Chapter One

"Go on, get outta here!"

The man glared at the shop owner as he pushed him out of his store.

"Bastard, I only wanted to use the john," he muttered to himself as he staggered out onto the pavement.

Carl Stone rested a moment in a nearby bus shelter. He'd been homeless for awhile now after losing his job at General Motors when it went bankrupt. He had lived in Detroit his whole life, forty six years and he had always managed to provide for himself and his family, when he had one. Now his life was slowly spiraling down into a seemingly endless cycle of homeless shelters, bread lines and annoyed store clerks and police officers who seemed to think he was little more than an annoying flea instead of the human being he was. His clothes were disheveled, old, gathered together from those he had received from churches and clothing banks. His dark colored face was lined and his short afro was beginning to show signs of white midst the black. It was nearly December now and he wore a threadbare coat, old gloves and a hat but it didn't do much to keep away the chill. He was down on Woodward Avenue, trying to sneak into one of the shops in order to use the restroom but the irate store owner caught him and after informing him the bathroom was only for customers, walked him to the door. Carl cursed at him under his breath.

"Son of a bitch, have a fucking heart, will ya? It's almost Christmas," he muttered to himself as he got up and walked on. As he walked, he occasionally asked people for spare change but only received a few dollars for his troubles. Most people glared at him or muttered under their breath that he should go get a job so he finally gave up and headed towards McDonalds to use the money for a cup of coffee to warm himself up. As he walked along the pavement, others tried to hustle him for money and he was forced to mutter to them that he was also homeless so they'd leave him alone.

Then, as he neared the McDonalds, he noticed a beautiful young woman sitting outside at one of the stone tables that people usually used during the warmer months. He noticed that the woman was dressed elegantly in a black party dress and nice black coat with black court shoes on. Her long brown hair was swept up into a bun and her alabaster skin was the palest he had ever seen. He stopped short, staring at this woman, not only because she looked like she was dressed for a formal party but also because it was only forty degrees out and she wasn't even shivering while he was freezing his ass off under layers of clothing. Looking at her, he suddenly felt aroused. He hadn't been with a woman in a long time and she was gorgeous. He wondered if she would consider sleeping with him. He didn't have a hotel room but he did have friends who had an apartment and a spare room. He had slept with them from time to time when they were in a good enough mood to let him stay and he was sure if this woman accepted his offer and he asked his friends nicely…

As he approached, the woman looked his way and studied him quietly. Usually, women would be repulsed at his haggard appearance but to his delight, she actually looked interested in him. Spurred on by that, he approached her with a huge smile on his face.

"Now what's a pretty girl like you doing out here in the cold," he said, walking up to her. "Dontcha wanna be inside where it's warm?"

He was even more thrilled when rather than telling him to piss off, the woman smiled sweetly at him.

"I am used to the cold," she said with a heavy Russian accent. "Especially during the wintertime. However, if you wish to go inside with me, perhaps I could buy you something to eat?"

"For real?" Carl said, hardly daring to believe his luck.

"Of course, I am bored and looking for company and you look like you are hungry. I will buy the food, of course. How about it?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said happily.

She smiled.

"I am Elena and you are…"

"Carl."

She extended her hand and Carl shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Carl, come inside with me and warm up," she said.

Carl nodded and followed her inside the restaurant.

Meanwhile down the street, the TARDIS materialized in an alley and after a moment, the Doctor stepped out and looked around before closing the door. He had set the controls to random, letting the TARDIS take him someplace mysterious for the day. He noticed straight away that there were Christmas decorations hanging on the streetlamps as well as it being bitterly cold and his hearts warmed as he looked forward to a bit of Christmas cheer. After what he had just heard from Carmen about his song ending and someone knocking four times, he felt like he could use it. He hadn't given much thought to Ood Sigma when he told him his song was ending, just chalked it up to some folksy Ood saying but hearing Carmen say it again along with telling him that someone was returning who would knock four times made him uneasy, especially since knocking brought back unsettling memories of the creature that inhabited Sky on Midnight.

