Here is a little preview chapter for my next fic, which I will devote my time to after "Sex, Love & Rock 'N Roll", but I think we can all use a little extra DW before the new season finally starts todaaaaaaay.

Full Summary:12 years after the Doctor has abandoned Clara on a foreign planet, she gets a visit from an old friend, who entrusts her with the important mission of saving the universe – by killing the Doctor, who now goes by a different name: Valeyard. Determined that she can save him from the fate that led him onto the path of destruction, she doesn't realize that whatever threatens the Doctor will now also put not only her own life at risk, but that of every single one she loves.

Chapter 1

Clara Oswald was standing by the window, staring out into the usually black night sky. But tonight it was bright red, as if washed over by a sea of fire, and ash was falling down to the planets surface. It almost looked like the snow she had known on Earth. The universe could be beautiful, even on the eve of its own destruction.

Clara grabbed her cup a little tighter and took a sip. She was dying for a good cup of tea right now, but there was no tea on this planet. Tea had always somehow made things a little easier, or was it just the way she recalled it? She wasn't even sure right now if she remembered the taste of it at all. It had been 12 long years.

12 years on the planet of Targonia, that was not so much unlike her home planet, with humanoid beings called Targonians. They were a peaceful people, so unprepared for the war they had been sucked into. Yet Targonia had remained, longer than many other planets that had fallen victim to a war that seemed to spread over every known galaxy. Tonight they were watching the spectacle of the death of their twin planet Tyronia. Whether it was caused by Daleks or Cybermen or another race, Clara didn't know. And she didn't care. To her they were all the same now. Everyone was an enemy. It was the Daleks who had killed her husband over a year ago while he was doing his work, flying his space shuttle to trade food and products with Tyronia. Rourke had been a simple man, gentle and kind – and he had been killed along with soldiers and women and children. No one was save in this war.

Having enough of the brutal sight, Clara closed the blinds of the nursery. She made sure her son was fast asleep before she left the room as quietly as possible and closed the door behind her. Without turning the light on, Clara made her way to the living room when she was startled by a noise coming from the hallway.

"Good evening, Clara Oswald," said a voice Clara was sure she should recognize. It had been so long since she had last heard it.

"Who is there?" she called out, "Show yourself."

The creature stepped into the light and lifted her dark veil. With relief Clara recognized the features of Madame Vastra.

"What are you doing here?" Clara asked, her voice cold as stone, but still trembling. She hadn't seen any of her old friends in all those years she had been trapped on this planet. Not a single one had come to her aid when she had needed them to.

"We need your help, Clara. The universe needs your help."

"I'm done helping the universe," she turned around to walk away, but Vastra followed her.

"You're our only hope."

She turned back to face the lizard woman.

"You know who does need my help? My three year old son sleeping next door. My son, who has no one but me," Clara raised her voice, but still kept it low enough for her child to remain asleep.

"I'd think the saving of the universe is more important than your son," Vastra stepped closer and stared at her.

"To me it isn't."

"Well, then perhaps the Doctor is still important to you. Haven't you ever wondered why he dropped off the face of the earth and did nothing about this war?" Madame Vastra asked.

Clara snorted in disbelief and her voice grew angry.

"How dare you bring that name up! That man left me here 12 years ago with no goodbye and with no explanation. So, for the record: No, I haven't wondered why that son of a bitch never did anything about the war. For all I care, it's his fault. Everything is his fault."

"Oh Clara, I wish you were wrong."

"What?" Clara asked, "You're not suggesting that the Doctor really is responsible for this war?"

Vastra remained silent.

"Oh, come on, this is the Doctor we're talking about. He doesn't destroy worlds, he saves them."

"He stopped being the Doctor a very long time ago," Vastra said gravely.

"Yes, he changed. I was there," Clara shook her head, "He may be a ruthless bastard now, but I don't believe he actively took part in this war. Not after Gallifrey."

"It's not just the regeneration, Clara. He goes by a different name now," Vastra paused before adding: "Valeyard."

Clara had never heard that name before but something about it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in fright. A shiver went through her body. Maybe it was the distant memory of an echo coming to life.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means he is not the man you once knew, but something dark and dangerous. And he needs to be stopped."

"I suspect this is where I come in?" Clara raised an eyebrow.

"You're absolutely right. But the question is: Could you do it?" Vastra asked.

"Do what?"

"Kill the man you once called Doctor."

Clara laughed, but there was no humour in it. "He can't be killed. He will just regenerate. Do you think that will stop him?"

"No. But there are ways to kill him and to make sure he never comes back. It has been done before, in a different reality that never really happened."

Clara's mind felt like it was on fire. There had been moments in which she had actually wanted to kill the Doctor. Back then in her first months on Targonia. But would she have done it had there been a chance?

"You don't have to decide right now. You have three days to think about it. Just know this: there is no Doctor. Only an evil man who walks this universe with his face, bringing destruction to wherever he lands. And his death is the key to stopping this war."

Clara heard a noise coming from the nursery. The door opened and her son appeared in the hallway.

"Mummy, who are you talking to?" he asked sleepily.

"Go back to bed, honey, it was just . . ." Clara turned back around, but Madame Vastra was gone, "No one. I was talking to myself. Go back to sleep."

"I'm scared," the boy admitted, "The sky is on fire."

"It'll all be over tomorrow," Clara promised him and lead her son back to his bed.

She stayed with him until he had fallen asleep again, all the while thinking about the question Vastra had asked her. Could you do it?