7

"Well, you're a clever one, aren't you?"

Charlie snapped her head to the sound of the masculine voice. She didn't know anyone was watching her. When she came to the museum, she only had one thought in mind. All she wanted to do was look at the artifact that everyone was talking about. It was in the papers, on the television, magazines, and Twitter. For some reason she thought if she could just look at it, somehow she would be able to decipher where it came from and what it meant. There was no one who had any answers. This thing was a complete mystery. It was shaped like a stone, grey and looked absolutely normal from all sides but one. One side of the stone had carvings on it, deep and rugged lines that looked completely foreign to the average eye. In fact, it looked completely foreign to every eye on the planet, even some of the most prestigious names in language and archeology. But something else made the stone special, different from something a young child would be able to do with a knife. The stone was made of an element not known to man. It was alien in creation. Charlie was convinced it actually was alien, but the specialists couldn't be sure. How could they, we don't know anywhere near enough information about the universe surrounding us. This stone could open so many possibilities and answers that mankind had been searching for as long as time has existed.

She had witnessed the pictures on the internet and television, but something told her she should see it in person. The stone exhibit was still closed to the public and no one could see the stone but the people searching for answers. She called the museum to say she would love to help with the process of examining it, but she was told that if she had any information she should leave it in a message like everyone else. Obviously this wasn't good enough for Charlie. She needed an up close and personal look at the mysterious rock. That was when she came up with her plan.

Charlie walked into the museum and found the most desperate looking security guard. She walked to him with her hips swaying more than they ever had in her life. She put on her most charming smile and batted her eyes like she had seen girls do on the television. Before leaving her flat, she had made sure to wear a very adorable dress and take extra care with her make up. Her lips were painted bright red to match the dress she was wearing. Her bare legs were a little cold, but she told herself it was worth it. When she began to talk to the security guard, she learned that his name was Chuck.

"Well hello there Chuck," she breathed, keeping her voice low and sultry.

She let him talk for a while, making sure to keep him interested. She wanted him to think she was letting him flirt with her, that this was something more than her asking to see the forbidden exhibit. Not before long, she knew she had him. He was smiling and sweating. It was actually pretty gross to witness and even grosser when he attempted to push some of her hair behind her ear. She laughed at everything he said, tossing her hair back and radiating 'I like you." Finally she knew it was time to pounce.

"I'm just dying to see that stone everyone is talking about." Charlie continued to bat her eyes and smile brightly.

"I don't know why everyone is acting so crazy about it. It's just another rock." Her smile flattered there. This guy was an idiot, she was flirting with an idiot. She shook herself out of it and let herself pout a little.

"I would do anything to see it. I'm telling you, the first person to ever take to the exhibit when it opens is going to be the person I marry." Of course she had to over exaggerate. But she watched his face transform and she knew she had him. It seemed like a light bulb went off in his head and be became really excited, bouncing a little bit.

"You know….I could take you, but we would have to be real quiet and careful about it. I could get fired if we get caught." Chuck looked at her hopefully.

She took a minute to make it look like she was thinking about it, "That would be amazing. You are so amazing Chuck." Charlie flipped her hair and put an arm out in his direction. He grabbed her hand excitedly and pulled her in the direction of the forbidden exhibit. She had to hide how excited she really was, it just seemed to be bubbling up in her.

When she saw the stone, everything else fell away. She forgot about Chuck and moved closer to the stone, moving around to the side with the carvings. Something in her head told her it was alien to the planet earth, that the stone held answers to a plant and race she couldn't have even imagined before. She wanted to trace her finger along the jagged lines, but there was glass in her way. She signed in partial frustration, but she was just thrilled to be looking at it in person. She felt like she could stand there all day just thinking of the possibilities.

"I have to go on rounds." She looked back up at Chuck, surprised that he was there. He was looking at her weirdly, like he might have realized she was a little more interested in this rock then she let on. She quickly smiled at him and let out a throaty laugh.

"Oh Chuck, of course." She walked over to him and laid a hand lightly on his arm. She saw his eyes stray down to the lingering hand and then slide back up to her face. "How about you leave me here and go on rounds, then when you are done, you can come back for me and we can get a coffee or something?" She kept her voice light even though she wanted to scream. She looked at him hopefully, with big, wide, and innocent eyes.

"Sounds okay, I guess. Be careful and don't make any noise. If anyone asks why you're in here, say you got lost or something…okay?" Chuck was looking at her lips now, making it obvious about what he was really thinking about. Charlie shuddered a little bit and then forced a smile.

"Sure thing darling. I'll be right here when you get back." She winked at him and he smiled while walking backwards. Now she was slightly unnerved, but kept a smile on her face until he was gone.

Once he left the room she let out a breath and turned quickly back toward the stone. She practically jogged back over to the case and bent over to stick her face as close to the glass as possible. She once again let her eyes run over the jagged lines covering the one side of the stone. She had no idea what they meant, but something told her they were bad. Maybe a warning? She felt another shudder run though her and shook it off. She had to be going crazy. How could she tell these little lines meant something bad? Nothing could have told her that.

And that was when she heard that voice.

"Well, you're a clever one, aren't you?"

He was taller and had gorgeous thick, brown, saggy hair. Charlie noticed he was wearing a bow tie and suspenders. It looked good on him and the girl in her signed in contentment. Then she snapped out of it. It was not the time to swoon.

"Can I help you?" She decided to play it cool. There was a chance he didn't work there. Maybe he was just an interested samaritan like her. She tried to smile calmly, but probably ended up looking nervous instead.

