It was raining again. What else was new? Ella tugged her hood over her head and trudged on through the opaque setting. This is ridiculous, she thought, huffing under her breath. She was soaked from head to toe. She had been out in the rain for hours now. If she didn't find shelter soon, she knew she'd get sick. She could feel the sniffles starting in her nose already.

The sidewalk meter turned green. She scurried onto the crosswalk. A bus honked and caught her attention. She glanced to the side and was met with a giant wave of water soaking her once more. Ella, gob smacked in the middle of the road, stamped her foot and balled her fists, muttering insults as she stomped away.

She made her way to the corner bakery that had an awning. She shook the rain off her hands and face, attempting get rid of the extra moisture on her. She was tired, and hungry, and wanted more than anything to be back inside her old lousy bed.
"Where are you going?" A little boy rubbed his eyes, a teddy bear tight in his right hand.
"Go back to bed Thomas, you'll wake the others."
"But what're you doing?"
Ella bit her lip and placed her bags down on the ground. "Just, going out."
"In the middle of the night?" She sighed Thomas clamored to the ground and fumbled his way to her.
"Thomas, I can't stay here."
"Why not?" He whispered loudly.
"Because….this isn't home to me. No one would even miss me if I left. I feel trapped and suffocated here, I just can't do this anymore. Besides, there are other kids out there in the world like us. My bed could easily go to another child.
He was quiet for a moment. "but….I'd miss you."
Ella's heart broke. She got down on her knees to his eye level. "I'll miss you too Thomas. But this is for the best. I promise." His bottom lip started to quiver. Ella tsked. "Oh...come here." She wrapped her long thin arms around the tiny boy, cuddling his head. "This isn't goodbye. I promise. We'll see each other again. Once I get a proper home, I'll come back for you and we can play all day long. Ok?" The boy nodded weakly. "shh, shh, don't cry now."
Ella dried his tears. "You're a big strong boy right? You'll take care of the others?" He grinned.
"Ella?"
"Yes Thomas?" he handed over his motley bear.
"You can have Teddy. You're going to need him to look after you." Her eyes started to water.
"I'll take good care of him." She kissed his forehead and stood up. She wiped a tear the escaped and grabbed her bag. She slung it over her shoulder and opened the window to the night sky.
"Take care Thomas. Remember to eat your peas at supper!"
"Yes Ella!" He stood there in his pajamas, the moonlight basking his young face. She took one last, long hard look. With a hard smile, she winked and descended into the night.

Her attention was caught by the delicious aroma of baked goods that wafted her way as a costumer exited. She turned, eyes stuck to the window pastries like glue. She pressed her hand to the window. She was so close, her nose almost touched. Her tummy grumbled. She hadn't eaten in 36 hours. She should have asked Thomas for his dinner rolls before she left. Oh, Thomas. What was she thinking?! This was possibly her stupidest idea yet! Running away? How would she survive? She didn't even have any money! Or a bike or relatives- she caught herself. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Now was not the time for a pity party.

She pulled her bag strap over her shoulder some more and turned into the alley near by. How did homeless people do this? Where did they go on nights like this? Did cardboard boxes really work? She kicked the water in the puddle out in frustration, spraying water about. Splashing, felt….good. She jumped, splashing water about, kicking whenever she could. She huffed and grunted, taking out her frustration. It was all just silly. Everything. She giggled. Before she knew it, she was frolicking about, finally enjoying her youth. She forgot herself- forgot who she was. She forgot she was a small 16 year old girl, she forgot she was homeless, penniless, and parent-less. She forgot she was on her own.

Tiring, she came to a standstill. She looked up and closed her eyes, letting the water sprinkle her face. It was quiet here; the sounds of the city were faint. All to be heard beside the occasional car passing by was a faint humming sound. She took a deep breath in, lowered her head and opened her eyes. In front of her was an old telephone box.

