The Doctor was annoyed. And worried, which just made him more annoyed, which just made every single thing just that bit more irritating. He came around to the news that the plan to fly the spaceship were still going to go ahead despite the engines only being at 48 percent capacity. Of course, it didn't help that instead of having Danni chained to his side, Clara laid slumped against the cold floor, only being propped up on a discarded sandbag. Danni was with that robot Robin Hood, who knew what he could be doing to her! At least if she was here, he'd know what danger she was in. She should be able to handle it herself like he'd told her, but he'd would have felt a lot better with her by his side.
Maybe he wasn't quite ready to give up being her knight in shining armour just yet. They'd have to work around that, he couldn't keep her strapped to his side like a child. Maybe he should start carrying his mobile phone again.
He nudged Clara sharply, knowing the tirade that was going to come out of her mouth when she remembered Danni wasn't with them. How they had to save her, how they were wasting time. All things he already knew, and all things he could currently do nothing about. He just had to hope that Danni was clever enough to keep herself alive before he could make it to her.
Clara blinked for a moment before shooting up into a straight position, looking around in alarm, "Where are we?"
"Somewhere decidedly unpleasant." The Doctor drawled in reply, groaning as he pulled at the chains holding him to the wall, "But we won't be here for long. They engines are nowhere near stable, soon enough they will kill us all."
Clara shot him a look, "Oh, excellent." She retorted, "Any plans to escape, Spaceman?"
"Working on- ah," he groaned again, failing to even loosen the chains. The wall was so much sturdier than the block he and Robin had moved together, even with Clara's help wouldn't budge it.
"So how do we get to Danni?" Was Clara's next question, just as the Doctor suspected.
"I don't know yet." He told her, "We have to survive first." Clara couldn't deny that, so she looked around, trying to work out what their situation was. There were people all around, lugging large pieces of gold around. It was dark and gloomy, obviously designed to destroy the spirit of the people doing all the work. As she turned she caught sight of the woman who, until that moment, had gone completely unnoticed. Which was rather embarrassing considering how close to them she was sat.
Clara nudged the Doctor, "We've got company." She commented and the Doctor pulled his attention away from his cuffs and his attempt to get back to his wife.
"What are you looking at?" He snapped. He had no time for gawping pudding brains, after all.
"Doctor!" Clara snapped before smiling at the other girl, who looked rather sheepish, "Hi, I'm Clara, that's the Doctor." She introduced, "Sorry, he seems to have forgotten his manners."
"I do apologise, but my wife is currently being held captive by that laughing moron Robin Hood." He spat.
"You know Robin?" The woman asked hopefully, looking between the two with a new sense of interest. She hadn't been there too long herself, but seeing the two unconscious people being dragged in had caught her attention. They were both dressed in finery, they should have been safe from the Sheriff and his tyrannical reign, which meant they must have been fighting against him. Her plan had been to try and rally them together and overpower the guardsmen, but now all she wanted to know was if they had seen the man she loved.
"Maybe." Clara replied, looking at her distrustfully, "How do you know him?"
The woman smiled shyly, "My name is Marian." She explained, much to the Doctor and Clara's surprise, "Please, tell me that he's okay."
While Clara quickly reassured the woman that Robin was in fact okay, conveniently leaving out the fact that he had kidnapped the Doctor's wife, the Doctor focused on what this new information meant. If she knew Robin, then there was a chance that she knew about the Sheriff and the robots, even if she wasn't consciously aware of it.
She was also conveniently unchained, "Perhaps you can answer me this," he interrupted Clara, who scowled at him for his rudeness, "You're not lugging the gold around, and yet you are not chained up. I'm guessing they do not know this?" Marian nodded, "My question is this, then." He jingled his chains, "Can you get us free as well?"
Marian looked around, alarmed slightly in case anyone heard him then nodded with a smirk on her face, "Of course." She replied.
~0~0~0~
Marian had a lot of questions, asking the Doctor and Clara about everything they knew about the Sheriff and his plans. The Doctor had to admit that he was rather grateful that she was much brighter than he might have expected, and he always enjoyed having someone new to show off his incredible intellect to. Of course, it would have been better had Danni been there, but one thing at a time.
Soon enough both himself and Clara were free and Marian was off, spreading the word to their fellow captives about the plan the Doctor had quickly devised. The Sheriff had plenty of gold around, it made sense that they could use it against the metal knights that were terrorising the people around them.
