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Hymn of the Harmonium -- 11th Doctor, Christmas Fan Fiction (fictional companion)

December 24th, 1986

Edinburgh, Scotland

The snow started in waves. First a flurry which dusted the cobblestone street of Edinburgh like a light peck to the cheek, but gradually grew stronger and stronger until thick and heavy flakes of snow covered the streets like a warm blanket. Dolly stared out the window, as she polished a beer mug with her reliable and far too worn-out rag. No one was outside, and more importantly, no one was inside. There was no one in the Copper Fox on Christmas Eve during a snowstorm. It had taken Dolly twenty extra minutes to arrive at work, due to the fact that all the buses were down from slick roads.

What once was a high-energy and festive day had turned into night as the hustle and bustle from Christmas Eve activities began to simmer down. Dolly eyed the lone clock in the pub. 11:37. Though there had been some earlier patrons in the Copper Fox, the foot traffic from the winter’s elements had restricted people from making their way out for a pint. Frankly, Dolly would’ve been surprised if anyone had decided to spend their Christmas Eve in a hole-in-the-wall pub.

As Dolly watched the lone flakes of snow fall from the sky, she sighed aloud, realizing just how long of a walk she would have to endure to arrive at her flat for the night. “Merry Christmas to me,” she whispered while placing a mug upside down to dry.

She could lock up if she pleased. Her manager had gone home for the night, and Dolly had taken on a double shift so her co-worker could enjoy the holiday with family. There was nothing stopping her, other than the fact that she had a nagging feeling in the pit of her gut to wait. The feeling was one that she felt very rarely, but once in a blue moon, her stomach would churn and her intention said ‘stay and wait until your shift is over, then go home.’

So, that’s exactly what she did.

Dolly mopped the sticky floors of the pub to the beat of “Last Christmas” by Wham! She chuckled to herself when she had finished. The floors would be just as sticky tomorrow morning, but that was a problem to deal with when it came.

As Dolly swept down the cabinets and utensils, she hadn’t noticed the music from the radio had stopped completely. As though the channel just vanished. The silence should have been deafening. The feeling should have been . . . unnerving. Yet, it wasn’t . . . because there was noise.

Dolly’s glasses had fallen to the bridge of her nose when she heard the noise. A light and almost ethereal sound that danced around her ears. A sound that she had never heard before. It wasn’t speaking, but a beautiful song sung by voices that were angelic.

Carolers were Dolly’s initial thought. A group of people making their way through Edinburgh attempting to sing for any patron that was willing to listen. Though the prospect of that sounded beautiful, no carolers on Christmas eve would most likely be sober, or willing to trudge through a snow storm. Nonetheless, a smile spread across Dolly’s face. She had never seen carolers in real life, and if there were a way to possibly invoke any holiday cheer in her night, it was to listen to the beautiful songs from these . . . enticing voices.

Dolly glanced out of the window, which was frosted over from the cold weather of the winter months. Tentatively, she utilized the sleeve of her cable knit. Bits of frost transferred on her sleeve while she rubbed away at the glass. After a moment, she created a small hole of clear glass to glance into the cobblestone streets of Edinburgh with.

At first glance, Dolly was captivated by the gothic charm of Edinburgh, its beauty both haunting and exquisite. The historic buildings stood proudly along the streets, adorned with a festive array of lights and wreaths in every shape and color, their warm glow casting a magical aura across the city. The soft, amber street lights struggled to shine through the thick blanket of snow that had settled over them, turning the familiar lanterns into gentle, muted beacons in the night. It was the most picturesque city she had ever called home, and the winter scene before her seemed almost too perfect to be real—like a scene lifted from a masterfully painted Christmas card, where every detail sparkled with quiet wonder.

The beauty of the city almost made Dolly forget what she had been searching for: the music. Her eyes scanned the streets up and down to no luck. The streets had been barren, as they had been for the last three hours. Just as Dolly was beginning to turn around to finish up closing, she heard it again. Slowly, she turned back to the window. The sound was louder than it had been minutes ago, and just as beautiful. Her eyes glanced from right to left and that’s when she saw it.

Dolly didn’t know what to make out of what she was looking at. Tall, elegant figures that shone a brilliant and translucent gold shade. Their forms were not . . . human. Sure, they looked like humans, but they were . . . floating and almost ethereal, like they were sculpted from frozen starlight.

Dolly focused her sight on their faces which lacked any distinct features, but faint, flowing impressions of eyes and mouths seem to emerge and dissolve like frost melting on a windowpane. Tiny crystalline particles spiral around them, refracting light into delicate rainbows that dance with their every movement. Their "skin" glowed faintly from within, a soft, pulsating luminescence that felt alive, mirroring the rhythm of their haunting, otherworldly song.

In shock, Dolly's eyes raced from side to side wondering if anyone at all was seeing the sight in front of her.

Nothing.

Absolutely no one inhabited the streets on Christmas Eve in Edinburgh. It was a shame, Dolly thought. No one was seeing the beautiful and magnificent sight in front of Dolly, and furthermore, no one would believe Dolly if she explained what she had seen. Why would they? Floating carolers illuminated in golden light on Christmas Eve? Dolly even thought it was insane, as she watched them sing. She thought that most people would brush it off as she had been tired after working a double shift and that she needed some well deserved rest after closing.

But, then again, there they were. Clear as day, performing in front of Dolly. The only thing separating herself and them was the pub’s glass window panes which continued to frost over as she watched the sight in front of her. Every few seconds Dolly would use the sleeve of her shirt to rub off the glass of the window, but to no avail, the glass began frosting over faster and faster. Once the window was completely covered, Dolly rushed to the bar to find a rag and warm water. She needed to continue watching those . . . beings. She couldn’t just continue her work as if she hadn’t seen the single most beautiful sight in front of her. Just as Dolly began to turn her body towards the sink, she realized that she hadn’t been alone.

“One cup of tea please,” a man’s voice requested cheerily.

Dolly gasped loudly as she hadn’t realized someone had walked in. She hadn’t heard the door open, or the bell go off as he walked in, she hadn’t seen any footprints on the ground outside. It had been barren. But, there was a man in front of Dolly. A man dressed in a tweed jacket, red bowtie and shoes that were the furthest from appropriate to wear during a snowstorm.

Dolly couldn’t help it. She stared at him for a moment. The man in front of her wore a slight grin on his face, and as she examined him further, he didn’t even have a winter jacket. Out of sheer confusion, Dolly eyed the door that he would’ve used to enter, and in doing so she spotted the piece of glass that she had used to look at the carolers. Though it had been frosted over moments ago, it was no longer frosted over. Rather, it was as clear as it would have been on a warm summer day. Dolly cocked her head. How had that happened? As she examined the small portion of window she used to look outside, she realized one more thing at that moment.

