of crispy chickpeas each. I’ve never had such delicious food before; if this is a preview of the Masquerade, I’m in for a treat.

It’s gone quickly, though, with how hungry we are, and Portia soon stands to go.

“I guess I’ll leave you two alone for the night,” she says.

“Okay,” I tell her, eyeing Julian appraisingly. I think he ate as much as he could, but he’s flagging fast, sprawled in the evening-colored armchair on the other side of the room. “Go be with Balam. You two are cute together.”

She giggles. “Thanks. I’ll tell her you said that.”

“Please do. Anything happen with Skylar and Lucio?”

“Ooh, don’t make me rush that story. I’ll tell you later.”

Julian snorts. “Runs in the family, you know,” he slurs, near-drunk from exhaustion. “We’re story-tellers. Always have been.”

“Shh, Ilya,” Portia says softly. “You’ve been through the wringer today.”

“I’m fi—”

“I swear to god, if you try to tell us you’re fine, I’ll kick you.”

“Couldn’t reach anything… critical…” he mumbles.

Portia rolls her eyes. “Bet I could. But I won’t. Not tonight, anyway. You’re sure you don’t need anything else, Reyja?”

I pause to think for a moment. “If you could, or if you know someone who could, maybe I should try to send a message to Asra? I don’t even know if he’s back in town yet, but he’s next on the list to talk to.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll ask Yaz, or maybe Balam and I will just go on a little forest adventure looking for him ourselves.”

“Thanks, Portia.”

“Don’t mention it!” She gives me a quick hug too. “Sleep well, okay? And I know I don’t have to say it, but take care of my brother for me. I kinda like him.”

I smile. “I kinda like him, too.”

Portia sticks her tongue out as she leaves, making sure the door shuts behind her. I wait for her footsteps to fade down the hall, then cross to Julian’s side, sinking to my knees beside his chair. 

“Hey,” I murmur, sweeping his sweat-damp hair from his forehead. “How are you feeling?”

With effort, he opens his eyes. But the smile that breaks across his face like dawn when he sees me is effortless. “My darling, my Reyja,” he says. “You did it.”

“What did I do?” 

“Oh, without you… never would’ve gotten here. Saved me.”

My heart flips over. “You saved you, Julian. It was all there just waiting for someone to see it.”

He shakes his head slowly. “You,” he repeats. “You did the work.”

I don’t want to argue with him. Especially not now. “If you say so.”

“I do. Can’t thank you enough. But I want to try.”

I run my nails over his scalp. “What do you mean?”

He lets his head loll, still smiling. “Probably shouldn’t talk about it now. But in the morning, when I, erm… after I get some sleep. I might not be at my best at the moment.”

A shiver of excitement rolls down my back. I shouldn’t speculate, but… “Okay. What do you want to do right now, then?”

He blinks at me. “Kiss you.”

I can’t complain about that. I stretch up to meet his lips, cool and soft against mine. He falls back after a moment, exhausted again, but reaches for my hand instead. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that feeling, skin on skin, his long, slender fingers meshed with my thick ones. It’s his branded hand, too. I trace its heavy lines with the fingertips of my other hand, stopping when he sighs.

“You alright?” I ask quietly.

“That mark defined me for so long,” he says, staring at it. “Strange that it no longer has to.”

“Good, though?”

“Fantastic, darling. Utterly fantastic.”

I kiss him again. It’s just as strange, and just as fantastic, for me to know I can keep doing that. In public now, even, any time we want.

There’s still some blood and dirt smeared across his skin. Water magic has never been my forte, but I call a trickle to fill my cupped hand and gently wipe it away. I wish I had a dish to use instead, but everything in here is dirty already. For tonight, though, this will do. I just want him to be comfortable.

When I’m done, I let my hands wander down his neck, over his broad shoulders, along his arms, pausing at the hardest knots and working at them with my thumbs. He sighs again, softer and sweeter, as some of his tension dissipates. I’m entranced by the constellations of freckles and faded acne scars on his back, tracing patterns between them until he hums his contentment. I’ve never gotten to touch someone like this before, so tenderly.

So lovingly.

“Hey, Julian?” My voice is barely above a whisper. I don’t think I can say what I want to say any louder. Not yet, anyway. “I… I, um—”

But he’s already asleep, slumped in the armchair, a beatific smile still curving his lips from the comfort of my touch.

—————

Skylar belongs to @ollifree​.

Balam belongs to @atypicalacademic​.

prev || next

[oswildin]

What’s My Name? ~ Dhawan!Master x F!Reader

Summary: You had a best friend, who you thought you knew everything about... Turns out you didn’t know him at all... Let alone expect him to be your friends oldest enemy.

Warnings: Possible spoilers.

**EDIT**

There’s now a PART TWO: https://oswildin.tumblr.com/post/190148897825/unlucky-in-love-dhawanmaster-x-freader-part-2

~

“Where are you going now?”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, turning round to see her friend giving her a knowing look. It had been a few months since she’d started travelling with the Doctor and the fam. She loved every second of it, but she wasn’t going to let it take over her life completely. She still had to work, keep her flat, and have a social life outside of fighting aliens in space.

“Out. Is that ok?” She retorted, seeing her friend stood with folded arms before her.

“Again? You only just got back.” Her friend, Mason, raised an eyebrow.

(Y/N) had met Mason through a mutual friend on a night out. Since then they were inseparable. Well, until she started travelling with the Doctor. She had to admit she was beginning to go AWOL on her friend. She felt guilty.

“I know- but- It’s really important. Like, really really important.” She tried to explain herself, but couldn’t give too much away. He’d think she was mad if she told him the truth.

“But I came round to spend time with you!” Mason insisted, standing from his seated position on her sofa. Oh no, he was giving her the puppy dog eyes. She hated when he used them.

“I’m sorry-“ She looked at her friend sadly before her phone started to buzz. “I promise, when I get back, we will play any board game of your choosing. As long as it isn’t operation cause by god you are awful at that game.” She laughed. “It’s almost like you want to kill the patient.”

“Maybe I do.” He teased, his eyes going dark for a second before smiling. She lightly hit him on the arm before her phone once again buzzed. She answered it.

“Yes! I’m on my way!” She ended the call, sighing to herself. “I’ll see you later ok? Let yourself out!” And with that, she left her friend alone in her flat, as she ran out the door, running to where the Doctor had told her to meet.

Hours later, (Y/N) finally had arrived home. She was exhausted, and quite frankly was ready for bed. She didn’t know how the Doctor could keep up with the adventures and not need rest. She knew Yaz, Ryan and Graham felt the same as her.

“You’re back late.”

(Y/N) jumped, her hand landing on her heart as she swore to herself.

“Jesus Mason.” She switched on the light, revealing her friend sitting in the dark on her sofa as she raised an eyebrow.

“What are you doing here? And why are you in the dark?” She asked confused, folding her arms.

“Just thought I’d make sure you got home safely.” She rolled her eyes at his antics.

“It’s 1am.” She looked at the clock. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping. Don’t you have work tomorrow?” She countered, sitting beside him on the sofa, sprawling out as she closed her eyes for a moment.

“You look exhausted.” He commented.

“Geez, thanks.” She laughed lightly. “You do know how to make a girl feel beautiful.” She joked, as he stared at her, trying to analyse her. “I just went out with a few mates that’s all.”

