Timeshift
It was a Saturday.
The Doctor liked Saturdays; Saturdays were always good days in the Doctors book. Good things happened on Saturdays, or they had so far anyway. He always knew he was in for something spectacular when he ended up on a Saturday.
It was the 18th of February, 8041, according to the TARDIS readout. The Doctor hadn't been to the 8000's for years, but he remembered many good things from this stage in history. This was when the Ood and the humans began joining together to create a utopian society, and the Boogerian people of Miceros donated their Illactian Diamonds to help regulate the weather on Earth in compensation for the climate change that had been caused by human pollution. Yes, it was a fantastic time, full of innovations and partnerships like the universe had yet to see!
He grinned and turned away from the console, straightening his bowtie and picking up his tweed jacket. "Ah yes, I can feel this is going to be good!" he proclaimed before jumping down the steps and running to the doors of the TARDIS with enthusiasm that one would think should have run out years ago considering his age and all he had seen.
The rain patted gently over the city that the Doctor emerged into. It was night, and the only thing that illuminated the world was the arbitrary window that showcased fluorescent hues leaking out from lights left on inside houses and buildings. Unperturbed, the Doctor reached into his jacket and produced a black umbrella which he opened to cover himself from the rain, and then began walking down the sidewalk.
Ahead, a little girl ran across the street, her long green dress trailing over the wet ground. The Doctor smiled and quickened his pace. "Excuse me! Excuse me, little girl!"
The girl stopped and turned to look at him. "It's raining," she responded rather angrily, while pulling her thin blouse tighter around herself; although the act as far as the Doctor could tell was a futile effort.
"Yes," He agreed. Feeling guilty and seeing no other choice, he outstretched the hand that held his umbrella. "Here, have my umbrella."
The girl looked at him warily. "Mother said I shouldn't speak to strangers."
The Doctor laughed. "Your mother is right, but I promise I won't do anything. Now take the umbrella so you don't get any wetter."
She hesitated for a moment, before snatching the umbrella out of the Doctor's hand and positioning it over the top of her head, which was adorned by a heap of saturated chocolate curls. "Thank you, Sir."
"Not at all!" The Doctor smiled, his clothes beginning to be weighed down by the rain. "Now, I was wondering if you could tell me where we are."
The girl looked up; dark clouds padded the entirety of the sky. "I need to be getting home sir, and you should get out of the rain! Would you like to come with me?"
A loud crack of thunder bellowed through the street and the Doctor jumped in surprise. "Oh no, I don't want to impose, it's fine, you go home to your mother." He flailed his arms about in a 'no thank you' gesture and began to back up, but the girl had decidedly made up her mind that she would not leave this strange man alone in the rain.
"No, you will come and have supper with us. You're nice, I don't want you to stay out here and get sick." She grabbed the Doctors hand and began to pull him along in the direction she had previously been heading in.
"No really, I'm fine! It's just a bit of water!" The Doctor reiterated, jumping again at a second, even louder crack of thunder. He sighed. Sometimes even he looked rather pathetic and unconvincing; this would be one of those unfortunate times.
The girl giggled and trotted along happily, dragging the Doctor with her unabashedly. "My name is Ariella. What is yours, Sir?"
The Doctor looked down at her. He briefly pondered on the fact that he had ended up in quite a few situations with little girls recently. He wasn't quite sure what to think of that, but then, age had never really mattered to him. That sort of thing became relative when you travelled through time and met people at multiple stages of their life. "I'm the Doctor. Nice to meet you, Ariella."
"Doctor?" Ariella questioned. "Doctor who?"
"Just the Doctor," The Doctor replied quickly in the way he had become accustomed.
"I'll call you Doctor Umbrella because you gave me your umbrella," Ariella said, ignoring the Doctors informing of his name.
The street they were walking down was cobblestoned and narrow. It was lined with townhouses that ranged from a blue colour to pure alabaster white, with various patterned awnings. Old, fully grown maple trees dotted the nature strips and blocked the rain at regular intervals. It was a very pretty neighbourhood, one the Doctor would have liked to live in should he have had a stationary home. It reminded him of Amy's town in a way, quaint yet holding a certain rustic charm that warmed his heart with fondness. The only difference was in this street the houses were more Victorian in architecture, but not without Seventieth Century add-ons such as observation domes and interstellar telescopes that gave away mankind's advances in technology since the aforementioned era.
As the Doctor really took in his surroundings for the first time Ariella's feet moved quickly towards her destination. She gripped the Doctor's hand tightly in her own, somehow trusting him to the fullest even though she had been sceptical of him only minutes ago. Such was the speed in which a child's mind worked, and how fast their minds could change on a whim. It was a sign of innocence. Luckily Ariella had chosen a stranger that really would do no harm to her and would even protect her if the need arose, not that she knew any of this. Her dutiful pace kept the Doctor fumbling and tripping as he tried to keep up while being guided along, his long thing legs wobbling and bending as if they were controlled by some other entity. Just as the Doctor was becoming worried that he might really fall over on the water-slicked cobblestones, the girl turned and entered into the small yard of a black townhouse; the only one of its colour that the Doctor could discern in the dim lighting of the street. It was here that Ariella finally let go of the Doctor's hand and ran up the steps to the front door, thrusting it open without a seconds thought and then began ushering the Doctor in out of the rain.
