Here's the sequel to The TARDIS Landed in My Backyard... that I promised so long ago. Thanks for being patient. :-)
The Great Pajama Kidnapping
I plucked the last tea bag from the box the Doctor had left me six months ago. I'd tried to stretch out my usage of it as much as I could. I'm surprised it had even lasted this long.
When the Doctor said it was the best tea in the universe, he hadn't been kidding. Upon closer inspection, I'd found brewing instructions on the back of the box both in English and some sort of hieroglyphic-like language. I still had so many questions, and, of course, the man was nowhere to be found.
I was left to go on with a constant nagging sensation in the back of my mind. At my lowest points, I'd see flashes of dark blue out of the corner of my eye. In my dreams, there would be endless conversations between us; always taking place in the last place I'd seen him – that sparkling, surreal room. I needed to tell him things, face-to-face, but I didn't consider myself desperate enough to search him. So, my normal life went on as always.
Putting the tea pot on the burning stove, I let the water boil as I locked up the apartment for the night.
It was getting chillier and chillier outside everyday, and I seemed to be spending more and more of my nights alone. Jenna hardly came home anymore; her bed went unslept in more nights than I could count. I sighed, wondering why I hadn't accepted her invitation to go out tonight. She promised that she had someone to pair me off with this time. I'd declined because of a very crazy, stupid, and illogical reason: I had a feeling.
It was a feeling I'd only experienced once before – the day the Doctor had landed in his TARDIS in my backyard. I knew I was being childish, but the slight buzzing sensation didn't seem to want to mislead me. Something was coming, and I'd be smart to get ready.
The teapot kissed from the other room, and I ran to get it. A funny, twisting feeling erupted in my stomach as I dropped the last of my intergalactic tea bags into a mug of hot water. I'd have to be careful to stash the box away in a safe place. I couldn't go screwing up time and space just for the sake of recycling.
Peeking out the back window, I could only see as for as the patio. Not being able to make out any dark shapes hovering in the shadows, I left the kitchen. I'd go snuggle underneath my covers, nursing the mug of tea, and wrap myself up in a good book. I'd be hard on myself for not taking Jenna up on her offer. Instead, following some silly gut feeling out of some sort of third grade-based crush.
No matter what I did, I absolutely would not–ever–take out his noted in my bedside table drawer. No, now was the wrong time. I started in on a Sci-Fi novel to distract myself. All the while, that note was calling out to me from underneath the pile of papers I'd dumped on top of it in frustration a few weeks ago.
When my eyes started to get heavy and I was forced to put my book aside, that buzzing and that little nagging from the letter was still heavily present. I tried hard to ignore it, instead falling into a restless sleep.
"Whoa!" The yell sounded in my ear, and I was startled out of sleep. Jumping up, I managed to get tangled in the bed sheets, tumbling to the floor taking the alarm clock down with me. I laid there on my side realizing it was only 2:27 in the morning.
"Oh God," I groaned.
"Not quite," a voice sounded above me…an oddly familiar voice.
"Doctor?" I shot up, searching for the man who I'd waited six long months to see again.
"Right here, Corina." He was in the doorway, waggling long fingers at me. I noticed the closet door had found its way open and most of my clothes were now in a pile on the floor.
"Did you come in by the closet?" I laughed, trying to tidy up the floor a bit.
"Here," he offered, turning on the floor lamp.
"Thanks." I took a bit of a peek into the closet, searching its depths for any sign of the TARDIS. I clawed at the back of the closet.
"Did you make it bigger on the inside just so you could park the TARDIS in there?" I looked toward him, but he wasn't smiling. "What's happened? Why'd you come here in the middle of night?"
"Because," he crossed to me, putting his hands on my shoulders, "I may just need your help with something."
"Me?" I squeaked, the buzzing inside increased ten-fold. "What could you need me for?"
"Well," he looked a bit bashful, then, an expression I'd never thought in a million years he was able to take on. "I need someone to help me represent the human race in a bit of a diplomatic party."
"Party," I practically gasped, "but why ask me?"
"Well, you're fun, willing, and I haven't yet taken you for a spin around the universe. I figure you're overdue." He gave me a smile, tracing his thumb across my cheek.
"O-okay. Where's this party?"
"Drina Major. Just outside of your galaxy. Shouldn't take us five minutes to get there.
"Just let me change first. I've got to look good if I'm going to be representing the human race."