“Really? So what is that on your wrist?” He nodded to the device on her left wrist as she swore under her breath. She had forgot about the perception filter device the Doctor had given her and the others on their adventure.

“Oh it’s er, the new Apple Watch.” She shrugged, pulling her jacket sleeve down to cover it. Mason shook his head at her answer, knowing he wasn’t going to get anything else.

“Thought you should know, I’m going away for a bit.” He told her as she looked saddened by his words. “Going to travel to Australia. Spend some time out there. Got a mate out there. She’s coming to visit.” She couldn’t help but feel her heart sink at the ‘she’ in his sentence, but she soon recovered as she plastered on a fake smile.

“A she huh?” She teased, nudging him. “I’ve never heard of her.”

“We go way back.” He seemed to reminisce. “Grew up together. We’ve drifted over the last few years. Thought I’d get back in touch.” He wore a slight smirk as he spoke.

“Well... considering you’re going away for a bit, let’s say for old times sakes we play some Operation.” She reaches beside her sofa to grab the game.

“I thought you said I wasn’t allowed to play it anymore.” He inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah well... gonna miss you annoying me with your deliberate losing.” She smiled, setting up the game.

(Y/N) felt herself wanting to tell her friend how she felt. But she couldn’t. Not with her hectic life, she couldn’t drag him into it. Nor could she possibly ruin their friendship. So instead she stayed silent, playing board games with her friend until stupid o clock in the morning.

It had been a few months since Mason had left to go away. (Y/N) missed him massively, and found herself travelling more with the Doctor to cope with the quietness of her social life. The Doctor knew about Mason, she could tell how much he meant to (Y/N). She still had texts from her friend every now again, but not much contact since, which worried her. She thought they were drifting.

On their next adventure, Yaz, (Y/N) and Ryan were going undercover as journalists, to interview Daniel Barton head of VOR, as he seemed to be prime suspect in their latest situation. However, it didn’t just stop at them questioning him, oh no, they just had to break into his office to get as much information as possible from his computer. From nearly getting caught, they ended up in an even worse situation, confronted with the aliens who wanted to take over the planet.

The trio stood in front of the creature as it reached out, grabbing (Y/N) in the process, as the glow intensified, causing the girl to disappear before her friends eyes.

“Bring her back!” Yaz ordered the alien, which of course took no notice, beginning to also reach out for her. Ryan grabbed his friend, dragging her out of the office with him as he got on the phone with the Doctor.

(Y/N) found herself alone. She looked around as she was surrounded by what appeared to be large wires. Lights ran up the wires as she called out for anyone. She felt her heart rate increase as tears welled up in her eyes. Where was she? Was she dead? Was she inside some sort of giant computer? So many questions ran through her mind... but as quickly as she arrived, she had left, transporting elsewhere.

“(Y/N)! Turn the power off in there.” She heard a familiar voice as she opened her eyes, which she hadn’t realised she’d kept shut. “(Y/N)! How are you even here?” Her eyes focused as she saw the Doctor with her hands against the glass container. Her eyes scanned the room as she spotted her other friend, Graham, and a face she didn’t expect to see.

The container lifted as she was free, the Doctor instantly hugging her friend who still seemed terrified. Not much scared her, but the thought of being all alone in such a dark, empty space scared her to the core.

She looked over the Doctor’s shoulder seeing Mason, looking somewhat concerned before he held his finger to his lips.

A moment later, the Doctor was back at trying to work out the aliens plan, whilst Mason lead her over to a chair to sit down.

“What are you doing here?” (Y/N) quietly asked, sending him a confused stare. He sighed.

“Alright, shows over.” He sat opposite her. “I work for MI6.” He said bluntly causing (Y/N) to blink in shock. “I have done for a while now.”

“How- Why didn’t you tell me?!” She lightly whacked him on the arm, causing Graham to send a glance their way.

“Because I can’t talk about it! Being an agent kind of means being secretive.” He whispered, as he smirked. “Also you weren’t exactly telling me the truth about where you were running off to either.” She rolled her eyes, knowing he was right.

“Is Mason your actual name?” She inquired, swallowing the lump in her throat. He sent her a sad smile, which gave her the answer she already knew. “Yeah, I guessed not.” She laughed lightly. “I have so many questions.”

“I bet you do.” He stood up. “But we need to focus on the job at hand. Stopping whatever those creatures are.”

Whilst the pair were talking, the Doctor went to pick up Ryan and Yaz, as Graham and Mason, or O, should (Y/N) call him, had a chat. (Y/N) stood looking at all the paper work that was laying around, shaking her head in surprise at how much her friend actually knew about alien life. Small world. She thought.

“We need to pay Barton a visit.” The Doctor declared.

“Good thing he's having a party, then. We got invites.” Ryan grinned, looking proud of himself.

“Yes! Nice work, you three. Got invites for us all, have you? I'm sure I can hack a guest list.” The Doctor beamed, turning to O.

“What do you reckon, O? Fancy a trip in the box?” She nodded to the TARDIS as he began to grin.

“I really, really would.” He sounded like a happy child as (Y/N) smiles fondly at her friend.

“Be my guest.”

O walked in, taking in the TARDIS interior as (Y/N) watched from outside with everyone else.

“Shut up!” He mumbled to himself as he reappeared at the door. “Ridiculous.” He looked confused as (Y/N) laughed.

“Yeah well, get used to ridiculous.” She commented, walking towards the TARDIS. “Cause that’s the word I was use to sum up over 80% of the adventures we have.”

“Oi!” The Doctor retorted as the others smiled upon entering the ship.

They all decided they needed to change into clothing more appropriate. If they were going to crash a party, may as well look good whilst doing it.

(Y/N) decided on a deep purple velvet tux, pairing it with black heels as she put on a dark purple lipstick to correlate with her outfit. She had to admit, she hadn’t dressed up in a while. She’d never had the time or the energy to do so since travelling with the Doctor. As she exited the wardrobe, she headed back to the console, seeing everyone in their tuxedos. Her eyes landed on Mas- O, as she felt her heart skip a beat. Damn, he looked good. She’d never seen him dressed up before. O made his way over to (Y/N) after he spotted her reappear.

“You look... lovely.” He complimented quietly, not wanting the others to know they knew each other. “Never seen you dressed up like this before.”

“Not exactly had the chance over the last few months. Been a bit busy.” She commented. “Also I could say the same for you.” She smirked. “Suits you, this whole James Bond look.” She teased as he bashfully smiled.

“Right!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Let’s go crash this party!” She beamed as she pulled the lever.

The six headed into the mansion, as (Y/N) stared in awe of the size of the place.

“Barton has all this, and yet he’s still wanting the universe?” She muttered under her breath.

“Sometimes it’s never enough.” O replied, as they all split off to look for Barton, whilst of course getting distracted.

O and (Y/N) found themselves at one of the many gaming tables.

“It’s like they knew we were coming.” (Y/N) laughed. “Games are our thing.” She picked up the dice, shaking them in her hand before throwing them down the table. Everyone made noises around her as she cheered for herself, causing O to stare at her.

“Did we win?” She asked, confused by everyone staring at her weirdly.

“No.” O smirked, appreciating her enthusiasm.

“Didn't know what I was doing anyway.” She shrugged. “Im used to playing Operation.” She retorted as he smiled.

“You know what they say - lucky at dice, unlucky in love.” He commented as she raised an eyebrow. Her heart skipping a beat once more as they looked each other in the eye, (Y/N) being very conscious of how close their faces were.