"Do you think she'd alright?" Clara asked as they waiting for their opportune moment.
"Who?" The Doctor asked in reply and Clara sent him an incredulous look.
"Danni!" She hissed, "Your wife!"
"I'm sure she's fine." He dismissed, "This should be relatively easy, so make sure you have your gold in hand."
"Is that it?" Clara asked and he nodded, "Seriously?" He glanced back to see her glaring at him furiously.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked.
"What's wrong with-" She repeated, outraged, "Did you really just forget about her?" He stared at her, bewildered, "Danni! You did, didn't you?"
"Of course I didn't." He snapped, "We've been over this; she's safe, we're not."
"So?" Clara pressed, "She's alone! She could be scared, she doesn't know that we're okay!"
He scoffed, "Of course she won't be scared." He told her, "She's not an idiot, she knows how this works. We'll get back to her and any worry she may have will be squashed." He caught sight of Marian slowly making her way back towards them, "We're almost ready. Stay alert."
"Wow." Clara breathed, "You really don't care anymore, do you?"
His face hardened and he turned in his seat, "I know you think you'd make a better husband that me, Clara." He snarled, surprising her by the anger in his eyes, "But she is not your wife-"
"Of course she's not-"
"And she never will be." He finished, talking over her, "Whatever feelings you have for her will never be reciprocated, and finding problems that don't exist won't change that."
"Feelings?" She repeated, "I don't have feelings for her."
The Doctor shot her a look, one that told her that he didn't believe a word of it, but Marian re-joined them before they could argue it out further. Clara sat back and let the Doctor dictate what was happening, knowing her part in the plan already. She didn't have feelings for Danni, of course not. She had her own… well, she wasn't sure what her and Mr Pink were just yet, but they were something. Danni was her best friend, she was just worried that her husband wasn't living up to the high standard Clara demanded of her best friend's significant other. Clara nodded to herself before leaning into the conversation. He had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.
~0~0~0~
Then, much like Robin's original plan, the trio sat and bided their time. The robot men walked around, ordering the terrified masses to move faster, to work harder as the engines continued to power up, ready for flight. One stomped over, its heavy footsteps echoing on the stone. They all pretending to cower under its empty gaze.
"You are fit for labour." It declared, the fake eyes staring down at the Doctor, "Stand aside while this peasant unit is freed."
"I'm afraid you're a little late." The Doctor murmured.
"Explain." The robot demanded, the purple cross on its head starting to glow, ready to attack.
"I'm already free!" The Doctor exclaimed, his voice going up in pitch. Clara rolled her eyes as he waved his hands up in the air, waving them to keep the attention of the robot knight – it was times like this when she realised how much of a child he still was – then she held her gold plate in front of him to catch the blast they'd been anticipating. He'd intentionally riled up the knight to show the workers around them that they could stand up to them quite easily, and it worked. The shot Clara deflected missed, but when the knight shot again Marian was ready. The returning blast blew its head clean off its shoulders. The three grinned at each other.
"Now we're getting somewhere." The Doctor murmured as they stood up, ready to help fight off the rest of the guards. This was one more step towards getting back to Danni. As the knights all stormed in, ready to take care of the unruly peasants, the rest of the workforce all raised their golden plates like shields. The masses standing up to the oppressors, with an impossible hero to rally the forces, to give them home. This would make a great story to tell her.
"If only she could see us now."
Clara looked up at him as they joined the group, ready for battle. He didn't even seem to realise what he'd said. He must have been thinking about Danni. Good. It was about time. She stood, ready for the attack. She still would have made a better husband.
She turned to Marian, who was grinning in delight at the mayhem they were causing. Such a pretty thing with a lot of spirit. She could see why Robin had fallen for her. Clara sent her a smirk and wink, to which she blushed just slightly in the dim light. Good.
~0~0~0~
People fought and people died, but they were resilient and full of fight and eventually they took down every single metal knight that guarded them. It exploded in a fire ball that burnt up to the high ceiling. Everyone began cheering, even Clara, but the Doctor was more focused on what was going to happen after all of the robots were destroyed. It was their ship, after all, and it would register an attack.
