Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. All rights go to respective owners.
The Same Three Words
Cassie's days were always the same, without fail.
Every morning she would get up, eat breakfast, and then drive to class at the nearby university. At 4:15 p.m. sharp, she would leave her last class and go to work at the local grocery. After closing the store, she would eventually make her way home, eat dinner (probably heat up something frozen), and then go to sleep.
Then rinse and repeat the next day. And the day after.
And the day after that.
Twenty-five years. She had been on this planet for twenty-five years and there had been very little variation in her daily routine the entire time. She was ready for something more. But no matter what she did or tried, it never worked in her favor.
Recently, she had caught herself staring up at the stars during the cold, clear winter nights. Her great-granddad had always told her that there was life amongst the stars. He would get this far-off look in his eye, as if remembering cherished people and events, and say, "Keep your eyes fixed on the stars, Cassie. You never know what you'll find."
It was during nights like that evening, an exceptionally chilly Christmas Eve, when the stars were shining bright, that Cassie missed him the most.
She was so caught up in her memories, and looking up at the twinkling stars, that she walked right into the only other person out on the sidewalk.
"Oh!" she said, as she almost fell to the ground. "I am so sorry…"
Her breath caught in her throat. The young man she had run into gently held her arms, steadying her and keeping her from falling. He was grinning, but what caused her heart to beat faster was his eyes. They were a vivid green and seemed to stare straight into her soul.
"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. "But do I know you? You seem familiar."
"I don't know," he muttered, pushing his red hair back. "I haven't always looked like this."
Cassie raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh, so you've looked different then?" she asked, mildly amused at his response.
The man's head snapped up. He appeared startled, as if he assumed she wouldn't have heard him. He shrugged in response — to her question or his apparent uncertainty Cassie didn't know.
"Right," she said after a moment of awkward silence. "Well, like I said, I'm sorry I ran into you. Happy Christmas."
She turned to continue her walk home, but was abruptly stopped by a sudden shout.
"Christmas? It's Christmas? I love Christmas!"
She slowly turned back around on her heel. Snow gently drifted to the ground. She took a moment to fully take in his appearance. There was something about him that seemed familiar to her…
"It's Christmas Eve," Cassie replied slowly. "How do you not know that?"
"Uh…" the young man said. He stuck his hands in his coat pocket, looking anywhere but at her.
"As a matter of fact," she quickly continued, "who are you?"
"John Smith," he automatically replied.
Cassie narrowed her eyes at the response. It seemed like it had been rehearsed and repeated thousands of times; it sounded unnaturally. The young man started to fidget more.
"Okay, 'John Smith,'" Cassie said sarcastically. "Who are you? What's your real name?"
The young man glared at her. Their eyes met and the nagging sense of familiarity became even more prominent to Cassie.
Who is this guy? she wondered, starting to feel anxious.
"Who's to say that isn't my name?" he replied gruffly. "What's your name, anyway?"
"Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia Temple-Noble," she said. "And I said that I think you're lying."
The silence after that statement was deafening. Cassie began to fidget.
I need to leave, she thought. But something held her back. It was that feeling of familiarity again, but also something else. If Cassie believed in fate, she would have called it that.
John "Whatever-His-Real-Name-Is" Smith broke the tense silence.
"Wh-What did you say?" he choked out.
"I said that … that I think you're lying," Cassie replied uncertainly.
"No, not that. Your name," he responded. "What is your name?"
"Cassiopeia Temple-Noble. My friends call me Cassie," she said, before shaking her head. "But we're not talking about me! We're talking about you! Who are you? Really."
The young man sighed. He remained quiet and appeared to be pondering her question.
"It always starts the same way, doesn't it?" he muttered to himself. He turned around and started walking down the street, towards the corner. Cassie noticed for the first time that night a blue police box standing on the corner.
I walk this way home every day, she thought. Where did that come from?
"What? What starts that same way?" she shouted after him. Running to catch up, she caught his arm as he was putting a key in the lock.
"Are you a police officer? How do you have a key for that?" she asked.
"No, I'm not a police officer. I'm the Doctor. And this is my police box," he said without making eye contact. "Want to come inside?"
"Doctor?" Cassie asked, completely bewildered. "Doctor who?"
The Doctor smiled to himself.
"The same way, every time," he said, almost mournfully, slipping into the police box.
Cassie was left standing outside. Logically, she knew she should leave. Getting inside a tiny police box with a crazy person wasn't smart. But on the other hand…
On the other hand, she knew him. Somehow, in some way, she knew him. In the end, her longing for adventure and curiosity got the better of her.
Opening the door before her courage failed, she stepped inside the police box.
.oOo.
Minutes later, the police box flared to life. Its light flashed and it pulsed out of existence, a sound emanating from it that echoed in the heart of the universe.
The drifting snow continued to fall, covering up the remaining evidence that anything otherworldly had once been there, and silence descended on the lonely street corner.
A/N — I was re-watching the fourth series of Doctor Who (can you tell?) and this is something I wish would have happened; next-generation of Time Lords/Ladies-Human hybrids. I haven't caught up on episodes (I'm way back in season 8 right now), so no spoilers, please!