Clara hurried around the bedroom getting ready for her night out with Danny, attempting several hair do's until she got it the messy chic style she wanted, she then dabbed a little gloss and mascara before rummaging through her closet for that perfect outfit.
Danny finally was taking her to that restaurant! She pulled out different outfits examining each one but that wild, amazing day with the Doctor kept creeping back into her mind. Clara never realized how much she liked her adventures with the Doctor, they made normalcy seem routine and just dull, but days had passed since he dropped her off and she was beginning to fear she would never see him, again.
Finally, she settled on black tights and a dark blue crossed strapped dress, she placed on her purple jacket feeling satisfied with her choice. She was really looking forward to this evening, but there was a weird feeling that she couldn't shake off, like the universe was about to throw something her way. But that was just silly, she scolded herself for the outrageous thoughts and continued getting ready.
Clara checked her reflection in the hallway mirror one final time before reaching for her purse when a strange, low humming noise slowly filled her flat. She froze as the TARDIS slowly materialized right there in her living room, her eyes slowly brightened as the blue box emerged with that familiar soft whirr and blinking lights. The Doctor was back! Clara continued to stare, wide-eyed feeling hopeful. The door then swung open making it's familiar creaking sound but before she could respond the Doctor quickly emerged poking his head out frowning as he slowly walked out holding a triangle-shaped device. He seemed confused.
"Hello, this can't be right." He muttered.
Clara quickly scowled folding her arms.
"Nice to see you, too." She remarked.
He shot her a look.
"Sorry, I've been working on trying to locate that source of the Auton and somehow I landed here!" He explained.
Clara noticed the odd device blinking towards her.
The Doctor started slapping it, muttering under his breath.
Clara just stared at it, curious.
"Why's it doing that?" She asked.
"I'm not sure," He replied. "It seems to think the source is here somewhere." The Doctor explained as he came closer to Clara.
He gently tapped her head with his fist.
"You're not made of Auton by any chance?" He asked.
Clara made a face moving her head away.
"No." She snipped.
The Doctor just sighed shrugging his shoulders.
"Nothing here," He muttered. "Well, sorry for the intrusion," He apologized. "Just go back to your evening of whatever you're doing?" The Doctor added eyeing her up and down strangely. He then paused studying her makeup. "You look different than before, why do you have all that stuff on?" He questioned.
Clara rolled her eyes.
"I'm going on a date." She said.
The Doctor just shrugged unimpressed.
"Of course, humans and their strange mating habits," The Doctor reasoned. He sighed. "So, who's the lucky person?" He asked.
Clara smiled slightly remembering the Doctor's memory loss.
"His name is Danny." She replied. "We're both teachers at the same school." Clara explained.
"Ah, you're a teacher, then," He said as he strolled through the narrow hallway glancing at the neatly framed photographs. "I had a couple of friends who were teachers," The Doctor commented studying a photo of Clara when she was little. "Nice folks, a bit frazzled, though." He added.
He continued to observe the photos with great curiosity, the Doctor was always fascinated with humans everyday life, it was something he admired and slightly envied, there was something wonderful about the simple, stubborn continuity of human domesticity that always intrigued him. He then stopped at a picture of Clara as a baby with an older woman holding her, close, smiling proudly.
"That's my mum." Clara said softly coming closer.
He nodded.
"Seems really nice." He replied sincerely.
She nodded slowly.
"She was but she's gone, now." Clara sighed.
The glanced at her feeling bad for her, he could tell she missed her mother, deeply.
Suddenly, his device started beeping interrupting his thoughts.
"Blimey," He groaned frowning at his tiny machine. "This thing is still insisting that there's Auton energy nearby!" The Doctor complained.
Clara looked at him concerned.
"Is there anything I need to worry about?" She asked.
The Doctor just shook his head.
"Nah," He replied. "You go have fun with Donnie, tonight," The Doctor assured her.
Clara sighed slightly annoyed, apparently the Doctor getting Danny's name wrong hadn't changed.
"Listen, is it okay, if I hang around here," He asked looking around. "Just a little investigating to be on the safe side." The Doctor explained.