And right on schedule the room began to shake, the ship preparing itself for launch. He needed to get everyone out, so he motioned with his hands, "Out, out! Everyone, quickly, get out. Quickly!" He demanded, no one wasting any time. Most ran out empty handed, but some kept hold of the gold they'd used as a weapon. Clara helped, ushering them out as quickly as she could.
Marian went to follow, but darted back to the pair, "You've saved us all, both of you." She reached up to kiss the Doctor on the cheek, but he ducked out of the way before she could.
"Not for you." He told her before turning her around, giving her a nudge and sending her out with the rest of the people he had saved.
"You never can resist being the hero, can you?" Clara teased.
"And you can?" He shot at her, the pair grinning in their victory. The room settled down as the ship stabilised itself for the moment.
"Now what?" Clara asked with a clap of her hands, looking to him for direction.
"We look for the Sheriff. He'll lead us to Robin, and then to Danni." The Doctor told her and she nodded.
"Engine capacity at eighty two percent." A robotic voice declared and they both looked up at the ceiling.
"That's not good, is it?" Clara guessed and the Doctor shook his head.
"You are indeed an ingenious fellow, Doctor. Almost as clever as your young ward." They both turned at the sound of the Sheriff's voice. He was stood at the entrance to the dungeon. He was flanked by two more metal knights, a smug look on his face, like he'd decided he had won. He walked down the stairs, hands on the handles of both of the swords he had strapped to his belt, "But do you really think your peasants' revolt can stop me?"
"His ward?" Clara exclaimed, insulted that she'd gone from the mastermind of their group to barely a sidekick.
"Not now." The Doctor scolded, just adding to the misconception, before turning to the Sheriff, "I rather think you're the revolting one around here." He pulled a horrified face at the words that just fell from his mouth, "I'm bantering. I'm bantering." He groaned, "Danielle, why are you letting me banter?"
Clara looked around, a frown on her face, but she couldn't see Danni anywhere. Was he talking to her when she wasn't here as well?
The Doctor had moved on, though, "Listen to me. You don't have enough gold content to seal the engine breach. If you try and take off, you'll wipe out half of England and you'll take my wife with it!"
The Sheriff, who had picked up one of a head of one of the knights that had been blown up in the riot, stormed past the Doctor, "Liar!" He barked, "From my sky vessel, I shall rule omnipotent."
"You pudding-headed primitive," The Doctor retorted, "shut down the engines. What you're doing will alter the course of history."
"I sincerely hope so," The Sheriff replied as he tossed the head into a large furnace, "or I wouldn't be bothering." He motioned to his two knights, who took a step towards the two time travellers.
"You won't make any sort of king if you kill all your people." Clara tried, but he just glanced over at her, looking distinctly unimpressed.
"And here I thought you were the smart one of your little band of infuriating troublemakers." He replied, "Oh well, you still are very pretty."
She grimaced at his awful attempt to be flirty and, while she was normally very capable of looking after herself, she was glad when the Doctor stepped up just so she didn't have to talk to him, "Listen to me. It doesn't have to end like this." The Doctor said in a threatening tone, obviously having come to the end of his patience, "Shut it all down, return Danielle to me and I'll do what I can."
"Danielle?" The Sheriff asked and both Danni and the Doctor boiled over with anger at his apparent lack of recognition of her name, "Oh, the fair-haired woman. I do not have her."
The robots took another step closer to the pair and the Doctor took a quick glance at them. He was running out of time and he needed to get back to his wife, "Robin's one of yours."
The Sheriff spun around from where he was stoking the fire he'd placed the head in, hand up to indicate to the remaining knights to halt, "What did you say?"
"He's one of your tin-headed puppets, just like these brutes here." The Doctor snapped, "And he has my wife. Bring her here, now."
Clara studied the Sheriff's face for a moment, seeing him completely bewildered. Just what she thought. It had become quite apparent during her brief time with the horrid man that while Robin may or may not have been real, he had very little to do with the Sheriff except causing the man a large nuisance, "I don't think he is."
"Of course he his." The Doctor exclaimed, "To pacify the locals, give them false hope. He's the opiate of the masses."
The Sheriff shook his head, "Robin Hood is not one of mine." He declared.
"Of course he is." The Doctor insisted, "He's a robot, created by your mechanical mates."
"Why would we create an enemy to fight us?" The Sheriff pointed out, "What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea."
