A Christmas Carol Doctor Who

BLEEPING

'Would all passengers please return to their seats and fasten their safety belts?

'We are experiencing slight turbulence.'

Both engines failed, and the storm-gate's critical.

The ship is going down! Christmas is cancelled.

Entering atmosphere now!

-Level - keep her level!

-Level with what? I can't see!

What is that stuff?

Clouds?

What kind of clouds?

-Are you sending a distress signal?

-It's not me!

Who's in the honeymoon suite?

-I've sent for help.

-Who the hell are you?

-Look, there's a friend of mine, OK, and he can help us, he'll come!

-And what ARE you wearing?

-That doesn't matter.

-Are you from the honeymoon suite?

-Oh, shut up!

Amy, the light's stopped flashing... Does that mean he's coming?

-Honeymoon suite?

-Oh, oh, the clothes, um...

-It is just a bit of fun.

-Really, shut up!

< CO-PILOT: Sensor-loss on 80% of the hull...

So does this mean he's coming? Or does it mean I need to change the bulb?

-He'll come. He always comes.

-Right, well, he is cutting it kind of fine!

If we can't stabilise the orbit, we're finished.

-PILOT:

-There's nothing to lock onto. I am flying blind.

Come on, Doctor, come on...

There's something coming alongside us. Something small, like a shuttle.

-Just this once, don't be late.

-Ma'am...incoming message.

-It's from the other ship.

-On screen.

-What does that mean?

-It's Christmas!

'On every world, wherever people are,

'in the deepest part of the winter, at the exact mid-point...

'everybody stops and turns and hugs.

'As if to say, "Well done.

' "Well done, everyone -

' "we're halfway out of the dark."

'Back on Earth, we called this Christmas.

'Or the Winter Solstice.'

On this world, the first settlers called it the Crystal Feast.

-You know what

-I

-call it?

I call it expecting something for nothing!

Sir. Mr Sardick.

We're only asking for one day.

Just let her out for Christmas.

-She loves Christmas.

-Does she?

Oh, does she? I see!

Hello!

Wakey-wakey - it's Christmas!

Do you know what? I think she's a bit cool about the whole thing.

That was funny.

She's frozen.

She's what, sorry?

She's in the ice, she can't hear you.

Oh, what a clever little boy.

You must be so irritated.

-How much?

-Er...it's 4,500 Gideons, sir.

You took a loan of 4,500 Gideons...

and Little Miss Christmas is my security.

We're not asking for her back. Just let her have one day.

Let her have Christmas with us.

Sir, it's the President.

Tell him I'm busy.

Now...where were we?

Oh, yes! She's pretty, though, your daughter.

-Maybe I should keep her.

-She's not my daughter, sir.

She's my sister.

She volunteered for the ice when the family were in difficulties many years ago.

Sorry, sir, the President says there's a galaxy-class ship trapped

-in the cloud layer and...well, we have to let it land.

-Or?

Well...or it'll crash, sir.

Oh. Well, it's a kind of landing, isn't it?

It's from Earth, sir, registering over 4,000 life forms on board.

-Not if we wait a bit!

-HE LAUGHS

You can't just let it crash, sir.

-METALLIC THRUMMING

-Says who?

Oh, give it here.

Look, petal, we already have a surplus population.

No more people allowed on this planet.

I don't make the rules. Oh, no, hang on... I do.

Right, you lot...

poor, begging people,

off home and pray for a miracle.

Ah! Yes, blimey. Sorry!

Christmas Eve on a rooftop, saw a chimney, my whole brain just went, "What the hell!"

Don't worry, fat fella will be doing the rounds later.

I'm just scoping out the general...chimney-ness. Yes.

Nice size, good traction...

-big tick!

-Fat fella?

Father Christmas, Santa Claus...or, as I've always known him, Jeff.

There's no such person as Father Christmas.

Oh, yeah? Me and Father Christmas, Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge, 1952.

See him at the back with the blonde...Albert Einstein.

The three of us together...hrrroom! Watch out!

OK? Keep the faith, stay off the naughty list.

Ooh! Now, what's this?

And I love this, a big flashy lighty thing - that's what brought me here.

Big flashy lighty things have got me written all over them.

Not actually, but give me time and a crayon.

Now, this big flashy lighty thing is connected to the spire in your dome, yeah, and it controls the sky.