“Do they really say that?” She said quietly, almost breathless.

“No.” He replied, causing her to shake her head at his antics.

“Well, I guess we should try another game then!” She exclaimed, pushing herself away from the table as O watched her admiringly.

The gang quickly ran out of the mansion as they heard Barton was getting away. They saw him enter a black car as the Doctor shook her head in defiance.

“Oh no you don’t.” She ran towards the bikes that were outside the front of the mansion. (Y/N)‘s eyes widened.

“You’re not serious, Doctor!” She shook her head running after her friend.

“Deadly serious.” She hopped on, putting on a helmet as the others followed suit.

“This is crazy.” (Y/N) shook her head, jumping on one of the motorcycles, O sitting behind her.

“Have you ever driven one of these before?” He asked, placing his helmet on.

“Would it make you feel better if I lied and said yes?” (Y/N) remarked.

“No.” O looked at her in fear.

“Then no I have never ridden a bike before.” She twisted the handle, the bike starting to volt forward. O tightened his grip on her waist, causing her heart rate to increase. She didn’t know if it was because she was scared to die, or because of the closeness the two were sharing.

The six followed the black car, before gunshots started being heard ahead. (Y/N) yelled as one bounced off her bike.

“Oh my god! We’re gonna die!” (Y/N) shouted, whilst Graham yelled in front.

“Is this always what it’s like with the Doctor?!” O shouted, holding on tight still to (Y/N).

“Believe it or not. This is one of the quiet days!” (Y/N) yelled in response, trying her hardest not to crash or get hit by a bullet.

They all managed to arrive at Barton’s destination without any injuries, surprisingly. As they all quickly jumped off of their bikes; running after the plane that was about to take off.

“Oh come on!” (Y/N) sighed, trying to keep up. “Stupid heels.” She quickly kicked them off, running barefoot after the others. O was a little behind as she saw he was struggling. “Mason come on!” She called behind, forgetting all about the fact he was an agent for the moment. She held out her hand as he grabbed it, sprinting as fast as they could towards the back of the plane. The others were cheering them on as they finally made it, O being pulled up first as he turned as helped (Y/N) up too.

“Sorry. I've never been good at sprinting.” O commented as he tried to catch his breath as they headed into the seating area of the plane.

“Never been good at sprinting?” The Doctor asked, face full of confusion.

“I was the last one in every race at school.” He continued as the Doctor shook her head.

“No, no, no. I read your file. You were a champion sprinter.” She replied as (Y/N) looked between the two before O’s face turned dark.

“Mmm.” He mumbled. “Got me. Well done.” He said lowly, causing everyone to look confused. He stared at the Doctor with dark eyes as (Y/N) suddenly felt frightened by her friends gaze.

“What's going on, Doc?” Graham asked, sitting in one of the seats.

“I don't know.” She responded truthfully, as (Y/N) started to get a sickening feeling to her stomach.

“You'd best take a look out of the window.” O told them as everyone glanced out the right side, seeing his house flying outside the window.

“How's your house out there?” Ryan asked, looking back and forth between the window and O.

“Bit Wicked Witch of the West, but you get the gist. Maybe.” He had his back to the gang as he furrowed his brows. “Maybe not.” Everyone looked on confused, as he turned back towards them all, sparing a glance at (Y/N) as she looked frightened. “Oh, come on, Doctor, catch up. You can do it.”

“Ohh!” The Doctor seemed to have a realisation as her expression turned to pure shock.

“That's... that's my name, and that is why I chose it.” O laughed. “So satisfying.” He clapped his hands together. “Doctor, I did say look for the spymaster. Or should I say spy... Master?” (Y/N) couldn’t describe it he suddenly looked menacing. It sent a chill down her spine. “Hi.” He waved to the Doctor as she shook her head.

“You can't be.”

“Oh, I can be. I very much am.” He walked towards her.

“So what's going on, then? He's not really O?” Ryan asked, brows furrowed, finding it hard to follow.

“I'm her best enemy.” He chuckled lightly as he smiled at them all. “Call me Master.“ He looked over to (Y/N) who looked hurt. Betrayed. Confused. “Not O. Not Mason.” The Doctor looked at (Y/N) as she gasped slightly at the admission. “Master.”

“You were Mason.” The Doctor looked at (Y/N).

“So you... You tricked me?! Twice?!” (Y/N) exclaimed, hurt in her voice as tears welled in her eyes. The Master laughed manically, clapping his hands.

“I know! Isn’t it brilliant!” He laughed madly, causing (Y/N) to recoil.

“Why?” The Doctor questioned.

“To get close to you, of course.” He said casually. “Thought that was obvious.” He smirked. “And it was so easy.” He smiled. “She didn’t suspect a thing! Don’t know if it’s stupid or just... endearing how trust worthy she is.” (Y/N) felt like time slowed down, like her world was crashing down around her.

“Leave her alone!” Ryan exclaimed, as the Master laughed lightly.

“And what are you gonna do? Huh? Cause I control everything.” He breathed out dramatically after his sentence.

“Why?” (Y/N) finally spoke again. “Why me?”

“Cause it’s a game... and you like those, don’t you?” He gave her an almost soft look. “Humans. So simple. So easy to please.” She let a tear fall. “But it’s not over yet!” He shook his head. “Oh no!” He clapped his hands together before revealing Barton was no longer in the cockpit. “Cause you have roughly 50 seconds before you all die.” He paused. “But let’s play a game, shall we?” The Doctor tried to figure out what to do, her mind racing as the others seemed to begin to panic. (Y/N) stared up at the man she once called her friend, the man she adored deeply, the man she had grown to love.

“If you can answer this right, you get to survive.” He looked down at (Y/N). “What’s my name?”

(Y/N) paused, looking at the others in confusion, before glancing at the Doctor.

“No help from the others! You can’t call a friend!” He exclaimed as she jumped, looking back at him.

“What’s my name?”

(Y/N) blinked as she looked away from the man, looking down at her hands in her lap.

“Master.”

“I can’t hear you.”

“Master.” She said louder as the others felt their panic rising.

“Is that your final answer?”

“Yes!” (Y/N) exclaimed. “Just stop this! Let me and my friends go.” He smiled bitterly at her.

“I never said I’d let them go.” He furrowed his brows as she felt her heart drop. He grabbed her arm, pulling her up with him.

“One last thing Doctor! Before you die!” He got close to her face, the cabin blowing up as the plane began to crash. “Everything you think you know, is a lie.”

He stood back up, pulling (Y/N) which him as he went towards the back of the plane, watching as the chaos unfolded. He laughed as he teleported off the plane with (Y/N) as she tried to shout for the Doctor.

[gazrgaley]

The Doctor buzzed around the corridors, “Ah, I know there is something, what is it? There has to be something, I can feel it. It’s right under my nose but I can’t see it.” Finally pausing for a moment, “There is always something, some secret room with. Well with something. We are not asking the important questions.”

“Your right, we’re not. Like what just happened ten minutes ago.” Oh asked, pointing down the hall which the Doctor was flying through. 

The Doctor paused for a moment, “Not the important question. The question is how is a place where people are known for doing stupid things and getting into fights have no record of any fights? There has to be something either stopping the fights...or hiding them….or-” 

She paused only when she saw a disappointed look on his face. “So, was.” he paused, not quite meeting her gaze. “Was, you know, bring me here a mistake?”

