Chapter 1: The Blue Box
"Gracey" my little brother called my name rapidly, shaking me awake from my sleep. I jumped up, knife in hand and saw what he was so worried about. A group of thugs were starting down the alley that we had taken refuge in that night. I threw my backpack on, and took his hand and walked away down the alley in an opposite direction.
"Hey there honey! Want some meat to suck on for breakfast" I heard one man call out from behind me followed by a couple more comments and catcalls from the other men. I ignored it and kept walking until we hit an open area.
"I'm hungry," Sampson moaned as his belly rumbled a couple times. I stuck my hand into my pocket and could not find any trace of money. We walked for another couple hours picking up change we found in the street or on the sidewalk. We had just enough to buy some chips and a water by the end of the day so I gave the chips to Sampson and we shared the water.
"Let's go find somewhere to sleep" I grabbed Sampson's hand and we walked until we found a park. I settle down with him underneath the play set, so that if anybody walked past we would be hidden.
"Gracey, tell me a story" he yawned. I held him close to me and pulled the blankets over us.
"Well Sampson, there's this blue box. And people don't know why or how, but it can travel through space and time. But it's not the box that's special; it's the man inside of it…"
I continued with another one of the time traveler stories for Sampson. After the first time I told him about my dream, he kept asking me to tell me more of my dreams. It's gotten to the point where I can't dream enough, so I have to make them up.
I snuggled him closer to my chest to keep in warmth and to make sure that he stays safe. Eventually I fell asleep.
"What do you mean there's someone onboard, do you mean like a stowaway?"
"Well no, if it was a stowaway the Tardis would have set its alarms off… We have guests."
I peeked my head around the corner and saw the man with the bowtie.
"Well… Hello there!"
I didn't wake to Sampson shaking me that morning. Nor did I wake to rain falling on us, or the loud rustle of people, but to the sound that I've heard in my dreams so many times before. It was the sound of the Tardis. I crawled out of where we were sleeping and looked around the corner to find only the most extraordinary discovery ever. The blue box was standing behind a couple trees, but what happened next was even more incredible.
The man with the bowtie stepped out followed by Amy and Rory. I turned back for a second and caught my breath.
"They're just fictional characters Grace, fictional! I dreamt them up one night and…" I turned back around and saw the man with the bowtie lighting up his sonic screwdriver, "oh my god."
I watched as they left then woke up Sampson and packed the bag back up.
"Why can't I sleep?" Sampson moaned and whined until I showed him the blue box.
"What is it" he asked cocking his head to the side.
"That is the Tardis" I looked down at him. He grabbed my hand and touched the door. It opened ever so slightly. He smiled even more and we both pushed the door open more. I felt my head become light and could feel my hands shaking and my lip trembling.
This wasn't a dream this was real. We both stepped inside in amazement. It was huge even though the box was so tiny.
"Can I drive it Gracey, please" Sampson pulled me over to the control system.
"No, don't touch it" I said still shaking. I heard voices from outside and quickly grabbed Sampson's hand and ran and hid. We ended up in a library… with a pool in it.
"Who left the door open" I heard the man with the bow tie say.
"I don't know, I thought you locked it" Amy said.
"Apparently not."
"Ok then, so I'm still confused why did the Tardis drop us off here?"
"I'm not sure…" the man sounded distant like he was thinking.
"Maybe" Rory started but the man with the bowtie quickly shushed him.
"Something's not right."
"What is it?"
"Someone's onboard."
"What do you mean there's someone onboard, do you mean like a stowaway?"
"Well no, if it was a stowaway the Tardis would have set its alarms off… We have guests."
I peeked my head around the corner and saw the man with the bowtie.
"Well… Hello there!"
I jumped and went to step backwards but fell into the pool. As I fell into the pool I hit my head on the side. I screamed and felt the cold contact of water soak my clothes and hair. I kept falling in and out of consciousness but I could remember seeing the most amazing pair of green blue eyes and a bowtie.
"Get me some towels and some clothes she's a size 2… or 0 but just get her some clothes." I could hear before someone dropped me onto a sofa.
"Gracey" Sampson ran over to me. I lifted my head, but felt a sharp pain in the back.