The carolers were gone. As if they’d never been there at all.

“Are you okay?” The man’s voice cut through Dolly’s thoughts like a hot knife. She turned back to him. He was still wearing that grin—a grin that, for reasons she couldn’t quite place, irritated her. This stranger had barged into the pub and disrupted what might have been a once-in-a-lifetime sight. Though she knew it wasn’t his fault, she still wanted to slap that smug smile off his face.

“Yes, I’m fine. I just thought I saw… something outside,” she replied, her tone sharper than intended.

The man raised an eyebrow, his amusement unmistakable. “You’re not Scottish.”

“Neither are you,” Dolly shot back as she moved toward the bar to prepare him a cup of tea.

He nodded, a gesture of mock surrender, and turned his attention to the window. “Expecting someone?”

“No,” Dolly said, her voice faltering slightly as she filled the kettle. “I just thought I saw someone outside. But that would be crazy, considering the storm.”

“I was out in the storm,” he pointed out.

“My point exactly,” Dolly muttered, setting the kettle and a teabag in front of him. He poured the scalding water over the bag but didn’t drink, instead stirring it idly.

“Not to pry,” she asked the man, “but why are you in a pub on Christmas Eve, during a snowstorm . . . for a cup of tea? Not even a pint. I mean, you don’t have tea at home?”

The man grinned as he stirred. “What can I say? It’s a beautiful night for a stroll.”

Dolly raised an eyebrow at him. Odd. He was undeniably odd. But his foolish grin was infectious, and she found herself smiling despite herself. “Well, we close in ten minutes. Just so you know.”

“Busy night?” he asked, still stirring his tea without sipping.

“Hardly,” Dolly said with a snort. “Most people have the good sense to stay home in a storm.”

“And you’ll have to walk home in it?” His tone turned kind, curious. “That doesn’t seem too fair.”

“I don’t mind,” Dolly said, rubbing a smudge off a flask. “Christmas Eve is peaceful—quiet, even. Nothing ever gets too crazy. Walking home will take a few minutes longer, but at least my coworker could spend Christmas with her family.”

“You seemed like you were waiting for someone just a few moments ago,” he said, his voice shifting. The lightheartedness was somewhat gone, replaced with something sharper. Serious. Dolly paused, the flask still in hand. “What did you see?”

“Nothing,” she said firmly, perhaps too firmly.

“Come on,” he pressed. “You’ve been glancing at the window since I walked in. What was it?”

Dolly frowned. Had she been doing that? Her voice dropped. “It was nothing.” Dolly wiped down a flask and shook her head. “I think.” Her voice wasn’t a whisper, but it certainly wasn’t her inside voice. It was weak and seemed unsure. She had never been good at lying.

He leaned forward, mimicking her posture, his grin returning. “Try me.”

For a moment, Dolly hesitated. But there was something in his expression—a flicker of trust, curiosity, or maybe just shared insanity. Against her better judgment, she relented.

“I saw carolers,” she admitted softly.

“Carolers?” he repeated, his grin widening. “That’s it?”

“Not just any carolers.” She laughed, realizing how absurd she sounded. “They looked… ethereal. Beautiful, golden. Like something out of a dream. I must be over tired.”

“Where?” The man’s grin vanished, his expression hardening again. “Where did you see them?”

Taken aback by the man’s reaction, Dolly’s grin dropped. “Outside,” she said, but before she could elaborate, the man bolted to the door and into the storm.

“Wait! What are you doing?” Dolly called after him, rushing to the doorway. She watched as he scoured the snow-covered cobblestone streets in nothing but a tweed coat and bowtie. His frantic energy sent a chill down her spine. “You’ll freeze out there!”

He didn’t seem to hear her. He was searching, his wild eyes scanning the street like a man possessed. Then, suddenly, he was in front of her, gripping her shoulders with an urgency that made her heart practically stop.

“Where were they?” he demanded, his voice low and fierce.

“What do you mean?”

“Just answer me! Where were they?”

“Right there, in that spot—” Dolly’s words trailed off as she pointed to where the carolers had sung. The space was empty. Nothing remained . . . except a peculiar patch of black… snow? Her brow furrowed as she followed the man toward it.

Dolly approached and her breath caught in her throat. The snow wasn’t just shadowed—it was pure black, like ink spilled across the white expanse. Kneeling down for a closer look, Dolly’s jaw slackened in disbelief. It looked unnatural, as though someone had poured dye into the snow and let it seep. She reached out instinctively to touch it.

“Don’t touch that,” the man barked, his tone sharp enough to startle her. She froze, retracting her hand.

“What is that? How… how is the snow black?”

The man didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped forward, gently but firmly gripping her shoulders and turning her to face him. His expression was unreadable but urgent. “I’ll explain on the way. But we need to leave. Now.”

Dolly’s confusion deepened, giving way to unease. “You’re freaking me out.”

“Dolly,” he said, his voice low and steady, “we have to go.”

She stiffened, pulling back. “How do you know my name?”

For a moment, the man hesitated. His mouth opened as though to answer, but he faltered, shaking his head instead. He took a step closer.

“Why aren’t you answering me? How do you know my name?” Her voice rose, edged with fear.

“It’s not important right now,” he said, exasperation creeping into his tone. “What’s important is that we leave—immediately.”

Dolly took another step back, her pulse racing. “I think it’s time for you to go.”

“What?” The man blinked, his confusion genuine.

“I don’t know you,” she said firmly, “but somehow you know me. And that’s not okay. You’re scaring me, and I want you to leave. Now.”

“No, no, no, you don’t understand. We have to go. This is serious!” His voice grew desperate.

Dolly’s gaze hardened. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t know who you are, and frankly, I don’t care to know. Have a great holiday, a good night, but please—get out of my space.”

The man stared at her as though she’d just slapped him. His disbelief was palpable. Dolly took another step back, her hand twitching toward her rag she had in her pocket, as if that could possibly help her.

“I’ll cover your tea, but you need to leave. Right now.”

“But—”

“No ‘buts.’ If you don’t go, I’ll call the police. The choice is yours.”

For a moment, the man looked as though he might argue, his eyes darting between her and the black snow. Then, finally, he stepped back, his expression a storm of frustration and regret. Dolly didn’t relax until he was gone.

