Vortex Butterflies ( comic story ) Summary . Part 1 . The day after the incident with the Red Jade General , the Tenth Doctor , Gabby Gonzalez , Cindy Wu , and Noobis are checking the ruins of the General ' s palace , to make sure he is truly destroyed and couldn ' t have escaped . Despite the fact that something is bothering the Doctor , there are no signs the General survived . Cindy ' s clones , after being given names by the original Cindy , say farewell to Gabby , before departing . Gabby walks away from the group , crying , with Cindy following her . The Doctor is worried , but gets distracted by the TARDIS making strange noises . Cindy tries to comfort Gabby by coming up with a name for the one clone she didn ' t name , the one who died , but her calm demeanor upsets Gabby . Gabby can ' t get the image of that clone out of her head , because it could ' ve been the original Cindy who died . Neither Gabby nor Cindy can regenerate like the Doctor can . To Gabby , every life is precious , including Cindy ' s clones . The two hear the TARDIS making noise . Gabby can tell that the TARDIS is unhappy . The two head back to the TARDIS , where Noobis tells them that the Doctor has detected an anomaly that ' s affecting the TARDIS . Cindy takes a moment to look back outside and say goodbye to her clones , before stepping back in . The TARDIS dematerialises as the clones continue on their journey . The Doctor reveals that the fortress was clear , but that the TARDIS has somehow gotten a case of the hiccups . The TARDIS gathers up energy for maintenance purposes , but right now , is absorbing some minor Vortex Oscillations . As far as the Doctor is concerned , it ' s nothing to worry about right now , but is something to keep an eye on . Time passes , with the Doctor and his companions having adventures , including a visit to the planet Aramuko , where Noobis decides to stay for a while . Gabby is affected by that particular trip , because she ' s started having a strange , recurring dream . Sometime after this , the Doctor lands the TARDIS in a house he owns at Willesden , in the year 2009 . He ' s decided to leave Gabby and Cindy here to get some time to relax . Gabby isn ' t fooled . She knows something is wrong , especially since the TARDIS is still acting strange , and the Doctor is purposely leaving them behind so he can investigate . She ' s worried that the Doctor will end up needing them . The Doctor reassures her , asking her to trust him . He heads back into the TARDIS and departs . He lands on a desolate planet and exits the TARDIS , calling out for whoever sent him a message to come here . Walking a short distance , he sees another version of his TARDIS and is greeted by the Twelfth Doctor . The Tenth Doctor knows his future self wouldn ' t have set up this meeting unless it was serious and knows it has to do with the strange anomalies . He realises the Twelfth Doctor is going to tell him that the anomalies are emanating from his own TARDIS . Since the Twelfth Doctor is here , the Tenth Doctor knows he ' ll find the solution . However , according to the Twelfth Doctor , he won ' t like that solution . The Tenth Doctor points out that giving him a warning is pointless , as he won ' t remember this encounter , but the Twelfth Doctor reveals that there are enough reinforced temporal echoes around this event to help the Tenth Doctor retain certain helpful impressions . Going over to a rock wall , the Twelfth Doctor draws Gallifreyan symbols on it with a piece of chalk . He talks to the Tenth Doctor about Rogue Vortex Artifacts and how dangerous they are . He also comments on Gabby and Cindy , Gabby in particular , causing the Tenth Doctor to realise something . Before the Tenth Doctor departs , the Twelfth Doctor gives him the piece of chalk , saying it might help him remember more of this encounter than he would ' ve normally been able to . Back on Earth , Gabby and Cindy look at the supplies the Doctor had left for them to use . Gabby is worried that a rift is forming between her and the Doctor , because she got too close to him , and thus he ' s pushing her away . Cindy tries to reassure Gabby , but Gabby ends the conversation , because she can sense someone is at the door . Cindy goes to investigate , but the power suddenly goes out . Going back to Gabby , Cindy is horrified to see that Gabby is surrounded by a strange aura and glowing butterflies . Part 2 . The Doctor lands the TARDIS on the Mechma Onzlo III Station , where he is greeted by Onzlo and Marteek , old friends of his . He ' s come here to get a device he can use to record temporal wakes and register any kind of vortex spill . Normally , the Doctor could build such a device himself , but he ' s in a hurry and it would be quicker for him to adapt an existing device . Checking his inventory , Onzlo finds a Xerobian Quantisized