Disclaimer: In an infinite number of universes, anything is possible, even a universe where I own Doctor Who. Unfortunately, that particular universe is far away and sealed off from this reality forever.
A/N: This is a short story about (some of) the people who never got an invite into the TARDIS. Because I think it would be hard to get a tiny idea of what might be, and then have to go back to normal life without even a real glimpse of the universe. You'll have to kind of suspend your sense of timing on this one, a bit. We've got characters from everywhere from the 2nd to 5th seasons. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, but either way, please let me know what you think!
It had been Elton who started everything. Elton got in touch with Larry on an Internet message board, and proposed the idea. Larry managed, somehow, to find a decent-sized list of people who may be interested. Sally convinced Larry to get things offline and into reality. And, slowly but surely, invitations were sent out via e-mail.
For all those who have met the Doctor,
For those who have lived in his shadow,
And for those who never got to see the wonders of the universe,
Meet at Sparrow & Nightingale's Antiquarian Books & Rare DVD's
5 pm this Saturday.
That was how it started; just one day, in a tiny flat above a shop. Talking over tea and biscuits. It was like a support group, though no one ever called it that. They were just people who met up once or twice a month. It was hard finding people to relate to, when you had seen so much and yet so little.
"I saw Japan burn," Tish whispered one day to Ursula, her dry throat leaving her voice raspy. Ursula, being more paving slab than human, couldn't reach out and comfort her. But that wasn't what Tish needed. She just needed someone to hear. "Martha, my sister, was actually there. She was the only person to get out alive. She saved the world, while I was a servant. Now, she's still out there saving the world. UNIT jumped at her qualifications." Tish let out a small, joyless laugh, "But no one wants to hire a servant."
Ursula gave a wry smile. "No one wants to hire a paving slab, either," she said. Her words weren't bitter, or condescending. They were just understanding.
"There a reason you always stay away from her?" Christina nodded towards Tish as she addressed Tom. Tom didn't talk much, and Christina was intrigued by him.
"It's a bit complicated," he said, not quite meeting Christina's eye.
"Isn't that the point of these things?" she laughed.
Tom smiled. "I suppose so." He hesitated a moment, then shrugged and took a step towards Christina. "I was engaged to her sister. Martha. She broke it off a month before the wedding."
"Ouch."
"Yeah. I mean, she was right to. We just weren't working. I think she clung on to me because...well, apparently, I saved her life during a year that happened but then...un-happened. I don't know, it's all a bit strange. But, she said I was the bravest man she ever knew."
"And why did you cling to her?" Christina wasn't one to beat around the bush.
"Like I said, she thought I was the bravest man she ever knew. That was...nice." It sounded like such a weak reason, but after months of 'soul-searching' it was the best reason he had been able to come up with-as much as it drove him mad when she went on about how wonderful the Doctor was, it felt good that he was the one she chose to be with. "It's a shame, really. If we had met in another way, in another life, we might have been really good together."
Christina stared at the ground for a moment, remembering someone she could have been good with. But, she was never one to live in the past—grab the present while you have it, she thought. Then, with a coy smile, she pulled a very surprised Tom in for a kiss.
Craig leaned against a wall with his eyes firmly fixed on Sophie, grinning like an idiot. He was watching her gesturing to Elton about something or other, and Craig couldn't help but notice the way her engagement ring sparkled as her hands moved. He still couldn't believe she had said yes.
"How long have you two been together?" Craig was startled out of his reverie by the voice of Sally Sparrow.
"Hm?" he responded. "Oh," he shook his head. "A year. It was all thanks to the Doctor, really."
Sally returned his smile as she nodded towards Larry, who had joined Sophie and Elton across the room. "With us too. If it weren't for the Doctor, I don't know if I would have really gotten to know Larry. He brought Elton and Ursula together, too, from what Ursula has told me."
"A mad man with a box, and a penchant for matchmaking."
Sally laughed, "Something like that, I guess."
It was a little after midnight when Oliver saw them start leaving the shop. He was sitting in a pub across the street, staring wistfully out the window. Maybe one day, he'd have the courage to approach one of them.
Oliver had not been one of the ones to receive an invitation. And why should he? He never met the Doctor; shouldn't have even known about the Doctor.
Except that whenever he went to the moon and back, and conversed with Rhino police from space, he tended to look into it. It took some digging, but he eventually determined that the man responsible for saving the hospital had been that patient, John Smith. He had seen Martha running around with him that day, so that gave him his next clue. After more investigating, it ended up being on the same message board which Elton had used to contact Larry, that Oliver managed to piece together the rest of the story. That was also where he found the first mention of the meet-ups.
Most of them thought they had been robbed of something, he figured. Some experience or privilege. And maybe that had. But at least they had each other.