Dolly took a deep breath and exhaled as she entered the pub. Though she had been unnerved from the experience she had with that . . . man, she still had to close the god forsaken pub. Just as she locked up the pub for the night, she checked her watch. 12:00.

Christmas Day.

“Merry Christmas,” Dolly whispered to herself with zero amusement. Christmas had never been a holiday she loved, especially as she grew older. It was a constant reminder that her life was not filled with joy and cheer, rather it was filled with bills and school work. A concept that had completely taken over her entire life.

Dolly trudged slowly through Edinburgh's snow-covered streets, admiring the festive decorations that adorned the gothic city she held so dearly. Though Christmas had never been her favorite holiday, there was something undeniably enchanting about the season in Edinburgh. The city felt frozen in time, from its historic architecture to the iconic castle perched in its heart.

She continued down the cobblestone streets, passing familiar cafés and restaurants she often frequented. At night, the city transformed into a world of its own, its familiar streets cloaked in an otherworldly charm.

The anticipation of a warm shower and fresh pajamas spurred her on as she navigated turn after turn. But when she took a final right, she froze mid-step, her breath catching in her throat. At the end of the alley stood a sight that made her eyes well up with tears.

The carolers.

They were stunning—beyond enchanting. Dolly couldn’t help but move toward them, feeling almost hypnotized. Their voices filled the alley with a melody so ethereal it felt otherworldly, sung in a language she couldn’t place. As she inched closer, their beauty and harmonies consumed her senses.

But then, something shifted. Another chorus of angelic voices echoed through the alley, drawing her attention. Turning her head, Dolly spotted another group of carolers, identical in their radiant beauty and haunting song. She was surrounded. Yet, despite her unease, she couldn’t bring herself to leave. The music held her captive.

As the carolers moved toward her, the melody began to shift. What was once harmonious became deafening and sharp, a screeching sound that sent waves of pain through her ears. “Ow!” Dolly exclaimed as she clasped her gloved hands over them, desperate to block out the cacophony, but it only grew louder. Confusion replaced her

Instinctively, she turned to flee, only to find the second group advancing from behind. Their song, too, had transformed into a jarring wail that rattled her bones. Panic surged as she realized she was trapped between the two groups—beautiful but menacing.

Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. The sound was unbearable, a relentless assault that made her glasses slide from her face. She waited for them to hit the snow, but instead, she heard the unexpected clink of glass against solid ground.

Then, just as suddenly as it started, the screeching stopped. Silence enveloped the alley. Dolly stood frozen, her heart pounding as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. The carolers were still there, their haunting beauty unmarred, but something about the silence felt even more ominous.

It took Dolly a moment to muster the courage to open her eyes, but with a bit of push she opened her eyes to face the ground. What she was expecting to be cobblestone was . . . not. Rather, the floor was made of metal. Dolly furrowed her brows. Reaching down, Dolly grabbed her glasses and placed them on her face making the world far more clear than it had been moments prior/

Dolly stood up to her full height, as she took in her surroundings. The space that unfolded before her seemed to stretch endlessly, a golden light spilling from the walls that pulsed like the rhythm of a living being. Towering columns spiraled upward into a ceiling so high it disappeared into a haze of light. The console in the center, alive with blinking lights and an eclectic assortment of switches, knobs, and levers, looked like something out of both a futuristic dream and a cyberpunk haven.

She gaped at the sheer scale, her mind struggling to comprehend how something so vast could just appear around her. She must have been dead. The carolers must’ve gotten to her and killed her. “It’s... impossible,” she whispered, taking a cautious step forward. Her green eyes darted around the room, trying to process every detail—the winding staircases, the strange glyphs etched into the walls, the warm hum that seemed to resonate in her bones.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” The familiar sound of a man’s voice sliced through the silence of Dolly’s complete and utter awe. Her eyes scanned the unfamiliar space she was in until she spotted that man. His tweed jacket was no longer on his person, and he sported small circular glasses while leaning cooly on the handrail that followed the spiral staircase.

Dolly felt one million emotions racing through her head in that moment. What had happened? She was outside, and suddenly she was inside an unknown . . . room? Building? Dolly couldn’t even describe the space she was in. And then there was that . . . man. That scrutinizing man that entered Dolly’s life not even an hour ago and had completely shaken up her world. Though Dolly had not known how he had messed up everything, she was certain that he was the culprit.

Before her brain could catch up with her legs, Dolly was strutting towards that mysterious man while simultaneously waving her pointer finger at his face. “You!”

“Me!” The man said with that same stupid grin plastered on his face.

“Do not sound happy!” Dolly said, still pointing her pointer finger in his face.

“What do you mean ‘don’t sound happy’?”

“You know exactly what I mean. You . . . you have some explaining to do!” Dolly took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself, and as a second stitch effort, she soothed the fly aways on her head.

“What explaining do I have to do exactly?” The man asked, standing upright and moving in closer to Dolly.

“Don’t play games, mister! There were carolers that tried to kill me! Also, the black snow. Care to explain that? Also, how did you know my name? And not to mention,what is your name?”

“That’s quite a few questions.”

“I know!” Dolly retorted. After a moment she shook her head, whether it was shock or utter amusement, Dolly examined the man in front of her. “Let’s start with a simple question. What is your name?”

The man nodded, as if he knew that that would be the first question she had for him. “I go by The Doctor.”

Dolly cocked an eyebrow. “The Doctor?” The man nodded. “You’re telling me that your mother gave birth to you and decided to name you ‘The Doctor’?”

“I guess you could say that.”

Dolly huffed in frustration, though she did not see a point to argue with The Doctor as there were more pressing matters to attend to. “Okay, Doctor, tell me then. What were those things out there?”

“See, well, that’s a bit more complicated.”

“What do you mean more complicated?” Dolly was practically steaming as she awaited for the Doctor’s answer.

“Those carolers out there aren’t just regular carolers.”

“Well, yeah, no shit,” Dolly muttered.

The Doctor grinned his stupid grin and Dolly watched as he struggled to form a cohesive sentence in his poor attempt to calm her down.

“Those things are called the Harmonium. They’re . . . entities from a dimension called the Choral Nexus. A sort of pocket dimension that feeds off their melodies. But, as it seems, they’re running out of power . . . they’re going to different dimensions to feed off of human souls, emotions and heart beats. Anything that represents a life and or soul. A last resort to sustain their form and their dimension. When they start to lose power, they make that . . . screeching noise that you just heard. Completely and utterly ear curdling, and it means that their entire existence is on the brink of disappearing.”