Her brow furrowed. What a random place for a police box, an old one at that too. She looked around. Perhaps someone was trying to throw it out? She quickly dismissed the idea. She was suddenly very tired. It would have to do for an hour or two nap. As she approached the box, the humming got louder. Must be older than I thought. Not wanting to break it, she tentatively touched the handle and watched her step as she entered. She turned and shut the door behind her, clicking the lock into place, she sighed and put her head against the door with her eyes closed. This would have to do-

"What?!" Ella jumped, snapping the other way. Her eyes bulged and her heart stopped. Her mouth was gaping like a fish. She was in large, coral room. At the center of the grated floor was a circular control panel, with a rather tall, skinny man mirroring her surprise in a pinstripe suit.

"What?!" she managed to gasp out.
"What?!"
"What?!"
"Wha- I asked you first!"

"I…..I asked you second, What?!" She exasperated, bug eyes still looking at the room. She turned and opened the door. Outside was the same foggy landscape known as the alley that she came from. She grabbed the wooden frame of the box, rubbing her hands along it, touching the end. She turned back to the inside, rubbing her eyes and dragging them down to her mouth in disbelief. "But….It's not possible…."

The man leaned against the panel, his hands in his pockets with a smug face. "Go on, say it."
"Its….I…." she followed it up with an unintelligent sound. "Whaaaaaaaaaaa"
"ok….not what I was expecting, not the usual saying." He shrugged. "But just like you're entrance, much unexpected, how did you get in here?" He galloped over to her.
"I…walked in?" She offered weakly, still in shock.

"What do you mean you walked in, you couldn't possibly just walk in, the Tardis here is set on stealth mode, she has her shields up."

"The whaaaa?"
"The Tardis- stands for Time and Space in Relative Dimension. Brilliant isn't it?"
She slowly nodded her head. "But seriously how did you manage to get in? You can't just walk in that's impossible."

"Like this place is kinda impossible." She let out, hands still on her face.

"No, no this ship is very possible," He pulled out a silver pen with a blue light at the end and pointed it at her. "It's dimensionally transcendental using timelord technology-"
"Oi! Stop bleeping me, what're you doing" She began to bat him away with her hands.

"I'm scanning you! It doesn't hurt, I just need to see if there's anything different about you!"
"Me?! There's something different about you! Why are you talking nonsense as if you're not from this Earth!" She paused as he attempted to scan her with the pen again. She swatted him away. "Wait, what did you say, timelord? What the hell is that?"
He stood upright, playing the pen inside his pocket. "Timelord. That's what I am! Big almighty who created time itself."
"Timelord? What kind of vain title is that?! You're such a bloke!...you're havin me on."
He groaned. "No, no I mean that's my species. You know, like you're human."
Ella's eyes bulged. "Are you…suggesting you're...alien."
"Yes! Welllll technically to me, you're an alien, but seeing as I'm on your home planet I suppose it is me who is the alien here." Her brain was spinning. A real life alien?! She never doubted their existence, but she didn't think they would look like this! Nor did she think she would see one! He had to be one though, how else could you explain the box?!
"But, you look like a person!" She eyed him up and down. He was thin and lanky. He had unruly brown hair with black spectacle upon his nose. He wore a brown, pinstriped suit that looked like it hadn't been washed in a few days followed up by a pair of white converse. His face was young and kind with a smattering of freckles across his cheeks. His eyes were a chocolaty brown. They were warm eyes, but the deeper you looked into them, the more pain and years you could see. "Why aren't you green with a big forehead and one eye? Are you from mars?! I do hope its mars"
He cringed. "No….no I'm not from mars. I'm not, "he paused. "A martian." He got quiet. "Actually I'm from the planet of Gallifrey."
"Where's that." His face grew dark.
"Doesn't matter. What matters is that you get going! I just finished refueling and I have loads to do, civilizations to save, people to see, come on, out you get," He began shuffling her out the door.

"Wait! No please!" She squealed, turning to him. "Please let me stay here! Just for the night! I promise, you can do whatever you want or need to do, I won't make a peep, just please, please! Don't make me go." She held onto his forearms, her bottom lip pouting as she did her best puppy dog face.