Well, technically, it controls the clouds, which technically aren't clouds at all.

Well, they're clouds of tiny particles of ice.

Ice clouds, love that, who's she?

-Nobody important.

-Nobody important?

Blimey, that's amazing.

Do you know, in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before.

Now, this console is the key to saving that ship, or I'll eat my hat...

If I had a hat.

I'll eat someone's hat. Not someone who's using their hat - I don't want to shock a nun, or something.

Sorry, rambling, cos...cos this isn't working!

The controls are isomorphic - one to one - they respond only to me.

Oh, you fibber...

Isomorphic! There's no such thing.

These controls are isomorphic!

The skies of this entire world are mine.

My family tamed them, and now I own them.

Tamed the sky?

-What does that mean?

-It means I'm Kazran Sardick.

How can you possibly not know who I am?

Well, just easily bored, I suppose.

So, I need your help, then.

Make an appointment.

There are 4,003 people in a spaceship trapped in your cloud belt.

Without your help, they're going to die.

Yes.

You don't have to let that happen.

I know, but I'm going to.

Bye-bye. Bored now. ..Chuck!

-Ooh, look at you, looking all tough now.

-There are 4,003 people

-I won't allow to die tonight. Do you know where that puts you?

-Where?

4,004.

Was that a sort of threat-y thing?

Whatever happens tonight, remember...

you brought it on yourself.

Yeah, yeah, right. ..Get him out of here.

And next time, try and find me some funny poor people.

-No, stop, don't!

-Don't you dare! You leave him!

Get him out of here!

Get that foul-smelling family out of here! Out!

We're going!

What? What do you want?

A simple life.

-But you didn't hit the boy.

-Well, I will next time!

No, you see, you won't. Now why?

What am I missing?

Get out! Get out of this house!

-The chairs! Of course, the chairs! Stupid me, the chairs!

-The chairs?

There's a portrait on the wall behind me. Looks like you, but it's too old, so it's your father.

All the chairs are angled away from it. Daddy's been dead for 20 years.

But you still can't get comfortable where he can see you.

There's a Christmas tree in the painting, but none in this house, on Christmas Eve.

You're scared of him and you're scared of being like him.

And good for you, you're not like him, not really. Do you know why?

Why?

Because you didn't hit the boy.

Merry Christmas, Mr Sardick.

I despise Christmas!

You shouldn't. It's very you.

It's what? What do you mean?

Halfway out of the dark.

Get her downstairs with the others. Clean up this mess!

-Everything's offline!

-Secondary furnace just vented.

-Have you got a plan yet?

-Yes, I do.

Are you lying?

-Yes, I am.

-Don't treat me like an idiot.

-Was he lying?

-No, no.

OK, the good news. I've tracked the machine that unlocks the cloud belt.

I could use it to clear you a flight corridor and you could land easily.

Oh, hey, hey, that's great news.

-But I can't control the machine.

-Less great.

-But I've met a man who can.

-Ah, well, there you go!

-And he hates me.

-Were you being extra charming and clever?

-Yeah, how did you know?

-Lucky guess.

-Sir... Sir.

-Hang on.

I've never seen anybody stand up to Mr Sardick like that.

Bless you, sir, and merry Christmas.

-Merry Christmas. Lovely. Sorry, bit busy.

-You'd better get inside, sir.

-The fog's thick tonight, and there's a fish warning.

-Oh, right, yeah. Sorry, fish?

-Yeah.

-You know what they're like when they get a bit hungry.

-Yeah, fish, I know fish. Fish?

It's all Mr Sardick's fault, I reckon.

He always lets a few fish through the cloud layer when he's in a bad mood.

Thank you. Bless you once again, sir.

Fish?

Doctor, the Captain says we've got less than an hour...

'What should we be doing?'

-Fish...!

-'Sorry, what?'

Fish that can swim in fog.

-I love new planets.

-'Doctor!'

Doctor, please don't get distracted!

Now, why would people be frightened of you tiny little fellas?

Look at you, sweet little fishy-wishies.

Mind you, fish in the fog, so the cloud cover... Ooh.

-Careful up there.

-Oh, great, thanks, Doctor,

because there was a real danger we were all going to nod off(!) We've got less than an hour!

-I know.

-# Ding dong! Merrily on high... #

-Doctor? How are you getting us off here?

-Oh, just give me a minute!