"Yes!" The Doctor agreed wholeheartedly, "Yes, it would." His face fell as he realised that the Sheriff was correct and that creating an enemy, especially one with a chance of winning, was a terrible idea indeed, "Wouldn't it? Yes, that would be a rubbish idea. Why would you do that? But he can't be. He's not real." He whispered before raising his voice, "He's a legend!"
"Too kind!" A cocky voice echoed through the room and both the Sheriff and the Doctor looked up to the gallery above. There, posing triumphantly, was Robin Hood, "And this legend does not come alone."
The sight of Danni appearing from around Robin both relaxed the Doctor from his worry about her safety and sped his hearts up at the sight of her. Unlike what he'd been portraying to Clara, up until that moment he'd been deathly afraid of her fate at a man he'd been so sure had been working for the Sheriff. But she was safe, with a giant grin on her face, like she was having the time of her life.
"Danni!" Clara cried in utter relief and the blonde waved down at the pair. She was so happy to see them both, especially her husband who looked absolutely amazed at the sight of her above them. Even she couldn't deny the way he was staring directly at her and, thankfully, the dull light hid the flush that appeared in her cheeks. He had such an intense stare, and even though it felt like she had no idea what he was thinking, she was sure her guesses weren't far off the mark.
"Did you miss me?" She called down.
"Of course!" Clara replied and Danni giggled. Robin held his hand out to Danni, helping her sit on the railings on the edge of the pathway before joining her. He turned to a long wall hanging, stabbing his knife into it. Danni quickly wrapped her arms around him and the pair slid down. The moment they landed Robin turned to Danni.
"You all right?" He asked her, concern in her voice and, much like when they'd first met, Danni let out a girlish giggle at his question. He shot her a smirk, because who didn't love eliciting that response out of anyone, before turning around and drawing his sword. Just as he had suspected, the Sheriff's metal men were approaching them, "My men have taken the castle." He declared, "Now I'm going to take you."
"This one's all mine." The Sheriff growled, pulling out a small device and pressing a button hidden away in it. Both of his metal knights deactivated, heads drooping forward, "What do you say, outlaw? A final reckoning?" He taunted in his anger.
"Oh, yes." Robin agreed. He had been waiting for this moment for so long, to finally rid his town and the people of that villainous Sherriff, he was never going to turn it down.
As the two started their fight, Danni rushed over to the Doctor and Clara, stopping in front of the Doctor with a bright smile on her face, "That was so cool." She gushed, "We took the castle, and the merry men were on form and Robin was such a good leader!"
"Never mind that moron," the Doctor told her, "Are you okay?" She nodded, her excited smile never falling.
"Of course." She replied, "I can look after myself, right?"
"Maybe a bit too well." The Doctor retorted. She had been just fine without him, she wasn't hurt and didn't look the least bit frightened. She was finally showing off the skills she had that the idiot that came before him refused to let shine, "You weren't even scared." He commented proudly, looking around the room. The knights were deactivated, but the engines definitely weren't and they needed to get out.
She shrugged, "I didn't have time to be." She explained, "I was worried about you."
His head snapped around, shooting her a look of complete surprise, "You were worried about me?" He asked sceptically, because surely it was the other way around?
"Of course I was." She laughed as the room rumbled and shook. Her amusement fell away, "What was that?" She asked.
"Was that the engines?" Clara asked and the Doctor nodded.
"The whole castle's about to blow." He commented, "We don't have long."
The Sheriff and Robin seemed rather well-matched, keeping each other at bay with each clang of their swords. Danni watched them, almost fidgeting on the spot as they watched they fight, "We're going to wait for him, aren't we?" She asked the Doctor, anxious.
"We can't exactly leave him." The Doctor replied, a tease in his voice, "You seem to have grown rather attached to him, after all."
"It's Robin Hood." She replied slowly, like it explained everything. He took a step closer, standing behind her.
"You were always attracted to intelligent, young, pretty men." He commented, surprising her by wrapping his arms around her from behind, "I'm glad to see that's changed." He purred in her ear, revelling in the feeling of her breath catching, spotting the flush on her cheek, "Oh, it definitely has changed, hasn't it?"
"Stop it." Danni begged, "We're about to be blown up."
"So?" He murmured. Clara rolled her eyes. As happy as she was that they could still lose themselves in such a serious situation, they were actually about to be blown up.