Dolly felt as though the Doctor’s intense gaze could bore a hole in her skull as he waited for her answer. Though she knew it was bad to laugh, a loud and–frankly obnoxious–laugh escaped her mouth and practically echoed in the mysterious area that was in. Dolly laughed and laughed until it felt like she could laugh no longer. Only until she had tears in her eyes and fog building on the lenses of her glasses could she look at the Doctor and realize that his expression was completely and utterly serious.

“You mean to tell me that those carolers are aliens from a different dimension? You really think I’m that gullible? I mean, I know we just met but give me a break!” Dolly continued to laugh. “Ah, you’re funny, mystery man.” She walked towards the center of the room the two were standing in as she examined the complicated switches and handles that presented themselves in front of her. It looked as if Dolly and the Doctor were on a complicated airplane. Dolly let out once more exasperated laughter and shook her head. “Also, I’m still not past the fact that your parents named you the Doctor.”

The Doctor watched her in confusion as she paced back and forth. “You need to realize I’m telling you the truth, Dolly-”

“For the love of God! How. Do. You. Know. My. Name?” Dolly advanced towards the man feeling frustration begin to bubble in her chest. This man had given her emotional whiplash like she had never experienced in her life and he just expected her to believe him? This intense lie, or figment of his imagination, that he has morphed into a story. It’s no more than a fairytale, Dolly thought. But then, she remembered the black snow. The beautiful music and their ethereal presence. How their music has turned into screeching, and the intense fear that those . . . carolers had made her feel. The realization Dolly had made crashed into her like a thousand bricks to the chest. He wasn’t lying. This mysterious man–Doctor–was telling the truth. Their eyes locked and Dolly watched as the Doctor’s eyes softened. Whether it was an attempt to calm her down, once more, or he was a naturally tranquil individual, Dolly felt her shoulders relax. “Aliens?” Dolly whispered to the man.

“Aliens. Sort of. Think of them as parasites. Beautiful parasites, but parasites nonetheless. They can’t live on their own. These need a host, a battery of sorts, to keep them going. They live to sing, and when they can’t sing . . . they can’t live. Only, they can’t sing unless they have a host. I’m thinking that their dimension’s host must have . . . ,” The Doctor stopped speaking as he stared past Dolly.

“Must have what?” Dolly questioned.

“Their host must have died. Given out. Gone to the other side. I’m not too sure, I don’t have much experience with the Choral Nexus” the Doctor said as he inched in very close to Dolly’s face, the minty breath hitting her face as he spoke in barely a whisper. “All I know is that there is no more host. And now . . .” The Doctor locked eyes with Dolly. “We’re their host.”

“W-what does that mean? How do we stop that?” Dolly questioned as the Doctor ran to his tweed jacket with a fervor she hadn’t yet seen from him.

The Doctor tousled his hair and threw off his glasses without a second to spare. “We need to figure out how the Harmonium got here in the first place. There would need to be a tether in time and space, a crack of sorts.” The Doctor paced. “But, it would also have to be related to music . . . and, in a place that’s largely populated. Where people are always happy. Especially recently. That’s just so specific though. I can’t imagine a place like that.”

Dolly looked puzzled at the Doctor as though the answer were in plain sight. “I mean, speaking very literally . . . the Netherbow Bell is right in the heart of Edinburgh, with a large crack and it’s situated right next to the The World’s End pub, quite literally one of the most popular pubs in all of Edinburgh.” Dolly stated the fact as if the Doctor should have just known that. Rather than acting surprised, the Doctor ran towards Dolly while cupping her round face in his hands and kissing her forehead.

“You, my dear, are a genius.”

Dolly cracked a smile, allowing one of her dimples to shine. “I am?”

“You are!” The Doctor ran–practically skipped–towards the console of complicated buttons and levers that sat in the center of the unknown space the two were standing in. Dolly watched as the Doctor eyed the console with glee, and as his hand clutched tightly onto a lever, he turned towards her with a wild smile. “I would advise you to hold onto something.”

Dolly knitted her brows, but listened to him, as she clutched into the railing to her left. “Why do you say-” Before she could finish her sentence, the Doctor pulled down his lever and Dolly felt her stomach lurch. The only way Dolly could describe the feeling her body was going through was similar to her first time she convinced her parents to let her ride the Gravitron. The feeling of butterflies that started and your toes and flew up all the way to your head. The light headedness that seemed almost instantaneous and the feeling of bile beginning to crawl its way up her throat. Dolly braced herself to get sick, but just as soon as the lurching started, it stopped immediately as the two came to a halting stop.

“What was that?” Dolly questioned, though a bit out of breath. The Doctor smiled as he made his way to the set of doors.

“You’ll get used to it.” He responded while patting her shoulder.

Dolly turned to face the Doctor as he toyed with the door.

“Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?”

The Doctor didn’t answer. Rather, he opened the door and allowed Dolly to walk out first. As she exited the . . . well, Dolly didn’t really know what it was. As she exited the thing she examined the space in front of her.

The John Knox House.

This wasn’t the alleyway that she had been trapped in. That alleyway was on the complete opposite end of Edinburgh. It would have taken her close to forty-five minutes to walk it, especially on a night such as the one she trudged through. The snow was no friend to the city of Edinburgh and its continuous uphill cobblestone streets.

Dolly stepped further out of the . . . thing she had the Doctor had just transported in and turned to see exactly what she had been stuck inside of.

Confusion was the first emotion that washed over Dolly like a tidal wave. In front of her stood an unassuming police box, blue in color, and small in size.

Dolly eyed the Doctor who leaned on the doorframe of the police box with his arms crossed rather smugly. She squinted looking past him and she examined the space she had been in moments prior. Much larger than a police box in size. Much larger than her apartment, perhaps even the pub.

“How the?” Dolly whispered as she pushed past the Doctor and entered the police box once more. Inside the box had been no different than it was moments prior. The same translucent floor, honeycomb-patterned glass that illuminated from below by a warm orange glow, giving the room an ethereal atmosphere. Walls made of a coral-like, ribbed texture with an almost living quality, colored in shades of bronze and gold. An open ceiling suspended above the console is a chaotic lattice of wires, metal rods, and glowing components that spiral upward, evoking the image of a technological cathedral.

Not a police box. Nothing like a police box. Dolly raced out into the streets of Edinburgh once more and examined the unassuming police box that blended in seamlessly with the streets. She eyed the Doctor, who watched her with amusement. Dolly circled the perimeter of the police box, just making sure that there was no . . . room that could be holding this extra space. Yet, the backside of the police box fell short of any sort of extension. Dolly circled the box once more, feeling its walls. Looking for an explanation. Anything to make sense of the sight in front of her. She circled and circled until she collided with the Doctor's chest, and he used his hands to steady her shoulders as he had done earlier in the night.