Radiant Core Monitor . However , it ' s currently stored on the other side of the station , so the Doctor joins the duo for drinks , while he waits for the monitor to be brought to him . On Aramuko , Noobis is sitting on a bench . Another Osiran walks up to him and asks him if she can sit there . Surprised , Noobis allows her to . Back on Earth , Gabby is aware of a person outside and predicts what that person is going to do , before the aura and butterflies vanish . She tells Cindy to get down seconds before a sonic attack fills the room . A woman enters through the back door and apologises to the two . She had detected a localized time anomaly . She introduces herself as Sarah Jane Smith . The Doctor had asked her to look in on the duo . As Sarah helps Cindy to her feet , Gabby falls unconscious . Scanning her , Sarah determines that Gabby has a mild fever and is completely exhausted , but is going to be fine . The two let Gabby rest while they talk . Sarah reveals that she was a former companion of the Doctor , even showing some pictures she has . After ordering some food , she asks Cindy to tell her everything . Cindy breaks down over what happened to her and her clones . Meanwhile , the Doctor is dreaming about his time at the Academy , being lectured by Borusa . He is awakened by Marteek , who has brought over the monitor . The Doctor then discovers that , in his sleep , he had used the piece of chalk to draw Gallifreyan symbols all over the TARDIS . He activates the monitor and gives it the name " Marcie " . He tells Marcie to record the symbols on the TARDIS , and then to scan for any temporal phenomena beyond the TARDIS . Marcie doesn ' t find anything , but there is interference being caused by some of the equipment on the station . The Doctor tells her to disregard , and then says goodbye to Marteek , before departing with Marcie in the TARDIS . On Aramuko , Noobis is talking with Siffhoni , the Osiran he met earlier . They take a walk outside , and Siffhoni gives Noobis her details so they can meet again . The Doctor moves the TARDIS to an empty region of space , so that Marcie can try the scan again . Marcie warns him that the scan will take time , but the Doctor tells it to take all the time it needs . Back on Earth , Gabby awakens from a lucid dream to discover she has written some Gallifreyan symbols in her journal . Going downstairs , she is greeted by Cindy and Sarah . The moment Gabby touches Sarah ' s hand , she gets a vision of Sarah and the Fourth Doctor encountering Sutekh . Cindy decides to send a text to the Doctor . Sarah offers some breakfast to Gabby . Back in the TARDIS , the Doctor has determined that there are no emanations or any evidence of anomalies from the TARDIS at all . He asks Marcie if it has found anything yet . However , Marcie hasn ' t found anything . It asks the Doctor if the symbols , temporal equations , were of any use to him . Unfortunately , the equations are useless to the Doctor without the proper context . Marcie then detects something . However , it is having trouble defining the data , let alone interpreting it . Adjusting the scan to eliminate all wake activity from the TARDIS , Marcie is unable to produce a visual image . Extrapolating the data , Marcie determines that it is detecting a song and that it is getting closer . Since Marcie can ' t produce an image , the Doctor heads over to the door to take a look . Looking outside , the Doctor is shocked to see a large Vortex creature , in the form of a butterfly . Part 3 . The Vortex Butterfly sends a tendril of energy at the TARDIS . It enters the control room , circles around the console , and then returns to the Butterfly . The Doctor orders Marcie to patch into the navigational systems , so they can follow the Butterfly . Back on Earth , Sarah has finished all the scans she can on Gabby and finds nothing wrong with her . Sarah offers to show the two around London . The TARDIS has arrived at one of the emptiest gulfs of space in the universe . However , there is a rogue star system in this sector of space , one that shouldn ' t be there at all . The Doctor scans the system , determining that the star is made of degenerate , exotic matter . However , a nearby planetoid isn ' t experiencing any radiation it should be experiencing from the star . Marcie detects an artificial plasma umbrella around the planetoid and that it has habitable conditions . The Doctor decides to investigate , despite the TARDIS being hesitant to land on the planetoid . Back on Earth , Cindy asks Gabby if she wants to explore London with her , but Gabby declines , as she ' s signed up for an art class . Cindy is disappointed , because she wants to spend some quality time with Gabby , without any of the usual stuff involved with travelling with the Doctor . Gabby tells Cindy that she can ' t give Cindy what