So, this is my first Fanfic, and I wrote it as a Christmas present to my friend Katie- who adores Doctor Who(who wouldn't, right?). Reviews are love!
P.S. Sorry if the chapters are off- I'm new with this format! =)
Prologue
A rectangular blue box zoomed across the sky, past the stars and came crashing down fast into a field, skidding until it finally halted to a stop on the green grass lying down. If one were to examine it, their first guess would probably be a wide, dark blue telephone box; that is until they noticed the top of it, which clearly reads: "Police Public Call Box", and the instruction scroll on the window.
The door flew wide open, and out climbed a tall man of whom was wearing maroon suspenders and bowtie. He sighed and smiled.
"Aha! We have landed!." He shouted in a fine British accent. Behind him a hand grasped the edge of the Police Box, and a girl with long, some would call it dirty blonde, hair with a fringe-like wave climbed out as well.
"Well, we crash landed." She confirmed.
"But we still landed, and that is good," he retaliated, turning around to the girl and raising his eyebrows. "Right? And what a beautiful place to have landed! My favorite! Oh what a wonderful, beautiful, extravagant place to have fallen! What a time period, my goodness! "
"Where exactly are we, Doctor?"
"Oh, yeah, let me see…" he spoke, taking his wrist into his hand and checking his watch. "London, England, 1842. The beginning of the famous reign of Queen Victoria."
"You mean, like the Victorian Era?" she asked, wide eyed.
"Not 'like', Katherine, but exactly!" The Doctor answered.
"But wait, where's London? We're in a field. Not a city."
"Ah, there." He said, turning to his left and pointing to a great group of buildings and towers. "We are right outside of the city, but still technically in London. Oh, what a jiffy!"
"Oh, got it." She said, and they were off, trudging up the hill to the wonderful gothic monuments, then added in a confused manner; for the Doctor had used that phrase in a completely unrelated way:
"A jiffy…?"
Chapter 1
"Why Katherine?"
"What?" the Doctor looked over at her as they entered the town.
"Back there you called me Katherine, why?"
"Well, because 'Katie' is not a very common name here, but Katherine is. Katherine Adeline… you'll sound like royalty!" It was a little ironic that he said whilst coming up to a cozy looking building which in the window read in large letters: "Aunt Katie's Boarding Home."
"Ha!" Katie said, waving her arms around in a frantic motion. "I know more than the Time lord!"
"Huh, perhaps I was a little mistaken. Sorry Katie, love. Any who, we will be needing a place to stay, for a few days at least." He said, stopping in front of the home.
"Why?"
"The Tardis, you know."
"I know what?"
"You know, ka-boom! Splat!"
"What!" Katie exclaimed.
"Yes! It needs to repair itself."
"It exploded?"
"What? No. No! Sorry, over-exaggerated just a bit. What I meant was it all got jumbled up when we landed and she needs to fix herself. We have to give her time."
"Oh no… no, no, no."
"What?"
"Whenever we have to stay somewhere or are away from the Tardis something bad happens and leaves us in a situation where we need the Tardis, but we don't have it, so things get a lot more complicated then when we started." She said all in one breath; the Doctor scoffed.
"Don't be ridiculous." And with that he walked up and knocked on the front door. Katie groaned and scurried behind him.
An old, kind looking woman opened the door and smiled, but there was something different about her, the Doctor noticed. A bright fire in her eyes, the eyes of a woman that remembers it all; ageless. He smiled,
"We just saw your sign; room for two?"
"Room for more than that, handsome. Why don't you two step on in?" she laughed softly and guided them inside to a homey looking kitchen.
"My name's Mary… and I just booked your rooms. If you go up the stairs and down the hallway to your right; the last two rooms are yours." The Doctor nodded a thank you to the woman and rummaged around, looking into random jars on the counter. Mary boiled tea on the stove and set up biscuits on a plate.
"That's strange. Most people consider us to be engaged, or something of the sort." He said.