Clara was slightly reluctant but at the same time if there was anything strange going on in her house she wanted the Doctor around.
She sighed.
"Okay," Clara relented. "Just don't destroy anything!" she warned.
"Time Lord's honor!" The Doctor promised crossing his chest twice.
Clara gave him one last look before leaving for her date, hoping she hadn't made a mistake leaving the Doctor alone.
Later, Clara sat with Danny in the elegant restaurant, the place was very posh, with the crystal chandelier above and the glow of the candlelight bouncing off the wine glasses it was the perfect date night setting, but Clara felt something was off. She tried her best to ignore it instead focusing on Danny's stories about his day and dealing with a student prank gone wrong, but her mind kept drifting back to the house—and the Doctor, aware he was busy poking around in her fridge and investigating her couch cushions for "Auton particles."
She was now regretting leaving him alone and just hoped everything would be fine by the time they got home.
Danny noticed her looking stressed and gently squeezed her hand, pulling her back.
"You okay?" he asked, concerned.
Clara nodded.
"Yeah, just tired," Clara answered, forcing a smile but she still felt uneasy, and she had no idea, why? Why couldn't she shake this feeling?
Danny just continued looking through the menu's items.
"Everything looks good, here," He commented. "What are you having?" Danny asked.
Clara just looked at him slightly embarrassed she had been distracted with her thoughts, again.
"Sorry, what?" She replied awkwardly.
Before Danny could reply, the waiter arrived. Clara noticed his unnaturally stiff posture, overly wide smile, and an unusually smooth, shiny face with rigid grey hair, his features seemed almost unnatural.
"Ready to order?" he asked, his voice sounding slightly mechanical.
Clara watched the waiter closely as Danny studied the menu.
"Um, not quite." He replied before glancing up at him. "What would you recommend?" Danny asked.
The waiter's blank eyes remained unblinking, he kept grinning.
"Oh, everything is good," He replied in an overly enthusiastic voice. "Food, food, food, lots of food here!" The waiter responded hastily.
Clara was now more certain something was wrong. The waiter hovered at the edge of the table, his grin fixed and eerie, the candlelight flickering off his oddly smooth skin. Clara's breath quickened when she saw a glistening trail slide down his brow, but it wasn't sweat, instead a glossy plastic. Panic gripped her chest.
She quickly left her chair.
"Danny, we need to go!" She yelped desperately, grabbing his hand with trembling fingers, her grip tight and urgent.
Danny frowned, confused and concern as he pulled his hand back, looking at her questionably.
"Clara, what is wrong with you?" He whispered.
"Aww, leaving so soon," The waiter replied, his voice almost sing-song, the leering smile never reached his glassy eyes. He straightened, moving with a stiffness that made Clara's blood run cold, and then, with a horrifying mechanical click, two of his fingers retracted and reshaped into an unmistakable gun.
The waiter's head creaked turning at him in an odd angle.
"I insist you stay." He replied still grinning menacingly. The Auton started firing, barely missing Danny but striking another patron instead! Chaos interrupted as the customers scrabbled trying to flee, the Auton's upper body began spinning around methodically, firing random shots into the restaurant!
Clara and Danny quickly crouched down to the floor searching for any exit! However, the Auton already spotted them, marching stiffly right towards them, glaring with his plastic evil stare keeping his aim calm and steady.
Clara and Danny moved closer up against the door, gripping each other's arms.
"Don't go," The Auton grinned. "We just want to know about your friend, Clara," The Auton mocked. "We want to know all about your friend!"
Danny looked at her baffled.
"What's he on about, what friend?" He asked.
Clara just kept her eyes fixed on the Auton and his weapon! She knew it wanted information about the Doctor but refused to speak.
Finally, the Auton had enough, and his fingered shaped gun straightened clicking at them, Clara shut her eyes waiting for the blast then the lights flickered and there was a familiar thunderous wheeze that Clara had been praying to hear!
The Doctor had finally showed up, distracting the Auton. Clara managed to force the exit door open, pushing Danny out to safety!