Can't use the TARDIS, cos it can't lock on.

So that ship needs to land, but it can't land unless

a very bad man suddenly decides to turn nice, just in time for Christmas Day!

Doctor, I can't hear you. What is that? Is that singing?

-A Christmas carol.

-A what?

-A Christmas carol!

-A what?

A CHRISTMAS CAROL!

# ..Hosanna in excelsis... #

'Doctor?'

# ..Glo-o-ria... #

-Kazran Sardick!

-'Doctor!'

Merry Christmas, Kazran Sardick!

# ..Hosanna in excelsis. #

HE SNORES

'Hello. My name is Kazran Sardick.

'I'm 12½, and this is my bedroom.

'Top secret special project.

'This is my top secret special project.

-'For my eyes only. Merry Christmas.

-Kazran, Kazran!

'Kazran, what are you doing?

'What are you doing?!

'I've warned you before about this, you stupid, ignorant, ridiculous child!

'I was just going to make a film of the fish.

'The fish are dangerous!

'I just want to see them.

'Don't be stupid, you're far too young!

'Everyone at school's seen the fish.

'That's enough! You'll be singing to them next, like gypsies.

'The singing works! I've seen it. The fish like the singing.

'What does it matter what fish like?

'People say we don't have to be afraid of the fish. They're not really interested in us.

'You don't listen to people! You listen to me!'

-SMACKING

-'Ow!

-'I'm sorry, Father.

-This is my house!'

FATHER CONTINUES BERATING KAZRAN

-It's OK. It's OK.

-What have you done? What is this?

Found it on an old drive. Sorry about the picture quality,

had to recover the data using quantum enfolding and a paperclip.

Oh, I wouldn't bother calling your servants, they quit.

Apparently they won the lottery at exactly the same time, which is a bit lucky when you think about it.

-There isn't a lottery.

-Yeah, as I say, lucky.

'There's a fog warning tonight. You keep these windows closed, understand? Closed!'

Who are you?

Tonight, I'm the Ghost Of Christmas Past.

'Mrs Mantovani will be looking after you tonight.

-'You stay here till she comes.'

-KAZRAN SOBS

'Do you understand? Do you understand?'

DOOR SLAMS

Did you ever get to see a fish back then, when you were a kid?

What does that matter to you?

Look how it mattered to you.

KAZRAN SOBS

I cried all night,

and I learned life's most invaluable lesson.

-Which is?

-Nobody comes.

-Get out! Get out of my house!

-OK.

OK. But I'll be back.

Way back.

Way, way back.

METALLIC THRUMMING

See? Back!

-'Who are you?

-Hi. I'm the Doctor. I'm your new babysitter.

-'Where's Mrs Mantovani?

-Oh, you'll never guess!

'Clever old Mrs Manters, she only went and won the lottery!'

There isn't any lottery!

-'There isn't any lottery.

-I know. What a woman!

'If you're my babysitter, why are you climbing in the window?

'Cos if I was climbing out, I'd be going in the wrong direction. Pay attention.

-'Mrs Mantovani's always my babysitter.

-Times change.

'Wouldn't you say? You see...

'Christmas Past.

-'Who are you talking to?

-You.

'Now, your past is going to change.

'That means your memories will too. Scary, but you'll get the hang of it.

-'I don't understand.

-I'll bet you don't!

'I wish I could see your face.'

But that never happened.

But it did!

Right, then. Your bedroom. Great!

Let's see, you're 12 years old, so we'll stay away from under the bed.

Cupboard! Big cupboard, I love a cupboard.

Do you know, there's a thing called a face spider. It's just like a tiny baby's head with spider legs,

and it's specifically evolved to scuttle up the backs of bedroom cupboards...

..which, yeah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned.

Right, so what are we going to do?

Eat crisps and talk about girls?

I've never actually done that, but I bet it's easy. Girls! Yeah?

Are you really a babysitter?

I think you'll find I'm universally recognised as a mature and responsible adult.

It's just a lot of wavy lines.

Yeah, it's shorted out. Finally, a lie too big.

OK, no, not really a babysitter, but it's Christmas Eve.

-You don't want a real one, you want me.

-Why?

-What's so special about you?

-Have you ever seen Mary Poppins?

-No.

-Good. Cos that comparison would've been rubbish.

Fish in the fog, fish in the clouds.

