Notes on when/where/etc:
Quick Notes:
I've taken liberties with the 8th Doctor and the EDA arc... basically the Doctor is currently an amnesiac (I think that's safe enough to say without spoiling too much).
There is an adult element, but it's referred to after the fact, so, if you don't like the mere _idea_ of the Doctor sleeping with someone, better run the other way now.
Disclaimer: Doctor Who & TARDIS copyright Beeb, I'm not making any money from this (like I could)... the characters of Alecia and Jayne are mine. This is dedicated to a couple of people, who'll know who they are. :)
Lay on, MacDuff...
Origins
Part One
"Strange bugger, that one."
"Hmm?"
The young woman looked over her shoulder, swiveling slightly on her stool in the direction of her friend's nod. She had to squint in the relatively dim lighting of the pub, but then she saw who he'd been looking at. She agreed with him in principle - he looked like he'd come straight out of a rehearsal at the theatre, from his completely anachronistic cravat down to his frock coat and his (admittedly gorgeous) chestnut brown hair, that curled almost to his shoulders. He seemed to be brooding over his half of... was that water or vodka? She wasn't sure. She turned back to her friend.
"He dresses oddly, Kris, but he doesn't seem odd. Just moody, maybe."
Kris shook his dark head, as he wiped another glass dry.
"He's been coming in here regular as clockwork, at four, and leaving at eight, for two weeks now. Sits there in the same seat every time, mooning over that mineral water of his." He glanced over again at the strange man.
"He's cute," she said, following his gaze. She grinned. "But what do I know? I have no luck when it comes to men."
"Probably too old for you anyway. He must be in his mid-thirties at least."
"Age isn't a barrier. Besides, you're always telling me I act like an old woman," she chuckled.
"Wonder if he's lecturing at our university or something. Professors are always weird."
She turned back again and rested her head on her hand, and let her mind wander among the notes of the latest pop hit wafting from the local pub's stereo system, her thoughts touching briefly on her next essay for Women in Art, that thesis she needed to start researching, and... that strange man again. Her thoughts seemed to go round in a big circle and come back to him.
"I wonder what he's teaching if he is," she thought aloud.
Kris puckered his lips as he always did when he was deep in thought, some of his dark fringe flopping into one eye.
"Don't you go getting ideas," he said, "You know what happens when a student - "
She flapped at him, waving it off. "Yeah, I know."
Kris put down his glass and eyeballed his long-time friend. He recognised that look on her face, he'd seen it so many times over the five years they'd known each other. She wanted a date, and she wanted it badly. Unfortunately, in all those five years, she'd never managed to get one, despite her efforts. Kris thought she was trying too hard. She thought she was doomed to be alone forever.
"Alecia, I'm serious, OK? He's... weird."
Alecia met his dark look with hazel eyes. She smiled. Always acting like the big brother, trying to look out for me, she thought. Here I am, a grown woman doing my Masters, and he's standing there behind the bar and telling me not to talk to strangers. She almost giggled at the thought. She couldn't hide the barely-suppressed smile on her face, though.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing... I appreciate the thought, Kris. Really."
There had been so many times he had kept her feet very firmly on the ground. It was a comforting thing to have; even if he could irritate the hell out of her once in a while. She picked up her books and her bag, and slid off the stool.
"Going home early?"
"Yeah. Need to get some work done, and I have to pick up some milk at the corner shop before it closes. See you tomorrow."
Kris slung his barman's towel over his shoulder, and nodded. Alecia quickly reached over the bar and managed to ruffle his hair. Kris flicked the towel at her. She darted away, laughing, and danced out of the exit as she passed the strange man's table, her long skirts brushing the floor.
Kris didn't see the man suddenly look up from the table and frown at the young woman's retreating back, then continue to frown, perplexed, at the opposite wall. A few moments later, he got up from the table and left the pub.
It was several minutes before Kris noticed the man was gone. He checked his watch. It was only 5:30pm.
