A/N: Hey there. This is my first Doctor Who Fanfiction. I hope you all like it, I did my best. And yes, this will be a continued story. This is NOT a one-shot. Doctor Who does not belong to me, it belongs to BBC. That is all.
(Also, on a side note, I send out special thanks to mycatsaninja47 and my friend Mabry for being so freaking amazing and inspiring me to take my newfound Dr. Who obsession to Fanfiction.)
~((~^*^~))~
Chapter One: The Weirdo from the Flying Box
I was seven years old when I first met him. He called himself 'The Doctor'. Ridiculous. No first name, just the Doctor. But that never stopped me. Nothing stopped me when I was a crazy, determined, seven year old girl.
Everyone says I was a handful back then. I don't understand why. I was very independent and did everything myself. Maybe that's why. They didn't believe I could do what I tried. Sometimes I showed them, sometimes I didn't. But that's beside the point.
I met him for the first time when I was seven. My hair was ridiculous and short. (I'd found scissors and my hair was painfully long, so I just cut it off.) I was always running off by myself and getting into trouble. But one morning I got myself into something bigger, far more strange than usual. Not that anyone else would ever know the details of that day.
It was a cold September morning. My parents were fighting again and my little brother was sleeping like a rock. I went outside and ran off into the woods behind our home. It was my favorite place to go. Especially when the sun was coming up. The sun rays would filter through the leaves and make pretty patches of golden light on the dirt beneath my feet. Dirt and dust particles floated above my head in the morning air, dancing to an unheard song.
I loved natural light. There was something… unearthly about it. And when it came to the unearthly, I couldn't stay away.
I was dashing through the trees, taking in the sounds of twigs snapping and leaves pushing back under my body's momentum. Soon, I found myself looking at my favorite clearing. Tall grass surrounded the area. Sometimes, if I looked hard enough, I could spot flowers every once in a while.
I didn't dare step foot in the grass. I had an 'irrational' fear of snakes. They disturbed me. No arms, legs, slithering along the earth, hissing, biting, killing, eating… I shuddered. Somehow I felt safer sitting outside the field, even if I was only a few feet away. This way I had a good escape route. No worries about running into a large group of them. At least, I hoped so…
Squatting down, I made myself comfortable as I waited for the sun to rise over the tree tops and light up my personal world. My shiny, peaceful, nearly perfect world. My world. Letting out a content sigh, I waited patiently for my sunrise.
It didn't take long. Thirty minutes passed of amazing peace. So perfect after a long, sleepless night listening to parents scream at each other like enemies.
Finally, the sunlight appeared above the trees, glimmers of rays pouring down over my field. But that wasn't the only thing that appeared over the trees.
The silence was filled as a strange, pulsating sound broke through the quiet barrier. I covered my ears as something box-like and blue shot down over the trees. It half crashed half landed in the center of my field, crushing the harmless waving grass beneath it. I jumped to my feet and hid behind the nearest tree, looking ahead.
What was that box? What was it doing in my field? My world? My home. No one came into my home unannounced, unwelcomed. But, I couldn't deny I was interested in it. It was a big blue box… and it flew into my field. That wasn't possible… right? Yes, definitely right. Mom and Dad were always telling me that stuff was impossible. And yet there it was…
I squinted and tried to read the words on top. A… Police Box. What the heck was a police box? Wasn't it just 911 and you were good? Why would you need to go into a box to call for help?
The doors were opening. I scooted farther behind the tree but didn't avert my gaze. And then, something unexpected happened.
A man walked out. A funny looking man. I remembered my Mom telling a friend I had a high attention to detail. I guess that explained why I took in so much of his appearance.
He wore a light blue suit, a white undershirt, and a bright red tie. He wore a long brown overcoat that looked terrible over the suit. The man was looking around, his hands in his pants pockets, and was headed straight in my direction.
I didn't know what to do. He was a stranger. He came in a flying box, impossible, and entered my safe haven without my permission. I wouldn't stand for that. This was my world. My special place. I wanted him to leave. I wanted him to leave immediately.
I jumped out of my hiding place and stood in the clearing, half thinking about the snakes that could be headed for me. But I had more important things to think about. One thing at a time, I told myself.
"You! Weird guy!" I shouted. He noticed me immediately and stopped. What was he… observing me?