How do people ever get bored? How did boredom even get invented?

My dad's invented a machine to control the cloud belt.

Tame the sky, he says.

The fish'll be able to come down, but only when we let them.

We can charge whatever we like.

Yeah. I've seen your dad's machine.

What? You can't have.

Tame the sky...

Human beings, you always manage to find the boring alternative, don't you?

You want to see one? A fish.

We can do that. We can see a fish.

Aren't you going to tell me it's dangerous?

Dangerous?! Come on, we're boys!

And you know what boys say in the face of danger.

-What?

-Mummy!

SONIC SCREWDRIVER PULSES

Are there any face spiders in here?

Nah, not at this time of night.

They'll all be sleeping in your mattress.

So why are you so interested in fish?

-Cos they're scary.

-Good answer.

-What kind of tie is that?

-A cool one.

Why is it cool?

Why are you REALLY interested in fish?

My school.

During the last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack.

Loads of them, a whole shoal.

No-one was hurt, but it was the most fish ever seen below the mountains.

Were you scared?

I wasn't there.

-I was off sick.

-Ooh, lucky you.

Not lucky?

It's all anyone ever talks about now,

the day the fish came.

Everyone's got a story.

But you don't.

'I see.

-'Why are you recording this?

-Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?'

-Sorry, what?

-Cos you're not paying attention now.

Ssh!

Now I remember.

No, Doctor, you mustn't!

-Doctor, are you sure?

-Trust me.

-OK.

-Oi!

Eyes on the tie. Look at me. I wear it and I don't care.

-Trust me?

-Yes.

Yes.

That's why it's cool.

Hello, fishy.

Let's see.

Interesting.

Crystalline fog, eh?

Maybe carrying a tiny electrical charge.

Is that how you fly, little fishy?

What is it? What kind? Can I see?

Just stay there a moment.

-Is it big?

-Nah, just a little one.

So, little fella, what do you eat?

SHARK ROARS

-How little?

-Erm...

-Can I come out?

No, no.

Maybe just...wait there for a moment.

What colour is it?

Big. Big colour.

-What's happening?

-Well, concentrating on the plusses,

you've definitely got a story of your own now.

THUD! Also, I got a good look at the fish,

and I understand the fog, which'll help me land a spaceship in the future, and save lives.

And I'll get some readings off my sonic screwdriver when I get it off the shark.

There's a shark in my bedroom?

Oh, fine, focus on that part! THUD!

Has it gone? What's it doing?

What do you call it if you don't have any feet,

and you're taking a run-up?

No!

It's going to eat us.

It's going to eat us,

it's going to eat us, it's going to eat us... Is it going to eat us?

Maybe we're going to eat it, but I don't like the odds.

It's stuck, though. Let's see.

Tiny brain. If I had my screwdriver, I could probably stun it.

Well, where's your screwdriver?

Well, concentrating on the plusses...

within reach. There's a real chance, the way it's wedged in the doorway,

-of keeping its mouth open.

-There is?

-Agree with me.

-Cos I've only got two goes, and then it's your turn.

-Two goes?

Two arms. Right, then! OK. Geronimo!

Open wide!

What's the big fishy done to you?

Swallowed half of you, that's what. Half a screwdriver, what use is that?

Bad, big fishy.

Doctor?

I think she's dying.

Half my screwdriver's still inside,

but yeah, I think so. I doubt they can survive long outside the cloud belt.

Just quick raiding trips on a foggy night.

Can't we get it back up there?

We were just going to stun it.

I didn't want to kill it.

She was trying to eat you.

She was hungry.

'I'm sorry, Kazran.

'I can't save her.'

I could take her back up there, but she'd never survive the trip.

We need a fully functioning life-support.

You mean like an icebox? OK.

Ooh, a tree!

What is this?

The surplus population.

That's what my dad calls it.

Oh, it's not turning! Oh, why won't it turn?

Ah, what's the number?

7258.

-I don't know!

-This place is full of alarms, it's not just the door.

I need the number!

7258!

-I need the number!

-I'm not allowed to know until I'm older.

7258!

Just what I was after. Thank you!

7258. 7258.

Ah, there's fish down here, too.

Yeah, but only tiny ones.

The house is built on a fog lake.

That's how Dad freezes the people.

They're all full, but we could borrow one.

Yeah, this one.

Hello again.