"Well, I'm not most people." Mary spoke mischievously; Katie's eyes darting back and forth.
"Right," the Doctor said a bit awkwardly, realizing it was a weird thing to mention. "Good… then."
A bounding of footsteps came down the stairs, and a boy of whom was about a couple years older than Katie zoomed around the corner and banged right into her back, sending her forward.
"Hullo!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her from falling. "I'm sorry, are you alright?"
"Yea, I'm fine." She said quietly.
The boy was a bit taller than her, quite handsome, with light brown hair. He was rather thin but had good charisma.
"Oh, this is my grandson, Charlie." Mary said happily. "Charlie, this is- oh, what are your names?"
"I'm the Doctor, and this is Katherine Adeline Dennington." There was a pause. "Also known as Katie." He finished the last part with a bit of a sigh.
"Oh, what a lovely name, my sister's name was Katie." She said raising her arms to show the room. "This is all her."
"It's a lovely place." Katie reassured with a smile.
"Shall I show you two around?" Came Charlie's voice, attracting the attention like a magnet and they said alright. The three of them rounded the corner.
"This is the parlor," he spoke, motioning to a cozy looking room just past the stairs. It housed beautifully carved furniture and delicately woven linens. He walked on past; Katie looked at the Doctor and raised her eyebrows in an impressed way, making him chuckle. They walked along to a set of large double doors, it seemed almost strange, for the building had looked nowhere near this big from the outside, but Katie supposed it was like the Tardis; a trick of the eye. Charlie swung the doors open, revealing a truly magnificent sight:
Before them was a large library, no, not large, but enormous. The walls stretched up at least 3 floors and were lined with brass staircases to go looking from one to the other. On the floor there was plush couches and fine oak tables. The windows were bordered by large velvet drapes and were themselves large and opened, showing a plain and dirt road that was most likely the path to the vast English countryside. Both the Doctor and Katie stared, there mouths hanging a bit open.
"Grandmother Mary bought this from an old drunk to expand her collection a few years back; nice view for the city too. We're right on the edge, that's why we can see this. Great place for a Lodge, we get loads of Countrymen though." Charlie said nonchalantly, leaning against one of the tables.
"This… is your library?" Katie said hesitantly.
"Yes."
"Oh. My. God." She smiled and ran around, swinging herself onto the staircases and examining the shelves. "This is amazing!"
Charlie laughed, "Do you like it?"
"I adore it!" she giggled and the Doctor scoffed, attempting to blow it off.
"The Tardis has a library too you know."
"Not like this!" she shouted, her voice echoing off the walls.
"What's the Tardis?" Charlie inquired, but was ignored as the Doctor added quietly:
"But mine has a swimming pool…" And while the wavy haired girl explored with awe, Charlie on her trail, the Doctor drifted toward the window. Over the hill and down the road came a rattling bandwagon, then a big cage, then, at last, a pretty black carriage.
"Who are they?" he asked and the other two walked over.
"Gypsies." Charlie said, a daring glint in his eye. "'Voleurs de Somni' is what they call themselves. Strange though, I found Voleurs, but Somni… it's not English, or Dutch, or even French!"
"Why French?" the abnormally long-legged man asked.
"Well, they're Parisian, you'll see it if you get up real close to the wagon; it says so. But anyway, their a wicked bunch, hiding out there in the wood. I'm surprised they're even coming so close to the city, they stay their ways away if you know what I mean." The boy said.
"Wicked…"
"Yeah, but striking."
"What do you mean?" Katie spoke, the first time for a while.
"They are a beautiful crowd, I still don't quite understand why any of them would want to run around as a gypsy when they could be actors or sort."
"Hm."
"Well… I have showed you two the house in whole, the only thing we've missed was the washroom, and I doubt you'd want to see that, so come on. I'll show you to your rooms."
