AN: If you haven't watched The Twilight Zone episode 'Time Enough at Last', then you should. I tried to write this story so that it isn't necessary to watch the episode, but I would recommend it because it's an excellent story in its own right. Even if you've seen it before, I would still recommend rewatching it on Youtube to refresh your mind. When I remembered 'Time Enough at Last' I realized it would make a great cross-over story with Doctor Who, but I'm not putting it in the Crossover section because I don't think anyone would read it. There aren't any other Twilight Zone/Doctor Who crossovers. I do hope you enjoy this story, which takes place between the Doctor Who Fourth Season episodes 'Midnight' and 'Turn Left', and please consider leaving a review :)
Time Enough at Last
"Doctor!" Donna looked back into the console room.
"What is it?"
"Are you sure we're in California?"
"Quite sure."
"And the year?"
"Somewhere in the 1950s."
"Oh ho. So California got bombed into smithereens during that time? Funny, I don't seem to remember reading about that in the history books."
The Doctor raised his eyebrows and looked outside, then quickly shut the door. "There's enough radiation in that air to kill us in about two days flat. Hang on, I'll get the radiation suits."
He fiddled with something on the console, then disappeared through a door. He came back a few minutes later with three suits. "I did a scan for life," he said, stepping into his suit. "Go on, Donna, put yours on!"
"But I'll look ridiculous in this thing!"
"Would you rather look dead?"
She grumbled but put it on. "So, you did a scan for life?"
"Yes, and the scan detected one life form. Human life."
Donna's eyes went wide and her voice was incredulous."In all of California?"
"No, Donna. In the whole world."
"WHAT?"
"Yes. Now let's get out there and see what happened."
Donna and the Doctor picked their way carefully through the rubble. The Doctor occasionally stooped down and picked up bits and pieces of things, looked at them, and then tossed them away. Bodies were everywhere.
"This is horrible." Donna sounded on the verge of tears. "What could have happened? Why did it happen?"
"I don't know, but I intend to find out." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and waved it around in front of him. "This way. And we need to hurry. Whoever is alive out here doesn't have much time."
About two minutes passed. Then Donna saw movement. "Doctor, over here!"
"Careful, Donna." He approached the figure. It was a man; he had apparently tripped and fallen and he was moaning.
"Hello?" The Doctor turned the man over and looked at him. He was rather short, with a timid air about him. He blinked at them and then pulled himself up.
"Are you real?" he gasped. "Oh, don't tell me you're just from my imagination. Please be real!"
"Yes, yes, it's all right," Donna said. "We're here to help you."
"I can't see properly," the man babbled. "My glasses, they broke. There was time enough and then they broke. All those books, all that time. And they broke. They broke!"
"Here, put this on." The Doctor helped the man into the radiation suit. "How long has it been since this happened?"
"I don't know." The man looked around. "I don't think it's been long. Time drags so when there's nothing to do."
"Well, come along. We need to get you to the Tardis. Donna?"
Together they supported the man, who stumbled along as if in a daze, into the Tardis and up to a small bedroom.
"I'll be back." The Doctor glanced around the room. "Try to keep him awake. Talk to him, you're good at that."
"What's your name?" asked Donna.
"Bemis. Henry Bemis."
"What happened? How did you survive all by yourself?"
The Doctor stuck his head into the room. "Glasses," he said. "Catch!"
He tossed the glasses and Donna managed to catch them and give them to Henry. "Oh, thank you, thank you!" Henry cried. "Oh, that's much better! Do you you know, I thought I'd never be able to read again!" He grasped her hand and then sat up. "Things are looking up now!"
"No, you have to stay in bed," Donna said. "You've been exposed to a lot of radiation, but the Doctor can help."
"I'd prefer him to be a librarian, personally."
"Oh, he's got a library. Biggest one you ever saw."
"Let me go to it!"
"Not yet. You have to recover first. But I can bring you a book if you like. Any book."
"Well, then, how about David Copperfield? I've not quite finished it yet."
"All right, then. You just stay here, I'll be back in a bit."
Donna had only been to the library once, to fetch a book for the Doctor. She wasn't the reading type.
So she went to the console room.
"Doctor?"
He mumbled something.
"Doctor!"
His head snapped up and he looked at her rather vacantly. Then his eyes cleared. "Yes. Donna. What is it?"
