I don't own Doctor Who or any of the characters.
I thought of this little story while I was at work, just wishing The Doctor would come to take me away. Please review! It's my first ever story and any feedback would be much appreciated.
Day in and day out. Always living the same day over and over again. When I'm stuck at the registers at work, I stare out the window, daydreaming. Daydreaming of flying. Flying anywhere, everywhere, even to where I am now. All I am is a worker at the very first Homegoods in Montana. Woohoo. I spend my days stocking and restocking shelves, and I'm often put up at the front to run the registers. I will occasionally sneak my phone, but usually i stare out the window, my window. The view of the Rocky Mountains is always beautiful, but how i would love to see anything else. I guess, it's more like I would rather not be staring out my window. Looking out a classroom window at the college, in a class, going somewhere in life. Or looking down at the mountains from a plane as im going...somewhere. I'm thinking scotland first. Oh how wonderful that would be! Traveling without consequence. That's the dream, what I always picture out that window. A way out.
When I was a kid, I always thought I would be something great. I thought I'd make a difference in the world, somehow. For years I wanted to be an astronomer. Man was i fascinated with the stars and planets. Even when i was really young, I thought how incredible it was that I lived in a time that knew about the planets other than just from a chart. Such a beautiful reality, but that fascination was fleeting. It took a while, but I lost interest at the age of 14 when i realized all the math involved. I then discovered art when i was 16. I had a talent, and I'd never been good at anything. And what did i do with it? I went to college to master in Art History only to drop out less than a year in for the party life. So, here we are again, looking out this damn window, wondering how life would have turned out if i only knew where I would be in the future.
I remember the feeling of hopelessness like it was yesterday, man I was a mess then. Even 50 years later, I can still feel the emptiness in my chest. Something was missing. I had no idea what was coming. My whole life was going to turn around, but nothing really happened in my world. For all anyone knew, I disappeared for short periods of time. But for me? Well, I was finally living.
9:30. Time for work. I rolled out of bed and got slammed with yet another hangover. Well, sounds about right, I don't even remember going to bed. Last thing I remember is crying over a Doctor Who episode and drinking my sorrows away. What a silly thing, to be this upset by a tv show. Then again, it IS Doctor Who.
After a shower and almost an entire pot of coffee, I was as good as I was going to get for a few hours. Just another day, another hangover, and another short walk to work. Thank you weather gods for making it a crisp morning. Nothing like a refreshing walk before I was stuck in a building I hated. The whole way I thought about school. I'm only 21 and I don't think I can handle another year doing the same damn thing every damn day. Nothing I can do now but work and keep working on getting my life together. Wow, not even at work yet and I already can't wait to get back home with another bottle of wine and my show.
"Violet, you smell disgusting, I swear if I had a bucket of water I'd give you a bath." I looked over and saw Steph walking towards me with a disapproving look in her eye.
"And when do you think you'll actually have a bucket of water handy?" She just rolled her eyes and went back to work.
Steph is my work mom, and she is always on my ass about everything to always remind me. Slacking at work even a little, getting back to school, drinking a little too much, smoking, you name it. She's especially keen on trying to make me feel like garbage every time I smoke. Poor woman's mom died when she was 17 of lung cancer, it only makes sense why she hates it so much.
Steph is by far my favorite coworker. She's 53 and already cranky like a widowed 90 year old woman. She's not afraid to speak her mind and can even be a little rude to customers, but she means well. Everyone likes her in some way, but I love the woman to death. She's nice to me but she actually likes me. She'll let me ramble about all the things that I'm constantly thinking of, and try to have a conversation even if she has no clue what I'm talking about. My most recent topic, Doctor Who. It's probably my favorite show, and when I like something, I tend to get a little bit obsessive. I've seen most of the show but I'm rewatching it so I can get caught up. Poor woman, had to pick me of all the people that work here to get close too. She always visits me when she shouldn't when I'm stuck up front at the registers, like today.
Such a slow day, but at least I had my window. I'm always making up crazy scenarios of somehow leaving and never coming back. If only i had a madman in a blue box. I'd leave in a heartbeat. I'd go probably go to Rome first. I could spend weeks there and still manage to have more stuff to see. I often watch videos of the coliseum, just imagining what it would be like to go there. I would probably cry my eyes out. Or I'd go to Scotland and hike around Loch Ness. It would be incredible!
"Violet, you have a customer." Jennifer, my manager, said from a small ways away. She's always on my ass about my day dreaming.
I'm not sure if there's something in the water or what, but the customers are ridiculously rude today. One woman asked for help carrying a piece of furniture out but got angry that I was carrying it. Right now I have a woman demanding that I return something she bought 4 months ago. It's not even in the system anymore.
"You see here, Violet is it? You see here Violet, I'm not leaving until you return these pillows and I get my damn money back."
My manager was now up here desperately trying to deescalate the situation. "Ma'am, like I've said three times now, I'm not able to return them because they aren't in the system anymore. You don't have a receipt, they don't even have price tags anymore. I don't even know for sure if these are from my store."
"You're the store manager, you should know your merchandise."