He stared at her bewildered by her actions.
"What are you doing?" He shouted.
"Just run!" Clara ordered shutting the door, hoping Danny would listen to her.
The battered blue box materialized, its doors flinging open. The Doctor emerged, eyes intense expression stern.
"Oi! Plastic fantastic, that's quite enough target practice for one evening!" He barked walking straight towards the plastic alien.
The Auton maintained its hold on the firearm.
Feeling relieved, Clara quickly proceeded to the Doctor's side.
"Finally," Clara gasped. "Where were you?" she asked somewhat annoyed .
"Traffic." He shrugged. He noticed the Auton jerk, recalibrating its aim, but the Doctor was already prepared, directing his sonic screwdriver at its head.
"Oi,' drop it!" he thundered, his tone harsh and angry, keeping his sonic at the creature. "Once again, I said drop it!" the Doctor warned again, fixing the Auton a look as if daring him!
The Auton faltered a bit as if it were uncertain, now. Clara pressed closer to the Doctor, as he glared down the plastic assassin ready for whatever it did next! The Doctor pressed, never breaking eye contact.
"Now, would you rather explain to the Nestene Consciousness why dinner went sideways or start explaining yourself?"
The Auton flinched a bit but remained silent.
The Doctor sighed.
"Last chance. Talk or I'll make you wish you'd stayed behind in the factory." He warned.
A tense silence hung in the air before the Auton waiter finally spoke.
"I am part of the Nestene Consciousness." It replied in an automatic voice.
The Doctor nodded.
"Yeah, I got that but why are you here?" He demanded.
Clara watched as the Auton answered.
"Our food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, there was nothing left, Earth was the perfect option for us." It explained.
Clara frowned.
"But why, I don't understand." She said.
The Doctor scoffed.
"Think about it, you lot have the perfect planet just what the Autons are looking for, lots of smoke, oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air just what they need to survive." He explained. The Doctor then sighed. "Just need to get the humans out of the way, is that about right, plastic man?" He mocked at the Auton.
Clara was stunned , all this just so the Autons could take the planet and make humans simply disappear. It made her feel slightly sick.
"We will win, Doctor." It replied cold and determined.
The Doctor chuckled.
"Yeah, not while I'm here," He replied firmly. The Doctor peered closer. "Besides can't do anything without this!" He said tapping his plastic head before grabbing and pulling it off!
Clara's eyes widen, she had not expected that!
The Doctor grinned triumphant.
"Now what?" He dared.
"Don't need it." The Auton mocked raising its arm, his hand rapidly morphing into a swirling chopper, ready to attack!
Clara turned to the Doctor, stumped.
"It has a circular saw." She pointed.
"Yeah, no kidding!" The Doctor muttered.
The blade quickly span around forcing the Doctor and Clara to back away, the screaming guests fled in terror, trying to get out but the calm Auton just moved through the chaotic restaurant easily slashing trough furniture!
The Doctor carefully watched the Auton's movement noticing it was still having some difficulty as it clumsily thrashed around, bumping into things!
The Doctor and Clara dodged and moved avoiding it's way, but it clearly wasn't stopping!
"Do something!" Clara yelled.
"I'm trying!" He shouted back moving back from the chopper wielding mannequin!
Clara scanned around the room before spotting a fire alarm. She pulled it, hoping to stop the rampaging headless Auton, the noise only caused it to stall but only briefly before regaining motion and just moving of control!
"Oh, now you've done it!" The Doctor said, exasperated.
He grabbed her hand, and they ran through the restaurant, the Doctor still carrying the Auton's head, while the body just destroyed the restaurant before catching up to them to the back exit.
They made it out and the Doctor quickly sealed the door leaving the Auton inside banging furiously, trying to break it down the metal door creating large dents!
They kept running before stopping at an alleyway, their backs resting against the cool brick wall as they regained their breath.
"Now, what," Clara said. "It's just going to keep following us!" She panted.
"I'm aware," He replied. "Now, shut up a minute." The Doctor told her as he scanned the inside of the plastic head's wires.