"Don't bother," he said, putting a hand on my cheek. "You look lovely."
"Well, at least let me freshen up a bit. I can't go traipsing around the universe stinking up the place."
I was blindfolded, being led by the Doctor to hold to on something, anything, as the TARDIS bumped along to our destination. I still couldn't get over going to an intergalactic party in my pajama. The Doctor assured me that no one there would know better, not having any knowledge of Earth customs in the first place.
He wanted this to be the ultimate surprise for me. It wasn't hard for him to convince for me. It wasn't hard for him to convince me to wear the blindfold. I trusted him, knowing that he'd practically saved my life once upon a time.
"Doctor," I spoke up, hearing him tinkering around with the TARDIS.
"Hmmm?"
"Before I forget, I'm out of that tea. Do you think I could get another box before you drop me back?" There was a long pause.
"Tea?" He sounded a bit bewildered.
"Yeah, you know, the box you left me in English and some alien language. I'm out."
"Oh right!" He exclaimed, "Tea. Of course, of course I'll get you a bit more." He patted me on the shoulder. "Almost there, Corina." The buzz I'd felt earlier that night had yet to go away. It seemed to increase with my anxiousness and my pounding heart.
"Doctor?"
"Yes, Corina?"
"This is safe, right?" I probably should have asked this question first thing. Oh well.
"I don't want to offend them or anything – etiquette wise, I mean."
"Perfectly safe, I promise," mirth filled his voice. "Hold on a bit tighter," he squeezed my hands. "We're about to land."
With a rough shudder, the TARDIS stopped completely. I let out a deep breath that I hadn't even realized I'd been holding.
"Wonderful!" The Doctor sounded eager. "Come on," he led me by the shoulders away from the console. "I want you to get the perfect first look."
I felt him open the door and lead me out. He reached up to undo my blindfold,
"Corina, welcome to Drina Major!" As the blindfold dropped from my eyes, I heard him giggle behind me. Standing there to welcome us were large, grey men, strongly resembling fish. They startled me, and I tried backing up towards the Doctor…except he wasn't there. Instead, I back in to the TARDIS…or what I had thought was the TARDIS. I had expected to see the familiar, blue Police Box, but all that stood there was a grey, mushroom – looking craft.
"Doctor," I was able to squeak out. "What's going on here?"
"Why Corina," he started to answer, turning me to face him, "what ever do you mean?" I bit back a scream as his voice became deep and distorted.
"No!" I shook my head in denial. "What have you done with him?"
"Nothing yet, child." The thing traced its hand over my face and I flinched away from him. "That's why we need you. Time Lord residue," he circled around me, "it's all over your dwelling place. Bit hard to miss."
"What did he do to you?" I spat, fighting back the urge to slap him across the face. His current disguise was throwing me off, and, somehow, I didn't think these creatures would appreciate it all that much.
"So, you're using me to get to him?"
"That would be the idea."
"What a clichéd plan!" He just gave me a blank look, signaling to his fellow fish heads to take me out of his sight.
"I'm not doing anything for you!" I was screaming as loud as I could manage. "Nothing!" He just laughed as I was led away, a thick material being wrapped around my wrists. Tears prickled at my eyes, but I wasn't able to wipe them away. Some trip around the universe this turned out to be. Oh well, at least I was still in my comfy pajamas.
My bound hands made it next to impossible for me to get up from the floor. They'd thrown me here a couple of hours before, I guessed. I had no real way of knowing the time or if they actually had been successful in their clichéd, movie plotline-esque plan. They were real aliens. One would think they would be smarter than that.
IT was cold in the cell they'd shoved me in. My pajamas were flannel, but they seemed to be doing nothing for me. The most baffling thing about it was that I couldn't understand where the cold was coming from. The cell seemed to have no cracks or crevices to be seen. The wall was lit up in a brilliant fluorescence, but held no heat or even light source. The walls all blended into each other, and I didn't know better I wouldn't have been able to tell which wall held the door.
Shivering slightly, I slumped sideways against the wall. I was getting sleepy now, and I could barely keep my eyes open. My wrists were chafing, the strange material rubbing up against my skin, making the area raw. I wanted so badly to give into sleep and wake up to find that this was all some crazy nightmare.
With my eyes closed, I pressed against myself as tightly as possible. There was no telling how long I'd be in here. It would be best to do something to give myself strength then just let time go by without any sort of escape. If anything, it would take my mind off the cramped size of this room. It was making me increasingly claustrophobic with every passing moment. This made me shiver even more, panic pushed just below the surface.