Chapter 2
Katie had just finished her warm wash up and snuggled into some bedclothes Mary had laid out for her, noticing she had brought no bags. The gown had been "Aunt Katie's" when she was young, and boy was it soft. She fell back onto the bed and stretched out all her accumulated sores that are bound and determined to surface when the Doctor's around. Rubbing her face against the supple cloth, she curled up with a sigh. Finally, some time to rest…
Bam! The door burst open and fell shut as the Doctor strode in and Katie sat right back up with a groan.
"What a wei-," he stopped and looked at her. "No groaning. Groaners are people who don't like adventure, and people who don't like adventure are groaners! Now, what did you think of that?"
"Charlie and Mary?" Katie offered.
"No." he shook his head a looked down.
"The library?"
"No."
"The gypsies?" she tried and the Doctor shot up.
"You're on the right track! Don't you remember what Charlie said about them being Parisian? That you had to get up close to see it."
"So…?"
"So he was obviously up close! But why?"
"He could have just seen them in the city."
"No, no, no. He said they stayed in the wood and around there, which means if you were to have seen them and their wagon up close, then you must have wanted to."
"Are you saying he went looking for them? That's ludicrous, and even if he did, he was probably just curious." She defended.
"Either way, Charlie wasn't telling us something…"
"Do you always have to be so… so…"
"Handsome?" the Doctor offered. "Charming? Sweet? Intelligent? Devilish? Callipygian?"
"Suspecting." She finished, giving him a weird look at the last word. "What does that even mean?"
All of the sudden Mary peered around the door frame.
"Not to bother you dears, but breakfast will be at the park tomorrow morning. The children want to put on a play." She spoke smiling.
"Children?" the Doctor asked.
"Oh yes, all of the children on the block play together constantly; they made a play and want to show us. The adults I mean. One's greatest joy is to see the smile of children."
"Ah yes! Don't fret ma'am, we shall be there!" he exclaimed and Mary was off to her own room. He looked back to Katie:
"How fun! I love plays! I'll see you in the morning. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!" Katie chuckled and rolled her eyes. "No really, there are bed bugs."
And he was off. But that was the Doctor. Always weird and forever out and about. She sighed and attempted to relax again, but it was perfect before, so now there was no way to get that serenity back. Oh well, she slept anyway. Sweet and sound.
Chapter 3
Katie's morning was full of a loud racket of pot banging, searching for suitable clothes, and lots of skipping. But in the end, her and the Doctor found themselves seated on a picnic blanket watching children set themselves up. The oldest only about 12 and the youngest maybe 4, they were an adorable group of marauders. The Doctor and Katie munched on the biscuits and tea laid out on the blanket and were currently enjoying the task of people watching. There was a small boy shoving his dirtied finger up the straight nose of a little girl who started to giggle, two old skeleton-like women cutting a petit fore in half, and three young gentlemen angling a mirror as to see the low cut blouse of a pretty mahogany-haired girl.
"Look at that? One hundred and fifty years and boys still haven't changed." The Doctor said coolly. She laughed and, turning her head, glanced Charlie. He was seated in the grass alone, his face a sense of longing. Katie followed his gaze to a group of trees, a forest out over the hills.
"Hey, Doctor…"
"Yea, I see him too."
"Should we go over there?" she asked and looked to the tall man.
"No. We should just follow him."
"What?" she whipped a around and, sure enough, he had gotten up and was stumbling down the hill.
"Come on." The Doctor said and in a moment he was gone. Katie grappled with her long skirts to run after him. Finally she caught up and like always the Doctor was busy talking to himself.
"Curious isn't it…?"
"Isn't what?" she gasped.
"Shh! Weird, how he would just choose to up and leave… he doesn't seem unhappy." He mumbled. "Every boy is curious, so he's been there, saw a girl he liked… and now he wants to go back!"
"That doesn't make any sense!" Katie objected and he turned, giving her a look as though he just noticed she was there.
