Lost In Time: A Doctor Who Fanfiction

Chapter 95 - Journey to the Center of the TARDIS, Part 4

They were following the Doctor's sonic down a green-lit hallway somewhere far below the console room when a shadow passed by the corridor crossing them. They all immediately hunched back against the wall.

"Something's in here," Clara breathed, cradling her right hand.

"Those... things, from before," Tricky muttered, looking around. "They must've followed us down here."

"Doctor, what are they?" Clara asked the Doctor in a low voice. "You know what they are, I can tell. What aren't you telling us?"

He looked down at her solemnly. "Trust me, Clara. Somethings are better off not known."

She looked like she was about to argue with him when they all heard a low growl come from behind them.

"They're on the move again!" Gregor whisper-shouted.

"Move. Run! Run!" the Doctor shouted, tightening his grip on the Ranger and heaving him through the corridors as one of the creatures chased after them. Another joined them, two hands stuck to its forehead. The Doctor flinched when he saw it, picking up the pace but keeping a tight grip on Lyssa's hand and the Ranger.

When they finally slowed - more to help the Ranger catch his breath than anything - Clara and the two newcomers were gone, lost somewhere in the rush for safety along with their pursuers.

"Where - where's Clara?" the Ranger panted, gripping his side tightly and turning his head this way and that as if he could somehow find her in the empty corridors surrounding them.

"She must've turned off at one of the intersections," Lyssa theorized, keeping a wary ear out. "Her and the other two. We should be able to find them again - the TARDIS'll bring her back to us. And she likes Tricky. So he'll probably be fine too. Don't know about Gregor, though."

"So you picked up on that, too?" the Ranger asked, raising his eyebrows. "Don't know what he did, but the TARDIS does not like him."

"He stole genetic material from the ship for selfish purposes, and possibly had Bram - another one of the crew - take apart the console for parts," the Doctor said with a scowl. "I don't know what happened to him for sure, but I can guess - TARDISes are alive, and they will defend themselves if they have to."

"Is that what that was?" Lyssa frowned curiously, thinking back. "Back when the Ranger and I were trying to find you, the lights suddenly flickered, and there was this painfully high-pitched sound. And then she got really angry and scared in my head."

"Most likely," the Doctor sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He threatened to cut his way through the walls if he had to, and he meant it."

Lyssa narrowed her eyes at the wall opposite with a scowl. "Next time I see him and we aren't running for our lives, I'm going to punch him," she declared fiercely. 

"Hear, hear," the Ranger cheered weakly, coughing out a laugh. 

"I'm betting on the Doctor," Clara's voice came from behind them. "It's got to be him."

"Clara!" the Ranger lit up, turning around as fast as he could, which was more like a slow hobble than anything. "Clara, you found us!"

Lyssa and the Doctor spun around as well, delighted to see that Clara was safe and had found them. Then Lyssa frowned. Something was wrong.

The last time she'd seen Clara, she'd been covered in dust and had a cut on her cheek. This Clara looked exactly like she had that morning, clean and unharmed. She didn't respond to any of their attempts to talk to her, instead laughing at some joke only she could hear.