"I told Mr. Bemis I'd get him a book, but I don't know where the library is."
"Go past the kitchen, third door on the right, down the corridor, second door on the left, up the steps, fourth door."
"Right. Thanks." She started to leave, then turned around. "By the way, what're you doing?"
"Checking this place out. Something's wrong, and I don't just mean that the whole world was destroyed by an H-bomb. There's something plain wrong about the whole ... everything. Go on. Whatever radiation Mr. Bemis was exposed to has been stopped in the Tardis, so it won't progress any further. I'll look him over later."
When Donna finally got back to Henry's room (the corridor was much longer than it had been last time she went to the library) she found him sitting up and eating an orange on a plate.
"Love oranges," he said. "My favorite fruit. I met Helen in an orange grove, fifteen years ago. She was so beautiful, so feisty. I don't understand why she changed so after we were married."
"I'm sorry," Donna said. She sat down in a chair by the bed and put the book on the bedside table. "David Copperfield. I've never heard of it."
"Oh, it's wonderful! Though not as good as Great Expectations. Dickens truly had a talent with words. I've read many of his books three or four times over." He stroked the cover of the book lovingly, and Donna suddenly had a mental picture of the Doctor patting the Tardis. She fought back the urge to laugh.
"Books are like time machines, or spaceships," Henry continued. "You can go anywhere just by opening the covers. Perhaps that's why I'm not surprised to find myself in here; the fictional world has always been so real to me."
Donna blinked. She remembered now that he had made no comments about 'bigger on the inside' or the impossibility of such a thing existing. "You think we're ... not real?"
"I'm not sure. Everything looks and feels real. This orange tastes real. But it could be that my mind has conjured it all up as a way of coping with the loss of my glasses."
Something about Henry Bemis seemed very strange to Donna, and she tried to put her finger on it, but couldn't quite. She decided to see what the Doctor was doing.
"I'll leave you to your book, then," she said. "I'll check on you in a bit."
She almost collided with the Doctor on the way out. "Oi!" she said. "Watch where you're going!"
Usually he would have responded to the challenge, but his mind looked deeply occupied. "Come here," he said, leading the way back to the console room. "This is the oddest thing I've ever seen. I need someone to talk it out with."
He sat down in the controller's chair and leaned back. "I've seen a lot of things, Donna. Strange things. Impossible things. But nothing like this." He fell silent.
"What is it?" she prompted. He liked someone to respond, even if he was basically just talking to himself.
"Well, it's not Earth proper. It's not your Earth. But it's not a parallel world, either. It's almost like a dream world ... "
"A nightmare world, if you ask me," Donna muttered.
" ... And it's not complete. Besides, we can get out of this ... reality easily. Not like a parallel world. The ride was a bit bumpy, but it didn't drain the Tardis's power or anything. No, this is a world unlike any I've ever encountered, and I have a theory that I'm going to try out. Hold tight."
He got up and entered coordinates, then gripped the console as the Tardis jerked and rolled. Donna grabbed a projection on the wall. As soon as the ship settled down and the Time Rotor stopped, the Doctor ran for the door. "Come on!" He grinned at her over his shoulder.
She stepped out into a noisy industrial city. Cars, '50s style cars, whizzed by. The Doctor waved his sonic around a bit, and then pointed up. "Look there, Donna."
"The Hollywood sign!"
"Proper Los Angeles, this is."
"So what's the other place?"
"I'm not exactly sure, but I have a feeling that if Mr. Henry Bemis had died in it, then it would have disappeared. We would never have found it. Now, back to the Tardis. I need to monitor some other things about it."
"But, he's not there anymore. Won't it have gone?"
"No, I don't think so. You see, he's still ... sustaining the world, for lack of a better term. I suspect it's a psychic-space distortion, generated by his hyper-imaginative mind. In that sense, a semi-parallel world, accessible by the Tardis. But incomplete."
"I think I get what you're saying. He imagined it all?"
"No, not quite. The mind is an amazing thing; it can do quite a lot of things besides imagine. Let's go talk to him. I have a feeling we'll find out just what is going on."
"Well, that's a relief," said Donna. "Didn't you say once that if something happened to Earth before I was born then I would stop existing?"
"Yep."
