Isobel frowned. "As in the pseudo-stereotypical metaphor. Look, are you coming or not?" "Yeah, it's just, won't I stand out?" "No one will pay attention." "But-" "But nothing, move yourself, there's a cafe I want to show you and...stop staring," Aggie pointed. "Everyone will react to being stared at, especially in England and especially in the 21st century." "Oh, talk louder!" Isobel replied, thumping her. "Come on."
"How are you then, gorgeous?"
"First of all, Jack- I like girls and secondly- shall I tell my dad you addressed me like that, what, three times?"
Jack flinched slightly at the thought of the Doctor's reaction on hearing he was flirting with his daughter.
"Are you taken?"
"Ugh, you don't quit, do you... if you mean 'are you shagging Isobel', then yes- happy?"
"Just asking," Jack was almost afraid to be assertive.
She had the same rhythm to her voice as her dad, along with the soft, almost surprised, slightly sarcastic tone that often pervaded her mother's voice; but she was all slight and all legs like the Doctor- her previous incarnation had been much more like her mother, smaller.
"You're unbearable," she stated.
"Yeah, and your mother doesn't know you're her daughter if we're stating facts."
Aggie giggled.
"Well, that would take all the fun out of it, 'oh by the way, you'll be pregnant here, and the birth will be here, and the first steps will be here'- that's a bit unfair don't you think?"
"Where is Isobel anyway?"
"She's gone back to finish her degree, you know, to break it up a bit- she'll be back in no time...not that Dad will miss her."
"Or she'll miss him- she's not keen on him is she?"
"You could say that. I've got a list of lovely things she's said about him," she smiled micheivously.
"Issue?"
"Not really. Strictly neutral," she said, pulling a very familar insolent face. "No one's perfect. And this, this place is odd. Odd is good, but...it's like bloody... what's it called, that horrible bar from Star Wars?"
Jack flinched. "Oh, your dad would be disappointed..."
"Mos Eisley cantina. Ha, got there eventually!"
"But with better decor. Any updates on those two then?"
"Rhode Island, 2015, as far as I know," she replied, slightly bitterly. "I wanted to go the fairground!"
"Oh come on; how old are you?"
"I dunno. No, no, no, I know. Hundred and...four, at last count?"
"Just a baby," Jack poked her affectionately.
"Yeah, and eternal grubby looking student."
"Well, your dad's not much better off."
"I prefer it to the whole leather jacket thing though."
"You don't miss anything, do you?"
"Bow Tie is fun- bit annoying after a while, though, but still- nice company. And that Amy. Grrrr," she added grinning. "So tall too, I thought I was above average."
"Skipping universes, is that allowed?"
"Not done any damage, I'm not my dad- I know my trans-universal stuff. Blah, bah, blah, ripping holes in the universe. Doom-sayer."
"Cheeky. What a surprise."
Aggie fiddled with a grey mobile phone she'd brought out from the pocket of her long black coat. She sent a short greeting to Isobel, and place it back in her pocket.
"Look what's talking!"
"How long until he knows you better?"
"The one you know? I don't know, but I have my Mum and Dad somewhere else."
"Timey-wimey."
"Precisely."
"Is it just you, or are there...siblings?"
"Well, I count Jenny as a sibling, she has saved my life, and Emma's like a sister, no, just me. Why? Oh you're awful!"
"What? No! I just like facts!" Jack was starting to become tired of the jokes about him.
"Yes, of course, like my dad 'just wanted to measure' my mum's-"
"I get the picture! But shouldn't that bethe other way around? Your mum wanted to-"
"This is disturbing," Aggie commented wryly.
"Really?"
The phone bleeped.
"Ooh, message!"
Aggie looked down at the phone, expecting a reply from Isobel, but instead, the text read:
Behind you.
She turned around and looked around, and saw Martha pointing and laughing, with the Doctor next to her, clearly uncomfortable with his head down on the table, which was making her laugh more.
"Oh, ew!" Aggie announced.
"Could be worse, she could have heard the bit about...babies."
Aggie glanced back around to hear the Doctor announce something very rude to Martha.