He froze. It was too soon to hear words so hauntingly familiar. Pleading that plagued his mind.

"I…. can't! I just can't! I'm leaving planet Earth! I'm sure you don't want to do that. You're, what only about 16 or 17, you're just a child, don't you have parents you should be getting back too, they'd be worried sick about you?"

The girl visibly sagged at his words. "No, as a matter of fact I don't. I don't have a home or parents or anything really so please…please let me stay…." Her bottom lip quivered. His hearts melted a bit at her words… It was to painfully familiar to him. He knew what that was like. And that look! The puppy dog look was getting to him. Ella felt her weakness showing. "Besides it's bloody pouring out there!" She hardened.

For the first time, he noticed her dripping wet appearance. A puddle of water was forming at her black knee high boots. Her socks, tights, and skirt clung to her body as her olive jacket sagged to the ground. But what he noticed indefinitely was her auburn hair that clung to her face and shoulders. With those big rounds, brown eyes, she was melting his hearts to puddles.

"What's your name?"
"Ella. My names Ella."
"Ella," He let the name roll off his tongue. Why was it so familiar?
"And you are?" She said putting her hand out to shake. He smiled at her confidence.
"I'm the Doctor." He shook her hand.
"The Doctor? Now you're havin me on, honestly I prefer timelord to that, at least that's honorable."
"What's wrong with the Doctor!?" He pouted, his voice an high.
"Nothing, nothing at all. Not vain, you are, not pompous, quite humble actually." She gave him a teasing look, a twinkle in her eye. He grinned.

"Alright then, ," He said, crossing his arms, leaning in towards her. "So you want to come aboard the Tardis hmm?" She nodded shyly. "And why, should I take you, hm? What makes you worthy?"
"Worthy?" She asked.
"Of course! Worthy! Didn't think I'd just let anyone on my ship did you? "
"Well I did just walk in right now…."
"Yea….still don't know how…" He wandered off rubbing his chin. How did she get on board? He knew the old girl was locked. It's always hidden from view, only people who were really, really looking could see.

He stared at her.

Was he ready for a new companion? Every time he took someone on board with him, it was an omen. They could never stay with him, as much as he wanted them to, or as much as they promised. 'Forever' could never happen. Each time they left him, a part of him left with them.

He didn't know how many parts he had left to give away.

Find someone." Her words still echoed in his mind. "Cause sometimes, I think you need someone to stop you."

Had he found someone? Already?

His staring was starting to make her a tad bit uncomfortable. But she starred hopefully back. She had no idea why, but she already felt comfortable here, in this circular room. It had only been a few minutes and it was as if the walls were humming, inviting her to stay…

"Welllll, there are things you should know first." He leaned in closer, arms holding him up on the railings. His voice was low and serious. "What I do, where I go, it isn't always safe. People…often….get into trouble, around me. They don't always make it out alive."
"Are you trying to talk me out of it?...Because it's not working".
"No, no, no …I would love for you to come with me, but…I think its only fair that…I warn you. And that we prepare ourselves for whatever's to come. You may not like it, and I-"
"I'll decide what I like thanks." She crossed her arms. "I can choose for myself."

Guilt. So much guilt.

He scratched the back of his head. "Right, yes, of course." It grew quiet.

"Um…Doctor?" She suppressed a mocking smile, for that was still a rather odd name to call someone. "How about you carry on with whatever…official Doctor Business you have and I'll tag along. And If I can't handle it, if it's too much, which I doubt, you can drop me back off here. Just give me one chance. For…one nights place to sleep. That's all I ask."
"I can't guarantee your safety."
"I never asked you too." She braved.

The doctor stood tall, and glided back towards the glowing column. "Alright Ms. Ella." He flipped a switch. "Allllllonssssyyy!"

I know this is out of order since I already published the story, but I wanted to give you a little more about Ella, since its kinda difficult to just start right off the bat with two characters who are best friends with out ever meeting one of them before. So here you are, a little bit of Ella's back story and how she came to the Tardis. I hope you enjoyed! (This takes place after Journeys End, if it helps.)