"Stop it." She snapped, motioning upwards to where the Sheriff and Robin were now battling on a cross beam above the pit of melted gold that the Sheriff had tossed the robot head into. Danni gasped, having been too distracted by the Doctor to notice them move upwards.
"Robin!" She called, horrified and taking a step forward, like she could help, "What the hell are you two doing?!"
Neither of them answered, but she hadn't really expected either of them to be paying attention to anything but each other. They moved backwards and forwards over the think beam, neither of them even remotely ready to give up the fight.
"I'm too much for you, outlaw. The first of a new breed. Half man, half engine." The Sheriff has said before they'd risen above the crucible, "Never ageing. Never tiring."
"Are you still talking?" Robin teased as they swapped sides, their swords firmly together as they struggled to throw the other off him. Realising they could go on like that for a while, Robin backed up, intending to get a good swing in and hopefully knock the Sheriff's sword out of his hand. However, the Sheriff had similar ideas, swinging his sword with a grunt of effort and hitting Robin on the arm. It was a deep cut, startling the Prince of Thieves, who dropped his sword at the attack. It fell down to the ground, clattering in front of the trio who were watching, horrified.
"No." Danni breathed, rushing forward and picking up the sword. She stared up as the fight stalled for a moment; how could she get it up to him from down there? He couldn't die, but Sheriff was never going to let him live!
Then, in a move she recognised from her husband, Robin took a step back and held his arms out wide. A grin spread across her face and she turned to look at the Doctor. He was watching Robin with a look she could only describe as proud on his face, and she turned back just in time to see the Sheriff step forward to take his final shot.
Robin turned on the spot, making sure that he and the Sheriff were back to back. He kicked the back of the evil man's leg and, with a loud scream, he fell down into the boiling gold below. Danni grabbed Clara by the arm and they both cheered at the fact that Robin was safe. Robin took a moment to breathe, after all he had nearly died, then headed over to the rope that had brought him up to the cross beam. He slid down as the trio joined him.
"Sorry. Was that, er, was that showing off?" Robin asked, his hand clasped over the wound the Sheriff had managed to inflict on him. He laughed in surprise as Danni launched herself at him, hugging him tightly.
"You were fantastic!" She crowed and Clara nodded in agreement.
"That was amazing." She told him. His eyes fell on the Doctor, who was watching his every movement with his wife with a firm stare. Before he could remove himself, though, Danni let him go, her smile falling away to a look of annoyance. She smacked him on his good arm and he cried out in surprise.
"You almost got yourself killed." She scolded, like a mother to a child, "You have to be more careful! There's only one Robin Hood, you know?"
He laughed, "My apologises, Miss Danielle." He replied, "I shall endeavour to be more careful when fighting any more traitorous sheriffs." Danni nodded, as if she was accepting his promise.
The castle started to shake, stones falling off and it suddenly became very apparent that the ship was about to take off, "Run!" The Doctor exclaimed, "Come on, run!" Time almost stopped for Danni as the Doctor reached out and grabbed her hand, linking his fingers through hers and holding her tightly. The whole castle could have fallen at that moment and she probably wouldn't have noticed as, for the first time, he held her hand when he thought that she was scared.
~0~0~0~
The Doctor didn't let go of her hand when they met up with the gang of merry men, who had all fled the castle when it had started shaking. Nor did he let go when they stopped in a clearing outside the castle to see the stone fall away and reveal the true spaceship underneath. It rose in the air slowly, hovering above the ruins of the castle as its engines glowed brightly.
"It's stopping!" Danni shouted over the roar of the engines.
"It's never going to make it. Not enough gold. It'll never make it into orbit." The Doctor replied just as loudly. It needed more, it needed… he turned to Robin, an idea quickly coming to mind. Well, he did always work better under pressure, "Where is it? Where did it go?" He asked the man, who just looked bewildered.
"Where did what go?" Clara asked.
"The golden arrow." The Doctor explained and Robin's eyes lit up, joining the Doctor on his train of thought. He turned around, looking for one his most loyal men.
"Tuck!" He called to the large man, who quickly walked over, arrow in hand.
"You took it?" The Doctor asked and the monk shrugged.
"Of course we did. We're robbers." He offered.
"I love you boys." The Doctor cried as Friar Tuck handed him the bow to go with it.
"Are you really going to fire that arrow at the spaceship?" Danni asked him as he shuffled the bow and arrow in his free hand.