“That’s not what I meant,” She quickly began to defend herself. Turning and began rambling on again about there having to be something that’s in the building that wasn’t right.

“If there is something like you think it’s not necessarily in the building. It could be anywhere in the world. It could quite literally be on the other side of the planet. I’ve seen it before.” Oh casually said, walking only a few inches behind her.

The Doctor quickly turned around, “What do you mean you’ve seen it before?” The two of them now face to face.

“Um, In a movie,” he said, holding his breath.

“Well, that’s not really useful here now is it?” looking down briefly then back up. “Really big, important question.” Pulling her right arm, still attached to his, “When did this happen?”

*****

Yaz sat on the edge of her seat. “Where could she be?” frantically looking around the room. “She’s been gone for a long time now. You think she’s alright?” waiting for Jack or Graham for reassurance.

“I wonder if Oh is with her?” Jack said, only half paying attention to what she was saying.

“What?!” Yaz eyes widened. “Why would you say that?” She shot a look at Graham who turned half in his seat.

“Yeah, I haven’t seen him in a long time,” Graham said, looking around the room.

“I know this was a bad idea.” Yaz’s eye darting back and forth from each side of the table. 

Jack watched her as she did this a few times. “Why are you worried, Are you saying you don’t trust him?”

“No,” she said flatly. “He tried to kill her. He tried to kill all of us.”

Jack moved in, his full attention on Yaz now. “Why would she trust him if that was true.” turning to Graham slightly, “Who is he?” A severe expression on his face now, responding to the fear in both of their faces. 

Graham did a few takes of the room before leaning in, “He calls himself,” quickie turning once more before facing Jack who moved in closer, and in a quieter voice. “He calls himself the Master.”

Jack jumped back, now howling with laughter. “Do you think we should look for them?” Yaz said, the same worry and concern in her voice. Jack held out his hand, tears of laughter almost subsiding before another fit hit him. “This is serious. He’s dangerous.” Yaz instituted. 

“Yes, yes, I know,” he finally started to calm down. “No, you're right, the Master is very dangerous, and on any other day, any other place I would have been torn half this building. But as we are here, he can’t kill anyone here.”

“So what, we just wait till they get back and hope he hasn’t found a way to kill her or do something worse,”  Yaz asked, not quite convinced.

“Maybe they are not even together,” Graham suggested.

“Oh no, they are most definitely together,” Jack said, amusement still in his voice. “But in a place where it’s impossible for anyone to hurt anyone, I don’t want to be the one to walk in on them when-” Jack made some faces, trying to figure out his own words. “Well, let’s just say I don’t want to intrude whatever it is that they are doing.”

“What does that mean?” Yaz becoming enraged by what she thought he was implying, “She hates him, she would never.”

A more serious look came over Jack, “You don’t cry for three hours when you think someone you hate dies.”

*****

Casually slipping back to the main room, the Doctor looked slightly disappointed. “I’m sorry there is not a big bad you were hoping to fix.” Oh whispered in her ear, his hands around her shoulders

“No, it’s probably for the best,” she said as his eyes made it across the room, a split second the Oh mask slipping to reveal the monster underneath. 

“Why don’t you go back to the table, I’ll get you another drink.” The Master said, focused on the corner of the room. Eyes wide the Doctor turned, only to see a broad smile from Oh. “Same?” Giving him a blank look “same drink as before?”

“Yeah, that would be lovely.” shaking her head to make it back to the table. The Master slipped thru the crowd to the end of the room where he casually took a set next to a young redheaded woman with a slick business dress. 

With his widest grin, facing her, one arm wrapped around the back of the barstool, the other on the counter. “Long time, fancy seeing you here. Lovely as always. New face?” 

She turned to face him, a split second later she was turning back around, eyes rolling so far back the colour hardly visible. “Uuhg, And if you’re here does that mean Tweedledee is also around here somewhere?”

“Tweedledee?” he asked, scrunching his face up.

“Yes,” she said, furiously truing back to face him. “Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Agreed to have a battle; For Tweedledum said Tweedledee, Had spoiled his nice new rattle.” with a softer roll of her eyes she was now facing the bar. “If that doesn’t sum you two up perfectly I don’t know what would.”

The Master placed his hand to his chest, contorting his face into something resembling a hurt expression. “The Rani, are you implying I’m Tweedledum?”

She turned just enough to glare at him with a raised eyebrow. “The fact that you have to ask should answer your question.” Turning back “I’m telling you right now, I have a good thing going here. And if either one of you ignoramus messes it up. I will personally make the rest of your life cycle a living hell.”

“How does it work? Keeping everyone complacent like this?” The Master asked, his smile never fading letting his hand resting on his hand that was people up on the bar. 

“Do you remember that one time on earth, I was harvesting ‘parts’ from the humans?”

“But that did the exact opposite. That was making everyone hostel.” He turned from her long enough to order a drink.

“And this is why you’re Tweedledum. I extracted those hormones form them to make.” she made a broad wave over the drink in front of her. 

“That’s it? You did all of that to open a bar?” he said, disappointed in her answer.

“This is just a by-product, nothing more nothing less,” a small smile curled at the side of her mouth. “What you and the Doctor didn’t find anything when wandering around my halls?” she asked, this time not looking at him as she spoke.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” With a raised eyebrow she slid a table in front of him.

“I have cameras all around this place” The Master’s face fell. “I see EVERYTHING  around here. You know, with you two here and all, it almost feels like we are back in school.

At the bartender handed him two drinks, he reached for them as he stood up. “Well then in the nature of nostalgia I’m sure you wouldn’t make putting this on the house.” The Master’s smile back on his face. “As always, it’s been a pleasure to see you once more.”

As he began to walk away he didn’t notice the person who was sitting to his left. Ryan, casually pulling his jacket over his face so he wouldn’t be spotted. The Rani smiled at his as he turned, dropping the side of the jacket that hid his face. “See what I mean, Tweedledum.”

[armageddon-generation]

Making an arc out of series 11 (and other fixes)

I DON’T MEAN TO HATE - I genuinely really liked this TARDIS team, Jodie has completely won me over and the episodes not written by Chibnall were great - but this series does have several frustrating Issues.

One recurring problem I see people having is that the finale didn't feel climactic because there was little build up.

A few ways to fix this :

The Woman Who Fell to Earth

Just improve Tim Shaw - alter his design so he’s not just a black robot-man - take the tooth idea and do something like the Sycorax?

Change the ball of electricity into an actual creature - then establish Tim Shaw’s abusive relationship with it, taking out his viciousness on this helpless slave, because he’s a coward

This mster/beasty relationship would give Tim more character and make him easier to hate

It also establishes the running theme of the Stenza altering/controlling other creatures - it gives them a distinctive ‘gimmick’ like Dalek extermination and Cyberman conversion, which we can expand on in The Ghost Monument, The Tsuranga Conundrum and The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos

The Ghost Monument

Establish the threat of the Stenza - ravaged worlds better (show us the flesh eating water instead of telling us about it and have more time with the Remnants instead of those boring robots)

Do this by giving Desolation (which is out of orbit) short, irregular days (5 hours, 3 hours) so the threat of the Remnants is always there - build tension and character at day (the “Mum told me to jump” speech) and have scary chase sequences during the two night sections

The Stenza using Desolation to create weapons of mass destruction reminds the Doctor of the Time Lords' tactics in the Time War, (that's why she's so interested in the planet) and establish that Yaz wants to know what happened to the Doctor's people/family

One of the racers should've had their planet stolen, not just enslaved, to establish the mystery of the planets Tim Shaw is stealing

Show their desperation by having the racers actually compete and fight with each other, with Team TARDIS stuck in the middle. Both characters believe they deserve the prize because they've suffered and lost more.

