Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is the property of Warner Bros and Shoot the Moon Productions. "Affair at Bromfield Hall", which forms the backbone of the SMK side of our story, was written by Juanita Bartlett and any dialogue you recognize from that is hers. Doctor Who belongs to the BBC.
Authors' Notes: This is a collaboration between LaCorelli and Ghetto Outlaw. Rory Williams and Amanda King are two of the most patient people in the universe. They both put up with a lot from the people they eventually marry. And while they both seem to be average ordinary people; they are so much more. We just thought it would be interesting if they met, and at a time when neither of them are too sure of what the future will bring.
For Doctor Who this takes place immediately after "Vampires in Venice". And because we're in the 1980s we have a few old school Who touches, including a couple of classic characters making cameo appearances.
For Scarecrow & Mrs. King it blatantly takes place during the second season episode, "Affair at Bromfield Hall", with a few things just changed and stretched enough to fit in our crossover. Also, we decided to stick with the broadcast order of episodes for season 2, despite the fact it makes Lee look like he's having major attitude swings between episodes, which is something we're not going to do for the sequel set in season 3. While we originally wanted to try to fit our crossover completely between scenes from the episode, we felt this worked better. Anyway, we're already AU enough with this crossover that a little alteration of the timing and events of the episode should be the least of our worries.
Aliens at Bromfield Hall
A Scarecrow & Mrs. King/ Doctor Who Crossover
Chapter I
"This is not my fault," Amanda said plaintively, looking out the car window.
"I never said it was your fault," Lee replied, tersely.
"You're sure acting like it is." Amanda folded her arms. "You didn't have to come. I told Lord Bromfield you were a busy man."
"I am a busy man, but I couldn't exactly turn down the undersecretary of the Foreign Office. Especially not after he made such a big deal about whether I cared about your reput— I mean, he really insisted on us both. Look, the sooner we deal with this, the sooner I can get back to what I'm actually supposed to be doing."
Amanda's eyes moved from the window to Lee. "I'm sorry you're having to..."
"Amanda," Lee said with that inflection that only he could manage, "It's like you said, it's not your fault. It's just that only you could trip your way into a sex scandal."
Amanda sighed and went back to looking out the window. She was starting to think she was cursed. First getting arrested in Germany, now this. And Lee wasn't making it any easier. She could never figure him out. It hadn't been that long ago that he'd called her his partner. Now she was back to just being part of his cover. Well, it could be worse; she could be dealing with— no, don't think about it. She hadn't had to deal with that kind of problem since before she'd joined the Agency. Spies were easier, even if the lies were not.
The Doctor and Rory followed Amy back into the TARDIS, leaving the strangely hushed Venice behind. Rory felt vaguely unsettled. At least Amy didn't want to cancel the wedding entirely. That was good, wasn't it? Hopeful? She'd asked him to stay. Of course, he couldn't say no. He'd never been able to say no to her in his life.
"Why don't you show Rory around? At least the critical bits," the Doctor said to Amy as he went to the controls. "I wouldn't want you two getting lost back there. Had that happen one time; it took ages to get her out of the TARDIS."
"All right, Doctor," Amy said, taking Rory's hand. "You won't believe what's back here, but first I want tea."
They left the console room. Rory sighed as he looked at what appeared to be a long stretch of corridors with nearly identical doors scattered along the walls. The Doctor was right. It would be too easy to get lost there. Luckily, the kitchen was only a short hop down the corridor. It seemed strangely normal in contrast to the over-the-top character of the console room. While Amy put the kettle on, Rory watched her from just inside the doorway. She looked so at home there. Very comfortable.
"There's some biscuits in the cupboard over there," Amy said as she got down some mugs.
"Oh, right," Rory said as he walked to where she'd indicated. He brought the tin to the table. A couple of minutes later, Amy handed him a mug of tea. "Thank you. Um, this is nice."
The room suddenly shook. Rory spilled his tea. "Ow, what was that?"
Amy looked around. "I don't know." She grinned. "Let's go find out." She took his hand and led him back to the console room, where a loud beeping sound was coming from the TARDIS console.