He suddenly wished he had gotten Alecia that mobile phone for Christmas after all.
-------
He followed her at a safe distance through the streets of Dublin, safe enough so he could see where she was going, but not close enough that she would notice him if she decided to turn around. As soon as he had determined her place of residence, he made a quick mental note of the street name and the number, and then disappeared into the night, satisfied.
------
"Kris, you're paranoid. Paranoid," Alecia sighed, as she took her place at the bar again the next evening.
"I keep telling you, you need a mobile, and you won't get one. How do we know he - " he nodded to the man, who was again present in O'Neill's, "- isn't some sort of psycho scoping you out?"
"In that getup? He won't get far, will he? Psychos are supposed to blend in, not stand out like sore thumbs."
Kris said nothing, but rubbed the glasses with a newfound vigour, which she didn't fail to notice.
"I can take care of myself, Kris, remember those classes I took?" She smiled at him.
"Besides, I'm sure it was just a coincidence that he left not long after me."
An audible sigh. "Just be careful tonight."
Alecia nodded, and dared to glance across at the man once more. He was staring off to one side, but she was almost certain he'd been looking right at her. Maybe Kris was right. Or maybe his paranoia was starting to rub off on her. Either way, she needed to get moving, and get to the library before it closed.
She was wary tonight, watching for shadows in doorways, furtive figures following her footsteps, anything that might be construed as suspicious, as the strangely clothed man in the pub. She didn't actually see him, though, and relaxed a little as she reached the campus limits and passed through the Nassau Street entrance, then up to Lecky Library, with its bright fluorescent lighting spilling unceremoniously but welcomingly onto the tarmac. Hopping quickly up the steps, she pushed open the door and made herself scarce amongst the Dewey Decimal System.
He sat on a bench across the street for a few minutes, and then pulled a fob watch out of his brocade waistcoat pocket. He glanced at it briefly, then replaced it as he got up and ran across the road, where a green and yellow bus had just pulled up at the curb.
-------
Quick Notes:
I've taken liberties with the 8th Doctor and the EDA arc... basically the Doctor is currently an amnesiac (I think that's safe enough to say without spoiling too much).
There is an adult element, but it's referred to after the fact, so, if you don't like the mere _idea_ of the Doctor sleeping with someone, better run the other way now.
Disclaimer: Doctor Who & TARDIS copyright Beeb, I'm not making any money from this (like I could)... the characters of Alecia and Jayne are mine. This is dedicated to a couple of people, who'll know who they are. :)
Lay on, MacDuff...
Origins
Part One
"Strange bugger, that one."
"Hmm?"
The young woman looked over her shoulder, swiveling slightly on her stool in the direction of her friend's nod. She had to squint in the relatively dim lighting of the pub, but then she saw who he'd been looking at. She agreed with him in principle - he looked like he'd come straight out of a rehearsal at the theatre, from his completely anachronistic cravat down to his frock coat and his (admittedly gorgeous) chestnut brown hair, that curled almost to his shoulders. He seemed to be brooding over his half of... was that water or vodka? She wasn't sure. She turned back to her friend.
"He dresses oddly, Kris, but he doesn't seem odd. Just moody, maybe."
Kris shook his dark head, as he wiped another glass dry.
"He's been coming in here regular as clockwork, at four, and leaving at eight, for two weeks now. Sits there in the same seat every time, mooning over that mineral water of his." He glanced over again at the strange man.
"He's cute," she said, following his gaze. She grinned. "But what do I know? I have no luck when it comes to men."
"Probably too old for you anyway. He must be in his mid-thirties at least."
"Age isn't a barrier. Besides, you're always telling me I act like an old woman," she chuckled.
"Wonder if he's lecturing at our university or something. Professors are always weird."
She turned back again and rested her head on her hand, and let her mind wander among the notes of the latest pop hit wafting from the local pub's stereo system, her thoughts touching briefly on her next essay for Women in Art, that thesis she needed to start researching, and... that strange man again. Her thoughts seemed to go round in a big circle and come back to him.