"So what you're saying is you expect this woman to remember every single thing that comes into this store? And everything from 4 months ago?" A man with an English accent said to the crazy lady. Where in the world did he come from?
"ExCUSE me sir, but who the hell are you?"
He just kind of smirked at her and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Ma'am, this man is mocking me, you need to tell him to leave, I swear, I'll never shop here again." She put her hands on her hips like she had won an argument.
"HA! What a silly thing for you to say. I'm sure Miss Violet and the lovely store manager here wouldn't mind that one bit. One less Xanax popping, wine drinking, privileged white woman to come in here."
I couldn't help it, I laughed, and my scary manager did too. Only for a second, but she snickered. The look on the white privilege representative was amazing. She was just horrified. She marched toward the tall stranger and started jabbing her finger into his chest.
"Hey, ass hole, who the hell do you think you are?" She was yelling now.
Giggling, he lightly moved her hand away from him and started walking out.
"Just a man you'll probably never see again! Have a good day Miss Violet, Miss Jennifer!" He said winking, and quickly turned on his heel and left. I watched him walk, or more like strut, past my window smiling the whole time. Who is he? He looks an awful lot like David Tennant. Even has the hair and the converse. I don't care though, that made my whole day.
"Like I said Ma'am, I cannot and will not return these."
Aw this poor woman was just fuming. She's having a rough day, not getting what she wants and got insulted by a David Tennant lookalike. She ended up leaving empty handed, my manager couldn't do anything about it. Jennifer and I had a good laugh once she left.
"The look on that bitches face was hilarious! I don't know who that man was, but I think I'm in love with him. He talked to her the way every retail worker would love to talk to customers." Jennifer was practically dying she was laughing so hard. I don't think I've ever seen her laugh.
The rest of the day went by very slowly. Even talking to Steph didn't help. When we weren't talking, I stared out my window, thinking about the funny Scottish man. He was so handsome. It is weird that he looks almost exactly like David Tennant. Even the clothes, and the hair, and the spring in his step.
Time eventually moved to 7pm, although it felt like it would never get there. I clocked out and headed out the door. It was pouring rain, of course. I pulled my hood over my head and rounded the corner of the building and stopped dead in my tracks. There he was, leaning against the building with a mischievous look on his face. My stomach immediately started fluttering. Has he been waiting for me? I reached into my pocket and grabbed my pocket knife, just in case. I didn't have the feeling like he was a danger, but any stranger waiting for me behind my work, even a handsome stranger, could still murder me or sell me to someone.
"Hello there. Fancy a drink love?" He gave me a half smile and started walking towards me.
I just sort of froze. Something in me almost said yes immediately, but I don't know him. He kept walk with his hands shoved in his trench coat, "We can talk about that horrible woman at your work today. I thought she was going to kill me after I made both you and your manager laugh." He was about a foot away from now, looking down at me. "So? What do you say?"
My grip on my pocket knife loosened. There was something about him. I'm not sure what it is, but I just knew he wasn't a danger. Maybe it was his chocolate brown eyes, or maybe it was because he called me 'love'. I'm always a sucker for an English man. "I guess I could go for a beer. You're paying, strange man I've never met before."
His whole face lit up. "Let's go then!" He was practically skipping with me not too far behind him.
"I haven't got any wheels, so I hope it's not too far! Sorry love, this rain is getting a bit heavy."
I didn't mind much. I just giggled and kept walking. His enthusiasm was infectious. "I don't mind walking, I walk to work every day. Hang on," I stopped walking, "you were waiting for me behind the building when I got off of work. How did you know I would be heading that way?"
He turned around almost looking annoyed and huffed, "Why I followed you of course. Now come on!" He grabbed my hand and practically drug me along. Again, I don't know what it is, but I wasn't in any danger. He eventually let go of my hand and just casually walked next to me with his hands in his coat pockets. "So, Miss Violet," he looked down at me and gave me that cheeky half smile, "what is your last name?"
"Taylor. Why, going to follow me some more?"
He smiled, "You're bloody right I am Miss Violet Taylor. Fit girl like you, I couldn't just pretend like I didn't see you. And I like Taylor, suits you."
"I never liked it much, good thing Taylor isn't my first name. Where did you see me in the first place?"
"Hm, well, I believe I was running at some park and I saw you throwing a frisbee with some boy. He looked like a twig? Shaggy hair? Actually, the bloke even looked like shaggy. You know the cartoon character?"
"Yeah that's my roommate Toby. You were the crazy dude running around pointing a stick at stuff?" looked more like a laser of sorts.
He looked down at me, offended. "What do you think i am, crazy?"
"Well, I mean, yeah."
"it was NOT a stick. But I saw you then and didn't think you looked right with a bloke that looked that young. So, I followed you. Simple as that."
It started raining harder. He took his coat off and put it over the two of us. We awkwardly ran the rest of the way, tripping over each others feet. We finally got there, giggling at how drenched we were. I took my jacket off and put it behind one of the bar stools. This was my favorite bar. Good music playing, mostly classic rock. An entire wall covered in different beers on tap. I almost always try something new when I come here, but today I was feeling a dark beer. An unbelievably cranky looking server came up and handed us our menu. All these new beers I've never tried and I got my favorite porter.