"Me?" He asked, pointing a finger at his chest. His voice sounded weird too. I'd heard something similar like it on TV. It sounded like a mix of English and Scottish. How I knew that, I had no idea. Wow I headed educational television.
"Yeah, you!" I replied. "What're you doing in my field?"
"This… This is your field?" He asked, looking from me to the surrounding area. He spun around in a circle then eyed me curiously.
"A bit young to be owning land property?" He said, moving closer to me.
Once he was close enough I took in his features. He had a slightly uneven nose. His eyes were dark brown and fixed on me. They looked determined, but a lot like my little brother's when he was up to something. Something good or bad, I had no idea. The guy's hair was weird. It was dark brown, stuck up in points and was just… different. There was no other way to describe it.
I looked down and my eyes widened slightly. Bright red, high top sneakers. Seriously? Everything about him was weird!
"Uh… I don't own it," I said seriously. He leaned back, waiting for me to explain.
"It's just mine. So I want you to leave!" He made a humming sound and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Ah, I see, I see." The weird guy said calmly. He looked at me again.
"Don't suppose you'd let me look around a bit, now would you?" He asked. He didn't wait for me to respond and he brushed right past me, moving out of the clearing and into the woods.
"There are some things that need to be looked into," He called over his shoulder. I stared at his retreating form. Quickly weighing my options in my head, I quickly hurried after him before I could lose him.
"Things to look into? Like what?" I asked, jumping over a log to catch up. He ducked under a branch but didn't stop.
"Shadows," The weird man said looking around as the morning light began to work its way down to the ground floor.
"Shadows? You want to look at shadows?" I asked. "What's so special about shadows?"
"Ah, everything you see! Shadows like to live in the woods. Especially dangerous shadows. They can kill ya' right on the spot! If you're not careful…"
The man stopped and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a funny looking stick.
"Shadows don't kill people," I said firmly, crossing my arms and trying not to look at the strange metal thing.
"Yes they do. It's just that no one lives to tell about it." I couldn't hold in my curiosity.
"What's that sticky thing?" I asked, leaning close and pointing at it as obviously as I could.
"Ah, this is a Sonic Screwdriver."
"A sonic what?" I replied as he pressed a button and pointed it at random spots of darkness.
"Sonic Screwdriver! I could explain it, but I think it'll be a bit… complicated." He moved forward and I followed him, trying to remember what complicated meant.
"You're voice is… complicated." I said. His lips twisted upward into a funny smile.
"Is it? Never thought about it," He replied, abruptly turning left and walking on.
"So… You'll check out these… shadow things, and then you'll leave?"
"If you really want me to, yeah." The man said. He stopped and pointed the sonic thing again.
"Good." I said. Feeling confident, I moved on ahead.
"So where are you going—" He grabbed me and pulled me back.
"Woow, careful girly. Just about walked into one." I looked up and noticed his eyes seemed darker, fiercer.
"What are you talking about weirdo? There's nothing there!" I exclaimed, waving at the empty air.
"Ah, no. You see those dust particles in the air?" The man asked. I squinted.
"Yeah. But that's just dust in the light. Those aren't shadows."
"You're right. But it's one of the ways you can tell they're around." He was speaking slowly as he let my arms go and pointing his screwdriver at the air. It beeped.
"Mm," He hummed again. "Not that high a reading."
The man turned and looked down at me. I suddenly felt like an ant compared to him he was so tall.
"You come out here often?" He asked, his voice casual and well-meaning.
"Uh, yeah. Nearly every morning."
"So you know your way around then?"
"Sure."
"Tell me where we are then." The man twirled the screwdriver in his fingers as he looked around curiously.
"Um…" I looked around as well.
"We're near the pond. There's more moss on the trees pointing toward the water, and there are some animal tracks that way." I pointed more to the left and he smiled like he was proud of me. I felt my heart swell with pride.
"Great job girly! Take me to the pond," He said, dropping his voice when he said 'the pond'. I smiled and grabbed his arm, dragging him along to my second favorite place. He kept his sonic thing out and pointed it ahead of us. It would beep every once in a while, but the weird man never stopped me.
"Here we are! The pond," I said, mimicking his funny voice. He smiled and walked around the little shoreline.
"Very nice, very nice," He said, waving the screwdriver around as I knelt down and played with the water. I liked the way it felt against my stiff hands. It was relaxing.
The beeping noise picked up again. The man tapped it against his hand and squatted down to sit on the backs of his feet. He pointed the device at the woods again. It beeped.