"I wonder what he's teaching if he is," she thought aloud.
Kris puckered his lips as he always did when he was deep in thought, some of his dark fringe flopping into one eye.
"Don't you go getting ideas," he said, "You know what happens when a student - "
She flapped at him, waving it off. "Yeah, I know."
Kris put down his glass and eyeballed his long-time friend. He recognised that look on her face, he'd seen it so many times over the five years they'd known each other. She wanted a date, and she wanted it badly. Unfortunately, in all those five years, she'd never managed to get one, despite her efforts. Kris thought she was trying too hard. She thought she was doomed to be alone forever.
"Alecia, I'm serious, OK? He's... weird."
Alecia met his dark look with hazel eyes. She smiled. Always acting like the big brother, trying to look out for me, she thought. Here I am, a grown woman doing my Masters, and he's standing there behind the bar and telling me not to talk to strangers. She almost giggled at the thought. She couldn't hide the barely-suppressed smile on her face, though.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing... I appreciate the thought, Kris. Really."
There had been so many times he had kept her feet very firmly on the ground. It was a comforting thing to have; even if he could irritate the hell out of her once in a while. She picked up her books and her bag, and slid off the stool.
"Going home early?"
"Yeah. Need to get some work done, and I have to pick up some milk at the corner shop before it closes. See you tomorrow."
Kris slung his barman's towel over his shoulder, and nodded. Alecia quickly reached over the bar and managed to ruffle his hair. Kris flicked the towel at her. She darted away, laughing, and danced out of the exit as she passed the strange man's table, her long skirts brushing the floor.
Kris didn't see the man suddenly look up from the table and frown at the young woman's retreating back, then continue to frown, perplexed, at the opposite wall. A few moments later, he got up from the table and left the pub.
It was several minutes before Kris noticed the man was gone. He checked his watch. It was only 5:30pm.
He suddenly wished he had gotten Alecia that mobile phone for Christmas after all.
-------
He followed her at a safe distance through the streets of Dublin, safe enough so he could see where she was going, but not close enough that she would notice him if she decided to turn around. As soon as he had determined her place of residence, he made a quick mental note of the street name and the number, and then disappeared into the night, satisfied.
------
"Kris, you're paranoid. Paranoid," Alecia sighed, as she took her place at the bar again the next evening.
"I keep telling you, you need a mobile, and you won't get one. How do we know he - " he nodded to the man, who was again present in O'Neill's, "- isn't some sort of psycho scoping you out?"
"In that getup? He won't get far, will he? Psychos are supposed to blend in, not stand out like sore thumbs."
Kris said nothing, but rubbed the glasses with a newfound vigour, which she didn't fail to notice.
"I can take care of myself, Kris, remember those classes I took?" She smiled at him.
"Besides, I'm sure it was just a coincidence that he left not long after me."
An audible sigh. "Just be careful tonight."
Alecia nodded, and dared to glance across at the man once more. He was staring off to one side, but she was almost certain he'd been looking right at her. Maybe Kris was right. Or maybe his paranoia was starting to rub off on her. Either way, she needed to get moving, and get to the library before it closed.
She was wary tonight, watching for shadows in doorways, furtive figures following her footsteps, anything that might be construed as suspicious, as the strangely clothed man in the pub. She didn't actually see him, though, and relaxed a little as she reached the campus limits and passed through the Nassau Street entrance, then up to Lecky Library, with its bright fluorescent lighting spilling unceremoniously but welcomingly onto the tarmac. Hopping quickly up the steps, she pushed open the door and made herself scarce amongst the Dewey Decimal System.
He sat on a bench across the street for a few minutes, and then pulled a fob watch out of his brocade waistcoat pocket. He glanced at it briefly, then replaced it as he got up and ran across the road, where a green and yellow bus had just pulled up at the curb.
-------