You know her?

Why her?

Important, is she?

She won't mind. She loves the fish.

'My name is Abigail Pettigrew, and I'm very grateful for Mr Sardick's kindness. My father...'

She starts to talk about the fish in a minute.

'..but I would not allow it.

'I could not have chosen this path were it not for the compassion and generosity

'of the great philanthropist and patron of the poor,

'Mr Elliot Sardick,

'but I'm also surrounded by the fish, the beautiful, iridescent, magical fish...'

Why are these people here?

'..they catch the light as they dart through the fog...'

What's all this for?

My dad lends money.

He always takes a family member as... He calls it security.

Hard man to love, your dad.

But I suppose you know that.

'..I am not alone, and I am at peace.'

What's wrong?

Just my half a screwdriver trying to repair itself.

It's signalling the other half.

SCREWDRIVER PULSES

The other half's inside the shark.

Yeah.

Sounds like she's woken up.

OK. So it's homing on the screwdriver...

SHARK ROARS

Run!

Run!

HE BREATHES DEEPLY AND NERVOUSLY

SHARK GROWLS

# In the bleak midwinter

# Frosty wind made moan

# Earth stood hard as iron

# Water like a stone

# Snow had fallen

# Snow on snow

# Snow on snow

# In the bleak midwinter

# Long ago... #

It's not really the singing, of course.

Yes, it is.

-Nah.

-The fish love the singing, it's true.

Nah. The notes resonate in the ice, causing a delta wave pattern in the fog.

Ow! A fish bit me.

Shut up, then!

# Heaven and earth shall... #

Of course! That's how the machine controls the cloud belt.

The clouds are ice crystals. If you vibrate them at the right frequency, you could align them...

Ow! Why do they keep biting me?

Look, the fish like the singing, OK?

-Now shut up!

-OK.

# The ox and ass and camel

# Which adore... #

It's bigger on...

-..the inside.

-Yeah, it's the colour.

Really knocks the walls back.

Shark in a box, to go.

Abigail.

This is...amazing!

Nah, this is transport.

I keep amazing...

..out here.

Come on, then, let's get this shark out.

Hey, look at her go!

Abigail, this number, what does it mean?

-It pertains to me, sir, not the fish.

-Yeah, but how?

You are a doctor, you say?

Are you one of mine?

Do you need a doctor?

TICKING, BELL RINGS

Ah! Sorry!

-Time's up, kids!

-Why?

It's nearly Christmas Day!

If you should ever wish to visit again...

Well, you know, if I'm ever in the neighbourhood...

-He comes every Christmas Eve.

-What?

-Yeah, he does, every time. He promises!

-No, I don't...

-BOTH:

-Merry Christmas!

-Doctor!

What are we going to do?

The Doctor's got a great plan! Wait till you hear!

You are out of your mind. This will never work!

Oh, don't think shark, think dolphin.

-A shark isn't a dolphin!

-It's nearly a dolphin.

-No, it isn't.

-That's where you're wrong, because... Shut up.

It could be anywhere.

-Will it really come?

-No chance. Completely impossible.

SONAR PINGING

PINGING GETS LOUDER

Except at Christmas.

-How are we going to get back?

-I don't know!

-Do you have a plan?

-I don't know!

THEY WHOOP

LOUD RUMBLING

DOCTOR WHOOPS

SHARK GROWLS

Woo-hoo!

Woooo!

SHARK GROWLS

-Best Christmas Eve ever!

-Till the next one!

New memories.

How can I have new memories?

-BOTH:

-Merry Christmas!

-Doctor!

Where to this time?

Did I mention, at any point, all of time and space...?

-BOTH:

-Merry Christmas!

-Doctor!

-Merry Christmas!

-Doctor!

-BOTH:

-Merry Christmas!

Kazran!

You've grown.

Yeah.

And now you're blushing.

-Sorry.

-That's OK.

-So, Doctor, where this time?

-Pick a Christmas Eve.

-I've got them all right here.

-Might I make a request?

Of course.

This one.

CHATTER WITHIN

-MAN:

-Thank you, darling.

-Who are they?

-Her family.

The lady's her sister.

I met her once, when she was...older.

Abigail's crying.

Yes.

When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?

I have absolutely no idea.

My sister's family.

They're so happy.

They look very poor.

They are very poor. Doesn't mean you can't be happy.

