The writing has left it open and the studio is opened to casting a woman, so it's inevitable at this point, all that's left is for the right actress and writers to break the ice.
Fear of the HeartsThe TARDIS flies across the screen, getting knocked left and right from within the time vortex before cutting inside to The Doctor and Clara, the TARDIS eventually coming to a stopClara: We're here then?
Goes over to the door to take a peek outside and then realizes the Doctor isn't with her, turns around to see...The Doctor: The Doctor returning to the control room with a black cane in hand and a green hat on her head, striking a pose and a smile for ClaraClara You look like you just came from a St. Patty Day parade.
The Doctor: Gives Clara an irritable glance and walks over to the doorThe Doctor pulls open the TARDIS door and steps out, leaving Clara in silent amazement as they stepped out into what looked like an old abandoned town with dark gray clouds covering the sky and sun up above making everything look quite gloomyClara: This is Gallifrey?
The Doctor: Shakes head, opens mouth to shout out hello but nothing comes out, turns around to Clara with her mouth still half openClara: You forgot you can't speak?
The Doctor: Closes mouth and tilted her head to the side signaling for her to speakClara: Hello! (Hello!) Is anybody out here!? (Out here!?) There seems to be an echo.
The Doctor: Tosses her cane into her right hand and then takes out her sonic screwdriver scanning the area and then showing it to Clara as she looked at itClara: I can't read what it says.
The Doctor: Sighs, putting her screwdriver back in her suit jacket and the cane in her left hand before holding up her index finger to Clara and then heading back to the TARDISClara: Doctor, where are you going?
The Doctor: Points the cane at where Clara is standing to tell her to stay put and then returns to the TARDISClara: Folds her arms and looks around as she waitsThe TARDIS begins to sound behind her, Clara spun around to see it starting to fade in and outClara: Doctor!
She ran towards the TARDIS, but by the time she could get to it it had already disappeared and she fell down to her knees, confused and frightened as she hugged herself to keep warm and began to cryThe Doctor: Standing a few feet away from Clara still scanning the area with her screwdriver before turning around at Clara's shouting, confused as she ran over to her side and knelt down in front of herClara: Doctor...
The Doctor: Points to herselfClara: Why did you leave me?
The Doctor: Confused, waves a hand over Clara to get her attentionClara: Doesn't respondThe Doctor: Scans her with the screwdriver and then looks up to see a large mansion at the top of a hill, curious The Doctor carries Clara back inside the TARDIS and sits her down, leaving the TARDIS and then marching towards the hill at the end of the townThe Doctor: Walks up to the entrance of the mansion, tilting her head back to take it all in, staring up in silent amazement before knocking on the door – there was no answer and The Doctor saw it fit to simply let herself in, finding that the entrance was unlocked she let herself inA few steps inside and the door behind The Doctor slam shut on its ownThe Doctor: Spins around to look at the door and then turns back around to look at the entrance hall, gray and made of stone with various portraits of men and women who she assumed was royalty, looking up to see the second floor of the mansion as she entered through the doorway at the end of the room and found herself in a corridor that branched off in several different ways, careful not to lose track of where she came from she turned to the left and slowly headed down the end of the corridor...Dalek: EX-TER-MI-NATE!
The Doctor: Comes to a complete stop with the color leaving her cheeksDalek: Shadow on the wall, turns the corner and faces The Doctor EX-TER-MI-NATE!
The Doctor: Spins around and runs in the other direction, barely missing a shot from the Dalek's gun as she went down another corridor and bumped into...Cyberman: You will be upgraded.
The Doctor: Spins around again, almost losing her hat to the Cyberman who reached out to grab her head as she continued to run, going down the end of another corridor and turning only this time she would see...Weeping Angel Standing in the corner with her hands covering her eyesThe Doctor: Eyes goes up to notice the Weeping Angel had two shadows, looks horrified as she backed away as fast as she could all while keeping her eyes on the Weeping Angel and not blinking until she bumped into something behind her and turned around this time to see...Ice Warrior: Stares The Doctor downThe Doctor: Turns around and instantly leans backWeeping Angel: Hand inches away from The Doctor's face, eyes and teeth looking straight at herThe Doctor: Slips away from the side and keeps running leaving the Ice Warrior to worry about the angel, the shadow still chasing her down alongside the Dalek and the Cyberman, she comes down the last corridor thinking she's finally made it out when all of a sudden she sees a child blocking her path, waving her arms to get his attentionEmpty Child: Turns around revealing the gas mask on his face Are you my mummy?