"Umm... Doctor... that doesn't sound good," Rory observed.
"No. No, it doesn't," the Doctor mused as he studied a stream of data scrolling across the TARDIS's monitor screen.
"What is it?" Amy asked.
"I'm not entirely sure. It's a generic, broad spectrum signal, compatible with a wide array of communication systems, but I can't make out what it's trying to..." Suddenly, the TARDIS lurched wildly, throwing the Doctor, Amy, and Rory against the console.
"Doctor!" Amy yelled. "What's happening?"
"The transceiver has locked onto the signal!" he shouted over the grinding engines. "She's taking us to the source of the transmission!" His hands raced from one control to another and, after a few moments, he had steadied the TARDIS.
"Where are we going?" Rory asked with feigned calm.
"Definitely Earth, looks like near London," the Doctor said as he checked. "The year? Around 1984. More or less. I'll know in a minute." The TARDIS engines started groaning as it started materializing. "Ah, yes? Definitely 1984. And the place?" He looked at the scanner. "Ah, Bromfield Hall. I think I've been here before— or is it since? Ooh, but the 1980s, this is awkward."
"Why awkward?" Amy demanded.
"Well, you know how certain times in your life can be kind of hard to keep straight? Where you're not sure exactly where you were or what you were doing? That's the 1980s for me and part of the 1970s, for that matter."
"So," Amy said, with a grin, "this is like a drunken night at the pub, hmm. Doctor, what did you get up to?"
The Doctor glared at her. "No, it's just that considering where we are, I'm not sure how likely a meeting with UNIT is, and well, it would be awkward to cross my own timeline. Really awkward. Anyway, we're actually going to need to try to blend in because even though I'm picking up the signal, for some reason it's impossible to pinpoint the exact location. Something is really diffusing it, or the TARDIS is acting up again." The Doctor hit the console then sighed and pulled out some headphones which he plugged into the scanner. "Somehow, this feels like cheating," he said, as he adjusted the knobs and put the headphones on. He closed his eyes for a moment.
"What are you doing?" Rory asked curiously.
"Oh, just breaking into some high security computers and doing a general scan of intelligence chatter and a check to see what, if anything, is going on at Bromfield Hall in the immediate future... And we're in luck. At this very moment, above our heads," the Doctor said, "Lord and Lady Bromfield are having a weekend house party. Excellent. We'll be able to mingle and track down the source of the signal. Now you two scoot to the wardrobe and change into something for a garden party."
Amanda was very relieved to see Bromfield Hall ahead. The silence in the car was starting to get on her nerves, but she couldn't think of a thing to say that wouldn't make things more awkward.
Lee glanced at Amanda. "Listen, I'm probably going to have to head back to London in a little while. I've only got three days left before the meeting begins to find the leak."
"I know, but it won't be right away, will it?" Amanda asked. "I mean, I'm not really comfortable with all this."
"Look, Amanda, you'll be fine. Just be yourself; only..."
"Not too much," Amanda finished. "I think we've had this conversation before." And it never helps, she finished to herself.
"Yeah." Lee sighed and glanced at her for a moment, before continuing in a more reassuring fashion. "Really, you're good with people. Don't worry about it."
Amanda's eyes widened slightly at the compliment, but she decided not to say a thing more, since all too often a compliment from Lee was ruined by whatever qualifiers he'd tack on afterwards, and she wasn't up to dealing with that right now.
Lee brought the car to a stop in front of Bromfield Hall. He looked at Amanda with a smile. "This should be just a quiet weekend in the country. No problem."
They got out of the car, and then Amanda was horrified to see that same photographer snapping pictures— again. She cringed. Lee reacted by chasing the photographer down and fighting him for his camera, eventually yanking the film from it and yelling at him to leave. The photographer left after telling Lee he'd be sorry for what he'd done.
Amanda sighed as she watched this. "Just a quiet weekend in the country," she said. This is going to be so much worse than I thought.