"No. The question is my dear, can I help you?'' Charlie regarded him coolly, trying to decipher what he wanted exactly. He was smiling at her with an amused expression on his face. It was almost as if he was finding this whole situation funny.

"I'm just admiring the general splendor. Please…don't mind me." She waved her hand toward the stone and started toward the door. She decided the best thing to do was leave. He could be anyone, including a creeper or someone who worked for the museum.

"No, don't mind me. You did work so terribly hard to get back here." He raised his eyebrows and not surprisingly, smiled even wider. Charlie tilted her head and looked at him.

"What are you implying sir?" Now Charlie too, was raising her eyebrows.

"Nothing. I just managed to both see and hear you send that security guard away. A hand on his arm. A flick of your hair. You told him you would go for coffee when he got back. It seems to me that you worked very hard to get where you are." He had the balls to smirk after he said it. Charlie rolled her eyes and walked closer to the stranger, looking him up and down.

"You're British." Charlie squinted at him.

"Yes, and you're American. Is there something wrong with being British?"

"No. I'm still here, aren't I?"

"Ah, and so am I. Well, are you going to tell me what you see in that rock over there?" Charlie's eyebrows shot up.

"What makes you think I see anything?"

"Oui. Sorry. It's more of a feeling, isn't it?" He was looking at Charlie closely, like he was trying to read something on her face. His smile was gone, instead he looked very, very interested.

"I think you're weird." Charlie had a bad habit of saying the first thing that came to her mind. Right now, she was more concerned with finding out what this strange man wanted.

"Right, not something I haven't heard before. Walk with me, would you?'' He put his hand on the small of her back and led her toward the stone. He stopped when they landed in front of it and took his hand back. He pointed to the rock. "Look at it. How do you feel?"

He wasn't looking at the rock like she was, but rather staring at her face. He seemed to be very intensely studying her reactions. The answer to his question was obviously very important to him.

She looked away from the stone and back at him. "What's your name?"

His eyes flashed and in a second he was normal again, no longer intensely studying her. He smiled and said, "I'm the Doctor." His hands went up to his bow tie where he proceeded to straighten it and smirk happily.

"Doctor who?" Charlie asked incredulously.

"Just call me Doctor."

"No."

"So what do you feel….oui? What did you say?"

"No."

"What's your name?"

"Charlie."

"Okay, Charlie. See? I just simply call you what you ask."

"Doctor. That's ridiculous. Just tell me your name."

"Everyone calls me Doctor. Even I call me Doctor. So call me Doctor."

"That's frustrating."

"You're frustrating."

"I feel bad."

"What?"

"Bad, that's what I feel when I look at the stone."

"Bad?"

"Yes, bad."

"Ah."

"What's ah? Hello, Doctor…what does that mean, ah?"

"Well you feel bad."

"So."

"So, that's bad."

The Doctor started to pace, tapping his finger on his lips. Charlie stood by staring at him and wondering what he could possibly want or even mean. Bad. What could that mean? How could the stone even make her feel bad? And what could he even do about it? He was so strange that he was stating to hurt her very intelligent brain.

"Explain now…please." She smiled at him, hoping it would coax some answers out of him. He looked up at her quickly and then looked back down, still moving his finger around as if it would help him find the answer. She just watched him, somehow knowing he would come to an answer soon. Finally he lifted his head and looked at her.

"Are you human?"

She actually took a second to think about it. "Yes."

"And you're sure about that."

"Of course!" She made a face at him and signed in exasperation.

"Okay. So I should move on from the idea that you are a being from another planet who can read feelings?"

"Yes….wait. Read feelings?"

"Right. The act of reading and feeling. It really is quite something. Very interesting."

"Can you read feelings?"

"I can read everything."

"I doubt it."

"Go ahead, but that doesn't make it any less true."

"Do you feel bad?"

"Sometimes, but doesn't everyone?"

"No." She laughed. "When you read the rock?"

"Yes. And it's quite sad. Love a rock."

"He says, love a rock." She mumbled to herself. She rolled her eyes and laughed quietly. This man really was amusing. He might have some sort of social disorder, but he still made her laugh.

"So what conclusion do we make about this stone, bad, feeling?" She asked hopefully.

"Well, you might have a bloodline you don't know about. But on the other hand, I think that a bad feeling is never a good one. We need to get this stone out of here and take it onto the TARDIS where I can run some tests. I have a feeling it belongs to the planet of Ferron where they are usually good at reading feelings. Such a talent, such a talent. Either they are letting earth know that something very wrong is about to happen here, or they are trying to send a distress signal. Either way I would say a trip to Ferron is in the near future. So. To get this stone out of the glass…"

Charlie could do nothing but stare at him for a few moments. When she found words, her brain placed them as the most important.

"Did you say I might have a bloodline I don't know about?" She crossed her arms. Charlie could not believe this was happening. Her parents had always told her she was Irish and German. That was it…and fully human.

"If I said that first… that thought process is gone. Too many thoughts. Can't keep track. Maybe we can talk about it later, aye?" He lifted his eyes from the glass for a second and then moved them back down.

"Later?" She choked out the words.

"After we are both in my box over there and this rock business is all sorted out." He stated like it was obvious.

"Box? You want me to get in that blue thing with you and a feeling rock? Are you insane?"

"Yes. Now….let's go." He slammed a nearby hammer into the glass and it shattered everywhere. An alarm went off right away. He looked up nervously and grabbed the rock. He slid it into one arm while holding one of his hands out to me. He looked like an excited kid on Christmas and it was surprisingly endearing.

"Trust me…I'm the Doctor." What the weirdest aspect of this whole situation was, that I did, in fact, trust him.

And for some reason beyond my imagination, I grabbed his hand and didn't look back.