The Doctor: Raises hand to protest, then looks at herself and runs offEmpty Child: Mummy...! Mummy...!
FollowsThe Doctor: Turns around giving the Empty Child a curious glance before resuming her run and holding onto her hat with her free handDalek: EX-TER-MI-NATE THE DOCTOR!
Cyberman: You will be deleted!
Weeping Angel: Close up to the camera showing her teeth as she moved down her corridorIce Warrior Doctor!
Marches down his corridorVashta Nerada: Stalks the floorThe Doctor: Ends up in a small square shaped room where all the corridors connect surrounded by her enemies, nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, she takes a deep breath as they close in on her position and closes her eyesSilenceThe Doctor: Is waiting to be killed, feels nothing, opens up one eye and looks around while feeling herself to make sure she's still alive before opening the other eyeUnknown: Whispers Clever girl.
The Doctor: Looks around for the source of the voiceUnknown: You managed to see through my illusions, not many can say that. I suppose they were never things you truly feared. Angered, perhaps. Saddened, even. But never fear. Someone as egotistical as you only has one thing in all the universe they can be afraid of.
The Doctor: A chill shot up her spine, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she slowly turned around to see the one thing she feared in all the universeThe Valeyard:
Stands in front of The DoctorThe Doctor: Slowly approaches the image of The Valeyard, emerald green eyes inspecting every last detail of his form before parting her lips The Valeyard.
And being surprised that she was able to speak, bringing a hand up to her throat and tapping it lightly My voice! My voice! My voice? My voice! Ahh! Ohh! Eee! Dee! Doo! Woo! I have a beautiful voice.
Spins around a full 360 degree adjusting her hat and leaning on her cane Well done!
Balances the cane on her elbow so she has both hands free to clap before taking it back in her hand again Well done! You almost had me,
Holds up her index finger and thumb just a few inches away from each other with her free hand but you made one critical mistake. The boy asking for his mother. You see, I fixed that little problem back in London during the Blitz, there is no way he could have been here. The rest I might have believed.
Holds the cane in both hands Now, question of the hour, who are you?
Unknown: You know who I am.
The Doctor: Well, I am me and I'm pretty sure I don't.
Unknown: Can't you feel it, Doctor?
The Doctor: Long pause, eyes widened and a large grin appears on her face when she comes to the realization Of course! Forgive me, new body I'm still breaking her in
Tries not to laugh You're a Time Lord! How are you here?
Unknown: By the hole in the universe you were oh so kind to leave behind for me.
The Doctor: That's not possible, the crack closed back on Trenzalore and furthermore the Time Lords were waiting for my signal to pass through. Had you actually made it through there were over a half a dozen ships around orbit at least one of them would have detected you.
Unknown: You can't detect dreams, Doctor. You can't even remember them when you wake up. They're like a faint whisper, you barely know they're there.
The Doctor: Who are you?
Unknown: You still haven't figured it out? I thought you were supposed to be clever?
The Doctor: WHO ARE YOU?!
The Doctor's feel the presence of someone behind her and turns around to see a child staring back at herThe Doctor: A child?
Unknown: Nightmare.
The Doctor: Stares at the child, shockedFlashback to The End of TimeTen: The Skaro Degradations, the Horde of Travesties, the Nightmare Child, the Could-Have-Been-King with his army of Meanwhiles and Never-weres; the War turned into Hell!
End FlashbackThe Doctor: It's not possible.
The Nightmare Child: Have you forgotten?
Approaches The DoctorThe Doctor: Backs awayThe Nightmare Child: The day you laughed in my face!
The building shookThe Nightmare Child: The arrogance that oozed out of your aged throat!
The Doctor: You shouldn't even have been born. Rassilon was stopped!
The Nightmare Child: Rassilon, yes. But aren't we forgetting someone? Or several someones?
The Doctor: The Could-Have-Been-King.
The Nightmare Child: The army of Meanwhiles and Never-weres.
The Doctor: The war was over, the Daleks were destroyed there was no reason–!
The Nightmare Child: Power is the only reason one need do anything.
The Doctor: So they made you in the hopes to rule Gallifrey?
The Nightmare Child: No, Doctor. To kill you.
The Doctor: I'll just regenerate.
The Nightmare Child: I'll kill you again.
The Doctor: I'll regenerate again.
The Nightmare Child: And I'll kill you again, and again, and again until you learn to stay dead!
The Doctor: Not my style.
Looks at her watch Oh, look at the time. I really have to run. Goodbye, it's been lovely chatting with you.