"It makes perfect sense!" he answered and she huffed and looked away. The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Are you jea-"
"Look!" she exclaimed and grasped his arm. They were just outside of the woods, and through the trees you could see red, blue, and green lights being tossed about.
"What," said the Doctor bluntly. "Is that."
They walked through the bundle of trees, coming to the edge they peered around to see a clearing. In the open land was everything the Doctor had seen on the hill and more. Men juggling fire, women walking lions, and children dancing around a big bonfire. Tents rose high among the wagons and carriages, weaved with curious patterns and symbols. Among the masquerade of painted faces, Charlie walked about. His mouth was slightly ajar and his head was tilted upward. He had a look of true awe and relief on his face. The kind of relief you get when you've just heaved something extraordinarily heavy off your shoulders- metaphorically of course.
"Oh no. No. No. No!" the Doctor said, shaking his head frantically.
"What?" Katie exclaimed.
"Those are not gypsies." He answered, and as Charlie neared the edge of the trees, the Doctor leaped out and grabbed him. The boy let out a cry of surprise and was thrown onto a tree. He stared for a moment, then recovered and shouted:
"What the hell?"
Katie got a confused face. They said that back then? Well, back now.
"What are you doing here?" the Doctor inquired a little harshly.
"What are you doing here?" he shot back. The Doctor let go of his arms and took a step back, raising an eyebrow.
"I asked you first."
"This is ridiculous!" Charlie defended, standing up straight and fixing his robes, he turned to leave.
"And where do you think you're going?" Katie jumped in, resting a hand on her hip.
"Home. Can I not go home?"
"Not until you tell us why you're here!" she objected, then added softer. "We could talk about it…?" The Doctor gave her an incredulous look, and Charlie took the opportunity to flee. The alien called out and reached for him, though he was long gone. He turned and glared at her, but she glowered back. The Doctor suddenly stood tall and smiled.
"Let's go get something to eat!" He said and walked away, leaving Katie with another inquiring look on her face. Bi-polar much? She thought and went to follow. He truly was insane, but, then again; all the best people are.
Chapter 4
Katie and the Doctor sat in, well, a bar. And though it wasn't the greatest place to be, it was private and somewhere to sit. A rather pretty girl with shoulder-length brown hair and pale skin came over; she gave a mischievous smile and cocked her hip to one side.
"Can I get you two anything?" she asked politely.
"Oh, not right this second, love, but thank you… um…" the Doctor trailed off.
"Kylie." She answered for him, and smiling again, turned away.
"Weird. Females don't usually work." He added to himself, but Katie ignored his random, most of the time useless, mumbling.
"So, uh, Doc," she inquired. "What exactly did you mean by 'Those are not gypsies.'?"
"Ah yes, hold onto your seat Katherine, it's going to be a long ride." He started. "You see, once upon a time, in a land far, far away, were time-lords still existed in the quantity greater than 1, I traveled to Earth, coming here in the year 1704. There, I met a interesting group of people. Gypsies, or so they said they were. But they were no ordinary gypsies; they were stunningly beautiful and exceedingly brilliant. Strange for a bunch of poor runaways. Any who, skipping ahead to the exciting stuff, I eventually discovered the true origin of them. They were Galacticans; a race I believed to be wiped clean, and they were: almost. That's why they came here, to rebirth their race, except they needed more room. The thing is, Galacticans can live under the Earth's surface, not forever, but for generations, and they didn't want their time to run out, so they came above the ground ready to wipe your race. A bit hypocritical if you ask me."
"Wait… so their aliens?"
"How long have you traveled with me? Yes! They're aliens."
"But why gypsies? Why not just regular people? And what are their 'true forms' anyway?" she asked.
"Well, first off, because they don't have money for nice clothes, and second, people don't expect things like that from gypsies. And what do you mean? That is their true form."
"So they're just naturally crazy pretty?"