And then why aren't you?

Because this is the life I can never have.

Why not?

I think you're blushing again.

Come in.

Pick a card, any card at all.

Every Christmas Eve.

-I don't understand.

-I'm not sure I do.

Memorise the card, put it back in the deck. Don't let me see it.

Is this what it looked like last year?

It doesn't have to be exactly the same.

I'm starting again.

Come on, Kazran, we're starting again.

That's Sardick's boy, isn't it?

-He's not like his father.

-His father treats everyone like cattle.

-One day, that boy will do the same.

-No. He's different.

-The three of clubs.

-No.

-You sure? I'm very good at card tricks.

-It wasn't the three of clubs.

-Well, of course it wasn't, because it was the seven of diamonds!

-No.

Oi, stop it, you're doing it wrong.

-I see him around the town sometimes. Never any friends.

-He's got me.

-All those Christmas Eves, you never once came to see us.

-I'm here now.

Then stay. Stay for tomorrow, have Christmas dinner with us.

I can't.

Well, then.

Tomorrow's dinner is cancelled, as my sister refuses to attend.

-Isabella...

-Instead...

..we'll have it tonight.

Three! Two! One! Pull!

ALL CHEER AND LAUGH

-How did you do that?

-Your card, I believe.

No!

Oh, shut up!

LAUGHTER

Er, Merry Christmas.

-ALL:

-Merry Christmas.

Best Christmas Eve ever.

-Ah! Till the next one.

-I look forward to it.

-Now I'd like to say good night to Kazran.

-Of course.

Well, on you go.

Oh! Oh, yes, right!

Sorry, I'll, um, I'll go, then.

Good night. Good luck...night!

Good night!

Sorry.

(Doctor!)

I, er, I think she's going to kiss me.

Yeah, I think you're right.

I've never kissed anyone before.

-What do I do?

-Well...try and be all nervous and rubbish and a bit shaky.

-Why?

-You'll be like that anyway. Make it part of the plan.

Off you go, then!

What, now? I kiss her now?

Kazran, it's this or go to your room and design a new kind of screwdriver.

Don't make my mistakes. Now, go!

MUSIC AND LAUGHTER FROM HOUSE

Abigail! Are you coming back?

The Doctor is going to do a duet with Frank.

Abigail.

What's wrong?

I have something to tell you.

A bad thing?

A very bad thing.

What is it?

The truth.

Guys, we've really got to go quite quickly.

I just accidentally got engaged to Marilyn Monroe.

How do you keep going like that?

Do you breathe out your ears?

Hello? Sorry, hello?

Guys, she's phoned a chapel, there's a car outside, this is happening now!

-MARILYN:

-Yoo-hoo!

Yoo-hoo.

Right, fine, thank you.

I'll just go and get married then, shall I? See how you like that!

Marilyn, get your coat!

What are we going to do?

There is nothing to be done.

Good night, Abigail.

Good night, Kazran.

There we go. Another day, another Christmas Eve.

-I'll see you in a minute, eh? I mean, a year.

-Doctor...

Listen, why don't we leave it?

Sorry, leave what?

Oh, you know. This.

Every Christmas Eve, it's getting a bit old.

Old?

Well, Christmas is for kids, isn't it?

I've got some work with my dad now, I'm going to focus on that.

Get that cloud belt under control.

Sorry. I didn't realise I was boring you.

Not your fault. Times change.

Not as much as I'd hoped.

Kazran.

I'll be needing a new one, anyway.

What the hell...

Merry Christmas.

And if you ever need me, just activate it. I'll hear you.

I won't need you.

What's happened? What are you not telling me?

What about Abigail?

I know where to find her.

Another Christmas Eve, Kazran.

But a very special one.

It's complete. Look at it.

Sound waves. As simple as that.

We can control the clouds, the fog, the fish...

Why do we want to control the fish?

People are cattle. If you want to control cattle,

you need to control their predators.

What's the face for?

Look what I'm giving you.

The sky,

and everything beneath it.

Only you and I can control this.

This planet is ours!

Excuse me, Father.

WHOOSHING, RINGING

Yes, what?

Oh, Mr President, we've been through this!

It's not going to crash on my house, so what's it got to do with me?

Yes, I know. 4,003.

As a very old friend of mine once took a very long time to explain,

life isn't fair.

-Hello!

-Who are you? What are you doing here?