A look of worry spread across his face as he read his sonic screwdriver.
"I've lost the signal, I was so close!" The Doctor muttered.
The began walking along the bridge, the Doctor cursing under his breath.
"What are you looking for?" Clara asked.
"The transmitter. The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic, so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal," He explained. "If I can just find it I can stop it using this." He said holding up a tube of blue liquid.
Clara studied the valve, curious.
"What's that?"
"Anti-plastic," He declared. "Just have to pour this directly onto the plastic leader and we'll be fine." He replied simply. "Now, I've just got to find it." He said pausing.
Clara stopped.
"So, do we even know what we're looking for?" She questioned.
The Doctor sighed looking around.
"It's a bit too complicated for you humans," He replied. It's a transmitter. Round and massive, slap bang in the middle of London," The Doctor theorized. "A huge circular metal structure like a dish, like a wheel..." The Doctor explained.
Clara spotted the London Eye and cleared her throat.
"You mean like that?" She said.
The Doctor turned staring at her.
"Like what?" He asked.
Clara kept pointing behind him until he slowly turned, his face brightened!
"Oh, that's fantastic," He let out before looking at her, beaming. "Clara, you're a genius!" The Doctor declared.
Clara smiled feeling quite proud of herself, and they ran towards the large structure, the Doctor paused looking at in awe.
"Oh, this is clever," He told Clara. "The perfect transmitter, think of it, plastic all over the world, every artificial thing, the shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables all waiting to receive their orders ready to invade Earth." The Doctor said grimly.
Clara just listened with dread.
"So, literally a living plastic war." She muttered staring out at the unaware peaceful city.
"The Consciousness must be somewhere under here just need to get there." The Doctor commented.
Clara spotted a large manhole entrance leading to the bottom of some steps.
"What about down there?" She pointed.
The Doctor nodded.
"That works." He said.
They raced towards the manhole, the Doctor slowly lifting the hatch revealing bright red lights flickering underneath.
He grinned.
"Look at what we have here." He said peering inside.
They started climbing down a short ladder ending up inside a dim and damp brick-built area. They went through an open steel door leading down to a flight of metal steps before finding themselves in a multi-level chamber.
The area was made mostly of clay and dirt, a wide-open vat sat there bubbling and spewing out hot bits of liquid.
Clara saw the Doctor's eyes narrow.
"There it is, the living plastic, " He muttered. She stood by watching him get closer to the Nestene Consciousness. It gurgled at him as if addressing him.
"Yes, you, too," He nodded politely. "So, if you could just hear me out," He stated calmly. "First off, I'm not here to harm you, I just came to talk." The Doctor said.
The vat responded spewing out gas and liquid.
"I understand," He replied. "Now, according to the peaceful contract involving the convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation I really need speak to you." He said.
The liquid flexed and retracted slowly.
Clara just watched mystified, it was hard to believe the Doctor was actually having a conversation this thing. It was surreal.
"Thank you," He nodded. "Now, it's my understanding, you and your lot came to this civilization by means of a weird, warped technology, yeah," The Doctor said.
The vat just bubbled in response.
The Doctor nodded.
"Right, so, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you take off? He asked.
A faint molded figure of a face slowly shaped from the plastic liquid, gurgling at the Doctor.
The Doctor rolled his eyes.
"Oh, don't give me that 'it's just an invasion' nonsense," He scoffed. You are wrongfully invading this planet, and these well-meaning, hardheaded little humans are not causing any harm their just trying to live so, I'm asking you to please move on and leave this planet alone!" The Doctor firmly replied.
Suddenly, a pair of shop dummies approaching form behind, grabbing the Doctor, and searching his pockets, discovering the anti-plastic vial!
Clara's eyes widen in fear! This was bad!
The Doctor feigned innocence.
"Oh, that was just insurance. I was never going to use it," He swore.
The vat bubbled angrily, spewing some liquid out almost accusingly.
He scowled.
"I swear, I'm not trying to attack you," The Doctor insisted. "I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy!" He shouted.
The liquid just spat at him, getting more defensive.