"Good thing it's morning…" He mumbled, tapping the screwdriver against his chin as he looked around.
"Why? What's so important about morning?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Well the shadows live in the dark, you see. They can't really live in the light. It just wouldn't work."
"Everybody knows that," I said, rolling my eyes and turning back to the water.
"Well sure they do. It's basic human instinct. When it's light out what's there to be afraid of?"
"Are you saying I should be afraid of the dark?" I asked, turning my attention back to him as he stared at his weird device.
"No. Not at all. It's not that people are afraid of the dark. It's what's in the dark." The man said seriously as he stood up straight again, his eyes darting about like he was nervous about something.
"I'm not afraid." I said, standing up and drying my hands on my dark blue pajama pants.
"Some things…" He hesitated and shook his head.
"Some things what?" I asked, staring at him intently.
"It's nothing." He was rubbing the back of his neck again and was staring at the woods. I frowned. I wouldn't have that. When I wanted to know something, I got to know about it. Quickly.
Very silently, I leaned down and scooped up as much water as possible. Then, I threw it at him.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" He spun around, whipping out his screwdriver and pointing it at me.
"Water, weirdo. Now tell me, some things what?"
His hands slowly lowered and he frowned deeply. With water dripping from his hair and jacket, he gave a heavy sigh.
"Some things are worth being afraid of."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly. You're too young right now."
I shifted on my feet and looked around. That wasn't a fair answer. Getting older took too long. I wanted to be older immediately. Move out, get a job, and be as far away from my family as possible. Oh, and take my little brother with me…
"What's your name girly?"
"It's Katie. And stop calling me girly." I said, eyeing him seriously. "What's your name?"
"Well Katie, I'm the Doctor."
"Doctor of what?"
He changed the subject.
"You should stay away from this neck of the woods."
"NO!" I said a bit louder than I meant to. It startled him, but I didn't give him a chance to recover.
"Just because you show up in this magical flying box and have a fancy screwdriver and talk weird and look weird and say stuff about shadows doesn't give you a right to tell me not to come to my home."
The man called the Doctor frowned deeply. I crossed my arms, hoping it would make me look a lot tougher than I really felt.
"You're home." He echoed, his voice low and… almost sad. I nodded sharply, my lips tight in a firm line. He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned around in a slow circle.
"I see," He mumbled, finally fixing his eyes on me again.
"Can't you think of some better way? These Shadow things you were talking about. What exactly do they do? How can I avoid them? Can't you get me one of those screwdriver things?" He eyed me carefully.
"If you step through a Shadow, all that will be left of you is a skeleton. Your skin, hair, nails, eyes. All of it, gone." I tried not to shiver, but I couldn't help it. He noticed and I wished I hadn't. I didn't want this guy to think I was weak or something.
"Tell me how I can get around them." The Doctor stared.
"I'll do what you say! Just tell me how! I won't abandon this place just 'cause you say so." I spoke so firmly I surprised myself. He thought it over for several moments before opening his mouth to speak.
"Stay in the light."
With that, he turned around and headed back into the woods, using his screwdriver again. My eyes narrowed and I ran after him.
"That's all? Stay in the light? I was going to do that anyway! Can't you say anything else?"
"Yep! Alons-y!"
"What."
"Alons-y," The Doctor repeated himself. He stared at me for a few moments before his eyes widened. He smacked his forehead.
"Right! You're how old? Alons-y mean's let's go. It's French."
"Oh." I followed him through the woods until I realized he was headed the wrong way.
"Where are you going?"
"Where are you going?" He said back curiously. I gave him a dark look and took the lead.
"You're weird."
"I know," He said happily. "Isn't it fun?" I couldn't resist smiling as I moved away from where his screwdriver beeped.
"I have no idea."
"Oh come on, you don't think weird is fun? Not at all?"
"Maybe a little bit…" I could feel his smile in the back of my head. I rolled my eyes and soon we were at the clearing. His big blue box was still where he left it.
"What's that big box thing anyway? What's a police box?" I asked, looking up at him as he moved into the grass.
"Oh that? That's just a disguise," He said.
"A disguise?" I asked, not moving.
"Yeah. Like a distraction. Make people think something when it's another."
"Then what is it?" He smirked.
"I don't think your parents would approve."
"I don't care. They're too busy fighting to know I'm out here." His eyes looked sad.