"Yep, pretty much." He chuckled at his own pun and continued, looking out the dirtied window. "Problem is, I stopped them on their first city then, but Charlie says they're Parisian. At least, who knows how many cities they're overtaking. Rome, Berlin, New York; anywhere, everywhere. But Mary is outside and looking worried. Say, don't move, I'll be back." And with that he was gone, and Katie was really debating on ordering an apple juice. Wait, did they have apple juice?
A lukewarm liquid hit Katie's leg and she gasped, looking up. Two men were there, both quite handsome. One was darker than the other, his hair, skin, and eyes. And the other had light brown hair and a reckless look to him. He sat down.
"Brendon." He said, slurring his words. Katie gave him an incredulous look and shook her head.
"I should go." She said.
"No! Don't, not yet!" the darker one said. "Girls aren't usually at bars? Come here often?" He wiggled his eyebrows, and suddenly a hand came to his shoulder, pulling him back. It was a pale girl in trousers and suspenders. Her blonde hair was pulled back, revealing a rather pretty face, red cheeks, and icy blue eyes.
"Would you two idiots come on." She said, her words were rough, but there was a hidden playfulness to them.
"Oh come cousin," Brendon said. "Jorell and I were just talking to the lady!" Katie then turned her head to witness the waitress, Kylie, storming over and the Doctor entering with a rather crest fallen face.
Kylie was there first and she pulled the man named Jorell and glared daggers. She then transferred the glare to everyone else in the small group besides Katie, and by that time, the Doctor had come. He took no notice of anyone else and just hung his head a sighed.
"She said they couldn't find Charlie. He's gone."
"What!" Katie cried.
"Charlie McDowell?" Kylie asked.
"Thin, doe eyed kid?" the Doctor offered and she nodded.
"Victor said he saw him in the storage room." His grin swallowed his face as he yanked Katie by the arm and dragged her into the back room. The group stared after them, and as they busted through the storage door they saw him in the corner. He was small, curled up onto the wall with his head in his arms. They froze, then Katie stepped forward.
"Charlie…?" She called. He whimpered and pushed himself back. She walked to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Char-"
"Leave me alone!" he cried and shoved himself into the corner. Katie stood, astonished, and the Doctor took her hand, leading her back. She didn't want to leave… she couldn't. There was definitely something wrong with him, and he needed their help, the Doctor continued to pull her back to the door. He let her go and stepped over to the cabinet; opening it he gracelessly lifted up a tub of what seemed to be water and suddenly dumped on Charlie's head. The boy yelped and scrabbled up as Katie called out and ran over to them.
"We need to talk." The Doctor panted.
Chapter 5
Charlie sat at the table, wrapped in a wool blanket, his hands quivering around his cup of tea; Kylie sent them worried glances from behind the counter, and the Doctor took a very much needed breath. He had just explained everything about the Galacticans and about himself and Katie, hoping dearly that Charlie wouldn't up and leave immediately.
"Wow." Charlie finally said, and the other two let out sighs of relief.
"We were afraid you were gonna freak out." Katie said.
"I am freaking out," he replied. "I'm just doing it quietly on the inside. So… is everyone an alien!"
"No, just me and the gypsies." the Doctor reasoned. "Katie's not an alien. Mary isn't either."
"Right." Charlie said, shaking his head as though comforting himself.
"Hey, uh, not to rush you or anything," The long haired girl said. "But why were you, uh, acting like that in the storage room? What happened?"
"Well," he began. "It's kind of a long story. When I left, I hid behind the trees and let you guys leave, you know, so I could come back. And when I did this woman grabbed me and pulled me into one of the tents. It was eerie though, there was a crystal ball and everything. She asked me my name, I told her, and she said her name was Shannon and if she could show me something."
The Doctor let out a disappointed sigh and Katie nudged him in the ribs.