The Doctor frowned confused.
"Yes, I'm a Time Lord but so what?" He scoffed.
The vat spat out some more causing the Doctor eyes to widen in panic.
"Listen to me, I fought in the same war as you!" He defended. "I'm sorry you lost your world, but I couldn't save any of them, it just wasn't possible!" The Doctor pleaded.
Clara's heart pounded in her chest, the Nestene was just getting angrier.
The Doctor's eyes widened in fear as he stared at the glowing vat, the gold color appeared to be getting brighter! The Nestene was preparing to declare war!
"No, please, don't start the invasion just listen to me, I can help you!" The Doctor protested.
But it was too late, energy bolts of lightning began hurling around, activating a signal from above causing the earth to slightly shake and rattle!
It was starting, The Doctor realized, his hearts stopping. The end of the world!
"Please, stop!" He begged.
But the earth just shook more, the plastic liquid clearly getting agitated.
He looked over at Clara.
"Clara, get out, now" He yelled. "Run!" The Doctor ordered.
Clara tried but there was nowhere to go! The stairs completely disintegrated leaving her trapped on the edge, she could hear the helpless screams of humans above her panicking!
The two Autons pushed the Doctor toward the vat, intending to throw him in. Clara quickly searched for something, anything that could help him.
At last, she noticed a rope nearby, she quickly grasped it tight. Closing her eyes, she summoned all of her strength to swing across the beginning crumpling, unstable ground.
She let out a sharp cry as her feet striking one of the Autons causing it to stumble into the vat allowing the Doctor with an opportunity to escape.
Clara swerved backwards again, her foot hitting the second Auton, though it attempted to regain its footing the plastic mannequin ultimately fell in, bringing the vial of anti-plastic along with it.
The Nestene's golden hue rapidly shifted to a luminous pale blue as it began to produce sounds of distress.
The Doctor spotted Clara swinging towards him, catching her, and holding her close.
"You okay?" He asked.
She slowly nodded.
They saw the vat rumble and move, dirt caved all around them, the structure was starting to give way!
"Run!" The Doctor yelled at Clara.
They quickly escaped, spotting the Tardis nearby as it appeared in front of them, the doors quickly opening for them allowing them to jump inside just as the whole cave disintegrated!
Once safe, the doors opened, and Clara slowly exited while the Doctor remained in the doorway. The surroundings showed signs of destruction, with damaged buildings and people moving about as plastic dummies were motionless on the ground. She breathed a sigh of relief confident the immediate threat was now over.
The Doctor smiled looking around.
"See, Nestene Consciousness all gone," He boasted. "Easy!" The Doctor grinned.
Clara rolled her eyes at him.
"Yeah, easy peasy," She remarked. "Keep in mind if you'd be dead if it weren't for me!" Clara reminded him.
The Doctor nodded, aware that Clara had chosen to save him instead of leaving. That said a lot to him.
"Yes, you're right. Thank you." He replied sincerely.
Clara then realized the world was now saved, she slowly glanced at the Doctor, knowing he was now going to leave her… again.
Clara smiled sadly.
"I guess you're going then," She said softly. "The world's been saved." Clara sighed.
The Doctor just shrugged.
"I don't know, you could come with me.. if you want," He offered, "This box is more than just a London hopper, you know. It goes anywhere in the universe free of charge." The Doctor added.
Clara just looked at him slightly curious and hopeful.
He folded his arms.
"So, you could just go anywhere, anytime and be back the same day." The Doctor told her.
Clara felt a surge of joy hearing him ask her to come along with him, this was her second chance to travel with the Doctor, and she was not going to waste it!
"So, what do say?" The Doctor asked.
Clara didn't hesitate, she smiled hurrying towards the TARDIS doors but briefly paused pointing at the Doctor.
"Get me back in time for work?" She said.
"No problem!" He replied smiling.
Clara grinned stepping inside ignoring the persistent buzzing sounds from Danny's calls coming from her phone, she could always call him later.
The Doctor smiled shutting the doors ready to begin their travels!
Next Chapter- The End Of The World