Wanderer of Time: Silence Begins (doctor who)

Chapter 52: The Impossible Girl

They ran through underground catacombs from the Whisper Men, taking the back entrance to the Doctor's tomb. They finally made it within the basement of the tomb above them, just missing being captured by the Whisper Men. The Doctor walked forward, knowing they needed to hurry if they were going to save his and Wanda's friends. Clara and Wanda started forward, but the Time Lady quickly reacted and caught the girl as she stumbled back.

"Doctor!" Wanda called out, making him turn around to see a dazed looking Clara. He hurriedly went over to them.

"Clara, hey, it's okay. You're fine," he said quickly. He helped Wanda hold the girl and steer her through the corridor. "The dimensioning forces this deep in the TARDIS, they can make you a bit giddy."

"I know, I know," Clara mumbled. She suddenly pulled away from the two Time Lords, staring at them in shock. "How do I know? How do I know that?"

"Clara, it's okay," the Doctor said evenly, trying to calm the frightened looking girl. "You're fine."

"Have we . . . have we done this before?" Clara questioned him with uncertainty. She stumbled back from them. "We have. We have done this before, climbing through a wrecked TARDIS. You said things. Things I'm not supposed to remember."

The Doctor tensed greatly as he saw the girl slowly remembering the trio's journey to the TARDIS centre. The day both Time Lords had let it slip of who Clara really was. He shook his head and stated, "We can't do this now. The TARDIS is a ruin. The telepathic circuits are awakening memories you shouldn't even have." The girl did not answer or say anything. Simply remained staring off blankly at them as the forgotten memories flashed through her mind. He stepped towards her hesitantly. "Clara? Clara? Clara, what's wrong?"

Clara pushed away from them as both Time Lords tried to comfort her. She turned away, shaking as she stumbled over and gripped at a nearby grate. "What do you mean you keep meeting me? You said I died. How could I die?"

The Doctor towards her again, more urgent in wishing for Clara to remember that at all. "That is not a conversation you should even remember—."

"What do you mean I died?!" Clara turned to them both in anger, seeing how the Doctor seemed uncertain what to say or do. While Wanda stared at the girl evenly.

"Because . . . you died," Wanda responded. The Doctor looked at the Time Lady in alarm.

"Wanda, don't," he warned.

"She needs to know. We can't keep hiding this from her," Wanda replied. Gazing steadily at the frightened girl, Wanda walked up and placed a soothing hand on the companion's shoulder. "Clara, you've died a million times throughout history. A million deaths, but a million rebirths as well. This is why you're the impossible girl. You're something that has never happened before. Something special." Clara looked beyond alarmed by this statement, backing away from the Time Lady as she only felt a sense of panic.

"How—how can I die and be born again? That's . . . impossible," Clara breathed shakily. Wanda gave the girl a warm smile.

"Exactly," she whispered, sending the girl a wink.

Just then, echoes of the whispering voices of the Whisper Men started down a tunnel across from them. The Doctor grabbed Wanda's hand and the Time Lady gripped Clara's as they all ran away from the voices. They swiftly made it up the different metal staircases and ran across grated flooring until they made it outside next to the front of the tomb. The first thing they spotted was the Paternoster Gang held hostage by the Whisper Men. The Great Intelligence, having the appearance of Walter Simeon, stood in front of the group by the doors of the Doctor's tomb.

"The doors require a key," they heard Simeon say to the group behind him. "The key is a word. The word is the Doctor's." The Doctor stormed over to where the Great Intelligence stood. Furious that this entity would dare try to hurt his friends.