Hello! I've never written fan fiction before, but I've developed too much of a crush on the 2nd Doctor and Jamie not to write some. Please enjoy, and leave a review. Unless you are a certain SRK, in which case you will never, ever, EVER mention this.
"Meet you in a bit for the next panel! I want to find the swimming pool!" Anika called down the hallway, before opening the TARDIS doors and stepping inside.
There was a short man standing with his back to her by the far wall, concentration completely absorbed by a TV monitor. Anika smiled as she took in the black coat and plaid pants of the second Doctor. Patrick Troughton had always been her favourite. It was nice to know other convention goers felt the same.
Most of the younger fans dressed as David Tennant, the older ones as Tom Baker. They were outside the TARDIS now, swarming the hallways and offering each other unending supplies of Jelly Babies. It was a little disappointing that the second Doctor had been nowhere to be found. Now, on second thought, Anika realized the Doctor was exactly where he was supposed to be – the TARDIS.
"Nice costume," she said, just loudly enough to be heard. She immediately regretted it, knowing the man would turn around and reveal himself to be a pimply teenager, destroying the moment.
The man spun around. Anika's heart leapt. Then stopped. Then freefell into her stomach before clambering back up to her chest, beating at top speed.
It was the Doctor. Or rather, Anika reasoned, with heart rate slowing slightly, an impersonator who could have passed for Patrick Troughton's long lost brother. She took in the mop of black hair and the distinctive, thick eyebrows. The rumples and creases that had taken over the entire face. She was pleased to notice they had begun their invasion on the suit and shirt as well. And the one, perfect exception to the general dishevelment – a pair of strikingly clear blue eyes.
"Oh my God. You look just like the Doctor. It's kind of scary actually."
The man visibly bristled at the recognition, though he seemed more surprised than angry. "How do you know who I am?" Then more slowly, as though he were trying to determine something, "Have we met before?"
Anika laughed. "A television screen's always blocked the way." She took a few steps forward and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you Doctor. At last."
"Oh yes of course….", came the flustered reply.
For a moment they both waited for the other to speak.
"Um, I'm sorry my dear, my memory is a bit hazy at the moment. Could you give me your name again?"
"Anika."
"Anika. Oh, how nice. Um, Anika…you said you've seen me before?"
"Yeah, my dad recorded all your episodes off PBS when I was a kid."
"Well I am flattered. But we've never met before now?"
"Nope. This is my first convention."
"And what convention is that?"
Anika chuckled inwardly. The man was hamming it up for everything it was worth, and she was more than happy to play along.
"Your convention."
"My convention?"
"Would you like me to show you the flier?"
"If you would."
Anika drew out a Doctor Who flier that had managed to burrow into the far reaches of her pocket in the space of the morning. There was a picture of a stoic looking Patrick Troughton on the front, surrounded by Daleks and Cybermen. She flattened the creases as best she could and held it out triumphantly to the impersonator. He took it.
"My my, there is a resemblance, isn't there?"
"More than a resemblance. You even sound like the Doctor."
"Well of course I sound like the Doctor. I am the Doctor."
"You'd need a sonic screwdriver for that. And two hearts."
"But I do have two hearts! "
Anika let out a full blown laugh.
"Look, I can prove it to you! Come here and I'll show you."
The impersonator gestured for Anika to come closer with one hand, and fiddled with the buttons on his shirt with the other.
Anika stepped back and gave the man a look that she hoped told him he had crossed the line from loveable science fiction hero to creepy old man. No imitator, no matter how good, could grow another organ. Anika felt a small part of her childhood die as the image of her feeling up the Doctor sprang to life.
Why did people have to ruin everything? It had all been so lovely. And now she'd have to wait until the impersonator's shift ended to find out if there really was a swimming pool. She gave the man a terse smile.
"Wouldn't want to spoil meeting the Doctor with reality."
Anika walked over to the TARDIS doors and opened them. But instead of the dirty carpeting of the convention hall, there was a blue night sky, murky with galaxies and stars. It drifted by the doors, impassive, detached, gorgeous. Most of her mind was flooded with confusion, but there was a dim awareness of the immediacy of it all, the difference between watching space from a bedroom window and standing inside of it.
It was a projection, she decided. She flung out an arm and swatted at the sky, expecting to hit the screen. Instead she felt a drop in pressure and cold air. She watched everything float by for what seemed like minutes before quietly shutting the doors.
The rational part of her mind was fighting to be heard. She was in the States. She was at a convention. She was Anika Wells, 24, earthling, and she was having an isolated psychotic break. Alright. Deep breath. Turn.
The Doctor stood patiently.
No, Anika corrected herself, the impersonator stood patiently.
"Are you alright my dear?"
"Please, please, please just drop the whole Doctor bit for a second. I don't understand. Is this a trick?"
The man seemed genuinely surprised.
"No, it's not a trick."
Anika walked back to the Doctor and searched his face for a feature that wasn't right. An extra kink in the nose, a missing line around the eyes. She snatched the flier out of the Doctor's hand and held the picture beside his face. It matched perfectly.
She lifted her arm a fraction of an inch.
"Can I…"
Anika extended a hand and pushed gently against the Doctor's chest. She could feel the hard knob of bone where his ribs met. She inhaled and splayed her hand flat. Something between horror and excitement filled her as she felt twin heartbeats, alternating in rhythm side by side.
Her mouth opened slightly, and her face started flicking between looks of complete bafflement and pure happiness, unable to decide on one emotion.
"Doctor…?"
"Mmmm?"
Anika took her hand back and looked straight into the wonderful blue eyes. She nodded and let out a single pah of laughter.
"You're the Doctor."
The Doctor tried to look unimpressed. "Well I'm glad that's settled. Now let's figure out how you found your way inside the TARDIS shall we?"