Yaz separates them, directly paralleling her intro scene in episode 1 - from parking disputes to this.

GIVE 13 HER BIG MOMENT because I waited until literally the last line of the series to understand where she's coming from. 13 is the joyous explorer, she doesn't have time for wallowing in angst, there's too much universe out there to see.

Something like: "It's not about what you've lost, that doesn't make you better than him! All that matters now is what's ahead. What are you going to do if you win, where will it take you? Have you even thought about it? Because maybe, just maybe, if you stopped pitying yourself you could make something good from this. Yes, you're family is gone and I'm sorry. But just because they're dead doesn't mean your life should stop too. Move forward."

This helps Chibnall's 'Fresh Start' mandate because it establishes 13 as completely different from RTD and Moffat's Doctors (especially 10 and 12) who felt a sense of superiority because of their past pain. It also ties into Ryan and Graham letting go of Grace.

The TARDIS went to Desolation in the first place because it wanted to help the planet (remember she has personality) - 13 realises this once they reunite.

We've previously established the TARDIS can change the weather, and it's had thousands of years on Desolation to prepare calculations etc, so have a sequence at the end where they show off to the new conpanions and terraform the planet, reversing the Stenza's damage

Post - credits scene / stinger - while the companions explore the TARDIS, show 13 viewing the footage the TARDIS collected over thousands of years of the Stenza violating the planet - she doesn't look happy, but then Yaz calls her for a tour and she puts on the bright smile again.

Yaz

I think Team TARDIS in series 11 was meant to be split between the familial relationship between Ryan and Graham, with the standard swept-off-her-feet almost-romance between the Doctor and Yaz in the background. They didn't focus on Thasmin much because I think Chibnall assumed 'oh, we've seen this before'

SHOW THE GROWTH OF YAZ AND THE DOCTOR'S RELATIONSHIP. IT SHOULDN'T BE ROMANTIC (YET) BUT JUSTIFY THEIR DEVOTION TO EACH OTHER

Because Yaz is a police officer have her 'investigate' the Doctor's past - especially her family, as that's an important part of her character and theme in the series as a whole. Since Chibnall loves Classic they could mention Susan

This makes 13 telling Yaz about her Granny in It Takes You Away an important milestone in their relationship

Yaz to Ryan about the Doctor's family:

Thirteen's character

People complaining Jodie isn't unique enough kind of have a point, but the seeds are there:

I like the idea of 13 being easily distracted and careless ("I'm almost going to miss you." / "Hi Yaz, forgot you were there."). Her being slow to trust contrasts nicely with Jodie's infectious enthusiasm. Have Yaz's role be keeping 13 focused, grounded and on-track when she needs to be.

Also! I've seen the idea thrown around 13 is only acting all bright and chipper. It'd be really interesting if she prioritises Team TARDIS' emotional wellbeing over her own

This way we have parallel arcs - Yaz gets the Doctor to open up as Ryan gets closer to Graham

13 and her Sonic

13 is meant to be a tinkerer, but we don’t see much evidence of this outside building the Sonic

So she wears a tool belt

The belt is TARDIS-like (bigger on the inside) and 13 pulls things out of it like Mary Poppins’ carpet bag

13 pulls bits of scrap out of the belt and cobbles things together when she’s excited / nervous / talking (pipe cleaner helicopters! Catapults! Wind-up mice!)

This distinguishes her from 11, who also did a lot of hand-flapping and is already superficially similar personality-wise

More floofy/fly-away haired 13! It makes her seem more energetic, constantly in motion, which really suits her.

The popular headcanon is that the Sonic works randomly (one episode it can do things, the next it can’t) because over the years the Doctor has added so many features they’ve overloaded it. So now she’s got a new Sonic, 13 is constantly fiddling with it/adding new features

Address the NuWho Doctors’ over-reliance on the Sonic - 13 keeps expecting the Sonic to do things but because it’s new hardware, it can’t, and she has to solve problems on her own

A running gag where 13 goes ‘watch this, gang’ and the Sonic does something completely opposite what she wanted and now they have to improvise

In the finale the Sonic finally works properly and 13 uses it to beat Tim Shaw

Occasionally (in an episode opening) 13 makes weird machines without knowing what the fuck they do:

13: [holding up a small device] Does this look familiar? Do you know what it is? Neither do I. I made it last night in my sleep. Apparently I used Gindrogac. Highly unstable.

Yaz: Doctor…

13 : I put at button on it. Yes. I want to press it, but I’m not sure what will happen if I do.

Ryan: [runs for cover]

13 and Graham

In Series 11, 13 always seemed annoyed by Graham (“Don’t kill the vibe”) and never seemed to grow past it.

Suggest 13 is living vicariously by helping Graham reconnect with Ryan – the Doctor first started travelling in the TARDIS to connect with their grandchild, so this is 13 coming full-circle

13 notices how good and Granddad Graham is trying to be for Ryan, and as he grows braver she comes to really respect him.

Graham becomes her confidant – he’s the only one 13 shows her age to, and she helps Graham begin again: They talk about how the Doctor has had to reinvent and regenerate themselves again and again because the universe needs them – much as Ryan needs Graham. 13 has lots of experience moving past loss, and they support each other through the pressure of being responsible (for Ryan and Yaz respectively)

Ryan

Have the Doctor and Ryan's relationship develop - in The Woman Who Fell to Earth they suggested 13 would take a nurturing parental role for him ("That's the kind of thing Grace would've said") but it's not really built on. All the pieces are there (him being immature and using weapons in the beginning)

Ryan and 13 have a sibling-like relationship - she teaches him about life and the universe - have 13′s use of slang (skillz with a z) come from Ryan having fun teaching slang to a socially inept alien

also maybe a reccuring joke about Ryan going for a fist-bump and 13 patting his fist, that pays off by the finale

Does anyone remember Ryan and Yaz went to Primary school together? Capitalise on that. When Ryan talks about how his Dad left him in Tsuranga and It Takes You Away, make it explicit that she understands because she saw Ryan go through it as a kid, and remembers what it did to him emotionally

A common complaint about Ryan is that he rarely actually does anything - he just stands there and says "they're gone!" or "it's a spaceship!". So have this be part of his character. In the early episodes have Yaz be the most active companion (allowing her to develop!), with Ryan (nervous about his dyspraxia) in the background, and have him become more and more active and competent as the series goes on.

Episode Order

For this to work I suggest shuffling the episodes - 1, 2, 8, 4, 6, 5, 7, 3, 9, 10

10 60-minute episodes to fit the new stuff in and give the large cast more room. The Woman Who Fell to Earth (60 minutes) was Chibnall's best script.

This way series 11 gets the same screen time as the 12 episode Capaldi series

Instead of 2 trailers for the next episode (one pre and one post credits) insert a post-credits stinger hinting at arcy things

The Witchfinders (We’re Going on a Witch-Hunt)

Swap Rosa and The Witchfinders around. We can get the 'female discrimination' thing out of the way faster (it felt weird they didn't explicitly address it until episode 8). Yaz and 13 can bond over their shared oppression (this is the first time the Doctor realises what history is like for her female companions - for the first time, they are of equal status and must work as a team).