Rory didn't like this, not one bit. All his life he'd been Amy's dress up doll, and now here he was doing it again. She hadn't even shown him the courtesy of letting him pick out the wrong outfit and putting him through the "are you really going to wear that" routine.
At least this time I'm not being dressed up as the Doctor, he thought as he checked himself in the full length mirror. Rory adjusted his tie and smoothed down the sleeves of his suit, the one Amy had selected.
"Amy?" he called out. The only reply was his own voice reverberating back off the cavernous walls. Amy had called this the 'wardrobe room' but it was more the size of a warehouse. A veritable sea of clothes racks, some marked MALE, some FEMALE, and a few OTHER, swirled around a spiral staircase that ran floor to ceiling. Catwalks led out from the stairs and onto platforms jutting out from the walls that held vanities, dressers, towering pillars of hats, and still more outfits.
He called to her again, a little louder this time.
"Over here!" Rory turned round just in time to see a pair of red heels descending the stairs. He moved his gaze upward as the rest of her came into view, taking in the long legs that followed. When she reached the bottom, she crossed to him and, with a flourish, twirled round to show off the black skirt and satiny red blouse that graced her slender form. "So, how do I look?" she purred.
"I... uh... you... you look different," Rory stuttered. "You look beautiful. I mean... not that beautiful is different, you always look beautiful... and... I sound ridiculous, don't I?"
Amy adjusted his collar and gave him a wry smile. "Yes, but very sweet."
Their eyes met and lingered, fixed on each other. It seemed like a long time since they had been alone, and there was a lot Rory wanted to ask, like, "why did you leave the night before our wedding, what happened with you and the Doctor, and what's going to happen to us now?" But he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead he chose to enjoy her smile. "Well," he said, "I suppose sweet is pretty good."
The room's huge double doors swung open with a resonant clang, jarring Rory from his reverie. In strode the Doctor, rubbing his hands together with undisguised enthusiasm. "Look at the two of you!" he exclaimed. "Amy, you look smashing! Great job dressing up Rory, by the way."
"Umm, excuse me. I..." Rory began but was interrupted by Amy.
"Aren't you going to change?"
"No," the Doctor replied with an air of incredulity. "I don't need to change. I have a bow tie."
"Doctor, so far, all you've told us is there's something alien outside the TARDIS, which is kind of absurd since everything in the TARDIS is alien, and that we should dress for a garden party. None of this makes any sense," Rory protested.
"It makes perfect sense. People across the whole of space and time love parties."
"Actually," Amy interjected, "I think what Rory means is: what are we going to do here?"
"Ah, yes, right! Well, I'm going to look around and find out what's got the TARDIS all excited, and the two of you are going to mingle."
"Mingle?" Rory and Amy asked in unison.
"Yes, mingle. You two need some time together. Venice didn't work out quite the way I had hoped. In fact, it was nothing whatsoever like what I hoped. So, here we are! A nice quiet weekend in the country should put everything to right."
Outside the TARDIS was dark. The air was dusty and dry, but it was cool. They took a few blind steps forward before the Doctor softly said, "Wait." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver, turned it on and after a few seconds, a row of overhead lights came to life, revealing they were in a large wine cellar. "Oh my," the Doctor smiled. "This should be an even better party than I thought."
They soon located a set of stairs which led up to a pantry and out into a kitchen. Amy tugged at the Doctor's sleeve. "Where to now?"
"Hmmm..." The Doctor tapped a contemplative finger against his lips. At length, he spun on his heel and strode off, calling for his companions to follow.
The Doctor led the way through a maze of rooms and corridors, stopping occasionally to glean some information from his screwdriver and once to comment on a Ming vase he was sure he once saw in a dressing room at the Palace Theatre in London (which was a truly odd place for it to have been considering its shabby surroundings). After what seemed like a long time, they found themselves in an enormous hallway adorned from one end to the other with antiquated suits of armor, weapons, and tapestries.