"There is that! Oi, get a room! Get lost, go on! Honestly, they're like kids..."
She then recieved a text message telling her, in no uncertain terms, to go away.
"D'you see? Immature!" she shouted towards them.
The Doctor stuck his tongue out at Aggie and then mimed to her that Martha was already drunk, and got thumped.
"Idiots," Aggie replied, sticking her tongue out back.
The Doctor called her something very rude, far too loudly.
"Oh god," she heard Martha say, slightly taken aback, but still laughing.
It was Aggie's turn to put her face in her hands.
Isobel looked decidedly sullen as Aggie tried to get her to know the Doctor a little better.
"Let's start again," Aggie said brightly. "Clean slate."
Isobel made a grumbling noise and said nothing.
The Doctor smiled.
"Why not?"
Donna was in the room in case things got ugly.
"Why don't you tell each other some things about yourselves?"
"You're joking right, how old are we, ten?"
"Well nothing else has worked has it, mouth?" said Donna, only half-joking. "So this is what we've been left with."
"I don't see why it's a big deal," Isobel said airily.
"I mean, we're never going to be together for extended periods of time."
"No tact, you'll get along just fine," Donna announced. "Get on with it. Super temp, no compromise that can't be reached."
"Joke," said the Doctor, seeing Isobel pull a face at Donna.
"I'm not stupid!"
"Yeah, I just won't say anything..."
"Yeah, why not?"
"Oh, there is so much going on the world, and you're shouting about this? Come one!"
"You don't fool me, Doctor."
"Right can someone explain to me what the hell she's on about?"
"Shoo," Donna said quietly and ushered Aggie out. The Doctor frowned, but she shooed him too.
"Now, you, you listen to me, young lady. Firstly, it obviously means a lot to to your other half that you get along with him. Secondly, I don't know who you've been talking to, but that, in there, is a wonderful man, he changed my life for the better, and I'm not the first.
Yeah, he is involved in some serious stuff, but he's good in the universe, it may not always end the way he wanted, but he is the force for good, he's the greatest ally you can have and you will be his, plus, you know, he's hilarious- don't tell him I said that.
Aggie wants to travel like he does, but it was her decision, and she can stop any time, and she has us, and Jack...she's so much like him, she has to do stuff, explore, stand up for what's right. They will be the most complex and brilliant people you've ever met, and she has her father in her like you have yours in you, the craving for knowledge and justice. You can't blame him for that."
Isobel nodded.
"I'm sorry... he just has a the kind of face you want to punch," Isobel said quietly.
"I'm not tactful, I know that!" she shouted.
"He's not even had her yet, give him some credit. Plus you know, history student- he is the universe's greatest tour guide..."-Do I know you from somewhere?
-I don't think so. Maybe you know one of my relatives? -Do you have a name? -Aggie. -Oh, no wonder you shortened that, honey! -Ha! I know right. So who have I had the pleasure of meeting?
-
"No way!"
"Small world huh? I mean she was like, I've got it,you look like that Doctor guy! Oh she was so happy to see me! She said thank you again for helping Lazslo, I take it, that's her boyfriend or something?"
"Oh, see, however hard they try, the Daleks can't destroy everything, can they?"
"Quite a character, that Tallulah, isn't she?"
"Ha, you could say that," Martha replied smiling. "There's someone for everyone," she said contentedly.
-
Tallulah: Hey, you're lucky though. Got yourself a forward thinking guy with that hot potato in the sharp suit.Martha: Oh, he's not... we're not... together.
Tallulah: Sure you are! I've seen the way you look at him, it's obvious.Martha: Not to him.
Tallulah: [sympathetically] Oh, I should have realised. He's into musical theatre.
Doctor Who, 3x04- Daleks In Manhattan
~~~
Martha: Do you reckon it's gonna work, those two?
The Doctor: I don't know. Anywhere else in the universe I might worry about them, but New York- it's what this city's good at. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses and maybe the odd pig-slave-Dalek-mutant-hybrid, too.
Martha: [laughs] The pig and the showgirl.
The Doctor: The pig and the showgirl!