“Are you okay?” The Doctor questioned.

“It’s . . . it’s-” Dolly fell short of words. She looked at the Doctor who had cocked an amused brow. “The box. It’s . . . I mean, the inside is just so.” Dolly palmed her hair in frustration and awe. “I mean, the outside is just so. Everything about this is just-”

“Are you going to finish your sentence?” The Doctor was much taller than Dolly, and though she was never one to shy away from a conversation, she couldn’t find the words to describe the thoughts that raced around in her head.

After a moment of intense staring at the Doctor’s chest, more especially his bright red bow tie, Dolly met his eyeline and shook her head. “Who are you? Like actually.” The Doctor nodded and licked his lips, a habit Dolly had noticed he performed frequently within the short time they had known each other.

“Wow, okay. Going right for the heavy hitting questions. Usually we have a bit of banter back and forth about the TARDIS. You say ‘it’s bigger on the inside than it is on the outside’ and then I laugh and we go on our merry way-”

“A TARDIS? What is a TARDIS?” She interrupted.

The Doctor now spoke to her as if this were a fact she was supposed to know. “TARDIS. Time and Relevant Dimension in Space. Now, what was I saying-”

Dolly’s mouth fell open. “You’re meaning to tell me that this thing.” Dolly waved her arms at the police box. “This thing is meant to be a time traveling device?”

“Bingo! It took you long enough, but time machine is the correct term.” The Doctor snapped his fingers in Dolly’s face which caused her to swat him away.

“Well, I apologize. It’s not like I’m running into people with time machines on the daily.” A dry and flustered laugh escaped her lips. “That leads me to my initial question. Who are you? Or should I say, what are you?”

The Doctor let out a sigh, though it sounded more entertained than anything. “It really is ‘all work, no play’ with you, isn’t it?”

“No. I can play. Only when I understand the ‘work’ that you’re referring to.”

The Doctor put his arms up in surrender. “Fair.” Dolly watched as his gaze met her’s and he nodded. “Remember how I said that the Harmonium are entities, much like aliens?”

“Yes.”

“Well, the only reason that I know that, is because . . . I’m also an alien. I’m a type of alien called the ‘Time Lord’.” Dolly’s expression was unmoving, as she tried to comprehend exactly what the Doctor was explaining to her. “I’m in charge of maintaining and monitoring the flow of time across space and the universe. If I feel a disruption, I come and fix it. Earth just happens to have a lot of disruptions.”

“So you’re telling me that you’re an alien?”

The Doctor nodded.

Dolly shook her head, unaccepting of the information that he had fed her. “Aliens are supposed to be green and shorter. They have big black eyes and three fingers. They’re ugly. You’re . . . you’re not ugly. Frankly, you’re quite cute.”

“Why, thank you.”

“That’s not a compliment! If you’re an alien, and you look like that–” Dolly pointed at the Doctor’s physique. “Then is this just a mask? How do I know you’re not a green alien that had three fingers and beady black eyes?”

The Doctor laughed. “I mean, you’re going to have to trust me. Have I lied to you?”

“Well, no.”

“Exactly. I haven’t lied to you, and I’m not planning on lying.” The Doctor strode closer to Dolly. “And by the way, not all aliens look like that. Frankly, it’s quite rude to make an assumption like that.”

“Are you being serious?” Dolly questioned with a scoff.

“Deathly serious,” the Doctor retorted.

“Okay, well riddle me this. Why, out of all the people in Edinburgh, did you come to me. I mean . . . you must have known that I saw the carolers, right?”

The Doctor looked impressed with Dolly’s question despite the irritation plastered on her face. “You’d think that, wouldn’t you?” The Doctor ruffled Dolly’s dirty blonde waves. “Believe it or not, I truly just wanted a cup of tea. Realizing you saw the Harmonium was pure luck, in a sense. Brilliant, isn’t it?”

“Brilliant? I’m not too sure if brilliant is the right word used to describe this night.”

“Well, I suppose you and I have seen it in two different lights. And that being said, we have a task at hand. Where is that bell?” The Doctor advanced towards the John Knox house leaving Dolly by herself to gawk at the man.

“You’ve got some nerve, mister.”

The Doctor turned to Dolly. “How do you mean?”

Dolly’s hand flew to her hair in frustration once more. “You do realize just how insane this all sounds, right? The entire night has been insane, and you just expect me to follow you into the John Knox House and act like everything is fine?”

“I mean you don’t have to follow me, but if you don’t, the Harmonium will try to strip all emotion and soul away from Edinburgh. They will kill people in an attempt to find a new host. And as it happens, a human cannot be a host, so then that would be quite a major loss for Edinburgh as the city will slowly–and pardon me for being too graphic-die.”

“What do you mean die?”

“Dolly, it’s quite simple; if the Harmonium continue to feed off of human hosts the human will die. Humans were not bred to be hosts for the Harmonium. They don’t have the capacity to keep these parasites alive. In turn, people will die, if they haven’t already. You were lucky that I caught you at the perfect time, but who knows? There may be an unlucky lad out in Edinburgh who was too bladdered, and happened to be in the wrong place and wrong time. It’s not a matter of if people will die, Dolly. It’s a matter of when.”

As the Doctor spoke, Dolly’s whole body turned rigid. Behind his tall figure, situated at the end of the street, a beautiful choir of ethereal singers began their song. “Doctor,” Dolly whispered. “They’re here.”

“Already?” The Doctor turned his body so that his back created a shield of sorts for Dolly. From over his shoulder, she watched as the- once beautiful and all-consuming–creatures had morphed into motionless creatures in the snow. The golden cloaks of the Harmonium shimmered unnaturally, the light dimming as though being absorbed into their very forms. Beneath the fading radiance, their features began to twist. Smooth, angelic faces turned gaunt, hollow, and shadowed, their eyes sinking into black voids. Their hands, once delicate and inviting, elongated into skeletal talons that shimmered with an iridescent sheen, as though they were forged from the very essence of despair.

Dolly’s eyes widened at the sight, as she grabbed a hold of the Doctor’s tweed jacket sleeve and whispered towards him. “Doctor, what do we do?” The two watched as the Harmonium began to advance towards the two, leaving their infamous trail of black snow in their path. Dolly felt her breath hitch as she sensed something behind her. Whipping her head around, Dolly gasped as she spotted a second choir of Harmonium dozing their way towards the two. She shook the sleeve of the Doctor’s jacket once more. “Doctor, what do we do?”