Drifting into a light sleep, the sensations around me seemed to fall away. In the distance, I heard the sound of a door creak open, but I paid little attention, not wanting to pull myself out of the small escape I'd found from this surreal situation. It wasn't until I'd felt the pressure from my wrists being relieved that I knew someone was truly in the room. My eyes flew open.
Standing there, rubbing at my wrists, was the Doctor; or the man who I'd thought was the Doctor.
"What do you want?" I spat, tugging my hands away.
He peered at me, curiously, through his black frames,
"Well, hello to you too. You can't like it here!" He peered around the room, gesturing wildly. "It's cold, cramped, claustrophobic. You humans don't seem to like enclosed spaces very much. Always puzzled me."
I just stared at him, my eyes threatening to close again. He tried putting his hand on my face, but I flinched away. He didn't look offended, just concerned,
"Well, I can't have you falling asleep on me."
My brain was muddled; confused. Could this actually be him? I didn't want to have the dismal amount of hope I had left dashed all to pieces. I took a deep breath,
"Doctor," my voice came out shaky at first, and his gaze locked on mine, "before you leave me this time, will you get me some more of that tea? I'm out." His expression did not change,
"Lavender stuff form Serpentia7?" He gave me a brilliant smile.
I couldn't help but throw my arms around him.
"I thought you'd never come!" He hugged me back, just as tight, swaying us back and forth.
"What did they do to you, Corina?" The question caught me completely off guard. I broke away from him, my gaze fixed on his chest.
"They didn't hurt me or anything, if that's what you mean." He growled low in his throat, grabbing me by the shoulders.
"They are hurting you. They would have killed you if you'd been in this cell much longer." I shook my head, speechless. "Believe it. Drina Majorians are absolutely idiotic. They understand nothing about the human race!"
He paced, curiously, in front of me.
"The atmosphere is all wrong for you! Completely wrong! You're shivering, you're tired. Your body's not adjusting, it's shutting down."
I swallowed,
"Then we need to get out."
"Come on, then!" He tugged on my hand, leading me out into a huge corridor.
"So, tell me, why do these Drina Majorians," I said the words almost reluctantly, "want you so badly?"
"I've taken something from them; something important."
"What?" I wasted no time being forward.
We entered an elevator, the Doctor sprinting down the hallway to reach it.
"Drina Majorians were only a couple of light years away from my home planet. There was a war, ages ago. A sort of…bomb went off, destroyed all the planets in the vicinity. The only Drina Majorians left are the ones on this ship."
He was fiddling with the elevator panel, waving his sonic screwdriver over it. I was still wanting to know more, curious as to the outcome of this, apparently, timeless war.
"And what about your planet? What's happened your people?" He stopped as if suddenly lost in thought. Shaking himself, he resumed his work as if nothing had ever happened.
"I move on, adventuring through the universe, enjoying the sights." He gave me an exaggerated smile.
"Yeah, I get that, but what about them?" He stayed silent, being evasive. "Well, whatever happened, I'm really sorry for. Sometimes, we don't deserve what happens to us. Least of all you." He said nothing to this, and I prayed he understood the meaning behind it.
The elevator lurched, suddenly, ruining the moment. Instinctively, I reached out for him and he caught my arm.
"Hold on to me if you have to. We're not going to fall or anything, but it could get a little bumpy if they've figured out what I've done to it." The speed of the elevator was gathering as we made our way up. An indescribable roaring noise filled my ears. I clutched at him tighter.
"What have you done?"
"Made it so the elevator can go in more directions than just the normal two."
"Oh," I smiled, "sort of like in Willy Wonka."
"In what?" he asked, curiously.
"Old Earth movie. Never mind."
He nodded his head, seeming to pull me closer.
"What's this going to do for us?" I asked, not getting the benefits of the situation.
"Well, it'll scare them out of their minds more than anything, but I've also programmed it to take us directly back to TARDIS if need be."
"Neat trick." I smiled up at him.
"I'm full of 'em."
The elevator dinged, apparently arriving at its destination.
"What do we do?" I asked, stepping away from him. "We don't have any weapons."
"Don't need any," he answered back, smoothly. "You've got me."
He gave me one last smile before the door opened, revealing several fish heads with stony looks on their faces. I think we were in trouble.