Unlike before, the Doctor did not feel like he was in a position to refuse Ariella's invitation and so he fixed his jacket and bowtie (although it didn't make much difference since he was drenched in water) and trudged inside, Ariella closing the door after him.
The inside of the house was very old fashioned. The furniture was made out of what appeared to be rich, brown oak and most of it was covered in some sort of white lace. The mat in the front walkway looked more like a tapestry that had fallen off a wall than something designed to be walked upon. Paintings hung on either side of the entry corridors walls, displaying images of people that must have been family and friends of Ariella; photographs accompanied them on the side table near the door, as well as a number of unusual ornaments shaped like animals from other planets. A simple yet elegant black iron chandelier hung from the ceiling above, lit by six candles that were encased in thin elongated glass domes.
The Doctor ran a hand through his fringe and then wiped it on his jacket to get rid of the moisture it had attained from the gesture. Before he could say anything a voice from somewhere deeper in the house called out and interrupted his train of thought.
"Ariella, is that you? Did you get the milk?" The voice was distinctly male and sounded adult in tenor. The Doctor realised that must have been the voice of Ariella's father or older brother. Quickly straightening himself up, the Doctor listened intently to the sound of footsteps which had began approaching the front entrance.
Ariella kicked off her wet Mary Janes and looked up as a young man with the same chocolate curls as hers walked into the room to see what was happening. "Ariella what took you so long? I've been desperate for a bowl of cereal and-" the young man caught sight of the Doctor who was still standing near the doorway, he arched his eyebrow quizzically.
Meanwhile the Doctor smiled and waved awkwardly at the newcomer. "Hello!"
The young man whipped his head back to Ariella and pointed at the Doctor. "Who is this man and what is he doing in our house?"
Ariella looked at the Doctor and then back at the young man, and then giggled. "Don't worry Edwin, this is Doctor Umbrella, he gave me his umbrella to cover me from the rain!"
"That doesn't explain why he's in our house!" Edwin shouted. He turned back to the Doctor. "Excuse me, but who are you?"
"Uh, well, I'm the Doctor." The Doctor offered a hand but Edwin ignored him.
"Please, don't humour her, it will just encourage her. What is your real name?"
The Doctor's face scrunched in confusion for a second before he understood what Edwin meant. "Oh no, I'm not Doctor Umbrella! No, I'm just the Doctor. No Umbrella, just Doctor."
Edwin looked unconvinced. "Doctor who?"
"Exactly," The Doctor agreed.
"He's staying for supper so he isn't in the rain anymore," Ariella explained as she began to peel off the blouse that was over the top of her dress to hang it on the hat tree next to the door.
"Says who?" Edwin demanded, getting more frustrated by the minute.
"Says me," replied Ariella assertively.
Edwin sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose wearily. "I apologise Doctor, Ariella must have just dragged you here, huh?" He looked at the Doctor who was smiling happily. "She's only nine-years-old, she doesn't know any better. I should have gone with her down to the corner shop, then you would have been left to your business and you wouldn't be soaking wet."
The Doctor waved his hands in dismissal. "It's fine, I'm fine! Just a bit of water, never hurt anybody before. Can't say this is the first time I've been dragged somewhere by a very small person though," the Doctor laughed, but upon seeing Edwin's confused expression quickly became quiet.
"Ariella, get the Doctor a towel," Edwin said.
Ariella grumbled but nodded obediently. "Yes, Edwin." She then ran out of the room to fetch the requested item.
"So," the Doctor began, deciding he had been quiet for long enough now. "You have a lovely house. Are you Ariella's brother?"
"Yes I am," Edwin answered, "I haven't introduced myself, how rude of me. I'm Edwin Galley, you've already met Ariella."
"Well, nice to meet you Edwin Galley. If I wasn't soaking wet I'd give you a jelly baby but as you can see I'm slightly incapacitated at the moment." The Doctor grinned and tried to stand in a 'cool' manner, and failed grandly.
"Well I suppose you'll be staying for dinner then. Unless you would rather be going, which I fully understand," Edwin said, his bright green eyes shining with curiosity for what the Doctor would decide.
"I don't want to impose, but supper would be lovely," the Doctor returned. "I don't suppose would have any custard and fish fingers?"
To be Continued…
Hello!
So this is the start of what I hope will be an excellent adventure through time and space that we go on with the Doctor! I know not much has happened in this chapter but hey, this is the setup, ya know? I promise the action will start soon!
In the meantime I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Timeshift :D
Amber***