Disclaimer: BBC came into my dreams and stole Survivors and Doctor Who from my imagination. So yes, technically they own the rights…*sigh*
Author's note: I wrote this so it could take place in almost any time in the two seasons of Survivors, and anytime in Doctor Who when the Tenth Doctor is traveling alone.
He was a strange man. That of course went with the rumors that have been whispered about him. The rumors that he was not like everyone else, rumors that he went around helping people for nothing but water and occasionally some bits of food or sometimes nothing at all, rumors that he was stuck, trapped, and didn't even belong here, rumors that he was from very far away. They Doctor they called him. No one knew his real name, or even why he called himself the Doctor. But for all Abby cared, he could've call himself the Lord of Death and Darkness and she still would let him into the house. He did help her after all…
It was getting dark and she was still on the road. She didn't know why she was driving, and was feeling kind of guilty about wasting the petrol, but she'd just needed to get away. She needed to clear her head, to take a deep breath of car polluted air and let her eyes feast of the zooming countryside. That was when the engine died. Abby tried to start it again by turning the key and pressing the gas pedal, but all that came out was the sound of shuddering, sputtering gears trying to desperately work.
"Great," muttered Abby.
She was miles from the others, and she was rubbish with mechanics. Abby sighed and looked around like someone would come out and magic the engine to start. It was getting dark too and nowadays it was not safe at night alone. What was she going to do?
Just then someone did come out of the trees. He was a tall and lanky man, with a trench, a suit, and a pair of converse adorning his body. His hair was almost gravity defying and he walked with hands in pockets and an air of importance surrounding him. When he noticed Abby and her stalled car, he came up to her.
"'ello. You need some help there?" questioned the man with a quirky smile painted on his face.
"Uh…," began Abby no really sure what to tell this stranger. After a moment, she decided to tell him the truth. After all the man didn't look that threatening. "Engine died."
"Well, that let's see what you've gotten under the bonnet, shall we?" cheerily proposed the man, motioning towards the car's hood. "I'm the Doctor, by the way."
"Abby," she grunted moving to help the Doctor pull up the bonnet of the car. "Abby Grant."
"Nice to met yah, Abby Grant. Now let's see what you've got here," said the Doctor leaning into the car's mechanical organs.
Abby watched the man start to inspect the engine, eyes moving fast and thoughts running by on his face for less than a fraction of a second. The Doctor… She had heard that name before. Now that she was thinking about it, that name had appeared up in many of the whispers that riddled the mouths of the few other people that she'd have the pleasure of really talking to after the virus. There were rumors, strange rumors…could this be that man?
Suddenly, the Doctor reached inside his pocket and took out a small, silver, pen-like device, and began to wave it over the exposed engine. An odd wining sound and a dim blue light radiated from it, as Abby stared at it questioningly.
"What is that thing?" she asked.
"Sonic Screwdriver," absentmindedly answered the Doctor, putting it back into his pocket and reaching his hand deep into the innards of the mechanical heart. "And it looks like the engine should be fine once I…" Something inside of the engine clicked. The Doctor then pulled out his hand, which was now covered in a fine layer of grease. "Go ahead and try it. It should run now."
Abby stared at the man in amazement, but still went into the car and turned the key. After a few raspy coughs, the engine roared into life. What did the Doctor do?
"Th-thank you. I can't imagine what I would've done without your help. Thank you so much," said Abby a note of true wonder in her voice. "What did you do?"
"Something was knocked out of place that's all. Nothing major. The engine and car are actually in pretty good shape," answered the Doctor, whipping his hand on a rag he took out of his pocket. "Anyway…if you don't need any more help…"
"No…but I mean," said Abby stumbling over her words.
For some reason this man, his sudden appearance, and what he just did to her car had left her startled and tongue-tied. The Doctor was just too different from anyone she has met so far. Most are either distance, panicky, hesitant, or downright monstrous. There were some that were kind, but they were mostly kids or if they were adults they're kind intentions turned out all wrong. But this man was just plain nice and he didn't look like there was any dark side to it. She now had no doubt that this Doctor was the subject of the rumors she'd heard.
"Um…would you like any tea," offered Abby. "I think I've got some in a thermos in the back."
She knew it was not the smartest thing she could do, but the Doctor had helped her and the man did look like he was in need of some tea. There was a solemn and empty expression in his eye and he looked like he hadn't met a descent person in a while.
"If you don't mind. I know how precious food and tea are nowadays," replied the Doctor.
"Oh, it's no problem. You did help me out of quite a pickle," stated Abby, heading for the thermos.
After a few seconds of digging around, she was able to find another cup and the thermos full of tea.
"I don't know how warm it is, but it should be alright," said Abby coming back to the Doctor and beginning to pour the amber liquid into the cup for him the top of the thermos for her.
"Thanks," responded the Doctor with a true smile and taking the cup. "I always love me a good cup of tea. Haven't had one in a while…"
"Tell me about it," replied Abby, taking a sip of the lukewarm drink.
They stood there in the silence of the waning sunlight, sipping their tea. The birds cawed in the distance as the tree's limps gently swayed in the breeze. There was no sound of a passing car or plane, nothing but the soothing and placid sounds of Mother Nature. Months and months ago, Abby would've died for this calm, but now she almost longed for the bustle and noise of machines of human creation. But standing here with the strange Doctor of rumors, the tenderness of the natural silence came back.