Directly across from the marble archway in which they stood was a set of double doors. The Doctor crossed to them and gently placed a hand on one. "Hello there," he half whispered. Behind his back, Rory and Amy exchanged puzzled looks. "These doors are as old as the house itself. In fact, they were a gift to the first Lord of Bromfield when he began building this home," the Doctor said, as if in response to their silent curiosity. "They're three meters tall, made from a single oak tree, and carved entirely by hand."
"Really?" Rory marveled.
"Oh, yes. I spent nearly a year on them."
Without another word, the Doctor pulled them open and they all stepped outside onto a terrace which boasted a spectacular view of the estate. Rory took in the scene that stretched out before him. To his left was a large greenhouse and a set of horse stables. To his right was an ornate stone water fountain next to which was an arrangement of tables bearing all manner of food and beverage. And in the midst of it all people stood about in small groups of three or four while others meandered along stone paved pathways which wound through a flawlessly manicured garden beyond which lay open fields and tracts of woodland.
When the Doctor said "party," this was not at all what he had in mind. Rory's social comfort level hovered closer to an after work pint with a few mates at Bingham's Pub. Suddenly, a sword fight with a stinky, alien vampire fish didn't seem so daunting.
"Wow, everyone looks so... elegant," Amy gushed. "I want to meet some people! Where do we start?"
"Let's introduce ourselves to our host," replied the Doctor. "Seeing as how he didn't invite us, it's least we can do."
Rory wanted to share Amy's excitement; he really did. But he couldn't stop thinking how he would rather be just about anywhere other than here right now. Still, he dutifully trailed along behind his fiancée and watched in quiet horror as the Doctor walked right up to a particularly distinguished looking gentleman and grabbed his hand.
"Lord Bromfield!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I'm so delighted to see you again! It really has been far too long. Dr. John Smith, such a common name, probably doesn't stick in the memory at all."
"Nonsense," Bromfield replied good-humoredly. "It's a pleasure to see you again."
"And how is her Ladyship? Well, I trust."
"She is quite well. It's very thoughtful of you to ask, Dr. Smith." Lord Bromfield smiled warmly. "I'm gratified you and your friends could join us this weekend."
"We wouldn't have missed it for the world!" There was a fleeting, uneasy silence. "How silly of me!" the Doctor continued. "I don't believe you've met my good friends. Allow me to introduce Amelia Pond and her fiancé... Dr. Rory Williams."
"My pleasure," Lord Bromfield shook their hands in turn. "Will you be joining our assembly this evening?"
"Most definitely," the Doctor assured him.
"Splendid! Now, if you will be so kind as to excuse me, I must attend to a couple of guests who have just arrived. Please enjoy yourselves."
"Oh, we will," Amy said.
Lord Bromfield was hardly out of earshot when Amy asked the Doctor, "You know his Lordship?"
"I recognized his photo from a government database I scanned back in the TARDIS. He's the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, but today was the first time I ever met the man."
"But... he knew you," Amy said incredulously.
"No he didn't. I was counting on him being far too much of a gentleman to act otherwise. Besides, if you act like you belong, people will believe you belong."
Rory grabbed the Doctor by the arm and spun him around to face him. "Great! We belong! Now would you like to tell me why you told him I was a doctor? Are you sick? Are you deranged?"
"I thought you might appreciate it."
"Appreciate it?"
"I did call you a eunuch last time."
"I... you... this..." Rory struggled to find some witty rejoinder, but the Doctor's twisted reasoning was unassailable.
"Rory," Amy interjected diplomatically, "let's just have a good time. We just met an actual lord! Who knows who else is here? Let's go mingle like the Doctor said."
"You go ahead. I want to get something to drink," Rory said flatly. Preferably something strong. The thought of meeting anyone else made him feel sick. What he wanted was time to think alone. He placed a hand on Amy's cheek and feigned his most sincere smile. "I'll catch up in a few minutes."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. I'll be right along." He watched Amy walk off back toward the house. She turned back and gave him a concerned look, but he smiled again and waved her on encouragingly. He waited until she was out of sight before he began exploring the grounds. It didn't take long until he located an isolated bench, mostly concealed by encircling shade trees.
Rory sat himself down, closed his eyes and let the sound of the party fade away.
TBC