Also have Yaz, the POLICE OFFICER, be personally offended by the miscarriage of Justice in the Witch Trials, and defend the victims - relate it to her experience on the job (maybe touch on domestic abuse?) instead of the cliche bullying story

The villains being escaped convicts from a prison also links to Yaz's character and job - contrast her applying police protocol to the Morax (she never had a case this big at home!) with 13's "fuck it, time to wave the glowy science stick' attitude - Yaz forces 13 to be disciplined, 13 forces Yaz to think outside the box and bend the rules

Arachnids in the UK (Spiders in Sheffield)

Still episode 4 - this needs a complete rewrite IMO, but for starters make the Trump parallel less explicit and cringey

Address Yaz has left her job as a police officer behind - she goes into work (with 13 as her ‘consultant’) and learns about people disappearing - we meet the spider expert at the Police Station, (because Yaz’s  neighbour being the only victim AND working in that spider lab was too big a coincidence) 

The expert is being ignored because the disappearances are higher priority, so low-ranking Yaz gets stuck with her

The spiders have spread all over Sheffield, not just the one flat and all around Yaz’s building

Have Ryan, Yaz and the Doctor go to meet Yaz’s mum at the hotel while Graham is mourning Grace in their nearby flat

When the spreading spiders reach Yaz’s family, Graham goes to help them, showing how brave 13 has helped him become.

We now have two tension-filled scenarios:

A home invasion subplot where Graham helps Yaz’s family keep the spiders out of their flat. Use this to flesh out and make her sister and Dad likeable - Graham comforts them when they’re scared, calling back to Grace's last line "promise you won't be scared without me" - 13 has helped him!

13 and Co being chased around the hotel (PROPERLY chased - the spiders use webs to cut off corridors and herd them around like rats in a maze)

YAZ GETS TAKEN BY THE SPIDERS - this is the moment 13 realises how attached she is to her new friends. She and Mrs Kahn work together to go and save Yaz from the Spiders’ nest (eliminating that annoying Jackie Tyler “you’re endangering my kid” trope) while Ryan uses his music to draw the spiders away

13 gets to see Mrs Kahn’s maternal affection and we see her desire for family. Ryan’s music draws the Spiders back and saves Graham and Yaz’s family

When Ryan and Graham reunite it’s very emotional - Ryan saved Graham’s life - ‘looking out for each other’

Finally have the Doctor save the Spiders by using the TARDIS as an Ark, instead of leaving them to die - call back to Planet of the Spiders and drop them off there

Since she's at home, once they’ve saved everyone have Yaz do girly things with the Doctor (because they haven't been able to rest since episode 1) - maybe nail painting? Only 13 starts using the varnish as finger paint. Also! I like the idea of them choosing 13's earring together bc 13 has no clue about jewelry

Demons of the Punjab

This should be episode 5, because it's connected to 4 by Yaz's family and together they provide a nice rounding-off of the half of the series more focused on her

The Thijarians have had their planet stolen, not just destroyed (it would still kill everyone)

That way when we see the hologram of what happened to their planet we establish the threat of what will happen to the Earth if Tim Shaw wins in the finale

(the powder they have can still be the stuff left over afterwards)

Also it's weird that Yaz goes to see her Grandmother, who she discovers remarried, and Ryan doesn't react at all.

Ryan has nothing to do in this episode, and because we're putting Punjab earlier in the series, Grace's loss is fresher. Give him a moral dilemma: He wants to go back and see her when she was young (and with her first husband - implicitly rejecting Graham) like Yaz is seeing her Gran

After seeing what happens to Yaz's family, and seeing Graham's caring reaction to Prem, he follows 13's advice and gives up on seeing Grace again - he's content with Graham

He bonds with Yaz over the episode and warns her not to take family for granted. At the end Yaz takes him to meet her Gran in the present day ("I was lucky enough to know yours")

The Tsuranga Conundrum (The Good Doctors)

Have the medical ship be a war ambulance helping victims of the Stenza's conquest

The general on board has fought the Stenza

Cut her brother and the 2nd nurse, they're unnecessary - have the ship be understaffed because of the strain the Stenza are putting on the medical service, give the engineering role to 13

The asteroid field they have to fly through (which we should ACTUALLY SEE) is not just an asteroid field but the wreckage left behind by another missing planet.

Replace the P'ting. It may be cute but the vast majority of people thought it was ridiculous. Instead have it be a Stenza weapon left over as the ship is flying through an old battleground - it can still be small and destroy the ship from the inside out, but its design can be more threatening and it can be more sympathetic (it was experimented on/created to kill, it isn't evil)

13 tries to pilot the ship first but can't because she's wounded. She has to rely on Team TARDIS and delegate the usual ‘Doctor’ roles. She faces off against the tactical P’ting, trying to fix the ship as fast as it disassembles it, while Yaz runs around trying to catch the thing, and Ryan and Graham take care of the passengers

The sonic STAYS BROKEN so 13 has to do this all by hand

Once 13 is told the Stenza are still out there hurting people, introduce a subplot over the next 3 episodes before the finale where she's sneaking off at night to go and help fight them (without the others knowing, because they're too emotionally biased)

The next episodes (Kerblam!, Rosa) gradually shift the focus onto Ryan's growth as he becomes more active

It Takes You Away

Add 13 and Graham - now close friends - talking about grandkids, and put more emphasis on 13′s reaction to the abandoned girl

This sets up the Solitract turning into Susan, the Doctor’s granddaughter, instead of the frog at the end

You don’t require previous NuWho knowledge to know about Susan - she has barely been mentioned.

Have her be played by the actress from An Adventure in Space and Time, like David Bradley as the First Doctor 

This way we directly address the theme of grandchildren and family

The Solitract is a link to 13's childhood and family. It's also another omnipotent consciousness she can relate to (think 9 and Bad Wolf - "That's what I feel, all the time!"). Finding that and immediately letting it go must be traumatising

Have a quick scene of Yaz catching 13 crying, but she quickly covers up because Graham just saw Grace and he's distraught

Finale (Battle Phantoms)

When they arrive on the battlefield 13 accidentally reveals she's been helping fight the Stenza offscreen (which is how she knows about this battle - one of the ones she was too late for)

This lie infuriates Graham - she's been blocking his revenge for ages

BIG EMOTIONAL MOMENT

13: Maybe I am a liar, and I promised I wouldn't be, but that's because I know what it's like, Graham. To want to hurt the people who hurt you. How that anger burns like fire, like a supernova. And it took me so long to get over it, so long to move on. Whole lifetimes wasted hurting and hating. I didn't want that to happen to you. No one deserves to be broken twice.

This gives Graham a legitimate reason to go against 13 without announcing his intention to kill Tim Shaw like an idiot. It also plays up 13's hypocrisy, which was touched on in the original script

What was the point of 9 distress calls if they're all in the same place?? Use this pportunity to split team TARDIS up and showcase how they've grown as individuals before bringing them back together (Ryan and Graham, Yaz and 13) for the 3rd Act

Graham being on his own drives up the tension over whether he'll kill Tim Shaw - Ryan gets there just in time

Explicitly call back to the moment in The Ghost Monument when Ryan used a gun - highlight how far he's come because of 13, talking Graham down

Get rid of the robots, because they weren't in The Ghost Monument now, and they turned the intimate story into an action movie.

