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A few moments earlier, he had watched as his Amelia was sucked into the past by a weeping angel. Even a few moments later he had said goodbye to his River again. He was alone for the first time since he had regenerated. He had always had someone around him, he now had no one. "Don't travel alone" River told him before she left. A little later, after he had gotten to Central Park he read: "I think once we're gone you'll be alone. Which you should never be. Don't be alone Doctor."His Amelia speaking from beyond the grave to him. Ok Amelia, I will find someone, just give me time to remember. Then he remembered Sasha, she could help. "Ok old girl, take me to our old friend" he told his TARDIS.
Crystal heard the TARDIS dematerialise outside of Sparrow and Nightingales. She had taken over from the owners of the shop after they decided to move out of the city to mind their baby. She eventually saw someone come out of the TARDIS, the Doctor with his new face and bow tie. The last time she had seen him, he was wearing Sandshoes. He looked around and spotted her inside the counter, he pointed at her. She smiled at him and he waved. She motioned for him to come back later when the shop was closed. Crystal knew why he was coming to visit now. Now and again she would look in on her old friend to see was he ok. She had seen him enough times in this way to know that something wasn't right. He had lost someone, and now he was going to ask her to do the impossible. Time passed and the familiar sound of the TARDIS could be heard again. She heard a knock come to the door of the shop. She was sittling reading a book, she looked up and smiled at him and opened the door. He hugged her, she invited him in.
"So Doctor. To what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked him.
"You're the one in a symbiotic relationship with the Phoenix, you tell me. But I'm guessing that you already know" he told her. "Yes I do" she told him.
"So, will you help me?" he asked her.
"You know I can't" she told him.
"Well then" he replied angrily before moving in on her space "What is the point of you?"
"You are grieving and not thinking straight, so I'm going to let that slide." she told him adding "I can't save them Doctor, even I can't bring them back. Because they were taken by Weeping Angels it is impossible for me to. If the Weeping Angels knew of my existence, they would come and take my temporal energy. They would destroy everything. Do you really want that to happen?"
He looked at her angrily at first, then he seemed to shrink back defeated. He started to cry. She went over to him and put a comforting hand on his back. "It's hard my friend. It's always hard. But you will heal." she told him. "How?" he asked her. "You have friends in Victorian London, why don't you go and visit them for a bit. Perhaps some time with them will help" she told him.
"Why are you helping me like this?"he asked her.
"Because I need you to forget about me" she told him.
He looked over at her with a start.
"No" he told her adding "I'm not going to let that happen, I can't loose another friend" "You have no choice I'm afraid" she told him. "Is it because of what I just said to you" he asked.
"No, there is something else coming, something that you will need help for what is to come. You have to forget me, but I'll be there for you when you least expect it. That is why I think you have to go to Victorian London." she told him.
"What will I find there?" he asked her.
"You will find the hope that you have lost and more" she told him.
"You're being cryptic." he told her.
"Ah, but by now my friend. You should know that there might be a good reason for me to do so" she replied with a sly smile.
He woke in the TARDIS a couple of hours later, not able to remember how he got there. He just remembered reading his Amelia's letter. The hurt from his loss still stung, however something inside of him told him that he needed to be among friends. He set coordinates for Victorian London.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. He still stayed on his cloud, determined to do what his people did and only observe. Although sometimes, he couldn't help be among people. On one of those occasions, he encountered something, no someone different.
"Did you make this snowman" she asked him.
"No" he replied gruffly. "Well who did? Cause it wasn't there a second ago it just appeared from nowhere " the girl told him. He looked back at her and walked over to her, putting on his glasses sullenly before moving over to the snowman.
"Maybe it's snow that fell before. Maybe it is snow that remembers how to make snowmen" he replied, ever the secret detective.
"What? Snow that can remember, that's silly" the girl told him.
"What's wrong with silly" he replied slightly irritated. "Nothing. Still talking to you aren't I" she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
He smirked "What's your name?" He asked her taking off his glasses.
"Clara" she replied
"Nice name, Clara" he told her before walking away "Definitely keep it. Goodbye!" he told her.
Shuffling of a dress behind him told him that she was following him. "Oi where are you going I thought we was just getting acquainted" Clara shouted after him.
He stopped and looked around at her wistfully.
"Those were the days." He told her sadly before walking away.