she wants . Cindy points out the Gabby doesn ' t know what Cindy wants , as the two haven ' t really talked to each other since China . Gabby admits that she doesn ' t even know what she wants . Listening to Sarah made Gabby realise how incredible her life is . However , she knows that it might end one day . She needs some ordinary life experience for today , and drawing is how she does that . It calms her , reminds her of who she is . Gabby exits the house , leaving behind a saddened Cindy . Back at the planetoid , the TARDIS has successfully landed on it . The Doctor tells Marcie to wait in the TARDIS and to not come out unless he calls for it . Stepping outside , the Doctor calls out a greeting , only for his sonic screwdriver to fly out of his hand . Understanding the Butterfly ' s desire for him to not use any devices , the Doctor tells it about why he came , about the problem affecting the TARDIS . He expresses his hope that the Butterfly can help him find a solution to the problem . Back on Earth , weeks have passed . Cindy is enjoying her time in London , but she finds herself not only missing Noobis , but also missing Gabby , despite the fact the two live in the same house . Sarah offers Cindy a cup of tea , and the two talk . Cindy suggests that Sarah could become the leader of the Earth , but Sarah shoots that down . Being where she is , saving the planet , is where ' s she ' s needed . A person has to know where their talents lie , like Gabby . Sarah is amazed at Gabby ' s drawings . Sarah notices that Gabby hasn ' t returned from class yet . Cindy laments that it ' s Gabby ' s way of coping with everything . Sarah looks at one of the pictures , containing an image of the Cindy clone that was killed by the Red Jade General . Cindy explains what happened to her and about how her death has shaken Gabby . Sarah theorises that maybe Cindy feels the way she does about Gabby , because Gabby helped her clones / ancestors . Cindy has always felt like she knew Gabby forever . She associates Gabby with protection , bravery , loyalty , and even love . Sarah suggests that maybe Cindy simply loves Gabby , because she ' s Gabby . Cindy is amazed , wondering how Sarah is just able to know things . Sarah explains that it comes from experience . She tells Cindy that she once knew a lovely , brave , silly man . It took her years to realise how he felt about her , but by that time , it was too late . She advises Cindy to not make the same mistake she did . Over at the art class , Gabby is singing as she draws . The song travels from Earth all the way to the planetoid where the Doctor is . He hears the song and looks up to see that the Vortex Butterfly has appeared . He greets the Butterfly , wondering just what it is . He knows it ' s a native to the Time Vortex , but one he has never seen before . He tells it that he finds it both beautiful and a little scary , like any force of nature . He then talks about the rogue system , noticing that it had been created by the Butterfly scavenging bits of other systems from all over the universe . But , such an action is insane , as it would have taken a great deal of time to accomplish , almost more time than the universe has existed , so far . Of course , the Doctor knows that both he and the Butterfly know that it ' s a human way of perceiving time . This begs the question of how the Butterfly , a native to the Vortex , ended up with a human perception of time , and how did it get here . The Butterfly responds , telling the Doctor that he left it here . The Doctor is surprised , as he ' s sure he ' s never met the Butterfly before , but it insists that he left it there . The Butterfly starts shooting energy bolts at the ground as it talks about the Doctor ' s existence . At that moment , Marcie appears in the doorway , intending to warn the Doctor about something , but the Butterfly electrocutes Marcie , insisting that the Doctor not use any more gizmos . The use of the word " gizmos " makes the Doctor realise , in horror , that the Butterfly is Gabby . Back on Earth , Gabby is singing and drawing , not noticing her fellow students are reacting in horror to something , until the time equations she ' s drawn on her picture rise off the paper and float upward . Looking up , Gabby sees that the Vortex Butterfly has appeared in the sky , and she can see images of people she knows , including the Doctor . Part 4 . The Vortex Butterfly asks the Doctor if he knows where songs come from . She muses that a good song , once heard , spreads itself into the ears , hearts , and memories of those who hear it , echoing forever in the collective consciousness . But , those songs have to begin somewhere . The Butterfly asks the Doctor if he can hear her song . An image of Gabby appears in the Butterfly , singing her song while drawing . The Butterfly proclaims that she