Over the series we've established the Stenza genetically engineer other creatures into weapons (the Remnants, the P'ting, the cable ball in The Woman Who Fell to Earth). Replace the robots with scary leftovers from the Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos (because that title was irrelevant to the original episode) - Think the Hand Mines from The Magician's Apprentice

Have each of the missing planets throughout the series be named - that way when we discover the stolen planets in the finale there is emotional impact because their being stolen has caused so much suffering.

This way not only are the Stenza a lot more threatening because they are present throughout the series, there is more build up to seeing Tim Shaw again

Also, the subplot about returning the planets is more emotionally impactful - the Doctor is retroactively providing closure to lots of the side characters from the series

Finally the threat to Earth is much greater - the companions have seen what losing your planet does to a person emotionally, and they fear that

WHEN THE EARTH IS THREATENED CALL BACK TO YAZ'S FAMILY SO WE FEEL SOMETHING

Also the continuing thread of missing /lost planets could link to Galifrey, raising 13's emotional stakes

Multiple people have complained the plot thread about the planet attacking you psychically and erasing your memories went nowhere - when 13 and Yaz take those devices off they get slight headaches

Instead have the planet actually attack them - 13 and Yaz have to remind each other of their memories and their families - exposing Yaz to a rare snapshot of the Doctor’s lonely childhood on Galifrey

This gives Jodie the opportunity to do some SERIOUS DRAMATIC ACTING, and finally opening up about Galifrey to the whole TARDIS team at the end gives an emotional climax to her relationship with them, as well as the relationship between Ryan and Graham

The Fam line is cute, but we need ACTION to evidence this growth - this way throughout the series we’ve established how much family means to 13, how much she wants that, and Yaz saying “I’ve always liked fam” means so much because it means she understands 13 as a person

Resolution

Change how the Dalek got split.

Medieval humans killing a Dalek on their own is ridiculous and makes itr less threatening. Instead, have the Dalek be a scout from the Time War, looking to attack Earth to distract the War Doctor. The Doctor, furious, rushes over and helps the human armies divide it, to stop the Time War spreading to his second home.

We’re told this legend by the archaeologists, positioning the Doctor as a vengeful wizard. We can get a flashback with the War Doctor as a dark silhouette on a hill or something.

This makes the “it’s personal” stuff even truer

Use the archaeologists and dig site to expand on the Dalek race’s impact on humanity, because they’ve visited Earth dozens of times. I’m thinking wall paintings depicting the Dalek Shell as a Divine war chariot, and the mutant as a Cthulhu-like God

This way we’re really throwing Team TARDIS in the deep end - they are immediately aware of the number of times the Doctor has fought the Daleks, which is completely different to the rest of series 11, where 13 was encountering everything for the first time

Change the junkyard Dalek shell.

The Scout goes to a storage facility where pieces of its shell are stored. Now this place is owned by the modern incarnation of the cult we’ve set up who worshipped the Dalek in ancient times (their logo is the same symbol found on the wall paintings)

Instead of killing the gay (AGAIN), have the company staff welcome and exult the Dalek - only for it to turn around and kill them all, establishing its racial superiority complex. (This is something Chibnall glossed over - his Dalek wanted to conquer like anyone else, not exterminate)

The company has collected the remains of dozens of different Dalek models from invasions across the show’s history (we still have the parallel to 13 making her Screwdriver)

The Dalek reassembles itself not using Earth metal, but into a Frankenstein’s monster welded together from different Dalek designs (classic 60s, Imperial, Special Weapons, Time War, Supreme, Progenitor)

When the Dalek and 13 face each other this one Scout now represents the entire Dalek race, every type the Doctor has ever fought. The idea of it stitching itself together is also a nice parallel to Regeneration

Destroy the Dalek by separating all the different sections - use Ryan’s dad’s technical skills but don’t have all of Team TARDIS rush the Dalek without getting killed - them pushing it around immediately removed any threat.

Emotional Impact

Seeing the remains of all the Daleks the Doctor has killed at the storage facility and hearing the stories of the War Doctor makes Team TARDIS reconsider 13

Police officer Yaz realises she is devoted to a murderer, and considers whether she wants to get closer to such a person

To make the Dalek more impactful to both Team TARDIS and the new audience that has only watched Series 11, when Graham asks why it’s so dangerous have 13 say something along the lines of “the Daleks are my Stenza”

Graham realises why 13 stopped him killing Tim Shaw in series 11, and (considering his Dad must’ve fought in WW2) gains a new level of respect for her

Don’t have Ryan immediately forgive his Dad and declare that he loves him - set up that he’s willing to give his Dad a second chance as an arc for series 12 - the push and pull between Graham and Ryan reconnecting with his Dad

The Scout is trying to complete its original mission, bringing the Tile War to Earth - 13 has to  literally defend her freinds from the ghost of the War and finally let go of her violent past (personified by the War Doctor). She’s also letting go of the deified, Messiah-like version of herself (represented by the wall paintings of the Doctor’s battle with the Dalek) that RTD and Moffat loved

13’s arc is worrying learning about the Daleks and their toxic relationship will change the way her friends look at her, because she’s been trying to protect them from this side of her life (it’s revealed she’s been deliberately avoiding places she’s been before because she’s looking for a fresh start)

By now Ryan and Graham are getting along fine, they’ve avenged Grace’s murder and Ryan is now talking to his Dad. 13 worries everyone has outgrown her, and they’ll leave

Have a scene at the end where Yaz comforts 13 and assures her she won’t abandon her - 13 doesn’t need to save their lives for them to want to travel with her - it’s their job to save her. They are here because they care about her. 

This way we get a new emotional climax of 13′s emotional arc and reaffirm the status-quo for Series 12

Improving Matt Smith’s era here

[raywritesthings]

Happy Twelfth

My Writing Fandom: Doctor Who Characters: Ryan Sinclair, Thirteenth Doctor, Donna Noble, Yasmin Khan, Graham O’Brien Pairing: Doctor/Donna Summary: It’s that time of year again, and Ryan is enlisted to help. *Can also be read on my AO3*

Every so often, they wound up somewhere that didn’t need saving and got to take a break. Today, he and Yaz had rolled their trousers up to the knees in order to wade in the shallows of the Coranae Coves. Graham was supposedly sunbathing under an umbrella, and who knew where the Doctor had gotten off to.

Yaz swished one leg around in the water, seeming to enjoy to ripples it produced. Then her eyes widened. “Oh, what’s that?”

“What?” Ryan looked around, wondering if perhaps they weren’t as alone in the water as they’d assumed.

She lifted her foot out of the water, clutching a small, round thing between her toes. Yaz plucked it up with her fingers and showed it to him.

“I think it’s a pearl.”

“Yeah, but it’s all red. Hang on.” He bent down and squinted at the sand, then scooped up a few more. “There’s a green one, a blue, purple.”

“Yeah, I wonder how that happened?”

“The Doctor’ll know.” Ryan turned and walked up to shore. He spotted her standing on some rocks staring at nothing. She tended to do that.

“Hey, Doctor, look,” called Ryan.

“What’ve we got, Ryan?”

She clambered down off the rocks, and he walked up to her with his palms held out. “They’re all sorts of different colors.”