Runs awayThe Nightmare Child: You can't run away forever!
The Doctor: It's worked for me so far.
Runs towards the exit just as the house starts to collapse, barely makes it out just in time to watch the whole thing fall and the Nightmare Child be hot on her trail, turning back around and entering the TARDIS she started her up and then went over to ClaraClara: I'm all alone... I'm all alone...
The Doctor: Kneels down in front of her and gently places her hands on Clara's shoulders Clara, listen to me. Focus on the sound of my voice – my new voice. I'm right here, you're inside the TARDIS, you're safe. I never left you, I wouldn't dream of it. Dream... Dreams! Of course! You're dreaming!
Stands up The Nightmare Child was talking about dreams, that how it managed to slip past all those ships, that how it managed to create those illusions, I was sleep walking! I need to get back.
Runs around the TARDIS, grabbing herself a frying pan and then whacking herself on the head as hard as she could, stumbling, unable to lose consciousness OW! The things I do for associates.
Starts winding up the arm with the frying pan One unconscious Doctor coming right up!
Whacks herself over the head and collapses to the floorThe Doctor: Wakes up on the TARDIS' floor, everything darker than it was before as she sat up and looked aroundDream Lady: Leaned back in the chair Clara was on before A frying pan? You couldn't have thought of something less... Loony Toons?
The Doctor: Dream Lord, or lady now, I suppose. I still haven't worked that out myself.
Dream Lady: You don't call, you don't write, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me.
The Doctor: I never forget a face.
Dream Lady: So, you're finally ginger.
The Doctor: I know!
Dream Lady: Is there a reason for the Riddler outfit?
The Doctor: Is there a reason for the 1930's gangsters outfit?
Dream Lady: Touche. Needless to say...
Stands up Better than the bow tie.
The Doctor: Not sure I would go that far...
Dream Lady: Why are you here? Oh, that's right... Clara, the Nightmare Child, we've been busy, haven't we?
The Doctor: What do you know of the Nightmare Child? How did it make Clara and I fall asleep but more importantly, how is it able to communicate to the real world?
Dream Lady: Assuming it was communicating to the real world and that wasn't just another dream.
The Doctor: You think it's ripping you off?
Dream Lady: I suppose 'homage' is the term they use these days, but yes. I think it is.
The Doctor: How did we fall asleep? I'm pretty sure there was no psychic pollen in my time rotor after I left Trenzalore.
Dream Lady: There are other ways to fall asleep, Doctor. Like hitting yourself with a frying pan, for instance.
The Doctor: Are you ever going to let that go?
Dream Lady: Thinks about it for a minute No.
The Doctor: I had enough of this. I have to save Clara.
Dream Lady: Oh, right, the Impossible Girl.
The Doctor: Walks over to the TARDIS' doorsDream Lady: Then again, if you didn't die in Trenzalore, there'd be no grave, would there? And if there was no grave there would be nothing for Clara or the Great Intelligence to enter, meaning...
The Doctor: It doesn't matter. Clara Oswald is Clara Oswald.
Opens the doors only to find herself right back in the TARDISDream Lady: Appears in front of The Doctor Pulling open the doors? That's new.
The Doctor: What are you doing?
Dream Lady: I'm enjoying our little chat, hate to see you run off so soon.
The Doctor: Don't play games with me, let me out.
Dream Lady: Why when you're so willing to enter my domain again? We're going to have a lot of fun together.
The Doctor: ENOUGH!
Grabs the Dream Lady and slams her against the wallDream Lady: Smiles Where did this come from?
The Doctor: Let me out! Right now!
Dream Lady: Careful, you're on your thirteen regeneration, wouldn't want to become something you've tried so hard to avoid.
The Doctor: Lets go of the Dream Lady and walks back over to her console, resting the hands against the controls and appearing to have accepted defeat until she took a good hard look at her controls and then back at the Dream Lady Do you know how it's possible to time travel in dreams?
Dream Lady: I'm you, aren't I?
The Doctor: Then you know how much I love to hear myself speak.
Dream Lady: The dream world is parallel to our own, one way we can time travel is as we would while we're awake.
The Doctor: Eureka!
Starts up the TARDISDream Lady: What are you doing?
The Doctor: Sleep flying!
Cut to The Doctor flying the TARDIS in her sleep before returning to the dream worldThe Doctor: I'm setting a course straight for a burning star! If you don't let me out of this TARDIS we all die.
Dream Lady: Clara would die too!
The Doctor: If I can't wake Clara up she's already dead. What's it going to be, Dreamy? We melt in a star we won't have anything left to regenerate. It'll be the end of us.