has heard too many variations , reflections , and repetitions of that song . The Butterfly muses on how innocent Gabby looks , not comprehending what her song will grow into , not knowing that , one day , the Doctor will abandon her . The Butterfly laments about how all she wanted was to learn from the Doctor , to help him . He had promised to show her the universe , but in the end , he left her here . The Butterfly asks if the Doctor can recognise her song , and he does . It ' s the song Gabby is always singing , but he can ' t accept that he abandoned her . Smaller butterflies coalesce at the center of the Butterfly , taking on the form of Gabby . The future Gabby confirms that he left her here . She has explored all the possible alternate scenarios , and they all end with him leaving her here . The Doctor notices that the butterflies are Vortex energy , expressed and echoed through the abilities of a time sensitive . But , Gabby isn ' t a time sensitive , she ' s human . The future Gabby admits that she ' s not human anymore , and this is why the Doctor left her here . She had become too toxic to the TARDIS , too dangerous to wander around the universe . The Doctor can ' t accept this , proclaiming it to be impossible . Gabby agrees . It is impossible for this to happen to an ordinary human . However , Gabby says she is " transhuman " , more than human , and that the Doctor made her . She shows him images from the past . She shows her first trip in the TARDIS , when Zhe ' s apprentice infected her with the organic Block Transfer Matrix . She then shows the time both she and the Doctor were injected with Osiran Medical Nanobot s . While the Doctor ' s Gallifreyan metabolism cleared his system of the nanobots , Gabby wasn ' t so lucky . The nanobots inside her mutated and fused with her Block Transfer abilities . Then , constant exposure to the Chronon radiation of the TARDIS caused a link to form between Gabby and the TARDIS ' s Artron field , causing Gabby to evolve into the being the Doctor is seeing now . The Doctor refuses to accept this , as it hasn ' t happened yet in his timeline . He had been mistaken is his belief that the TARDIS was ill . It was the bond with Gabby that was causing the odd behaviour . However , the effects of the bond can be reversed . Gabby denies this . As far as she ' s concerned , her song is over . She ' s nothing more than echoes , an endless , fluttering , fading sequence of vortex butterflies . Back on Earth , the present Gabby can see the image of the Doctor talking to the Butterfly . She pulls out her phone and calls Sarah , telling her that strange things are happening again . Sarah already knows , as Gabby ' s drawings have started floating in the air , behaving like Block Transfer art . She and Cindy will drive over and get her . While she ' s waiting , she watches the projection of the Doctor . Back on the planetoid , the Butterfly tells the Doctor that she ' s been good while she ' s been trapped here . She tried to make things , build things with everything the Doctor taught her . She created the entire rogue system through a mixture of foraging backwards and forwards through time , and Block Transfer experimentation . She shows him a large wall with a drawing of Gabby with all the people she ' s met in her travels with the Doctor . She ' s been here for so long , that she no longer remembers how long it ' s been . She ' s been trying to hold onto the memories of the people she ' s knows , the people she misses . She ' s been consumed by loneliness . The Doctor begs her to stop this . He can change this , prevent these events from occurring . He begs the Butterfly to trust him . She reacts with rage . She did trust him . She always trusted him . She loved him , like how all his past companions loved him , and yet , he left her here . She begins projecting images of past companions , with the Doctor saddened by this , refusing to accept that he will lose another companion to a tragic fate . He begs her to stop tormenting him like this , a sentiment shared by the present Gabby , who is communicating to them from Earth . Gabby points out that the Doctor has suffered enough , thanks to the Time War . She doesn ' t know if the Butterfly is really her future self , or only thinks she is , but Gabby refuses to ever become a being who would torture the Doctor . The Butterfly proclaims that she is inevitable , that Gabby will become her . The Doctor tells Gabby to tell Sarah to use anything she ' s got to isolate and contain Gabby ' s temporal signature . The Butterfly splits a copy of itself , which chases after Gabby to stop her . The Doctor tells Gabby that he will be back soon and to not let the Butterfly get inside her head . Gabby runs from the Butterfly , calling Sarah and passing on the Doctor ' s instructions . The Doctor tells the Butterfly that