Didn't think this was over, did you? I'm the Ghost of Christmas Present.

A ghost? Dressed like that?

Eyes off the skirt.

-You turned into a Roman.

-Yeah. I do that. I also do this.

Do what? What are you talking about?

PEOPLE SINGING # Silent night

# Holy night

# All is calm

# All is bright

# Round yon virgin mother and child

# Holy infant so tender and mild

# Christ the Saviour is bo-orn

# Christ the Saviour is born. #

-They're holograms. Projections, like me.

-Who are they?

The people on the ship up there.

The ones you're going to let die tonight.

Why are they singing?

For their lives.

Which one's Abigail?

-The Doctor told me.

-Did he now?

-He doesn't hold back. You know the Doctor.

-How do I?

I never met him before tonight.

Now I seem to have known him all my life. How? Why?

You're the only person who can let that ship land.

He was trying to turn you into a nicer person.

And he was trying to do it nicely.

He's changed my past. My whole life!

Time can be rewritten.

You tell the Doctor, tell him from me, people can't.

-That's Abigail?

-I would never have known her

if the Doctor hadn't changed the course of my whole life to suit himself.

-Well, that's good. Isn't it?

-No.

-Why is she still in there? You could let her out any time.

-Oh, yes.

Any time at all. Any time...

-I choose.

-Then why don't you?

This is what the Doctor did to me.

Abigail was ill when she went into the ice.

On the point of death.

I suppose the rest in the ice helped her,

but she's used up her time.

All those Christmas Eves with me.

I could release her any time I want...

..and she would live a single day.

So tell me, Ghost of Christmas Present,

how do I choose which day?

I'm sorry. I really am.

I'm very, very sorry.

But you know what? She's got more time left than I have.

-More than anyone on this ship.

-Good.

Rory, widen the beam.

ALARM BLARES

WOMAN: Update on engine one...

How did I get here?

You didn't. It's your turn to be the hologram.

Since you're going to let a lot of people die,

I thought you might like to see where it happens.

-SINGING OF "SILENT NIGHT" CONTINUES

-The singing...

What is it? I don't understand.

The Doctor's idea.

The harmonies resonate in the ice crystals. The fish like it.

He thought maybe it would stabilise the ship.

But it isn't working. It's not powerful enough.

-Why are they still singing, then?

-We haven't told them.

ALARM BLARES

I understand you have a machine that controls this cloud layer.

If you can release us from it, we still have time to make a landing.

-Nobody has to die.

-Everybody has to die.

-Not tonight.

-Tonight's as good as any other.

How do you choose?

-Doctor?

-"Yeah?"

-Are you hearing this?

-"I can hear."

-He's here?

Where is he? Doctor?!

Doctor!

I'm sorry. I didn't realise.

All my life, I've been called heartless.

My other life, my real life, the one you rewrote.

Now look at me.

Better a broken heart than no heart at all.

Oh, try it. You try it.

-Why are you here?

-Cos I'm not finished with you yet.

You've seen the past, the present...

..and now you need to see the future.

Fine! Do it! Show me! I'll die cold, alone and afraid.

Of course I will, we all do! What difference does showing me make?

Do you know why I'm going to let those people die?

It's not a plan. I don't get anything from it.

It's just that I don't care.

I'm not like you. I don't even want to be like you!

I don't and never, ever will care!

And I don't believe that.

Then show me the future.

-Prove me wrong.

-I am showing it to you. I'm showing it to you right now.

So what do you think?

Is this who you want to become, Kazran?

Dad?

This planet is ours.

I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.

It's OK, don't be frightened.

I'm...I'm so, so, so...

THEY WEEP

Kazran.

We don't have much time.

-Structural integrity at 30%!

-We have five minutes max.

We need to land!

"Hello, hello! Ah, hello, everyone. Prepare to lock on to my signal."

-Doctor, what's happening?

-"I saved Christmas. Don't go away."

Doctor? Doctor!

-We good to go, then?

-The controls won't respond.

They're isomorphic, tuned to your brainwaves,

-they'll only respond to you.

-They won't.

That doesn't make sense, why wouldn't...

Oh! Oh, of course.

Stupid, stupid Doctor!

-What's wrong? Tell me, what is it, what...?

-It's you.

I've changed you too much, the machine doesn't recognise you.

But my father programmed it...