The Doctor didn’t speak for a moment. Dolly watched as he toyed with his pocket only to reveal a . . . gadget of sorts. To Dolly, it looked as though it was a mix of a mechanical pencil and screwdriver. Dolly questioned what in the world he would possibly need such a gadget for, but before Dolly could begin to question him, the Doctor grabbed a hold of Dolly’s hand and the two ran towards the entrance of the John Knox House.

“Doctor, it’s closed!” Dolly said. Though, the Doctor didn’t listen. Rather, he pointed his silly gadget to the lock of the door and a high-pitched, electronic buzzing sound erupted in Dolly’s ears. Within a moment, the door to the House unlocked and the two were running towards the entrance, as the Doctor locked the door once more and placed a chair under the handle. “What is that thing?”

The Doctor examined the gadget in his hand and smiled. “This is my sonic screwdriver.”

“Your sonic what?” Dolly shook her head, remembering their prior conversation and nothing had truly been resolved. “You know what, a different story for a different time. How do you get rid of those . . . things! And why are they completely terrifying now?”

“They’re losing power faster than they were anticipating. They need a host and since they had almost gotten to you, you could say they’re . . . latched on to you in a way.”

“What!” Dolly exclaimed. “They’ve latched on to me? This is impossible! I mean, how in the world do you get rid of them?” The Doctor didn’t answer. “Doctor, you do know how to get rid of them, right?”

“I have a concept, but . . . I’ve never dealt with the Harmonium before. They’ve been, for the most part, very peaceful. Something truly awful must’ve happened to their host if they’re latching on to ordinary people like you.”

“Ouch,” Dolly muttered.

“You know what I mean.”

Dolly rolled her eyes, and just as she had taken a deep breath in, the sound of pounding erupted from outside. She yelped as the Doctor grabbed onto her hand once more. “Where is the bell, Dolly?”

“On the top floor!” The two dashed up the staircase, which felt one million times longer when the only separation between one’s self and death was a flimsy wooden door. As they raced higher and higher up, Dolly heard the crashing of the wooden door to the ground and the sound of screeching amplify. “They made it inside, Doctor!”

The Doctor didn’t answer. He was too focused on getting them to the top floor of the blasted house. The Doctor needed that bell.

What felt like an eternity of its own finally came to an end. The Doctor and Dolly had successfully made it to the top of the House staircase, where all that was separating the two from the bell was another door. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to unlock the frame again, and only then, did the beautiful cracked bell come into view.

“Ah, yes!” The Doctor made his way towards the bell and its large copper exterior. “You beautiful mammoth, you!” Dolly watched as the Doctor waved his sonic screwdriver over the bell, and nodded. “This is it!” He faced Dolly. “You’re a genius, truly.”

“That’s the portal?”

“Is it the portal?” The Doctor laughed mockingly. “This is only one of the most complicated portals I’ve ever seen.”

Dolly eyed the bell, wondering how the large piece of metal could be anything more than just an old bell. “This is complicated?”

“Oh the human mind, so small and unknowing.” The Doctor skipped around the bell as if he were a small child released for a long winter holiday. “The portal is quite advanced. It works in a three part harmony that is usually achievable with the two Harmonium and the bell, but due to their . . . transformation, it can’t be completed anymore.”

“So you’re saying out of a three part harmony, there’s only one achievable part and it’s the bell?”

“What? No, not at all!” The Doctor wagged his finger and he circled the bell once more. “I know their screeching doesn’t sound particularly pleasant . . . but, it’s all one note. At the end of the day a harmony is still a harmony, right?”

“Sure . . . ,” Dolly said in an unconvinced voice.

“The issue is, where are we going to find a third part? One that feeds their need for a host, while simultaneously creating a perfect three part harmony.”

“I hate to be a Debbie-Downer, but I fear that that is impossible.”

The Doctor laughed, as he so often did, and faced Dolly. “You Americans and your funny little sayings. ‘Debbie-Downer’. What a fun phrase.”

“What?” Dolly shook her head. “Doctor, we need to focus.”

"You're right! What can we use... what can we—" Dolly's words trailed off as she noticed the Doctor’s eyes light up, fixated on something beyond her.

“Yes, sir! Come to papa!” the Doctor exclaimed, charging past her toward a small table nestled against the wall. Resting neatly on the table was a tape recorder, the kind used for guided tours in the John Knox House.

The device, typically employed by tour guides to record narratives about the house's layout and history, allowed patrons to pause, rewind, or fast-forward at their leisure. The Doctor snatched it up with a triumphant grin.

“This is exactly what we need!” he declared.

“A tape recorder?”

“Yes! A tape recorder.”

“What are you going to do with it?”

The Doctor turned to Dolly with an apologetic smile. “Like I said, I’ve never dealt with the Harmonium. I’m going off of the tales I’ve been told about their kind. So if this doesn’t work . . . let’s just say, we’re out of feasible options.”

“Doctor, what! You waited to tell me that after we made it to the top floor and became trapped by the Harmonium?”

The Doctor bit his lip, suddenly realizing the full scale of the situation. “I’m sorry . . .”

“I cannot believe this!”

“Dolly, listen. I think this will work. I’m going to take off my shirt, and I’m going to need you to place this tape recorder up to my chest.”

Dolly’s face went red with embarrassment by his request. Though the two had been through quite the rollercoaster together, the Doctor was still a mere stranger to her. “You want me to do what?”

“You heard me! Hold this tape recording up to my chest.”

Before Dolly had any time to process the Doctor’s orders, he had ripped off his tweed jacket, bow tie and button down. When he was completely shirtless, Dolly had placed a tape recorder to his chest, while she made intent and committed eye contact with the Doctor.

“Now what?” The Doctor placed his sonic screwdriver to the tape recorder, and the sound of a steady pouding amplified from its speakers. “What is that?” Dolly questioned. “It sounds like a heartbeat.”

“That’s because it is a heartbeat. It’s my heartbeat. And I’ve turned this tape recorder into a makeshift sonic modulator.”

“A what?”

“A makeshift modulator.” The Doctor pointed to the volume control. “When you turn this up, the pitch of my heartbeat should be higher, rather than louder. And vice versa when you turn it down.”

Dolly tested his theory, and turned up the volume control. Just as he had promised, rather than the volume getting louder, the pitch of the Doctor’s heartbeat turned higher. Dolly smiled. “This is amazing.”

