A/N: I've been meaning to post this for a long time I just never got to it. I know I said I would post that DW series soon but writer's block got the best of me. Any one who reads my Iron Man fic I'M SO BLOODY SORRY DON'T HATE ME OR GIVE UP ON LANA! I SWEAR I'M WORKING ON IT! Anyway this is a one-shot for my friend Ingrid because I love her so much :) I hope you guys enjoy!
"Diastrophism. All the movements of the solid parts of the earth are included in the term diastrophism. The movements of the earth's magma are included in the process of volcanism or vulcanism. These will be discussed more fully in Chapter 16. Diastrophism and volcanism are closely related. Thus, many of the features described in this chapter as the results of diastrophism are also found associated with volcanic features."
She had been reading the same paragraph for minutes now and still, nothing seemed to make sense. Her brain was too tired to process the words. She sighed and shut her book closed and set it back down on the table along with the others. Philosophy, Earth Science, Literature... Those were just a few names of the subjects she was taking up and oh, did they make her head hurt.
She leaned back in her chair and sipped at her coffee, grimacing as it was now cold. She sighed and looked out the window, opting to people watch instead. Out in the streets, people were bustling and pushing through the afternoon traffic. "They look like they have it so easy." she thought. Minutes later she decided to return to her book, but that plan quickly changed as she found herself scribbling and doodling on the corner of a page.
She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard someone clearing their throat. She looked up and saw a thin man; probably in his late twenties or thirties. He was wearing a pin-striped suit; his hair looked as if it had been tousled by the wind and a pair of black framed glasses was perched on the bridge of his nose.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" she blushed when she realized she had been staring "Everywhere else is full."
She gave the man a small smile and gestured to the seat across her "Not at all."
Just when her blush had gone down, he flashed her a handsome smile and held out his hand "I'm the Do—John Smith by the way. You are?"
"Ingrid Gail." she shook his hand, still flustered. "Pleasure to meet you John."
He waved his hand over her side of the table "So what's with all the books, if you don't mind me asking?"
Ingrid gave him a sheepish smile "I was studying for exams."
"Oh!" his eyebrows quirked upwards "I hope I'm not bothering you."
"You're not, don't worry." she assured him.
A waiter came over with John's order and asked Ingrid if she needed anything "Just some more coffee, thanks." After the waiter had left, she went back to people watching but could feel John's eyes burning a hole at the side of her face "So you're a university girl, then?" she nodded hesitantly "What are you taking up?"
"Physical therapy."
John's lips twitched and his eyes sparkled with amusement as if there was something funny in her answer "So you want to become a doctor?"
"More or less." she shrugged.
"Doctor Ingrid Gail," he mused "Has a nice ring to it. Really it does." she gave him a smile of thanks before looking back out the window.
She was so exhausted. And not just because of the upcoming exams, but lately almost everything in her life was exhausting. And boring. She was bored and tired. Great combination...
It was when Ingrid's coffee arrived that John spoke again "You seem a bit...sad."
She traced the rim of her cup with her pinky "Not sad. Just tired."
"Why is that?" her eyes flickered up to his face "You can tell me. They say talking to strangers is the best therapy."
She sat there and stared at him, deciding whether to open up to him or not. This has been building up for months and with no one who was willing to listen, who better than a stranger? What was the worst that could happen?
"It's just..." Ingrid bit the inside of her cheek nervously. She was opening up to a person she met less than half an hour ago. She wondered why it seemed so easy when she couldn't even open up to her family. "There's a hundred countries I've never been to yet. A million people I haven't had the chance to meet, and so many things I want to do. But here I am! Stuck in this dismal town with my whole future planned out based on my family's expectations; bound to the boring normalcy of my life." Her tone turned slightly bitter at that statement "I look out there and see how others have it so easy being content with normal and I wish I could be like them, but at the same time I don't want to be!" John listened intently, leaning forward as if he was eager to hear more "I need something different in my life right now. Normal can get very exhausting after a while. I just want to get away from here and clear my head and go do something! I just want an adventure, you know?"
Ingrid waited for him to laugh or make up some lame excuse to leave, but he merely grinned "Believe it or not, I've met a lot of people like you. And if you want, I think I can help with your problem!"
She eyed him incredulously. Was he implying she was ill? "Are you a doctor or something?"
John laughed so loud that people in the cafe stopped and turned to stare at their table. Ingrid shrunk under their curious stares and she couldn't help but glare at the man sitting across from her. John wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and averted his attention back to her, his eyes still glinting with mirth "So what do you say Ingrid? Let's get out of here and I can help you with your problem?"
She eyed him warily and contemplated his offer. John seemed nice enough...if not a bit mad. One thing was for sure, he got her curiosity peaked. She looked back at her books and thought "Oh to hell with it!"
She gathered her things and shoved them haphazardly into her bag and followed him out of the cafe after paying their tab. She walked beside him through the crowded streets "So how exactly are you going about in helping me?" she asked him curiously.
He only gave her a mischievous grin "You'll see." his eyes gleamed with excitement and she couldn't help but feel nervous. The theory of him being a madman was becoming much more believable now. He led her to an alley and spotted a big blue box "What's that?"
He gestured for her to open the door "Why don't you see for yourself?" she raised an eyebrow but stepped closer towards the door. Ingrid looked behind her and saw that if John did happen to be a madman or a fugitive, she could easily run away. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and stepped inside the box.
"Open your eyes." John's voice sounded from behind her.
Slowly she let her eyes flutter open and what she took almost knocked the breath out her "I-It's—"
John walked forward and stood on a raised platform "Ingrid Gail, welcome to the TARDIS! It stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space." he held his arms out presenting the whole room to her "Let me reintroduce myself. My name isn't John Smith—I'm the Doctor and it's very nice to meet you." all she could do was gape at him like a fish out of water. Her feet was frozen to the floor.
"Now that that's over with," he held out his hand to her and gave her another one of his toothy grins "Tell me Ingrid... In all of time and space, where would you like to go to first?"
She knew she asked for an adventure, but oh lord, what had she gotten herself into?
A/N 2: No apologies will make it up to you I know! But it can't hurt to try right? I will try to post the more on my Iron Man fic! I just need to get inspiration! Ahhh I'm so sorry!