"Of course not." He retorted before holding it out to Robin, "It might just be enough gold content to get the ship into orbit and out of harm's way." He explained to the Robin, but the other man shook his hand.
"No, it has to be you." He replied, "My arm is injured." The Doctor looked down at the bow and arrow in his hand, then down to his wife who was looking at him with wide, beautiful, expectant eyes.
"I cheated." He admitted, almost looking embarrassed, "I made a special arrow with a homing device."
"Why would you do that?" Danni exclaimed and Clara rolled her eyes. Great, now what did they do? Robin couldn't do it because he was injured, and the Doctor was just as useless as always.
"You were the one cuddling up to Mr Hood here!" The Doctor defended.
"You cheated because you were jealous?" Danni asked in surprise. The Doctor didn't reply straight away and Danni had to keep the smile off her face. She was supposed to be angry, but he'd done it because of her.
"Right," Clara declared, deciding that at least one of them had to try, "let me have a go." She snatched the bow and arrow out of the Doctor's hand, clumsily lining it up.
"You?" The Doctor scoffed, "You do Tae Kwon Do. That's not the same thing as this."
"My friends." Robin interrupted before they could start arguing, "Surely we can manage it together?" He hopped onto the floor, getting in place to aim the arrow. Clara rushed around the other side, leaving one space free. The Doctor looked down at his wife.
"Do you…" She shook her head.
"Three impossible heroes, right?" She offered as a reason. He looked down at her hand. He'd originally grabbed it so he didn't lose her as they ran through the castle before he remembered, long ago, he'd made a promise to her. One that explained her outburst in the dungeon, and one he'd been terrible at keeping so far. It still felt a bit odd keeping hold of her in public, but he found himself reluctant to let go.
"Are you still scared?" He asked and Danni felt herself fill up with the joy that he finally remembered his promise.
"No, I'm not." She promised and he let go, taking hold of the other side of the arrow. Danni held her hands clasped to her chest, watching the three with a look of pure adoration on her face as they aimed and fired the arrow into the spaceship. It suddenly flew upwards, up into the sky above where it exploded out of harm's way. The crowd cheered, Danni bounced on the spot and Clara laughed in delight. The Doctor, however, stood slowly, feeling sadness at the fact that he'd had a hand in killing something else.
He turned to find Danni stood there, chewing her lip as she smiled at him, obviously very happy with the outcome. The singing started around him, then the bantering and by the time he'd made it over to his wife once again he was positively scowling.
"Not going to join in?" She teased and he shook his head.
"Always with the bantering." He grumbled. He felt like he should kiss her. He wanted to kiss her, but not in such a large group of people. They already were celebrating, singing and laughing and bantering. They'd just jeer at them, there'd be whistling and he really didn't want that to interrupt them.
Danni took a step closer and he wondered if she was going to make the decision for him, "Admit it, you like it really." She teased but before he could correct her, Clara joined them.
"Tell me, was that as awesome as it felt?" she asked Danni, who turned to her and smiled.
"Even more so." She promised and the two hugged. Clara lead her over to Robin and the Doctor realised that he'd missed his chance.
~0~0~0~
As Robin gave Clara her very own archery lesson – she'd been jealous that Danni had spent so much one-on-one time with Robin when it had been her suggestion to come see him – the Doctor and Danni stood to one side, watching the pair.
"I'm sorry." The Doctor drawled and Danni looked up at him, frowning in her confusion. He'd been rather silent on the way back to the TARDIS, but she'd assumed it was because of the little parade that had followed them there.
"For what?" She asked him.
"For not holding your hand when you were scared." He explained, "I might have forgotten I needed to do that."
Danni sighed, "I don't want you to hold my hand because you feel you have to." She told him softly, "I want you to hold it because you want to." She stepped in front of him, "If you don't want to hold my hand, or kiss me, or even talk to me, I don't want you to either."
"Why would you think I wouldn't?" He asked her, perplexed, "You're my wife."
She wanted to tell him that just because she was his wife, didn't necessarily mean that he wanted her anymore. That one minute he was holding her in his arms while there was a sword fight going on, but the next he could be calling her an idiot. It hurt that he couldn't seem to make up his mind about her, but she felt like she was in a limbo she couldn't get out of until he did choose what he wanted.