“It’ll be amazing if this works,” the Doctor whispered in Dolly’s ear and at the same moment, the wooden door that had led them to the bell started to slam. Dolly felt her heartbeat begin to increase, and as if the Doctor could feel the quickened pace, he gently took hold of her face and forced Dolly to lock eyes with him. “Dolly, I need you to listen to me. We need to be very quick. In a moment the Harmonium are going to barge through that door. They’re going to make their way towards you, but I need you to ring that bell when I tell you to. Can you do that?” Dolly nodded. “Good girl, when you ring the bell, I will play this recording of my heart beat and it will create a three-part harmony with their screeching. The portal will be opened. I need you to listen closely. You’re going to have to walk towards the portal. And when you’re close enough, I’m going to throw this tape recorder through the portal, and . . .” The Doctor’s voice fizzled out.

“And what Doctor?”

He shook his head. “I’m going to push them in.”

“Push them? That’s your genius plan? You’re going to push them and pray that this works?”

“Do you have a better idea?”

That retort shut Dolly up quite quickly. “Fair. Pushing it is.”

“That’s what I thought.” The Doctor shot back, becoming far more sassy as the stress of their situation became far more realistic. “Okay, Dolly, they’ll be through in just a moment. Take that mallet and get ready!”

The Doctor had been correct, as the Harmonium dozed through the wooden door and advanced towards the two. The Doctor shot a glance at Dolly, who nodded in assurance back to him. Though their plan was crazy, it was the only plan they had. It had to work.

Dolly waited for the Doctor’s instructions. She waited for Harmonium to make their way towards her, yet they never did. Dolly watched in horror as they advanced towards the Doctor, catching him off-guard and confused.

“Doctor!” Dolly exclaimed as he attempted to bypass them, which in turn, only cornered him even more. The Doctor was trapped and Dolly could only watch as the horror scene played out in front of her.

“Dolly, ring the bell!” The screeching of the Harmonium was almost too loud to hear through, but Dolly managed to understand the Doctor’s instructions as she readied her mallet to hit the bell. As she brought the mallet to the copper of the Netherbow Bell, she watched as the Doctor’s expression went blank and his eyes went to the back of his head as he slumped to the ground.

“No!” She exclaimed as she rang the bell. What was Dolly to do? The Doctor had an idea of a plan, whereas Dolly had no clue exactly what she was up against. These parasites were completely otherworldly to her, and she couldn’t seem to recall the last time she sent a creature back to its own dimension. Though these thoughts raced through her mind, Dolly’s hands worked before her brain and a booming crack from the metal bell chimed through her ears.

Dolly waited in breathless anticipation as the Harmonium ceased their soul-sapping chant and turned toward her. “Shit, shit, shit,” she whispered, running through the Doctor’s instructions in her head. She needed the sonic modulator. Her eyes darted across the chaotic scene until they landed on it, lying near the Doctor’s slumped figure.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she muttered. With no time for a plan, Dolly dove into action, sliding across the wooden floor like a Bond heroine. She slipped past the Harmonium, her heart pounding, and landed beside the unconscious Doctor and the sonic modulator, unable to understand how that had actually worked.

“Please, please work,” she murmured, clutching the tape recorder and switching it on. The high-pitched screech of the Harmonium mingled with the low, rhythmic base of the bell’s sound waves and the faint, pulsing heartbeat of the Doctor. Together, they formed visible waves in the air—like the odd static Dolly was used to seeing on her TV while watching SNL.

At first, the waves were consistent, almost hypnotic, but they quickly grew erratic, shifting unpredictably in size and intensity. Then, as if reality itself began to tear, Dolly saw pockets of something utterly alien appear—fragments of a dimension unlike her own.

The portal opened with a shimmering ripple, revealing a world alive with music. The Choral Nexus stretched endlessly before her, its skies shimmering with luminescent colors that ebbed and flowed like the strokes of a painter’s brush. Vast crystalline spires floated weightlessly, glowing with refracted light that pulsed in time to an unseen rhythm.

“It’s beautiful,” Dolly thought, her breath catching in awe. “Absolutely beautiful.”

But there was no time to marvel. Gripping the tape recorder tightly, she turned her gaze to the Doctor’s unconscious form and nodded resolutely. “We’re getting out of this, Doctor.”

Without hesitation, Dolly hurled the tape recorder into the portal, her pulse quickening as the sound of the Doctor’s heartbeat faded. The three-part harmony fractured, and the portal began to shrink rapidly.

Dolly inhaled deeply, preparing herself for what came next. With adrenaline surging, she sprinted toward the Harmonium, determination etched on her face. She shoved against them with every ounce of strength she had, their weakened resistance surprising her. It was as if they had resigned themselves to her efforts, almost welcoming the push back into their dimension.

The portal shimmered and pulsed, its edges closing in, and Dolly’s world collided with theirs in one final, desperate act of defiance.

“I. Need. You. To. Leave!” Dolly exclaimed with one last push, as the portal closed and the weight from her arms felt very light. Dolly opened her eyes to examine her surroundings.

No portal, no visible sound waves and no carolers.

The Harmonium were gone and Dolly couldn’t help but to let out a sigh of relief. Relief quickly turned into uncontrollable laughing as the reality of what had happened hit her like a train. She had battled aliens, and won. How that was possible, she wasn’t sure. But Dolly had no time to complain, as she eyed the Doctor who was still slumped over in a pile next to her.

“Doctor!” Dolly exclaimed as she fetched his tweed jacket to cover his chest. Though it had been bitterly cold, Dolly hadn’t noticed while facing the Harmonium. Very quickly, the temperature of Scotland’s winter weather caught up with her and she quickly realized just how bitter the chill had been. “Oh God, Doctor. Wake up please.” Dolly brushed the hair out of his face as she lightly slapped his cheeks in a sad attempt to wake him up. Though pathetic, it seemed to work as the Doctor’s eyes opened slowly. “Oh, Doctor!”

Dolly hugged the Doctor’s frame, as he woke up from his unconscious state and without missing a beat, he had wrapped his arms around her frame. “Are they gone?” The Doctor’s raspy voice questioned.

“Yes, they’re gone,” Dolly whispered into his shoulder.

“Did you do that?”

Dolly laughed. “I had a great mentor.”

The Doctor chuckled, still clearly dazed, and likely confused, from what had happened.

“Come on, let’s get your shirt back on,” Dolly said as she stood up and retrieved his clothing. The realization that the Doctor had no shirt on quickly brought him back to life as he stood up fast, while snatching his button up from Dolly’s hands.

“Doctor?”

“Yes?” The Doctor answered as he fastened his bowtie around his neck.

“Remember how you said that the Harmonium need a host?” He nodded. “Well, now that we’ve sent them back, who will be the new host?”