He would never have programmed it for the man you are now.

-Then what do we do?

-Um...

-Um... I don't know, I don't know.

-There must be something!

-This! You can use this! I kept it, see?

-What, half a screwdriver?

With the other half up in the sky in a big old shark,

right in the heart of the cloud layer.

We use your aerial to boost the signal,

set up a resonation pattern between the two halves... That would work!

My screwdriver, coolest bit of kit on this planet. Could do it.

-Do what?

-My screwdriver is still trying to repair.

It's signalling itself.

We use the signal, but we send something else.

Send what?

Well? What? What?

I'm sorry, Kazran. I truly am.

I don't understand.

We need to send something into the cloud belt, something we know works.

We need her to sing.

Her voice resonates perfectly with the ice crystals.

It calmed the shark. It will calm the sky, too.

Could you do it?

Could you do this?

Think about it, Doctor.

One last day with your beloved.

Which day would you choose?

Christmas. Christmas Day.

Look at you. So old now.

-I think you waited a bit too long, didn't you?

-I'm sorry.

Hoarding my days, like an old miser.

But...if you leave the ice now...

We've had so many Christmas Eves, Kazran.

I think it's time for Christmas Day.

-Doctor?!

-We can't hold this. Time's up, we're going down.

-Doctor!

-FAINT SINGING

-Captain, I've got...

I don't know what I've got.

-ABIGAIL SINGS

-What are you listening to?

This is coming from outside.

This is coming from the clouds.

SINGING CONTINUES

CRASHING AND RUMBLING BEGINS TO SUBSIDE

SINGING CONTINUES

-Well?

-Well, the singing resonates in the crystals.

It's feeding back and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver.

One song, filling the sky.

The crystals will align, I'll feed in a controlled phase loop,

-and the clouds will unlock.

-What does that mean?

What happens when a cloud unlocks?

Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time now.

# When you're alone

# Silence is all you see

# When you're alone

# Silence is all you'll be... #

ABIGAIL'S SINGING CONTINUES

-We're flying normally.

-Can you land?

I can even land well.

Oh, he did it. The Doctor did it.

Yeah, he gets all the credit.

Which is actually fair enough, if you think about it.

# When you are here

# Music is all around

# When you are near

# Music is all around

# Open your eyes

# Don't make a sound... #

Hello, my old friend.

# Let in the shadow... #

Let's go.

# Let in the shadow

# Let in the light

# Of your bright shadow

# Let in the shadow

# Let in the shadow

# Let in the light

# Of your bright shadow... #

You know, that could almost be mistaken for a real person.

-The snowman isn't bad, either.

-Ah, yes, you two! About time!

-Why are you dressed like that?

-Ah, kind of lost our luggage.

-Kind of crash landed.

-Yeah, but why are you dressed like that at all?

They really love their snowmen around here.

-I've counted about 20.

-Yeah, I've been busy.

Yeah, yeah, you have.

-Thank you.

-Pleasure. Right, come on, then, let's go!

Got any more honeymoon ideas?

There's a moon that's made of actual honey. Well, not actual honey.

And it's not actually a moon.

And technically, it's alive and a bit carnivorous,

but there are some lovely views.

Yeah, great, thanks(!)

-Are you OK?

-Course I'm OK. You?

Of course.

It'll be their last day together, won't it?

Everything has to end some time,

otherwise nothing would ever get started.

Your phone was ringing.

Someone called Marilyn.

Actually sounds like THE Marilyn.

-Doctor?

-Tell her I'll phone her back.

And that was never a real chapel.

Where are they? Kazran and Abigail.

-Off on a little trip, I should think.

-Where?

-Christmas.

-Christmas?

-Yeah, Christmas.

Halfway out of the dark.

THEY LAUGH

Where's the Doctor?

I've been running...

faster than I've ever run. Now it's time for me to stop.

I'm going to need a SWAT team ready to mobilise, street-level maps

covering all of Florida, a pot of coffee, 12 Jammy Dodgers and a Fez.

Somewhere different, somewhere brand new.

I wear a Stetson now.

Stetsons are cool.

-We've been recruited.

-Recruited by who?

You have to trust US this time.

You have to do this and you can't ask why.

SHE SCREAMS

My life in your hands.

Amelia Pond.

You see these eyes? They're all lies.

And one thing I can tell you...

..monsters are real.