"Oh, I see."
I shivered and changed the subject. "So what is it then? That box?"
"It's called a TARDIS. It's how I get around."
"Can I see it?"
"It's right there."
"I mean inside, Doctor Weirdo!"
"Oooh. Sure. But just a quick look-see…" I smiled widely and carefully entered the tall grass, ignoring the only thing that actually terrified me in the world. He noticed my apprehension and moved toward me until we were walking side by side.
"Don't like tall grass do you?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at the woods.
"Um… Not really."
"I thought you said you weren't afraid of anything?"
"I said I wasn't afraid of no Shadows! There's a difference."
"Then what are you afraid of?"
We reached the big blue box and I ignored his last statement. I pulled on the door but it didn't open. The Doctor made a 'tsk' noise and he pulled a key out of his pocket.
"It's locked," He opened it up and stepped inside.
"Why would you lock a boring blue box…!" My jaw dropped. Inside was definitely not what I was expecting.
It was bigger on the inside! I stared up at it all as the doors closed behind me. The Doctor waltzed up the steps and stopped at the center… circular… thing… What did Dad call those things? Consoles?
A big blue tube filled with bright blue light moved up and down, disappearing from my sight it went up so high. The walls looked industrial and busy, but had a comforting 'welcome home' feel. The flooring was grated and see through. Hiding below the grates sat what looked like an engine.
I had no idea how long I stood there, taking everything in.
"She's a beauty, 'aint she!" The Doctor called finally, snapping me out of my trance.
"S-she… is bigger on the inside!"
"Yeah. Freaks a lot of people out," He said, biting the inside of his cheek and taking off his overcoat. He flung it randomly and I saw it fall onto a railing.
"It… it…"
"It's big," He said with a wide smile.
"It's AWESOME!" I exclaimed, rushing up to the console and looking at all the buttons.
"What does it do? It flies right? I saw you come in on it! It's so cool. Can you make it fly? Please?" The Doctor carefully ushered me away from the controls and shook his head.
"No, no, no. Just a peek, remember? Just a peek, we agreed."
"What? Why not? Does it not just fly?" My eyes widened as the realization hit me. If it could fly, what else could it do?
"It doesn't work like that," He said seriously. "Sure, it flies if it has to. But that's not the point. I was just letting you have a look."
"Why, what's it do?"
"Nothing you need to know. All you can know is that I use it to travel lots of different places. Lots of different places... But there's no way I'm taking you with me." I felt my spirits drop straight down.
"Why? Why can't I come?" Suddenly I remembered my little brother at home. I wouldn't be able to leave without him. I crossed my arms uncomfortably.
"You're a human child. I can't take a child with me."
I nodded and looked down.
"But will you come back?" I asked.
"Yes. Someone has to manage those pesky Shadows," He winked and I smirked.
"When will you be back?" I asked, uncrossing my arms as he led me back to the front doors.
"Pretty soon I'd think. I mean the Shadows can spread, grow, really nasty. I'll be back to manage them. Don't want anything to happen to you or anything." He ruffled my short hair and opened the doors. I stepped outside into the grass and he leaned on the doorframe.
"I'll watch for you. I'll come out every day if I have to," I said with a determined stare.
"Nah, you don't have to do that," He said, amusement coating his voice. I shook my head.
"No, I will." He shook his head.
"Alright-y then. So long Katie."
"See ya Doctor Weirdo," I replied, feeling a pang in my chest as the doors closed. I stepped away as the box called the TARDIS slowly disappeared before my very eyes. I stared in amazement, wondering just who this person was and what that box really did. Suddenly, I remembered something he said.
"You're a human child. I can't take a child with me."
"Wait!" I yelled. "What do you mean a human child? Are you not human? Have you met aliens? Wait! Doctor guy!" But by the time I finished shouting, the TARDIS was gone.
I stared uncomprehendingly. It was gone. It was just… gone. What did he do? Was he really coming back? I… I….
I slowly stepped back and stared at the ground. The grass was completely crushed. A square of flat ground stared up at me where the big blue box once sat. My fists clenched.
There was no way I was going to let this slip. I was going to wait for him. I'd come back every day, just like I said. I ran back into the woods.
That weirdo Doctor… I'd show him. Even if I had to wait forever.
~((~^*^~))~
A/N: Please review, it's extremely motivating and I love to hear what you guys think. See you around!
Kex3