They re-entered the Tardis and found Henry Bemis sitting in bed, absorbed in his book. He didn't even notice them. Donna flapped her hand in front of his face and he looked up in a bit of confusion.
"Mr. Bemis." The Doctor took the book gently and laid it down. "I'd like to know something. Well, several things. Well, a lot of things. Can you tell us exactly what happened as you remember it?"
"Of course I can. Well, it was just a normal day at the bank ... I'm a teller there, you see. Or was. I made a mistake with a lady's change so I decided I needed a break. I closed up my window and read a bit, and then my boss threatened to fire me if I didn't stop reading on the job. But you see, my wife wouldn't let me read at home, so what choice did I have? The next day during work, I went into the safe with my lunch, closed the door and read for, oh, I don't know how long. Then there was a terrific explosion and when I came out of the safe, everything was destroyed. I wandered around for a while and found the library. It was as if my need for solitude and books had been granted; there were thousands and thousands of books, somehow mostly undamaged. I sat down to start reading and then ..." he broke off and shuddered violently. "Then ... my glasses fell off and broke. It was like a deathblow, Doctor. If you hadn't come, I think I would have just lain where I fell and never gotten up again. I didn't want to live any longer if I couldn't see to read."
Just then, Donna realized what it was that had seemed so wrong about the small man. She grabbed the Doctor's arm and pulled him outside the room.
"What is it, Donna?"
"He's all wrong! He hasn't shown a sign of sadness that his wife, that everyone and everything he ever knew, blew up and died. He just cares about books."
"I noticed." The Doctor furrowed his forehead. "It's very odd. I've never met anyone like him before. Usually such a dispassionate reaction would be the result of the character of a maniac like the Master. But this Bemis fellow is shy, retiring, and bookish. He is so wrapped up in his books that only when literature is the subject will he give you his full attention. Otherwise he's lost."
"Unsociable, I'd say," said Donna. "He really could live his whole life just surrounded by books, couldn't he?"
"Oh, yes."
"Sort of like you and the Tardis, eh Doctor?" She poked him in the ribs.
He looked thoughtful. "I suppose in a way, yes. But I hope I'm not too much like him."
"I was just kidding," she said. "His whole world dies and he just sits there moaning about his specs. You're not like that, Doctor, you really aren't."
He smiled at her unusually kind words. "Thanks, Donna. Shall we go back in and talk to him again?"
Henry looked up when they entered. "Finished," he said. "It's such a good book, and I was so sure I'd never get to find out what happened to poor David in the end."
"Would you like to see something, Henry?" the Doctor asked, smiling.
"Your library?"
"I can show it to you, yes. But first, step outside with me."
The little man got up and followed the Doctor and Donna to the door. Looking out, he gave a cry; Donna couldn't tell if it was of joy or fear. "It's back. Everything's back! How did you do it?"
"I didn't do anything except a bit of travel."
"What day is it?"
"November 20, 1959."
"The day it happened. That means ... everyone is still alive. Helen is still alive." His face fell. "Was it all my imagination, then?"
"No, it was very real. Your mind created, and opened a doorway into, another reality. You stepped into that reality a few hours from now."
"Then it will happen again?"
"No, not necessarily."
He breathed a sigh of relief. "Perhaps you could come with me! Talk to my wife. Tell her how important my books are to me. I think we would get along so much better if she just understood!"
"Well." The Doctor looked unsure. "I don't usually give advice like this to anyone, but can a book be that much more important than your wife? Can't you limit your reading time? She would probably be happy to let you read if that wasn't all you did all day, every day. Can you spare her some time?"
Henry Bemis looked as if he could not understand; as if the concept of time for anything but books was inconceivable.
"Just as a precaution, I'll keep spare glasses with me at all times. In case it does happen again." He sounded almost hopeful. Donna felt a chill.
"You want it to happen again, as long as you're prepare for it?" she asked. "I could hit you, you heartless little man! I think I will!" She raised her hand, but the Doctor caught her wrist.
"Now, Donna, that's not the way." He turned back to Henry. "Do you realize that you would have died very soon from the radiation in the air? If you go back, you will die. We won't be there to help you next time."
"I'd die content,"he said, with a dreamy look on his face.
"I can't let that happen." The Doctor took him back into the Tardis. "Also, I need to get the radiation out of your system." He pressed his hands to Henry's forehead.