She reached up, intending to place a kiss on his cheek, when he turned his head and caught her lips. It wasn't a deep kiss, just a chaste brush that froze her on the spot, "I'll always want to kiss you." He promised, "I think Clara has said her goodbyes. It's your turn, my pet."
The way her purred that little pet name of her sent shivers down her spine. She didn't know why, but coming from him it felt so intimate in a way nothing else really had before. It just added to her ball of confusion, so she silently left him. She missed the smirk on his lips at her reaction. Oh, how he loved to make her mind hiccup.
Robin grinned at her and she couldn't help but return it, chucking her arms around him for a hug he happily returned, "Oh, I'm going to miss you." She told him honestly, "You were absolutely amazing."
"Maybe a little." He agreed and she giggled, blushing yet again, "Every time you talk to me, you turn that delightful pink colour." He teased.
"Stop it." She replied, batting at him, "I can't help it, I'm talking to Robin Hood." He nodded.
"Yes, I quite believe you are." He replied, a nod to their conversation that felt so long ago. He believed he was Robin Hood, whether he was born or made was irrelevant, "Take care of your Time Lord, sweet Danielle."
She glanced back at the Doctor, "He doesn't need me." She brushed aside, "Take care of yourself, Robin."
"I shall try my best not to." He promised cheekily, giving her a gentle push towards their magical blue box, "Goodbye, my dear Danni."
"Goodbye, Robin." She replied before darting in after Clara. The Doctor took that as his cue, slowly walking over, hands clasped in front of him.
"So, is it true, Doctor?" Robin asked, getting straight to the point. The Doctor wasn't one for beating around the bush, after all.
"Is what true?" The Doctor asked in response.
"That in the future I am forgotten as a real man? I am but a legend?"
The Doctor gave him an apologetic look, seeing no reason to lie to him, "I'm afraid it is."
"Hmm." Robin pondered on his answer for a moment. People would forget about him, but the memory of the man he'd become would live on regardless. He could have only wished for a lot less, "Good. History is a burden. Stories can make us fly."
"I'm still having a little trouble believing yours, I'm afraid." The Doctor told him.
"Is it so hard to credit?" Robin countered, "That a man born into wealth and privilege should find the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear..."
The Doctor shook his head, "No."
"Until one night he is moved to steal a TARDIS?" The Doctor looked alarmed whilst Robin looked smug, finally being able to outsmart the alien man, "Fly among the stars, fighting the good fight." At his questioning look, Robin smiled, "Danni told me your stories."
"Why would she do that?" The Doctor asked, suspicious because Danni had always been careful about what she told to others about him.
"I asked." Robin replied simply, "She could not stop once she'd started telling me about you. You hold both of her hearts, Doctor."
The Doctor could not think of a reason why she would have shared so much information with the man in front of him. She'd obviously even told him about their physiology, which was a big stretch even for her. She had always been trusting, that was the only reason she had told him; because she trusted Robin completely, "I feel her hearts may be a bit too big for me to fill." He replied and Robin nodded.
"That might be true," he agreed, "And yet, from one husband to another, I know you will never stop trying."
"You aren't her husband." The Doctor snapped, suddenly wondering why he was still stood there talking to an idiot, "You're not even real."
"No, I'm just a story." Robin replied, "As are you, my friend. And may those stories never end." He held his hand out to the Doctor, who acted begrudgingly when he shook it. Robin knew better, though, "Goodbye, Doctor, Time Lord of Gallifrey."
"Goodbye, Robin Hood, Earl of Loxley." The Doctor replied, heading into the TARDIS after his wife and her best friend.
"And remember, Doctor." Robin called after him. The Doctor paused, turning to look at him expectantly, "I'm just as real as you are."
As the magical blue box disappeared in front of their very eyes, surprising everyone but Robin who knew just how wondrous the Doctor could be, he couldn't help but think on the fact that the Doctor was with the woman he loved, but he might never be. He looked at his locket, with a small portrait of Marian inside, a face he was sure he would never see again. He missed her terribly, and a pang of jealousy ran through him, tainted with the harsh sadness that came with her memory.
That was until the blue box disappeared into time and space, revealing one last miracle the Doctor performed. Robin could hardly believe his eyes as the most beautiful woman he had ever seen smiled back at him. His Marian. The Doctor had found her, and Robin would never forget him.
~0~0~0~
The room was dark except for the spotlights on the stage, dulled but shining, waiting for the performance to start. There was no applause as they all focused in on a ginger woman in a blue dress, hair pulled back by the front, hands clasped in front of her.