But he quickly pushed all that out of his mind as he strolled along the pavement, looking at the Christmas decorations. Whatever Carmen meant, it was in the future so therefore he'd think about later after he had some fun exploring.

As he walked along, he noticed Comerica Park with the large Tiger statue out in front of the front gates.

"Aha, Detroit, the Motor City," the Doctor said to himself. "Let's see what it has to offer for the Christmas season."

He left downtown and walked down Woodward Avenue towards midtown. When he reached midtown, he slowed his pace and looked around at the different shops.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The Doctor jerked his head off to his left and saw a young woman screaming at a grizzled old man as he tried to grab at her. Without a thought, he sprinted across the street towards her, nearly getting hit by cars in the process.

"Oi! Leave her alone!" theDoctor said, running up to the man and getting in between him and woman.

"This doesn't concern you, buddy!" the man snarled at him.

"It concerns me if the woman told you to leave her alone and you aren't listening!" the Doctor said angrily.

Several passerby and the woman gasped when the man pulled out a small blade and began to menace him with it.

"That would be very unwise on your part, trust me," the Doctor growled at him.

He looked at the man; he was a Caucasian man in his late fifties, disheveled with dirty, matted brown hair and a full beard that had flecks of white in it. The man was bleary eyed and he reeked of alcohol. A few other men from the crowd that gathered were trying to calm him down and talk him out of stabbing the Doctor but he didn't listen to him. The Doctor eyed him as he tensed his body, timing his moves just right and then when the man tried to thrust the blade at his chest, he lunged forward, grabbed it and jerked his wrist hard causing him to drop it. Then he gave him a hard kick to the chest, sending him to the ground as he swooped down and grabbed the blade. The man staggered to his feet and was about to attack the Doctor again when he noticed a police car was coming towards him. Pushing some people out of the way, he ran off as fast as he could while the Doctor threw the blade away in a nearby trash can. He turned to the woman who was standing four feet behind him. She was Caucasian, in her early twenties with long black hair that peeked out from under her white knitted hat. She was wearing a jet black jacket and purple fuzzy gloves with a white stripe running through the middle of them. She had on tan slacks and battered red and white Converses.

"Are you alright?" the Doctor asked her.

"Yeah, just some drunken, horny creep that thought I'd put out for him. That's why he wouldn't leave me alone. Thanks for helping me."

"Not at all, always happy to help. I'm the Doctor, what's your name?"

"I'm Raven and it's a good thing you are a doctor cause you nearly got stabbed."

"Nah, I could see him coming a mile away. I was never in any danger," the Doctor said dismissively.

"Well, thanks again," Raven said as she started to walk away.

"Wait," the Doctor said, holding out his hand. "I'm new in town and I would love a guide. Would you mind showing me Detroit?"

"Well, I…uh…"

"I mean, you don't have to, it's just an offer," the Doctor said.

"Well, I can show you what I know. I've only been here for about six months."

"Well, I've been here for a lot less than that. So, would you?"

Raven smiled and shrugged.

"Sure. Why not? I've got nothing else to do today," she said.

"Splendid. But first, why don't we find somewhere to sit and relax and chat over some tea or coffee or hot chocolate."

Raven shifted uncomfortably.

"I…uh…don't have any money," she muttered.

"Well, let me see, I might have some," the Doctor said, rooting around in his trouser pocket. "I usually carry some money on my person."

"Yeah, well, don't say that too loudly or you'll end up fighting off another knife wielding attacker," Raven replied.

"Aha!" The Doctor said, pulling out a couple of ten dollar bills. "I believe these will do the trick. Now…do you know the nearest place where we can get some food?"

"There's a McDonalds just up the street."

"Splendid, then come with me and we'll get acquainted with one another."

He held out his hand and noticed her hesitation.

"I won't hurt you, Raven. Unlike the other bloke, I'm not trying to ask you for sex. I really am just a tourist who wants to see the city. Please trust me."

Raven looked at his eyes and something about him told her he was telling the truth. She smiled and nodded and took his hand. The Doctor grinned at that and followed her as she led him towards the McDonalds.