Dream Lady: You're bluffing!
The Doctor: You're me, I'm sure you know.
The TARDIS flies across space as the two stare each other down, both starting to sweat as the Dream Lady snapped her fingers and the TARDIS doors came open to reveal what was just outside, The Doctor stopped her current course and returned to the planet giving the Dream Lady a pat on the shoulder before heading outThe Doctor: By the way...
Exits the TARDIS I was bluffing.
Dream Lady: The TARDIS doors closed on a displeased Dream Lady's faceThe Doctor: Turns around to see the back of Clara's head, still on her knees, crying with gray hair, she slowly walks over to her and gently lays a hand on her shoulder Clara.
Clara: Turns her head around to see The Doctor, face and hands wrinkly as she stood up Doctor...
The Doctor: Oh Clara.
Clara: You left me! YOU LEFT ME!
Starts hitting The DoctorThe Doctor: Blocks Clara, please! Clara!
Stops her hands This isn't real! None of this is real! You're in the TARDIS the same age you were when you thought I left. This is a dream.
The Nightmare Child: No, Doctor. It's a nightmare!
The empty space in front of them tore in two and The Doctor grabbed Clara and held her close to protect her as a long stream of energy appeared through the crack and opened like that of a jaw belonging to a great beastClara: Who is that!?
The Doctor: The Nightmare Child. One of the horrors from Gallifrey during the war.
Clara: What's it doing here?
The Doctor: Long story.
The Nightmare Child: You should have destroyed us when you had the chance, Doctor. Now you and your associate will sleep... forever! And I will be the keeper of your final resting place!
The Doctor: That's it, then? That's your big master plan? Put us in a coma? Use Clara as bait so I'd follow her to you? Collar me disappointed.
The Nightmare Child: SILENCE!
The Doctor: I've been doing a lot of that lately, no thanks.
The Nightmare Child: Even in the face of your death you choose to be smug?
The Doctor: I do. Because with all your power, all your boasting and your desire to see the end of me you've forgotten one very, very, important detail!
The Nightmare Child: That is?
The Doctor: I'm The Doctor and Clara and I never left the TARDIS.
Cut to showing The Doctor and Clara sleeping soundlessly in the TARDIS before cutting back to the dreamThe Doctor: And I did set a collision course but not to a burning star, a planet! Because knowing you you'd make sure we'd be in too deep to wake up by conventional means, but I figured crashing would give us both enough of a jolt to wake up so in the words of my predecessor... GERONIMO!
The TARDIS enters an alien planet's atmosphere, falling through the sky scaring off birds as it collides into the ground, fire and smoke coming up from the TARDIS as it joined with debris from the crash, sliding across the ground and knocking over trees as it laid on its side, the door being kicked in from the inside and then burst open as The Doctor and Clara rolled out of the TARDIS and stood up to survey the damageThe Doctor: Oh no! Oh no, Sexy!
Removes her suit jacket and waves it around to put out the fire and blow the smoke awayClara: Doctor, where are we? Looks like a jungle.
The Doctor: I'm a little busy at the moment!
Continues to tend to the TARDISClara: So, this is the real world, then? We're not dreaming?
The Doctor: One way to find out.
Walks over to Clara and slaps herClara: Holds onto her cheek in shockThe Doctor: Nope. Not dreaming.
Clara: You slapped me!
The Doctor: So? You've slapped me before.
Goes back to the TARDIS This is going to take all day to fix.
Clara: Rubs her cheek The creature back there, the Nightmare Child, is it gone?
The Doctor: No. That isn't something you defeat in one take. Laugh in the face of, yes. Outsmart, yes. Defeat? No. Every time we stop to take a rest we risk another encounter with it.
Clara: What was 'it' exactly?
The Doctor: A Time Lord harnessed into a weapon to fight against the Daleks. One of Rassilon's, the founder of the Time Lords, early plans to combat them when they invaded Gallifrey. I watched it devour their command ship whole!
Clara: But you destroyed the Daleks, when you and... the other yous saved Gallifrey.
The Doctor: Exactly, there would have been no reason to create the Nightmare Child, except...
Clara: Except?
The Doctor: Sits on the TARDIS and bring her hands through her hair Except there were others who would have done it anyways for their own means. There were more than just the Daleks that day, terrors that drove me to do what I did. And by rewriting history, by saving Gallifrey, I brought them all back. We have to find Gallifrey, Clara. We have to save it before it all burns to ashes!
FIN