The Girl of Colours (Book TWO)

Echoes

Clara: 

One day you meet the Doctor. And of course, it's the best day ever. It's just the best day of your life. Because, because he's brilliant, and he's funny, and mad, and best of all, he really needs you. The trick is, don't fall in love. I do that trick quite a lot, sometimes twice a day, because of his granddaughter, Sky. My Midna. And once you start running, or zooming along in her case, fast as electricity, you start to forget, slowly. After a while, you just stop asking. Who are you? Where are you from? What set you on your way and where are you going? Oh, and what is your name? You get used to not knowing. I thought I never would. I was wrong. I know who he, and I know who she is. I know how they began and I know where they're going. I know the truth about the Doctor, his family and his greatest secret. The day we went to Trenzalore.

Sky:

From the beginning, she was impossible. The Impossible Girl. Gramps, mum and dad met her in the Dalek Asylum. Never saw her face, and she died. I met her with them in Victorian London, and she died. Saved my family's both times, by giving her own, and I held her as she died, because  I loved her. But now she's back and we're running together, and she's perfect. Perfect in every way for me, even though now I'm stuck in a chair, unable to walk. Except she can't remember that we ever met before. Clara. My Navi. Always brave, always funny, always exactly what I need. Perfect. Too perfect. Get used to not knowing. I thought I never would. I was wrong. I know who Clara Oswald is. I know how she came to be in our lives, and I know what she will always mean. I found out the day we went to Trenzalore.

I was helping Lyric, Artie and Angie with their homework over at the Maitlands, looking after my sister while dad, mum and gramps were working on blocking Noah's Dream Walking. When Ange was what Clara was doing. "Oh, no. You're going to try and make a soufflé again, aren't you?"

"My mum's soufflé, yeah." Navi nodded, while I showed Artie some ways of energy conversion. "Although this time I'll get it right. This time I will be Soufflé Girl."

"How can it be your mum's soufflé if you're making it?"

She smiled at him while I smiled back, hoping she wouldn't go through my bag, because her wedding ring was in there. I went and asked Nana for the one she'd have used with Peter, and had it engraved with Navi. Nerd Girl Wedding. "Because, Artie, it's like my mum always said. The soufflé isn't the soufflé, the soufflé is the recipe."

Lyric smiled at her slyly. "Was your mum deep on puddings? Mines deep on colour schemes."

"She was a great woman, and so is your mum."

Then I frowned, moving myself towards the counter to find a parchment letter addressed to the both of us. Open When Alone, Ladies. "What's this?"

"Oh, it arrived today. It's for you two. Probably an RSVP." No, that handwriting was someone who couldn't make it, because they were gone by our time.

We headed up to Clara's room, my chair perfectly hovering up the stairs, before opening the letter, reading it together, Navi on my lap. My dearest Sparky and Clara. The Doctor and your parents entrusted me with your contact details in the event of an emergency, and I fear one has now arisen. Assuming this letter will have reached you as planned, on April the tenth, 2013, please find and light the enclosed candle. It will release a soporific which will induce a trance state, enabling direct communication across the years. I dropped it quickly, alarmed. However, as I realise you have no reason to trust this letter, I have taken the liberty of embedding the same soporific into the fabric of the paper you are now holding. Speak soon.

And then we both passed out, and were suddenly around a table, and somehow, I could feel my legs. To be fair, it was a dream state, and I always dreamed of running. "So glad you could make it, ladies."