Martha: Just proves it then, there's someone for everyone...
The Doctor [frowning]: Maybe.
Doctor Who, 3x05- Evolution of the Daleks
"I have a problem."
"Well, how can I help?"
"I've done something awful," Aggie had obviously been crying. "I'm so stupid."
"What happened?"
"You know how much I like Isobel, don't you?"
"Only every waking minute," Jack replied, still finishing making coffee, with a curious Ianto in the corner drinking his tea, still taking in the idea of the car being bigger on the inside.
"Do you know Emma?"
"Saxon, your friend? Yeah...let me guess you like her too?"
Aggie sighed.
"You won't tell Isobel, will you?"
"No. So what exactly happened?"
"Never have attractive friends sleeping over..."
Ianto raised his eyebrows and said nothing.
"Great," Jack concluded exasperatedly. "Bloody Time Lords."
"WHY?"
"I don't know why," Aggie maintained. "It just-"
"Is it because she's like you? Am I not good enough for you?"
"Don't be so black and white!" Aggie snarled, derisively.
"That's completely...stupid! And you know it! I'm sorry, okay, I didn't mean for it to happen...oh like you've never made a mistake. What, just because I'm not human, I must be infallible? Hypocrite."
"Bad choice of words. But I just thought-"
Aggie scoffed.
"That you were special? That you were the first? That you are entitled? Why is it that everyone assumes they're special? At what point did I tell you that, hm? At what point did we agree to be exclusive? You know, he was right-"
"Your father? Oh, big surprise-"
"Yes. And it's something he wishes he'd been tougher on, for everyone's sake. Just because you know me and you travel with me does not make you better or more entitled or unique! You are a great person, okay, but you are not better than anyone else. The reason I told you, is because I realised, too late, that this would affect you. I'm sorry, but as much as I care for you, you are not the be all and end all!"
"I don't think I'm better than anyone else! I just thought-"
"Assumed. I'm sorry but am I not allowed to have had anyone else before you? And when exactly did I start belonging to you, huh? If you really want me, get some perspective, get some open-mindeness and we may be able to sort this out-"
"All I know is, from the sound of it, you don't want to sort it out. You love her," Isobel said slowly.
"I'm sorry, I'm a selfish person sometimes. But I'm not as close-minded as you're making me out to be- it's a front. If you want to be with her and not me, that's fine- I can't force you to love me. Do you like her? I mean, would you want just her?"
"Don't make me choose."
"Not black and white, huh?"
"I know what it's like, alright? She doesn't love me- she's having fun, but I'm-"
"Will she ever...?"
"Emma? No. She's far too childish and easily bored, like her dad. If he wasn't she'd probably have been my sister. I'm my dad, and she's hers. And thus- the point is Emma has to find someone with that tolerance and who comes up to her standards. Koschei was different then, once my dad wasn't his puppet- game over. It's not that awful, now, obviously, and Emma's no Master- neither's he, anymore- but like my dad and hers- impossible, they wouldn't work. Koschei's lucky, he found Lucy, and Dad found friends, including Mum and, coming full circle, Koschei again..." she paused.
"You know what, it is easy. You."
"What does your t-shirt say?"
"'Literature reference'."
"What?"
"Literature reference."
"What?"
"It's like a sign, saying 'literature reference' because my name is one. Geez."
"Hello? Yes. How did you get this number? Who are you? Oh, yes. Yes, hello, my darling, how are you? How is your mother? Oh, yes I'd love to see you! Yes, of course! Dad? Well I don't want to spoil the surprise for your mother! Send me the co-ordinates!"
Jack watched her babbled with interest.
"Who was that?"
"Oh, a friend. Her mother was one of dad's friends."
"Oh, human."
"Near-Human. Trakenite, I think. She's lovely. Her name's Neeka."
"Do you know everyone?"
"Oh, I only really know Sarah Jane and Nyssa. Two in the whole universe."
"Hah, does the Doctor know you are dragging old friends back to him?"
"Of course."
"Why are we doing this again?"
"Do want to experience history, or not? Grow some balls."