"Ok, push that down!" The Doctor ran behind McKenzie and pointed to a lever. She grabbed it and held it down with her left hand. The TARDIS shook violently, throwing them around the console room, "Then count how many times she pulls us to the left!"
"Three!" she shouted back to him.
"Actually it was three and a half," he shrugged, "But no matter, it is your first time on your own!"
McKenzie sighed, "How can it be a half?"
"Not a big as pulling to the left, but not as little as not pulling at all!"
"Oh for–" McKenzie through her arms up in the air.
The TARDIS started making an angry scraping sound.
"Right, that sound means you were too slow–"
"Because you were jibbering!"
"Point taken, cut down on the jibbering, just pull the lever again, count the pulls to the left and press the blue button on the right the same amount of times!"
McKenzie did the same again and found the two blue buttons, she pressed the one on the right three times.
"How do you press a button three and a half–"
"No, no! The Right!"
"That is the right!"
"No, it's the left of the console!" he showed her the line where the console joined together and the two blue buttons were either side of it, one on the right or left of the console and one on the left or right of the console. The Doctor pressed the buttons for her while clinging to the console.
McKenzie glared at him while still holding the lever down.
He grabbed the console screen and tightly held on to it, his eyes speedily scanning over the readings "Right! Now, with your foot, hold that lever to the left!" he pointed to a lever just out of her reach.
"Do you mean the right left or the wrong left?" she said as sarcastically as she could whilst clinging for dear life.
"Oh come on McKenzie, keep up! The left, left!" he shouted, pointing to the right as he continued to read the screen.
She looked over to the lever, which was just out of her reach, and back up at him, "You can't be serious!"
"Quickly!" he snapped.
She balanced on the tip of her boot and stretched her leg over the console.
"Almost!" he said.
"I've got shorter legs than you!"
"Never been a problem for you before!" he said, obviously meaning something else.
She sighed and did a small hop, hooking her foot around the lever and pulling it down, the console sparked making her jump. The Doctor ran around to the opposite side of the console.
"Right, when it does that you have to let go and hit this bit here with this hammer!"
She ran around to the other side of the console and hit it with the hammer, "I swear you're making this up!"
"I'm not making it up, you've travelled with me before, seen me fly before. And besides she's meant to be flown by 6 people!"
"And now there's only two of us so you have to accommodate–"
"I'm sorry, who here passed their TARDIS exam?"
"Neither of us!"
The TARDIS shook them about and stopped abruptly; throwing them, laughing into a heap on the floor.
"Oh right... Yeah. Almost forgot about that." The Doctor said, rolling onto his back.
"I don't think she likes me..." she rolled over to face him.
"What makes you think that?"
"I dunno... Just a feeling I get when I'm in here ever since... well you know..." she blushed.
"But anyone would be jealous of that." he smiled his charming smile.
"Shut up..." she rolled her eyes and got up "He should just be waiting for us, right?"
The Doctor got up and they headed to the door.
"He should be yes, we should be back just a minute or two after we left."
"Alright, London it is then." she straightened herself out before leaving.
They stepped out into the busy square and The Doctor locked the TARDIS doors.
"Should we wait for him here?" asked McKenzie.
"Nah... we can have a look around can't we?" he smiled and pulled her through all of the people, "Have you ever been to London before?"
"No... but I've heard a lot about it. I learned about it in school. That and a lot of other places and planets. I loved universal geography"
"Did you hear about any of the–"
"Yes I did... from you. Well, your memories. The hundreds of times you've saved this city, this planet."
"Well, I wouldn't say hundreds" he said modestly. McKenzie laughed.
They sat down on the edge of the fountain, people rushed around them taking photos of the architecture, a tourist group leader yelled to his group and small children chased the pigeons.
McKenzie rubbed the back of her neck and felt her key chain, she took hold of the key and held it up admiring how it glinted in the sunlight, "Thank you... Again... for this." she smiled, "But..."
"What?" he asked, turning to face her.
"I dunno, I was just thinking... Why me...?"
"Isn't it obvious?" he smiled as his cheeks almost reddened.
"That could have happened to anyone..." she rolled her eyes.
"But it didn't, it happened to you." he took her hand and gently stroked it.
"Why though...?"
"I don't know why, I just know who." he smiled.
She sighed, "Official companion." she leaned on him, "It's got a nice ring to it."
He put his arm around her, "I think you're a little more than that..."
"I suppose..." she laughed "You've given me a key to your flat, I feel like you should meet my parents or something"
"Oh... I don't do families. Much too domestic. Did I ever tell you I been slapped by multiple mothers?"
"No, those memories must have slipped my mind. It's obvious why though"
"Is it?"
"Well, you're the man they warned their daughters about aren't you?" she raised her eyebrow at him, "The handsome stranger, promising excitement and danger and endless wonder! And a ride on his–"
"I think that's enough!" he laughed.
"Motorbike... I was gonna say motorbike..." she gave him a coy smile, "But I don't think my mum would ever slap anyone... she couldn't hurt a fly. My dad on the other hand... he's got a good heart. But if he thought you were one of the reasons that I left home? He'd probably chase you out of the house with a rifle!"
The Doctor's eyes widened, "No, trips home for a while then?"
They laughed awkwardly and McKenzie searched for a change of subject, "I'm sure they don't like being chased like that." she said pointing to the pigeons.
"Why don't you ask them?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Well, I can speak many different languages. Pigeon being one of them"
"And what, now so can I...?"
"We've yet to learn what exactly the regeneration did to you... But if that much of me was transferred to you, I don't see why not."
"Well, what do I say?"
"Try this..." he whispered something in her ear.
"Ok..." she turned to a group of pigeons and cooed gently; the birds chirped and flocked towards her. She jumped and put her hands in front of her face. The Doctor laughed.
"Yes, alright. Very funny." she said as a large group of pigeons perched on every available part of her.
Some foreign tourists pointed, laughed and snapped a few photos with her while The Doctor could hardly contain himself. McKenzie rolled her eyes and pushed The Doctor into the fountain. The tourists left and she shooed the pigeons away. The Doctor sat up in the fountain and flopped his hair out of his face.
"Come on..." she put her hand out to him, he took it and pulled her in with him.
"Hey!" she laughed. He held her close and she placed her hand on his cheek.
"Ahem."
They looked up to see Jack stood looking over them.
"Oh, hello! Sorry–" The Doctor said. They looked around, they weren't in Trafalgar square anymore, they were in the Torchwood hub.
"You know, most people notice when they're being teleported. But don't worry, he has that effect on people." he winked at The Doctor and McKenzie.
"A warning would have been nice..." said McKenzie, "Where are we?"
"This is Torchwood Five. Underneath Trafalgar Square, operating out of the, uh... Café Nero..."
"Oh... ok." she got up and pulled The Doctor up with her, "You have a towel or anything?"
"Here." he said, handing them each a towel from his desk, "There's a hair dryer in the bathroom, just down there to your left, if you need it." he pointed out of his office.
"Thanks." she headed out and down the stairs.
Jack looked over The Doctor, "Had to wear a white shirt didn't you." he smiled, raising his eyebrow.
"Calm down, Captain..." he laughed as he wrapped the towel around his shoulders and dried his hair, "So, I take this to mean we're a little late?"
"Try a few weeks late"
"Ah... right"
"And what were you two doing in the fountain?" he raised his eyebrow.