"Take me to the captain of this ship." The Doctor stepped out of the elevator first, raising his hands in a gesture of defeat. "He had no right to kidnap this innocent woman, and I'd like to have a word with him."
"We have no business with her anymore," one of them in the front spoke up. "We can let her go as soon as her memory is erased."
Memory erased? What was I supposed to…
"I don't think so. We're partners. She goes with me or there's no deal." He pulled me out of the elevator to stand along side of him. This gave me a bit of courage to speak up,
"Yeah! I won't step a foot outside of this ship unless it's with him."
"Very well," the lead fish head conceded, "she can accompany us."
"Great!" The Doctor seemed extra pleased with this development. "Take us to your leader." I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him.
We marched along with them down a narrow corridor that resembled the downstairs level exactly. The Doctor and I said nothing to each other as we walked. I was honestly afraid to make any sort of conversation after the whole memory-erasing bit. Without warning the Doctor squeezed my hand, leaning in to speak to me,
"I promise I will get you out of this and return you to your nice warm bed." Giving me a wink, he let go. Okay, I took a deep breath. Now, I felt better.
The leader of the Drina Majorians sat on the steps of a fountain, bathing in it's glistening green water.
"They're amphibious," the Doctor whispered. "Can't go without water for more than an hour."
"So," the fat blob of a creature spoke, "you are the man who killed my people. You ask to bargain for this girl's life, but why should I listen to you? You had no mercy for me!'
"Because," the Doctor shoved me behind him, "her people had nothing to do with our dispute. It was worlds away from them. Leave her alone. The only reason she's even here is so you could find me. Well," he spread his arms, "here I am. Do with me how you see fit!" Whispers erupted among the crowd of fish heads gathered around.
"As you wish, Doctor. Please take this man to the tanks below. I think he's in need of a refreshing swim. Take the girl with him. It would do her good to see what will happen to her if she does not comply with us!" The guards sprang forward, manhandling us and shoving us backwards. I reached for the Doctor's hand, but all I got was air.
"Doctor!" I screamed over the dull roar of bodies, but there was no response. A sharp pain suddenly filled my skull and the ground rushed up to meet me.
"…should kill you within minutes, Doctor. Not a slow death for you, but the best I could do on such short notice." A rough cackle echoed around the room as I regained consciousness. I peered through squinted lids at the image of the Doctor being lead to a large tank in a room that looked suspiciously like the hull of an ocean liner. I wasn't sure if I should make it apparent if I was asleep or awake. I quickly resolved to wait it out.
There were TV screens all over the room showing the image of the fish heads' leader. He watched eagerly as the Doctor was shoved onto a platform above the huge barrel, hands bound behind him in that strange material.
"The last of the Time Lords quivers at my feet!" No one could miss the excitement in the leader's voice. "I'd never thought I'd live to see the day."
"Oh you won't. You won't," I heard the Doctor mutter before he shot me a small, almost unnoticeable wink. I nearly gasped. Then, he disappeared almost instantly, falling beneath the platform.
"No!" I cried out, struggling away from the guards who tried to hold me back. "You can't!" I was more confused than anything, and I knew if the Doctor had somehow survived, he'd need a bit of a distraction. There was a multitude of guards rushing toward me now, trying to tackle me to the ground. In the midst of all the chaos, a great explosion went up, knocking out the lights and the TV feed into the room. The emergency power kicked in almost immediately.
I was able to maneuver myself out from underneath the guards in the brief moment they were distracted. I caught a glimpse of the Doctor climbing up the ladder from the tank, wet and dripping with the green water.
"Did you miss me?" The guards who were still conscious from the blast rushed toward him, but he stopped them all by lighting a single match. "I know that you know what this can do to you, to this whole ship!" They backed off a bit, and he gestured for me to join him where he stood.
"What's going on?" I whispered to him, sticking close.
"I've made their water supply flammable."
"How?"
"I'll explain later. Right now we have to find that elevator. Their leader will be down here soon enough."
"So, what do you want me to do?"
"Take this," he handed me the lit match. Reaching into his coat he pulled out the others, which were miraculously dry after his swim. "and that," he handed me the material that had been binding his hands only minutes before. "Lay it out, best as you can in front of us." I waved the match in front of me, signaling to the fish heads that they should keep their distance. Then, I laid it out, wiping my hand on my pant leg.
