Eleven

                                    

                                          



"Clara Oswald, you are being so irresponsible. You could get yourself killed."
                          
Clara snapped on her heels, but the Doctor couldn't have seen it, he was pointing his screwdriver desperately at August and squinting in concentration.
                          
"It's okay if Alessia gets killed, but not me?" Clara shouted. "This little girl is close to my daughter, Doctor. Or--or my niece, or something, but I will sacrifice me for her. She's worth it."
                          
DS sighed, nearly throwing his screwdriver in frustration. "Clara, please. We can get her. It will be alright." He took a breath, before using the screwdriver as a pointer in August's direction. "The energy's there. I can transfer it, I think. I can transfer August into something, but I don't know what. It has to be something inconspicuous."
                          
"What are we supposed to do, let him possess my sweater?" Clara exclaimed. "Just let me go on my own. Please."
                          
"No," DS barked. "You're not going on your own, Clara Oswald, I am coming with you."
                          
"Hello?" August yelled. "Don't just leave without me!"
                          
"Do we really need an imaginary friend to take us to a little girl in potential danger? We could go now! Lose the risk of something else happening while we wait!"
                          
"The bear," August said simply.
                          
"What?" DS asked, cocking his head. "What bear?"
                          
"Alessia's bear, stupid."
                          
Clara's eyes widened, and she snapped her fingers in understanding. "Of course!" She exclaimed. "If we put August in the bear, we'll have an excuse for bringing it. Will that work, though? Can you transfer energy like that?"
                          
"I don't know," DS muttered. "I mean, August, if you're willing to take the risk..."
                          
"Of course I am!" August shouted. "Why would I not take the risk? I don't care if I have to stay all wispy forever. I'm not just going to stay here while you find Alessia."
                          
"I'll go get it," Clara said, hurrying off down the hall to Alessia's bedroom. 
                          
DS took a breath, before taking his screwdriver back out of his breast pocket and twirling it nervously in his hands. "You're sure you're okay with this?" He asked. "I wouldn't want you to die... again, I mean."
                          
"I'm positive," August said simply.
                          
Clara returned then, the bear dangling by his leg from her tightly clamped right hand. She held it at an arm's length for DS to take. He turned it over in his hand once before placing it on the ground and backing away. "Alright, August," he said. He took a deep breath. "Here we go."
                          
•••
                          
The colossal room was enveloped in silence for a moment, as Alessia fidgeted with her hands and scrunched her nose, attempting to keep her glasses from sliding off the bridge of her nose. She could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on her. She felt like an exhibit.
                          
"I wasn't really planning on burning anything down," she blabbed, panicking. "I just saw it in a show once. I promise I'm not going to do anything."
                          
The man laughed an empty, dark laugh. "Even if you were planning anything, Time Lady, you wouldn't be able to. We've got you fully subdued."
                          
Alessia bit at the skin on her lip, trying to decide on what she was most curious about. "Why are you not a rhinoceros?" She asked. 
                          
The man hesitated a moment, perhaps bewildered by Alessia's choice in question, before slamming his fist down on the arm of the throne with such force Alessia felt the vibrations pass under her knees. "Don't ask questions," he growled, "or I will make you stop."