Chapter 1: A Name in Lights

(A/N: My first fanfic. So please be a teensy bit forgiving if I make mistakes. I'm continuity error-prone. Just so you know, this is set after series 5 in Doctor Who but before series 6. And in Stranger Things, this is set after Holly, Jolly but before The Body. Or at least before any big plot points take place. So morning of The Body episode. And both shows will go off-canon one way or another.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and/or Stranger Things. If I did, I'd be rich and this would've actually happened.

Amy. Amelia Pond, his absolutely mad wife. She had gotten them involved in this mess. After all, she was the one who had wanted to visit a small town in the 1980s for some strange reason. Something about nostalgia. So, naturally, the TARDIS had taken them to the one small town in 1983 with a missing kid. Well, his body was found, but they'd heard people talk about how his mother still believed he was alive. So the Doctor had decided they'd best check it out. He's calling himself Doctor John Smith. Rather ridiculous if you ask me.

And right now they're standing in the living room of a woman Rory thinks might be mental. After all, there's Christmas lights everywhere, and it's only November. And they'd found her son's body. How could he be alive? Just what were they caught up in now?

The Doctor had a different opinion of Joyce Byers, however. He'd seen so many weird and wonderful things that this somewhat paled in comparison. The unique thing about this, though, was her cleverness. After all, she'd figured out a way to communicate with…whoever/whatever this person/thing was.

"So, Joyce, when did this start?"

"Not too long after Will disappeared. The…the phone rang. It was just breathing, but it…it sounded like him. Then something made the phone break. Electricity came out of it."
"The phone short-circuited?"

"If that's the word for it, yeah. So I got a new phone, and…it happened again. That time it was his voice. He was trying to talk to me. And I heard this…noise, in the background. It was, I don't know…some kind of animal. This, this growling. He was in danger, I just knew it. And then it…short-circuited again."

"Did anything else happen after that?"

"Yes. The stereo in Will's room started playing by itself. And then…" Joyce paused, took a deep breath. "I saw something…come out of the wall. It was almost human, but it wasn't. It had really long arms, and…it didn't…it didn't have a face."

"It didn't have a face?" The Doctor repeats her question calmly.

"No. Look, I know it's weird, and I know it sounds crazy. I know I sound crazy! But I know what I saw and what I heard. I just know that Will is here. He told me he's here! And that he's in danger."

"With that alphabet on the wall?"

"Uh huh. I asked him where he was and he spelled out 'RIGHT HERE'. When I asked how to find him he told me to run and the thing came out of the wall again. Please, I'm telling the truth! I know he's alive."

The Doctor gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's weird, but I reckon I've seen weirder." He gave her a tiny smile. "Trust me, there are stranger things. I believe you."

"Thank you..." Her voice trails off as she pulls the Doctor into a hug. "Sorry, I'm just…very grateful. Nobody else will believe me, not even my older son."

"It's fine," he says with a grin.

He really sympathized with this woman. After all, he knew what it was like having someone you cared about cruelly ripped away from you.
Oh, come off it! That was three hundred years ago! His mind nagged him. She's got to be dead by now, so it'll do you no good moping about her. You have to forget.
But, try as he might, the Doctor knew he'd never forget Rose Tyler.

Her voice stopped his thoughts. "Um, Doctor Smith, sir? Are you alright?"

"I'm always alright, Ms. Byers. Just do that a lot. Get lost in my head, I mean. But I'm fine." He practically grimaces, claps his hands together.
"Now, perhaps you could go get another phone? How much are those things? I'll give you some money for it."

"No, you don't have to do that. But getting another phone is a good idea," she agreed.

"I insist. So how much is a phone?"

"Uh, about $20."

While Joyce was gone getting her phone, Amy's thick Scottish accent broke the silence. "You were very nice to her."
"I try. Besides, I'm pretty sure I know what this is, but we have to wait for a phone call, or for the lights to flash, or something. Then I can scan it to make sure."
"Of course you know. Still…that was very kind, what you did."

"She's been told by everyone that she's crazy. I think she deserves to be heard out. And as far as giving her money goes, I noticed she doesn't wear a wedding ring, so she's probably a widow. Or divorced. With two boys, mind you. I reckon she probably spent a fortune on all these lights, too. I mean, nobody keeps this many lights in their attic, so I assumed she bought more. Even if none of my assumptions are correct-though they usually are-"

"Doctor?"

"I was talking, Pond. As I was saying, even if my assumptions are incorrect, I figured she'd appreciate it. Now, I'm going to scan for-"

"Raggedy Man! The lights!"

All the nearby Christmas lights have started flashing. The Doctor is the first to speak. "Okay, Ponds. Stay calm and let me do the talking."

Not speaking to anyone in particular, the Doctor calls out, "Okay, if you can hear me, make that cluster of lights over there flash." He points to the tangled ball of lights Joyce had used to speak to Will- once for yes, two for no.
The cluster flashes. "Good, so you can hear me. We'll talk, then. So, blink the cluster of lights once for yes, twice for no. Spell out words with this over here-"he points to the alphabet on the wall. "-and if you want, you can flash all the lights for spaces. Do you understand?"

The cluster of lights flashes once. "Great. Now, first question: Am I speaking to Will Byers?"
It flashes twice this time. "No? Alright then. Do you know who that is?" Another single flash. "That's good. Now, do you know where he is?" Another yes. "Even better. Now, I realize I should've asked this already, but…is he alive?"

A single flash once again. "Alright, that's a relief. Now, I'll try to find you, whoever you are. But I have one more question. Pardon my manners for not asking earlier, I got sidetracked. To whom am I speaking? Can you spell out your name for me?"

Slowly, letter by letter, the alphabet on the wall spells out a name the Doctor thought he'd never see or hear again.

ROSE TYLER

(A/N: So, what'd you think? Strong starting point? Did I leave you wanting at least a little more? Let me know in a review!)