"I want to be where the people are." Danielle Fielding sang, not exactly out of tune, but not exactly brilliant either, "I wanna see, wanna see them dancing. Walking around on those, what do you call 'em? Oh, feet." She giggled lightly as the spotlight turned off her and onto the blonde next to her, short hair and glasses, brown eyes searching the dark room in front of them.
"Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the sun." Danielle Fielding sang, better than her predecessor but still not as good as Jodi Benson by far, "Wandering free, wish I could be, part of your world."
As she searched the darkness for her husband, for the Doctor, the light moved onto another ginger woman. This time she had freckles all over her face, brown eyes but not behind glasses. She wore a short white dress, and was taller than the other two by at least another foot, but looking much more shy than they were as well.
"When's it my turn?" Danielle Fielding sang with a singing voice she once would have only dreamed of having, "Wouldn't I love, love to explore that shore up above?"
The light moved a final time, to a brown haired woman in jeans and a tank top, whose eyes scanned the audience desperately, hoping beyond anything that her husband would be there, but seeing no faces at all in the darkness. No grey hair, no intimidating stare with imposing eyebrows, "Out of the sea." Danielle Fielding sang in almost a whisper. He'd be there soon, she knew he would. She just had to wait, she just had to be patient. He was coming, he promised he'd always come for her, "Wish I could be. Part of your world."
"Danielle!"
Danni blinked, finding herself stood in a garden, staring into nothingness once again. Whilst long ago the voice would have made her wince in fear, she barely even moved. She looked at the other woman stood next to her, wearing a ridiculous outfit with her ever-present umbrella.
"You're trying to find him again, aren't you?" Missy asked with what sounded like a disappointed tone, but Danni knew better. Missy was annoyed, not disappointed, but Danni didn't reply. What was the point of even trying to deny it? She knew the consequences either way, but she'd needed to check.
Missy sighed, "Oh, Danielle, my pet." She drawled, "He's not coming for you. He'd not even looking for you. He doesn't care if you're stuck here with the big, bad evil Mistress." She ran the back of her fingers down Danni's cheek, watching closely for Danni to try and get away. But, as much as the mere touch made her skin crawl, she didn't waiver in her neutral, disinterested look.
She knew Missy wanted a reaction from her, but she refused to give her anything. Sure it meant that sometimes that Missy had to go farther to hear her scream, but Danni refused to give her satisfaction.
Missy reached down, taking her hand and held onto it tightly, "I think we need to put you to bed." She declared and Danni's hearts skipped a beat, internally shaking at the meaning behind those words. However, when a moment later they landed in her bedroom, Missy didn't push her against the wall, or throw her to the ground, or grab her head to force her into a dream state. In fact, she gently walked her over to the bed, "I can't have you being exhausted, after all." She continued like they hadn't been transported anywhere new at all, "You need to be fully rested so you can see that you are in the best place." She firmly forced Danni to sit on the bed, then manoeuvred her so she was lying down.
"Since when have you wanted me fully rested?" Danni asked quietly, giving her a suspicious look. Missy positively grinned at the sound of her voice, something that made Danni feel slightly nauseous.
"Well, honestly, I don't." She replied, brushing her brown hair out of her eyes before bending over the side of the bed, "But I had an excellent idea that will stop you pining over that old, grey-haired Doctor." She pulled a face slightly to herself before appearing, grinning and holding what Danni could only describe as a giant parasite. Her eyes widened in fear and she tried to sit up.
"What the hell is that?!" She demanded. Missy looked at the creature in her hands thoughtfully as its creepy little legs waved in the air, like it was trying to scuttle away.
"Well, it a Kantrofarri." She replied, "And it's either going to show you that your husband doesn't care where you are, or it's going to melt your brain into a lovely soup."
Danni shook her head and tried to scramble away, "You… you keep that away from me." She tried to demand, instead it came out like begging.
Missy shushed her then placed a hand in the middle of her chest, forcing her to lie back down on the bed, "Now now, my dear, there's no need for that, is there?" She cooed, "It's just going to hurt a lot, that's all. Deep breaths, Danielle. Imagine it's like a massage, but instead of being pleasant, a parasite is drilling into your skull."
Danni screamed as she placed the creature on her, tears streaming down her face as she begged to be let go.