She smiled. “Ah, that’ll be the different minerals in the sediment staining them over the years. You can actually tell how old each one is based on the color.”

“Awesome. They’d make wicked jewelry, yeah? My nan would’ve loved one.” He could picture her wearing them around her neck or threading a few into her hair. Either that or she’d have them in a bowl with one of her ceramic frogs perched on top.

The Doctor gasped. “Pearls! Oh, I nearly forgot! Thank you, Ryan,” she said, reaching to touch his arm briefly. Then she checked her watch. “It’s nearly time, too.”

“For what?”

She didn’t answer, but instead leaned forward and asked, “Do you think you could show me where you found these?”

—-

After he and the Doctor had collected a number of the colorful pearls, they all returned to the TARDIS and the Doctor shut herself in her room. Or what he assumed was her room. None of them had actually seen it.

“How many of those pearls did she collect?” His grandad asked.

“I dunno. She kept stuffing ‘em in her pockets.”

Yaz shrugged. “Guess we’ll see when she comes out.”

She left a little while after to go on one of her strolls of the TARDIS corridors, and his grandad retired to his room for a nap. Ryan returned to his new hobby of studying the TARDIS console. He figured if he could memorize each and every button and switch and give them a corresponding name in his head, he might have more of an idea what order everything got pressed and pulled in to fly it.

He’d made it round the one side of the console when the Doctor came bounding into the room. “There’s the man. Ryan Sinclair!”

“What’s up?”

“I need your help. You know those little shops and things that are set up for a day or so and then go away?”

He thought that description over for a moment. “A Pop-up?”

“Yeah! A pop-up!” The Doctor agreed. “Would you help me set one of those up?”

Ryan shrugged. “Sure. Where?”

“West London. Borough of Hounslow.”

His face scrunched up. “What’s there?”

“We’ll be there!” The Doctor answered. She set upon the controls, and Ryan hung on as they went barreling towards West London.

They landed right for once, so the Doctor led him quite a ways to the edge of what looked to be a little Christmas market that had sprung up on one of the streets.

“What day is it?”

“Christmas Eve, 2018,” the Doctor answered promptly. “Twelve years, now,” she added in a mutter to herself Ryan wasn’t sure he was meant to have heard. “This looks like a good spot. So, we’ll need a little stand and some chairs. I’ll grab the chairs. There should be some wood to build the stand in the TARDIS. Have to use nails and hammer I’m afraid,” the Doctor added as she glanced at the sonic in her hand. “This still doesn’t do wood. Was hoping the Stenza tech might’ve fixed that problem.”

“I’ll get the wood,” Ryan decided.

He set to work on building their stand, glad to have a chance to work with his hands even if it wasn’t strictly mechanics. It wasn’t the most beautiful thing in the world, but it’d stay up.

“Nicely done, Ryan,” the Doctor declared as she arrived with two chairs. She also had several multicolored pearls slung over her arms. They were strung together on different strings. Necklaces, bracelets, that sort of stuff.

“We need money?” He guessed.

“No, not quite.” The Doctor arranged the pearl jewelry on the flat surface of their stand and sat down, then patted the seat next to her. “Stakeout time.”

They waited and waited, for what Ryan didn’t know. He was glad he’d thought to go in for his parka, though. A fed came by, but the Doctor showed off their psychic paper permit and that got them left alone. Most people were leaving them alone, actually, so Ryan took out his phone.

He had a text from Yaz. Did we land somewhere?

Ryan wrote back. Yeah, but it’s so boring. Don’t bother

“There!”

Ryan gave a start in his chair, but by the time he’d looked up from his phone the Doctor had already left her chair.

“Madame? Madame!”

She was flagging down a redhead making her way to the market who was looking at the Doctor like she was half mad. That was the normal face people wore around the Doctor, though.

“Why’d you call me Madame?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say you looked single,” the Doctor said with a wide grin. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, too, like she couldn’t be more excited to be talking to this one random woman. “Also, I thought you just might have a keen eye for jewelry.”

She gestured with a grand wave of her arm to their wares, so Ryan put on his best customer service smile.

“What are they? Mardi Gras beads?” The woman asked.

“They’re pearls,” he told her. “Got ‘em right from the cove.”

She eyed the colorful pearls doubtfully. “My mum would call these so tacky. Wouldn’t work as a gift.”

“Well, I think they’d look lovely on you,” the Doctor said, and sounded as though she really meant it, too.

The woman didn’t seem to know how to answer that, and eventually stammered, “Alright, I’ll take one. But only cos they look cheap. Wouldn’t want to put you out for Christmas.” She reached for her purse. “How much?”

Ryan thought to spout off a number, but the Doctor beat him to it. “Absolutely free. Merry Christmas.”

The woman gaped at her. “Are you joking?”

“Nope! You can even wear one to go. Here, let me help you.” She grabbed up a necklace and was soon standing behind the woman, lifting her hair to one side so she could fasten the clasp.

“It’s so strange how this keeps happening. Every year, right before Christmas, somebody’s trying to give me things,” the woman told them. “There was an old Scottish bloke for a while, and then some young fella in a bow tie before him. Just so strange,” she repeated with a little laugh. “I mean, why me?”

The Doctor gave a huge, joyful shrug and stepped back, releasing the woman’s hair. “‘Tis the season, I suppose.”

“Well, what do we think?” The woman asked, looking at each of them.

“Brilliant,” the Doctor enthused.

Ryan gave an approving nod as well, watching as the Doctor used some sleight of hand to drop what he was pretty sure were matching earrings in the woman’s bag. If he’d tried anything like that, they’d probably be spilled on the pavement.

“Do you have a jar for tips or something? I really don’t think I can just take this.”

Much as he might have liked to answer otherwise, he was sensing the theme here. “Nah, we’re barred from taking donations.”

“Well, thank you. Really. I- I don’t know what to say.” She smiled at the pair of them. “Merry Christmas.”

“You, too,” said the Doctor, and Ryan echoed her.

The woman turned and walked towards the market, glancing back at them once before disappearing into the small crowd.

The Doctor watched her walk away, even leaning a bit to keep her in sight. Then she sighed and turned back to face him.

“Okay, Ryan, we can un-pop. Pop-down? What’s the opposite of popping up?”

“Dunno.”

“Ah well. You know what I mean.”

They set to work dismantling his stand, which went easier since the sonic could work on the nails. Once the pearls were stuffed back in pockets and the wooden boards stacked up on top of each other, they each took one end of the pile and began carrying it back to the TARDIS.

“So who was the lady? That’s who we did all this stuff for, right?”

“Her name’s Donna,” the Doctor told him. “She’s a friend. My best friend, a long time ago. My mate.”

He frowned. “Why didn’t she recognize you?”

“Well, I had brown hair and wore pinstripes back then,” the Doctor said as if it should explain anything.

“But you didn’t tell her it was you, either. Why wouldn’t you want your mate knowing it’s you?”

The Doctor didn’t answer for a while. “It’s a bit complicated, Ryan.”

“Did you have a falling out?”

“Sort of.”

“Is this how you’re making it up to her?”

“Sort of,” was the answer again. They’d reached the TARDIS, and it was a bit of a trick to fit the wood back into the little side room he’d got it from.

“Plus, well,” the Doctor continued in a wistful sort of voice. “It’s our anniversary.”

Ryan dropped his end of the wood.