Hi, everyone! I am so sorry for updating late. This is the last chapter and I've been stuck on how to end it. I've decided to gloss over the goodbye scene, hopeffully that's OK with you guys. When I first started this, I wanted a loooooong, fluffy goodbye scene with the Doctor and Clara, but times change. Thanks so much for all your support! Also, big thanks to my beta-reader bwburke94, who responds mostly quick when I didn't.

"What do you need our TARDIS for?" Ashildr demanded.

The Doctor glanced at her like she was an idiot. "None of your business."

"It's our TARDIS!" Clara insisted. "Doctor, just tell us what's going on."

The Time Lord sighed exasperatedly when he reached the cylindrical vessel and entered. As the others entered, Ashildr stuck her head out. "Jack, you stay outside. Keep guard. And do not enter."

Jack raised an eyebrow as he peered inside to find Clara, Ashildr, and the Doctor crowded inside. "Ooh, I wanna join."

"Shut up," the brunette said as the door closed. She turned to the Doctor and Clara, who were in a deep conversation. "Care to fill me in?"

The Doctor looked up. "I was kidnapped."

"Yes, you were."

"You never bothered to look for me!"

Clara sighed. "Doctor, we did look for you."

"I was right under your noses! The whole time, I was in the most obvious place - "

"Doctor!" Clara interrupted. "Get to the point."

"Apollo hid me here," said the Doctor. "And I'm not the only one he hid." The grey-haired time traveller's screwdriver illuminated the TARDIS, revealing an unconscious blonde with tendrils scattered all around her.

"Merry!" Clara exclaimed and set to work to untangle her. Ashildr watched silently.

"And you know what they were draining power from?" The Doctor continued.

Ashildr held her breath. "Why are you grinning?"

"They couldn't drain power from the TARDIS!" The Doctor hinted.

"So...what?" Ashildr crossed her arms. "They drained power from..."

"The bomb," realized Clara. "They drained power from the bomb!"

The Doctor chuckled. "Mystery solved, case closed, problem over."

Ashildr frowned. "Doctor, the bomb may have stopped early enough to not shut the TARDIS down completely, but the TARDIS is still...like this."

"And that's why you should always travel with a Time Lord," the Doctor said as he knelt down to fiddle with some wires. "Give me five minutes, then give your TARDIS an hour. It'll need to rest after what it's been through."

Clara watched as the Doctor blew on the wires. "That's your secret weapon. 'Air from your lungs'?" she asked, laughing.

Green lights floated onto the wires. "I just gave twenty years of my life away," explained the Doctor.

"Well, I'm sure she'll appreciate that," said Clara, referring to the TARDIS.

"Make sure she does," reminded the Doctor. "Don't let her go dumping me off cliffs."

"What, like you did to me?" Clara teased.

"I hope you're thankful, too," countered the Doctor pointedly.

"Always am," chuckled the brunette. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Always will be."

The Time Lord set down the wires. "Well, that's done. Let her rest, then you're ready to go." The two walked out to find Ashildr and Jack arguing once again.

"Ashildr!" Clara said. "Come on!"

"Where?"

The Doctor nodded to Merry, in Jack's arms. "We still need to take care of Merry Gejelh."

Half an hour later, the blonde's eyes fluttered open. The Doctor was examining the objects in the room, from the fluids to the medicine to the equipment, while Clara was reading a book by Charles Dickens. "Doctor?"

The Doctor turned to Merry. "Hello, Merry. You've missed quite a lot."

"How are you feeling?" Clara asked, putting down the book.

"Not bad," admitted Merry. "I mean, I feel sore all over, but still. Not bad."

Clara stood up. "I'll go get Ashildr and Jack."

When she exited, Merry asked quietly, "What happened?"

"We found the Galaxy-Eater," said the Doctor casually.

Merry closed her eyes. "Is it safe?"

"The Zygons pressed the button."

The young woman groaned. "This is all my fault."

"Merry, it's alright. The Galaxy-Eater was never a weapon. It was a beacon."

"What do you mean?"

"The Galaxy-Eater entrusted to you by the Time Lords wasn't the real Galaxy-Eater. It was a beacon that called to me and sent out a psychic signal, one that I'd receive. Once it located me, it emitted a powerful transmat beam which brought me to the place where I was needed. And the Time Lords who gave it to you...they weren't the High Council. They were my friends." And family, he added silently.

Merry stared at him sadly. "Oh. I'm sorry, Doctor."

Clara entered, with Ashildr and Jack trailing behind her. "Merry!" Jack exclaimed. "You're awake!"

Ashildr smiled at her. "Hello, Merry."

"Ashildr."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I."

"Now that we're all together, what do you say about a little fun, huh?" Jack said.

"Oh, no," the Doctor shook his head. "Not a chance."

"Merry? Know any good place?" Jack insisted.

Merry smiled. "Well, there's this one I know of..."

Hours later, Clara was grinning at the pictures in her phone. She, Jack, Merry, Ashildr, and the Doctor were all laughing at the camera over drinks.

"You OK?" Ashildr's voice brought her out of her reverie as Clara set down her phone.

"Yeah, of course."

"Where to next?" Ashildr asked, pulling a lever.

Clara smiled. "We need a flashy place to impress our new passenger."

They turned to their newest companion, who flashed gleaming white teeth and dazzling blue eyes. His perfect black hair was slightly ruffled due to the previous adventure. "Who said it had to be flashy?" Captain Jack Harkness of the Boeshane Peninsula smirked.

Ashildr rolled her eyes fondly. "And who said we need to impress him?"

Clara laughed. "Everyone ready?"

The TARDIS whirred, and 2 TARDISes disappeared in sync. In the other TARDIS, the Doctor was piloting his ship roughly. The monitors beeped, and he looked up to stare the petite blonde down.

"Rule one," he began, "I'm the Doctor, and you are Merry Gejelh. What does that mean?"

Merry smiled. "We help people."

The Doctor nodded. "I'm bringing you back to Akhaten, because you still have a destiny to fulfil. But I'm bringing you back the long way round."

The immortals smirked at each other in their TARDIS. "We'll bring Clara back," clarified Ashildr as they explained everything to Jack. "The long way round."

The End

Thanks so much for everyone who made it this far! If you guys want, I'll make a sequel with Jack, Clara, and Ashildr...or the Doctor and Merry, if you want. Or a spinoff fic, if that's better. This has been great to write, and you all have been fantastic readers! Love you all!