Paradox: Silence

Christmas, Trenzalore, year:????

A wall of Silence fell over the town of Christmas. The Daleks had been defeated after so many years, but the town still felt sadness at the loss of so many and at the supposed demise of their protector, The Doctor. Clara, however, knew that he had lived as she maneuvered through the burning remains of the bell tower towards the old blue box that stood in the town square. As she approached it, however, she noticed a new crack, one just like the one that the question had been coming from, floating to the left of the TARDIS.

Suddenly, the crack ripped open and swallowed the TARDIS and its contents whole before closing and disappearing a few seconds later. Clara simply stood there, stunned, looking at the spot where the greatest ship in the universe, not to mention her ride home, had sat merely moments before. As the gears in her head started to move, she realized that she was stuck with no way to get back to her family, a fate that she believed to be worse than dying while traveling with the Doctor. Clara fell to her knees in despair and almost failed to notice the large metal capsule that she recognized as an un-cloaked TARDIS phase into existence with a lyrical groaning that she had come to recognize so well. Curiosity peaked, she stood and cautiously approached the doors. As she grew closer to the capsule, the doors opened invitingly and closed once again where she was safely within.

Instead of a control room like she was expecting, Clara found herself in a long, white hallway. Looking around, she noted the rather plain walls and the strange gold patterns that were etched in a long line down both sides of the hall. The only other interesting features were the doors situated at both ends of the hallway. They appeared to be made of wood, but were painted as if to invoke a rainbow and were graced with gold doorknobs. Walking quickly, Clara approached the doors at the far end of the hallway. Reaching them and finding they were unlocked, she braved the door… And found herself standing outside, in the exact spot that the TARDIS had parked last time, looking directly at the apartment complex that held her home.

Confusion written on her face, Clara turned back to find a man leaning against the capsule she had just left.

“Hello Clara.” He spoke in a deep, and powerful, yet beautiful voice, a voice that Clara could not help but listen to.

“Doctor?” Clara asked hopefully. She looked over the supposed Time Lord. He was of average build, looked to be about six feet tall, and appeared to be rather ordinary. His clothes on the other hand were anything but ordinary. He wore a white tux, white undershirt, white dress pants, and a beautiful rainbow tie. All of his cloths appeared to be stitched with gold thread and a few small patterns could be seen on his collar.

“Unfortunately no.” he said with a laugh. Turning serious again, he continued. “The Doctor will most likely never return to this multiverse. He has been called to another and currently has no way to traverse the Ultraverse safely.”

“Then who are you?”

“That is not important, but what is important is that you promise me that you will never forget what the Doctor has done for this universe throughout his long life. Remember the Doctor, but forget me… All I did was get you home, he is the true hero.”

The man walked to the capsule doors, but paused and turned back. “Enjoy your life impossible girl. Even though the Doctor will never return, know that he is alive and will continue to be the hero you knew. I must be on my way shortly, but before I do… Remember all the adventures you had with the Doctor, all the fun times and all the scary times as those are the things that will keep his legacy alive. I wish we could have met in a better situation, but such is life. Good bye Clara.” With that, he opened the door and entered the capsule, closing the door behind him.

Clara stood and watched as the man and his ship began to traverse the Time Vortex. Even once the capsule disappeared completely, Clara just stood there. It would be a few minutes before Clara would return to her apartment, and even longer until she was able to return to her life, but for now she just stood there with a single tear falling down her face and into the grass by her feet. She had, like so many others, been left behind by the Doctor.