"There are rumors about you, you know," suddenly said Abby casually.
"I know…there really shouldn't be," replied the Doctor.
"Why not?"
"It's…complicated," the man answered with a heavy sigh. "Just trying to get back to my transport now. It, in simple terms…broke down. Anyway, I got what I need to fix it; I just need to get back to where I put it."
"Were did you put it?"
"20 miles east of here. I was on my way when I bumped into you."
"And you were going on foot?" questioned Abby amazed.
The Doctor said nothing as he drained his cup of the comforting amber liquid. "Speaking of which, I probably should be going." He handed Abby back the cup and motioned to leave.
"Wait, I could give you a lift…if you don't mind. You did help me," proposed Abby.
"Nah, I don't want to you to waste your petrol. It's going to be harder to find as time goes on. You shouldn't waste it on me," replied the Doctor turning back to Abby, hands in pockets once again.
"We'll deal with it when the time comes. But for now, I want to help you," she insisted. "Now get into the car."
The man needed help. He looked tired and worn, and it would take him another day or two to get to his transport, whereas a car could get there in less than an hour. And not only did he assist her, but according to the rumors he had helped plenty of people with a variety of problems. Now, it was his turn to get some help. The Doctor looked at her for a second with complicated eyes, gears obviously working in his head, then followed Abby's orders.
The sun was down, and the car's headlights were on. The two bumped along the country road, the wilderness whizzing past them. It had taken them a few seconds to find a route on the map that would take the Doctor to where he needed to be. They had been on the road for nearly five minutes before the silence between them broke.
"So…how are you coping?" questioned the Doctor.
"A bunch of people and me are living together. We work as a team to try to continue on. I want to stay non-violent, but it's not really working as well as I'd hoped," answered Abby, a melancholy note to her voice. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the Doctor grin.
"Humans…always will find a way to survive. I swear that whatever happens to them, they seem to get through it and move on and grow. They're amazing," commented the Doctor like he was an outsider to the human race.
"They want to survive at whatever cost too…even if it meant turning into moral-less animals," darkly replied Abby, thinking off all the horrible things she'd seen and heard about lately.
The Doctor said nothing in response, but only turned to look out the window. There was more silence, where only the rumble of the engine and the crunch of gravel underneath the car's tires seemed to fill the soundless void. Abby could tell that the Doctor had been through a lot. 'Course all of them had because of the virus and its aftermath, but there something different about the man that told Abby that he'd been through more than most.
"There are some things about the human race that I can't bear to look at," grimly whispered the Doctor. "That I rather not look at. But no matter how much I try, they always come back. The fear, the panic, the suspicion, the hatred…the human race is sometimes really a bunch of animals. And I can't stand it. So, I run away. But there are times that…I can't…I almost wish I never came here…"
There was almost a sorrowful desperation to his voice. The way he talked, it was if he was not human, that he was separate, that he was something different. He was a strange man… Abby began to wonder about the Doctor, to wonder if the rumors were true, that he was trapped and that he was from very far away. He certainly talked like he was, what with the outsider way he talked about the human race. Who really was this man? But before she could think or say anything, the Doctor continued to speak.
"…but then I see people like you, trying with all their might to scratch out a descent, honest living in chaos. I see the imagination, the wonder, the love, the hope of the human race. That's what keeps me coming back. Nothing in the universe compares to them. They are the most brilliant creatures, with so much imagination and brain power. Their flaws are almost canceled out. They have so much potential…I love them. I really do…despite everything…"
Silence engulfed them again. Questions were circling Abby's head like flies, yet she was speechless. The Doctor's words were so strange, so odd, so weird, but made so much sense. Abby felt the same way. Sometime she couldn't stand what people had made themselves into, but there were times that she marveled at the bravery, courage, and love of everyone that she it almost over filled with joy. She understood the Doctor's feelings, despite the strange way he talked about them that made her question who he really was. This man was something else, something Abby had a feeling that she would never truly understand.
They drove on into the night and stayed in the comfortable silence all the while. Neither one of them seemed to need to talk. They both seemed perfectly content in their thoughts, that there really was no need for words or mindless and meaningless chitchat. Everything was alright in the silence.
The moon had climbed half way up the night sky's back when they reached the place the Doctor had said he put his transport. It was also the place where the road came to an abrupt end. Abby stopped and cut the engine, the headlights slowly fading to nothing. Now with the rumble of the car gone, the comfortable silence slowly grew uneasy.
"So…this is your stop," said Abby after a few seconds.
"So it is…," began the Doctor turning towards her with a smile on his face. "Thank you, Abby Grant. I wish you all the luck in the future."
And before Abby could say anything in response the man unbuckled his seat belt, opened the door, and walked out into the wild night. She tried to watch him, to see where he was going, to see his transport, but all she could see what the pitch black hole of the night, which only a few months ago was lit by the lights of the city and human activity. For a few minutes Abby just sat there and stared into the darkness, not wanting to go. After some time pasted though, she sighed and motioned to start the engine. But right before she did so, she could've sworn she heard a strange sound, a humming, a grinding of something…Little did she know, it was the sound of the Doctor returning home.
Author's note: If you didn't already guess, the Doctor was 'trapped' in the Survivors universe. I'm not going to write out why and junk, because I'm only stating this for those people out there that didn't make the simple connection. But if you want to review and ask more questions, feel free. I will reply and try to answer them all…