this can be corrected , that she can be cured . His Gabby has just proven that . The Butterfly cuts him off , asking him how cruel he is . She is his Gabby . She is the same person as the Gabby in London . On Earth , the Butterfly tells Gabby that she can ' t undo what has already happened , but Gabby is sure that she can . She may not have heard much of the Butterfly ' s conversation with the Doctor , but she knows that she doesn ' t want to become the Butterfly , no matter what . Before she first met the Doctor , she learned that a creative mind will always find a way . What the Doctor taught her was to believe in herself . On the planetoid , the Doctor reminds the Butterfly that she stated that she ' s nothing more than echoes . But , Gabby is fighting against this fate , changing the present . It ' s the key to being able to unknot this paradox . Gabby still trusts the Doctor and he refuses to betray that trust . The Doctor then notices that floating images of the temporal equations from earlier have appeared around him and now he understands what they ' re for . On Earth , Sarah and Cindy arrive in Sarah ' s car and pick up Gabby . Sarah gives Gabby a device to make her time signature static . It won ' t last long , due to the limited time Sarah had to make it . They drive away , being chased by the Butterfly . Back on the planetoid , the Doctor begs the future Gabby to listen to him . He has a strong intuition that she has become a Rogue Vortex Artifact , one of the rarest space - time events possible . He shows her the equations . They ' re his equations rendered physically in Block Transfer form . They were manifested by the present Gabby , via the connection to her future self . The equations tell him how to sever the bond between Gabby and the TARDIS , which will prevent her eventual transformation into the Butterfly . The Butterfly states that her creation is immutable and that she knows what the Doctor intends to do . She knows him better than he thinks she does . She will absorb all the remaining energy from the TARDIS , trapping the Doctor there with her , forever . The Doctor can ' t allow this . If she were to ripple across time with the energy of a TARDIS , she ' d eventually rupture the Causal Nexus , possibly collapse the entire Time Continuum . The Butterfly moves in front of the TARDIS , refusing to let the Doctor leave . She begs him to not leave her again . He apologises , before using his screwdriver to blast her away , allowing him to get into the TARDIS . The Doctor begins entering the equations into the console , talking about how time isn ' t a straight line . It ' s as erratic as the path a butterfly takes . Begging Gabby to forgive him , he severs the bond . As he slumps over the console he hears the Butterfly reassure him , reminding him about how well she knows him . Sometimes , there are no right choices . The Butterfly vanishes from existence , while the Doctor cries over what he has just done . Back on Earth , the trio reach the house . Sarah asks if the Butterfly is still following them , but it has vanished . Gabby confirms this , having felt it go . The TARDIS materialises and the Doctor steps out . Sharing a quick glance with Sarah , he goes over to Gabby , who tells him whatever he did worked . The Doctor hugs her . Later , the four are sitting in the backyard . The Doctor states that he loves how unique people are throughout there lives . There is only one Gabby . Gabby points out that they did see that other Gabby earlier . The Doctor never did explain to them what the other Gabby was . The Doctor tells her to forget about the other her . He then tells her that he ' s going to need her help to get rid of the time equations that are still floating around him . He congratulates her for sending them to him , but Gabby denies this . He tells her that she did it subconsciously , but she points out that she had expanded senses . She saw the equations but didn ' t send them . The one who sent them must have been the other Gabby . While Gabby and Cindy talk to each other , Sarah gives the Doctor advice . She asks him to not be alone , and to look after Gabby and Cindy , because they will look after him . The two are special . The Doctor smiles and tells her that all his companions are special . Sometime later , on the planet Ouloumos , Zhe Ikiyuyu is hosting a new exhibition , when the TARDIS arrives . The Doctor , Gabby , and Cindy have come so the Doctor can ask Zhe for a favour . Unknown to them , a Groske has noticed their arrival and has reported in to the Time Sentinel s . They tell the Groske to keep watching the Doctor and gathering evidence . Soon they will have a case so vast and complete against the Doctor , that they can ask the Lock - Keeper to annihilate the Doctor ' s timeline , erasing him from existence . . . External links . " to be added "