"You don't understand," he continued. "She was just so beautiful and I couldn't refuse. So she asked me to sit down and I did; she put her fingers to my temple, and all of the sudden these images started flying into my head. Things I had never imagined, and definitely never seen. There was one of this huge city, larger than London, but it was in a cave. And one of you, Doctor, and one of a garden. It was the most wonderful thing you've ever seen. Greater than Persephone's or Eden or- or-"
"Charlie it's ok, I understand." The Doctor spoke in a soothing voice, and Katie looked so terribly distressed for him, but he continued on.
"The… images…began to hurt, badly, and I don't think she meant them to, they just did. Anyway, I started to scream, I think, and I remember running out of there, but that's all…"
"Huh." The Doctor said. "That's… but why would she want you to see all that…?"
"Maybe she wanted to help." Katie offered and he gave her an incredulous look. "Contrary to your belief, Doc, not everyone is all bad."
"Even so, why?"
"Let's find out!" she gave a mischievous smile and then a frown as she looked to Charlie, the skin around his eyes turning purple. "We should probably get him home first."
Once they had gotten Charlie home safe and sound, they made their way down to the forest. Katie was a little anxious, yet excited at the same time: Who was this Shannon?
They entered the camp as cat-like as possible and found their way to a tent titled: Shannon's Readings. The Doctor flung the sheet aside in haste, revealing a small 'room' or sorts. The tent was constructed of rugs and sheets, the floor was grass, and lanterns floated by the walls. The table was lain with a crimson silk cloth, behind it sat a beautiful dark haired woman. She had startling green eyes and gave a sad smile.
"Doctor," she said, looking down. "I was wondering when you would come for me." She looked up suddenly. "The boy, is he alright? I was so sure he could handle it- he isn't hurt too terribly, is he?"
"Told you so." Katie whispered, but the Doctor shook his head.
"What were you trying to do to him?"
"I was trying to show him… what they are doing. My brothers and sisters."
"But why?"
"Ask them." She shrugged and the Doctor shook his head.
"No, I mean why were you trying to show him?
"So he could do something! I knew you were here, but you would never come, so I had to find some way to get you here."
"How many other cities?" he asked, but she shook her head.
"I don't know, they won't tell me; this is the first mission I've been on." She answered and he raised an eyebrow, contemplating the truth in her reply. He finally nodded, pleased, and sighed.
"How do we stop them? How did you?" Katie asked him.
"I-" he looked away. "We should be getting back. Thank you Shannon, we will see you again."
"What are you going to do?" Shannon asked.
"I- I have to think." He stuttered and left the tent. Katie thanked the lady, of whom wore a confused expression, and followed the Doctor back to the hill.
"Are you alright?" she inquired. She couldn't remember ever seeing him stutter before.
"Fine." He said bitterly, and Katie looked hurt, she turned away and they walked back to Aunt Katie's in silence.
Chapter 6
Katherine Adeline sat up in her room, casting sad glances out the window. The day was gray, befitting to her mood. It had been two days since their meeting with Shannon, and the Doctor had scarcely said anything. She knew they had to figure this out fast, but she couldn't do it without knowing what was wrong; it might be sirisly important to the situation. Charlie had gotten better, and Mary had been surely convinced by his flu excuse. Katie shook her head; she had talked to both of them, neither knew what was wrong with the Doctor; at least Charlie wasn't still freaked out about the whole 'alien' thing. Her door creaked open and he peeked his head in.
"We've got some trouble." Charlie said, coming in.
"What do you mean?"
"There's a girl who went missing." He said and she gasped.
"When?"
"About seven hours ago. Grandmother Mary is talking to her father downstairs. She was at the play: about eight years old, red hair." He said wearily. "Her name is Josephine Day."
Voices echoed up from downstairs.
"I need to speak with the Doctor." Came an urgent voice, it was Shannon.
"Excuse me?" Mary asked politely. Both Charlie and Katie jumped up, running downstairs. The Doctor came out of the library and they all clashed in the entry way.
"They have her." Shannon said.
"Josephine?" Charlie inquired and she nodded.
"They found out I told someone and thought it was her. I gave her some candy when we first came into town, so they must of guessed- oh, I need your help!" she pleaded and there was the sound out a door closing.