"What are you doing, Doctor?" Donna asked. "Won't it kill you?"
"Oh, no, don't worry about me." He gasped a little. "If I ... concentrate it in ... one area, I can get rid of it. It was my shoe the last time. It'll do splendidly again." He stepped away from the little man and began to hop around the console, trying to take his shoe off. As soon as he had it in his hand, he tossed it into the Tardis trash receptacle. "Go on, say it," he said with a grin.
"I'll get you another shoe," said Donna.
"No, no, I didn't mean that! When I did it in front of Martha, she said I was completely mad."
"I think it's brilliant! Can you teach me that trick?"
"'Fraid not. Timelord ... thing. Doesn't work with humans."
"Oh, too bad. Now," she leaned in and whispered, "what are we gonna do with him?"
"I'm going to take him to The Library."
Her eyes widened. "You mean ... The Library? The ... Vashta Nerada library? That one?"
"It's not a Vashta Nerada library, Donna. It's all safe now. He'll be happy there."
"But what about his wife?"
"I'm not sure. Any ideas?"
"Maybe we should talk to her." Donna shook her head. "Poor woman. She might be happy to be rid of him."
"Then let's go. Henry!" The little man appeared to have been searching for something ("Books," Donna thought in disgust). He looked up. "Take us to your home."
"Oh, must I?"
"Yes. If we're going to find out what to do with you."
With great reluctance Henry Bemis led them through the streets to a modest house. Then he hung back. The Doctor rang the doorbell but no one answered so he tried the door. It was unlocked. "Come on, Donna. You too, Henry."
Donna went into the living room and could tell immediately that no one was home. Everything was swept, dusted, and put away. A bookshelf full of books was arranged neatly. Henry ran towards them. "All my books, the ones she hid! What's the meaning of this?" He took one and stroked it's spine. Donna went into the kitchen. It was spotless. Then she noticed a piece of paper on the stovetop.
"Doctor, come look at this!"
He came in, followed by Henry. She showed him the note.
Henry,
I've had enough of you and your ridiculous obsession with books. There they all are, on the shelf. You've been married to them a long time. I was just the useless second wife. Hope you're happy. Don't try to find me; I won't be coming back. - Helen
Henry looked rather stunned. "She's gone. Is this real, Doctor? Do I have this whole house to myself?"
Donna saw the anger in the Doctor's eyes, and felt it in herself. "Don't you even care? She's gone! You drove her away, and you don't even care!"
"I just want to read," the small man said in a plaintive tone. "What's so wrong with that? I don't understand."
"Well, then. I'm taking you to The Library, Henry Bemis." The Doctor's voice was a bit strained. "You don't deserve it, but at least you'll not be affecting anyone else. You can read to your heart's content, until your eyes or your heart (if you have a heart) give out. Come along." He left the house and walked with long strides back to the Tardis, so that Donna had to trot to keep up and Henry was forced to run. The Doctor put in the coordinates without saying a word, while Henry stood nearby. Donna didn't even look at him.
When they reached The Library, the Doctor nodded to Henry. "Out here." He opened the door and Henry Bemis, lover of books, looked out into the greatest library in the universe. His mouth dropped open and tears filled his eyes. "Is it possible?" he said. "I can really stay here forever?"
"Forever's a long time," the Doctor said. "Yes, Henry Bemis, you can stay here. It's the only place you really understand, I'm sorry to say."
Henry turned around and wrung the Doctor's hand. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
The Timelord stared at the small man and said nothing until Henry, hardly able to restrain his excitement, ran for the desk to check in. "Come on, Donna." His voice was weary. Once inside the Tardis, he ran his hands through his hair. "I've lived a long time, and I don't think I've ever seen someone so heartless before. That was disturbing. He's seems so harmless, but I think the Master would be given a run for his money in terms of his disregard for anyone but himself."
"Yeah," Donna said. "I hope I never meet anyone like him again."
"So! What do you say? I've got a great planet picked out: Shan Shen. The Chinese settled the planet in the thirtieth century. It's lovely. You want to go?"
"Sounds good," said Donna. It still unnerved her a bit when the Doctor changed moods so quickly. She was still disgusted by Henry Bemis and disturbed by him as well. Maybe Shan Shen would cheer her up.