"Are those any good? Never drank penny-whips much."
"Well, yeah, of course. Why would I order it if it wasn't any good?"
"Good point love, I guess I'll have me one of those." The waiter took our drink menus and walked away. "Sassy you are. You remind me of myself before I looked like this." He giggled and looked at me with chocolate brown eyes that could melt gold, and ran his hands through is dark brown hair that had a spiky 'just got out of bed' look.
"So, I don't actually know your name. I've never met you, you're clearly not from here, and we are getting a brew. This day is getting strange more strange by the minute." I shook my head and looked away.
"Isn't it fantastic? Getting a bevvy with a stranger, even stranger days, nothing like it. But you're right, I haven't told you my name, how rude. I'm John Smith." The waiter came back with our drinks and set them down. "My my Violet, I didn't know these would be so dark!"
"Well I told you it was a porter. I assume you don't know your beers, you DID call it a penny-whip."
John held the beer up to the light, "I can't even see through it." He then sniffed it and took a drink. "Oh my GOD this is amazing! How wonderful! I've been here a long time and still manage to find surprises. You know, some chips would be good with this."
What a curious man. "So, 'John Smith', has anyone ever told you that you look like David Tennant? I mean the hair, the clothes, the skinnines, even the eyes." He was chugging the beer now. "Violet, David looks like me. Impressionable man he is. Oi mate! Get me 2 more of these, I've never had anything like it! Oh, and some chips!"
John finished the one he was drinking and started laughing,"Truly amazing."
This man is throwing me off. John Smith. He looks like David Tennant, he acts like him, and he has same code name from Who. He's bonkers.
"How in the world do you know that David is impressionable?"
The waiter brought our drinks and chips. John picked up the basket of chips and held them up to his eyes, "These, my good american friend, are not chips." He handed the basked back. "I'd like some chips. Fries I guess you call them."
The waiter just blinked at him and took the chips and walked away. He took one of the drinks and chugged half of it right there.
"So? David Tennant?"
"Oh, right! Yeah I worked with the bloke. Nice guy."
"Doing what? Studying him?"
He chuckled. "Sure I guess you could call it that."
I laughed and finished my drink while he finished his. The waiter came back with some fries, "Now that's more like it! Pitiful for chips, but this is America."
We drank beer after beer until we were blitzed and laughed all evening until we were crying. He was such a goofball. A little crazy, but he's just a happy guy. He's told me of adventures he's had in other countries and planets. Running all over the universe with people he meets all over the world. They were all so good, he's got one hell of an imagination.
"Hey, 'JOHN', you should be a writer. Your stories are so damn good! Or, like some Doctor who fanfiction. Did I tell you that's my FAVORITE show?"
"Stories? All of this actually happened."
I shook my head at him, "You really are starting to sound like The Doctor."
"That's because I am The Doctor," he said seriously. He was dead serious. I couldn't help but giggle. "Well then tell me this, why are you drinking? The Doctor doesn't drink. In fact, he does NOT like the taste of wine even a little."
"Yeah that's a bit they left out. The writers wanted a bit more of an 'innocent' Doctor. Kid friendly. You know, not me. They paid me a shit ton of money to make me into a show. A lot of the stuff on the show is true, but tweaked. Quite a bit actually. For example, I love to drink, and I love woman." He winked and finished his drink. "It's actually a lot of fun, helping humans write a show about me."
"Yeah okay then. Hey, I'm hammered and would like to go to bed. Care to walk me? It's nearly 2 am and although you're pretty skinny, you could protect me." I stood up and got my coat on. Luckily, it wasn't raining anymore. "Of course love. But I have to do something first." He drunkenly looked around and grabbed my hand, "Run."
John practically pulled my arm out of its socket. "What are you doing? I come here all the time and they have cameras!" We weaved in between tables and chairs and out the door.
"I'll take care of it later, I haven't any money, I'm sorry Violet!"
We ran for about a block and stopped right after we rounded the corner behind a department store. There it was, the T.A.R.D.I.S.. Out of breath and still holding my hand, we approached it. "Hey there buddy, I'm not THAT drunk. What makes you think I'd stupid enough to fall for that? How did you even do this?"
He stopped me right in front of the door and pulled me toward him. He leaned in, chocolate brown eyes staring into my ice blue one. My god was he going to kiss me? I just sat there, frozen. Man he smells good. Like fresh laundry and a hint of hair gel and a bit of musky sweat, but not in a bad way. He brushed my hair away from my ear and whispered into my ear, "Just follow me, alright love?"
Just like that he was through the doors. What am I doing? I wanted a mad man to kiss me. "Hey uh, John? Quit playing, I want to go home." I stood outside for a few minutes more.
"John! This isn't funny!"
"Just come in Violet."
I must be drunk because it sounded like he was in a large room. I turned and slowly started to push the door open. "Oh my god, it really is bigger on the-"
THUD