The Doctor managed his infamous grin despite being dazed and confused moments before. “Smart girl. You know how I said I’d throw the sonic modulator into the portal?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’m their new host now.”

Dolly shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“Because I’m not human, I have the capacity to become a host. The sonic modulator will be used to emit my heartbeat to their entire dimension. The sonic screwdriver created an endless sound loop from the tape recorder. My heartbeat will never cease, even if the batteries of the tape recorder die.”

“But won’t that wear away at you?”

“I don’t think I mentioned it earlier, but put your ear up to my chest.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just do it.” The Doctor stood painstakingly still as Dolly placed her ear up to the Doctor’s chest to hear his heart.

“I hear your heart.” The Doctor didn’t speak, rather, he moved her head gently to her left as she heard another heart beat. She met his gaze in bewilderment. “Two hearts.”

“Two hearts.”

“That’s . . . incredible.”

The Doctor’s face went slightly red as he nodded. “Shall we be on our way?” Dolly nodded and the two made their way down the spiral staircase out into the familiar cobblestone streets of Edinburgh. Dolly caught a glimpse of the snow. What had been black reverted back to a pristine white. As if the Harmonium had never been there in the first place.

Dolly couldn’t help but smile at the absolute bizarre experience she had experienced. Part of her wondered if it had all been a dream, but another part of her, nagging at her like a relentless child, told her to believe what had just happened. Believe that something so strangely fascinating could exist.

“Happy Christmas, Dolly,” the Doctor said as he made his way towards the TARDIS. “How are you spending your holiday?”

Dolly turned towards the odd man. “I’m going home and sleeping for many, many hours.”

“That’s all you're doing?”

Dolly nodded her head. “I’m not a Christmas person.”

The Doctor contemplated her words carefully. “Well, do you want to go anywhere?”

“Huh?”

The Doctor grinned and patted the blue exterior of the TARDIS. “You didn’t think the TARDIS could only travel through Edinburgh, right?”

“You mean to tell me the TARDIS can go anywhere?”

He nodded, a bemused expression plastered on his face. “Anywhere in time and space.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Dolly brought her thumb to her mouth, teeth grazing her nail without fully biting down. “Can you take me to 67 Meyer Road in Maxton, Massachusetts?”

The Doctor raised his brows, clearly puzzled by the request, but ultimately, he stepped aside and opened the TARDIS doors granting her entrance. Dolly tentatively walked inside and instinctively grabbed the railing lining the stairs, bracing herself for what was to come.

“Are you holding something?” The Doctor asked.

Dolly nodded, her grip tightening as that familiar mix of butterflies and nausea churned within her. The jerky movement of the TARDIS sent her body swaying, but just as quickly as it began, the feeling stopped. The police box landed with a final thud.

The Doctor strode toward the doors and glanced back at Dolly. She was taking far longer to exit than he anticipated. “Are you ready?”

“Sorry, sorry. Yeah, I am,” she replied softly.

The Doctor pushed the door open, and the two stepped out side by side. His brow furrowed deeper as he took in the scene. “Dolly, are you sure you gave me the right address?”

In front of them stood a looming prison, encircled by a high, guarded fence.

“No, this is the right place,” Dolly said, her tone resolute. She pointed to a window where a small piece of paper clung to the glass. “See that window?” The Doctor nodded. “That’s my dad.” The Doctor gawked at the news. “And see that paper? That was the last letter I wrote to him.”

The Doctor turned to her, his voice gentle. “Dolly, I’m sorry.”

Her eyes stayed fixed on the window, feeling slightly teary eyed. She hadn’t expected to cry at the sight of the prison, but the night had been full of surprises. “This is why I don’t like Christmas. Why I don’t mind taking a double shift, or sleeping for an absurd amount of time during the day. My dad’s in prison, my mom’s dead, and I won’t have another ‘family’ Christmas until I’m forty-seven and he’s released.”

“I understand,” the Doctor said quietly.

A heavy silence fell between them as Dolly continued to stare at the window. Finally, she spoke again, her voice softer now. “I’m sorry if I was a bitch tonight.”

The Doctor chuckled at her bluntness. “A bitch?”

Dolly let out a small laugh. “I mean it. I was a bitch.”

“You weren’t,” he assured her. “And even if you were, you saved us tonight. I’d say that’s pretty heroic. Something a bitch surely wouldn’t do, right?”

She laughed while wiping at her nose. “You think?” A tentative smile tugging at her lips. For reasons she didn’t fully understand, Dolly felt the need to rest her head on the Doctor’s shoulder. In response, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, a gesture of quiet comfort. The two stood in silence for quite some time. Taking in the quietness that blanketed them.

“You know,” the Doctor murmured, “I could use a travel companion.”

“What?” Dolly tilted her head to look at him.

“It’s Christmas,” he said. “I asked where you wanted to go, and we came here. But we could go somewhere else too. Anywhere else. We could have a classic Victorian Christmas, visit prehistoric times and frolic with dinosaurs, or even join Marie Antoinette for some cake.” The Doctor raised an eyebrow in her direction.”What do you say?”

Dolly chuckled, a faint sparkle in her eyes. “You want me to come with you?”

The Doctor nodded, his expression making it clear he thought the answer was obvious. “What do you say?” He stepped back into the TARDIS, leaving the door open . . . almost like a dare. A dare to explore. Break free of the mold that Dolly had created for herself.

Dolly bit her lip, as she contemplated, though she had made up her mind quickly. A grin spread across her face as she stepped through the blue police box doors. Before she fully entered, she turned back to the prison, her gaze lingering on her father’s cell. For a brief moment, she thought she saw a figure outlined against the glass. On instinct, she lifted her hand in a small wave . . . just in case he was watching.

“Merry Christmas, Dad,” she whispered into the cold night.

With a nod to herself, Dolly shut the TARDIS doors and took in the machine’s interior with fresh eyes. She couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across her face as she blurted out, “It’s bigger on the inside than it is on the outside!”

“Finally! I didn’t feel right for you not to say that.” The Doctor exclaimed with exaggerated glee as he dashed to the console, pressing buttons, flipping switches, and gripping the lever that signaled their next adventure.

“Are you ready, Dolly?”

Dolly grinned. “I think I am.”

"Good," the Doctor said, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he gripped the TARDIS lever. "Because your universe is about to get a whole lot bigger."

#doctor who #11th doctor #tardis #dr who #matt smith #christmas #the doctor #sonic screwdriver #orginal character #edinburgh #happy christmas #whovian #fanfic #ao3 fanfic #bbc doctor who

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