"Ouch" I clutched it feeling a bump.
"Don't move you probably have a"
"Concussion" I finished his sentence.
"Good, you're talking so tell me, what are you doing on my ship" he asked more forcefully.
"Here are the towels and clothes" Amy handed the man with the bowtie the items he asked for.
"Why'd you leave it open" I asked.
"Why would you trespass?"
"Why have I been dreaming about you and Amy and Rory for the past three months?"
"Why did the Tardis bring us here" the man with the bowtie looked up at Amy and Rory.
"Maybe the Tardis wanted Gracey and I to come" my brother smiled eyeing some candy that was in a bowl. Amy smiled and picked one up and handed it to him. My stomach growled painfully and so did Sampson.
"I'll go make them some food Amy, you help her change, and Rory go give this one" he pointed to Sampson "a bath and give him some clothes."
"No, we should be leaving" I tried to stand up but I collapsed back when the room started spinning into the sofa.
"And go where; back to that little playground where you and your brother were spending the night, or how about an alley full of thugs?" I stayed silent and glared at him. Who was he to think I could not take care of my brother and myself?
"Exactly, for now you should stay here and heal." He eyed me skeptically then turned on his heels and ran out of the room.
"Don't mind him, he's just a bit grumpy today is all" Amy helped me up before taking a towel and putting it over my shoulders.
"What's your name" Rory asked Sampson, kneeling down to his eyelevel. I looked at Rory scared. Sampson looked over at me with the same amount of worry.
"Um… I promise, I'm not going to hurt him. He'll be safe" I bit my lip for a second then gave Sampson thumbs up.
"I'm Sampson" he shook Rory's hand. They left the room hand in hand talking about candy.
"So, you've been dreaming about us" Amy asked as she started to wrap my head up with some gauze.
"Yes" I answered knowing that I could trust her, but I still didn't.
"So, what have you dreamt about" she asked pinning the gauze in place. I started to dig my nails into my skin.
"I dreamt about all of us going on adventures" I whispered feeling stupid.
"Oh, so what facts do you know about us" she helped me take of my clothes and put on new ones.
"Well, I know that the guy with the bowtie is called a timelord, and that the Tardis can travel through time and space. I also know that he has a weird obsession with hats. I know that you and Rory are married and that the guy with the bowtie can change his face and appearance and personality but still be the same person with the same memories."
"How do you know that" she asked me pulling a sweater over my head.
"I dreamt about it, like how I dreamt about getting caught today."
"Whoa, that is… intense. You're like psychic." As soon as she said that the guy with the bowtie ran out towards me and pressed this little machine against the palm of my hand.
"Ouch" I pulled it away.
"Sorry, DNA sample" he ran away again then came back a couple minutes later with a very long piece of paper.
"Grace Summer Cunnington, born July 17, 1996, type O blood, your father went to prison, and you are living with your mother apparently."
"How did you find all that with a DNA sample" I asked my head starting to hurt a little again.
"I have records on everybody that ever lived" he tossed the paper at me. I ran my eyes over it and realized that he left out many details that I would have preferred no one to have ever seen.
"I'm presuming that the little boy is Sampson Edward Cunnington, your brother and that he is seven."
"Yeah" I took a deep breath becoming uneasy with the situation.
"Now, why aren't you with your mother" he asked me leaning in close. I glared at him.
"Why don't you look it up on your computer" I snapped.
"Look Gracey I'm a vampire" Sampson ran out in a cape.
"Come on Sampson we have to leave, thank these people for their kindness and apologize for intruding." I said this to him as I glared nose to nose with the man with the bowtie.
"But… Gracey" he started to whine.
"No" I stated.
"But, we didn't even get to eat, please" he begged.
"Let's go" I stood up carefully grabbed my bag and his hand and opened the door. The only thing though was that I didn't expect to almost fall into space. I pushed Sampson back and screamed.
"What did you do" I screamed towards the man with the bowtie.
"Well it's my ship" he leaned against the control system. The pain in my head became so unbearable that I my eyes started to black out and I couldn't stand. The man with the bowtie caught me before I could fully pass out.