"Mr. Day!" Mary called going back into the kitchen. "My goodness, he's gone!"
"I think he heard you." Katie mumbled and the Doctor took off outside. The other three followed.
"Where does he live?" the Doctor shouted.
"The small flat down the street." Charlie answered. "It's blue…" but the Doctor was already gone.
"What do we do?" Shannon wondered.
"We follow him!" Charlie said, but Katie shook her head.
"No," she said. "We wait."
The Doctor found the flat almost too easily, and was happily surprised to find it open.
"Mr. Day!" He called out to no avail and began to rummage through the room. There was one drawer, nearly ripped out of its wood, and he went over. Inside sat some old medicine bottles and a box of matches. A box of matches…
The Doctor jumped up and ran out of the house. He sprinted down the street and zoomed past Aunt Katie's and the three bewildered looks.
"Now," said Katie calmly. "We follow."
And the four of them ran down the hill towards the forests with such spirit. It would have been saved in collections forever if only it wasn't then that a large fire sprung up from the tree tops. They all froze, panting, and looked solemnly up at the flames. Out of the trees came a rough looking man, in his arms a small, red haired girl. He walked over to them, his head down, the little girl playing with his hair; attempting to comfort.
"I had to." He told them, looking up, his eyes were blood-shot from smoke and tears. "I wasn't going to, but they wouldn't give me Joe, and-" The Doctor cut him off.
"It is alright." He said, placing a hand on his shoulder, then added quietly: "You did what you had to do. You saved us."
The little girl continued to hug her daddy as the city's people crowded at the top of the hill to witness the burning. Ashes blew around them like snow flakes, and right into Katie's palm came a half- burned tarot card. Death, it read.
Epilogue
They had said their farewells to Mary, Mr. Day, and Josephine; now they crowded around the Tardis with Shannon and Charlie.
"Look," the Doctor said. "We don't know how many cities they've taken, or are planning to take, but you must stop them…"
"Fire isn't too hard." Katie gave a sorrowful smile, but Charlie grinned.
"Shannon and I can handle it, I just wish you didn't have to leave so soon." He said.
"I just got a call from Churchill, we're needed, right away." The Doctor answered.
"Churchill?" Shannon asked, turning her head to the side.
"Right." He said smiling. "Never mind, we best be off! I do hope to see you two sometime in the future."
Everyone gave sad smiles, clasped hands, and gave quick hugs, but Katie turned back. She leaned up on her tip toes and kissed Charlie on the cheek.
"Thank you." She whispered, then hopped into the Tardis. It almost immediately began to shake.
"In a hurry, are we?" she laughed.
"Well, I wouldn't want you to over-flirt yourself." Was the faceless reply, seeing as he was under the control room, messing with something again.
"If I wasn't mistake, I would say you're jealous!" she said, and the Doctor pulled himself out from under the stairs, yanking off his goggles.
"I am not jealous." He defended, but Katie laughed again, and he rolled his eyes, jumping up onto the platform.
"Doctor?"
"Mm-hm."
"Why didn't you just tell me the only way to destroy them was fire?" she said, and he sighed and turned around; leaning on the control panel.
"Because, Katherine, love," he said. "I had to destroy them once. Kill them. They might have been aliens, but still, have you ever killed something? Or someone? It's terrible, but I had to, they would never stop, they will never stop. This time, I didn't have to."
"I've killed ants before…" she offered and he chuckled.
"That is a horrible analogy."
"I know." She sighed, then leaped up onto the platform as well, and went to him. "But you have to let it go. It wasn't your fault."
"There ain't no rest for the wicked, darling." He said and she shook her head, paused, then asked:
"Doctor, if the world isn't taken over by Galacticans in my time, doesn't that mean they succeeded?"
"Yeah." He said, suddenly stopping and looking at her. He smiled. "Yeah, Katie, it does."
19