"Good," he smiled. "Now, get behind me, and I'll light this up. Soon as I do that, you blow out that match and run for your life!" I nodded, understanding. He lunged forward, flicking the match on to the material and lit it a blaze. The guards backed up even more as the material began sparking much like a firecracker.
"Corina," he called to me, taking my hand, "come on!" I ran behind him, hearing the crackling grow even louder, we disappeared behind a door before a loud booming noise sounded from inside. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
"Wow, that was close." He looked at me and just laughed, shaking out his wet hair. "Hey!" I yelled as some of it splashed on to me.
"Well you're no fun," he shot me a look of mock hurt.
"Explanations please?"
"Later. We've got a bit of a small problem to take care of. One that should probably be appearing right beyond that door about…now." He pointed to the corridor just behind me where the Drina Majorians' leader was marching toward us. The panic must have shown on my face because the Doctor guided me to stand close to him.
"It's all right, Corina. I'll take care of it."
"Doctor," the creature's booming voice filled the hall. "What have you done to my people?"
"Used your own elements against you. You've got a ticking time bomb on your hands. Only a matter of time until somebody noticed and made it erupt!" He ran forward, meeting the creature nose to nose.
"You certainly have too much audacity for your own good."
"And your breath smells like rotting fish. Well, it's a wonder with…" he trailed off, gesturing to the creature's body. I didn't know whether to burst out laughing or to tremble right where I stood.
"Why…" the creature began, but the Doctor put a finger up to silence him,
"Uh, uh," he chastised. "Not while I'm holding these." He lit a match and tugged on the creature's belt. Within it the thing had tucked the same material my hands and the Doctor's had been bound with earlier. He shook the liquid out of his hair on top of it and threw the match onto the material.
"Run!" He shouted, and I took off, the Doctor's footsteps pounding close behind me. We found the elevator in no time at all. He pushed at the buttons, frantically.
"Come on, come on!"
The moment the doors closed, he sank down against the wall of the elevator and motioned for me to join him.
"It's been quite a day, huh?" He studied me over his glasses. I laughed, leaning against him,
"You have no idea."
"So, I figure I owe you a bit a of a trip. What do you think?" The Doctor flicked switches and tugged at knobs all around the console. Finally, he looked at me, clearly waiting for the answer.
"Can I have a bit of time to think about it?"
"We've got all the time in the world. In the meantime," he came to meet me where I stood, "I believe I owe you a cuppa and I may be able to offer you a fuzzy bathrobe."
"Mmnm, that sounds amazing, but I think you also owe me an explanation." He stared at me, blankly. "About the exploding water, and the matches, and all that."
"Oh, right, right." He put an arm around my shoulder, leading me towards what I assumed were the kitchens. "Well, that water-like substance that the Drina Majorians just can't live without is a chemical called Dioxide Rithomyde. It's not found on Earth of course, but it's very common all over the universe. Acts just like water most of the time except…" he paused, momentarily, "when mixed with a bit of fire and granite cloth, it proves to be a viable explosive."
"Granite cloth?" Then, realization dawned on me, "Oh, you mean that stuff they bound our hands with."
He smiled,
"That would be it! You catch on fast."
"Wouldn't that be a pretty stupid thing to do; use that cloth and the water so often, and in the same environment?
"I told you, Drina Majorians are absolutely idiotic. They don't ever prepare for anything alien to get in. But, trust me, something always does. Matches aren't really a commodity among their people, but if a bit of trading ever went on, you'd be right to assume they'd have a big problem on their hands."
He clapped his hands, suddenly, startling me in my half-asleep state,
"Back to tea! Lavender all right with you?"
"Always," I answered, leaning on his shoulder, sleepily.
"Or you could always take a bit of a nap," he chuckled.
"No, no, I'm up." I made myself stand up straight.
"No shame in being tired, especially after the day you've had."
"Don't remind me, please."
His voice dropped all of its mirth, then,
"I'm sorry, Corina, for what they did. There's no excuse." I shrugged,
"Should have been paying a bit more attention, I suppose." He shook his head,
"No, no. Don't even say that. Wasn't your fault, so, I insist on taking you on a spin through the universe."
"No more visiting alien planets for me, thanks. What about a spin around time?"
"Your wish is my command, fair lady. And what time would you like to find yourself in, hmmm?"
"Vienna, 1850s?"
"Oh, Classical music fan, are we? We can get going as soon as the tea's ready."
"Why rush?" I asked, looking him straight in the face. "Like you said, we've got all the time in the world."