Small Town USA
"Okay, Willow, some things you should know…" the Doctor began after he took a sip of the tea Donna handed him.
"You're not a human being. You're a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, which is gone now and you're the last one, and you have two hearts," Willow interrupted him, her eyes looking slightly above him and to the left as she recited. "This is the TARDIS and it travels through time iand/i space and you run into trouble most places you end up. Oh, and you run a lot."
"Erm, well, yes," the Doctor stuttered obviously slightly deflated to have his explanation snatched away from him. Willow felt a pang of anxiety – she'd done it again, committed a social gaffe.
"I've been explaining a few things," Donna told him smugly. "Thought she should know what she was getting into."
"I like to explain things," the Doctor almost pouted.
Willow swallowed a giggle. She loved watching the two of them bouncing verbal prods off of each other. She couldn't help but hope that simply hanging around with them would help her to not only learn how to do the same but to also gain the confidence to do so.
"So with you I can go anywhere and anywhen. I can't wait," she concluded when the other two paused to give each other pointed looks.
"Did you have a preference?" the Doctor asked her.
"Oh no," Willow assured him. "I wouldn't presume to tell you where we should go."
"You're going to need to toughen up a bit if you're going to run with him, dear," Donna advised her with a smile. "If you don't stand up for yourself you'll just get run over."
Willow blushed and put her head down, her pale blond hair falling across her face like a veil.
"Oi, I'm not trying to embarrass you," Donna apologized.
"No, it's all right," Willow assured her in the extremely quiet voice she used when nervous. "It's just that I'm new to all of this. I've no idea what would be a good destination."
Willow's head stayed down and her fingers were tightly clenched in her lap. The Doctor and Donna exchanged meaningful looks. The Doctor put down his cup and reached out to cover her white knuckled hands with one of his own.
"Willow, we aren't going to get angry with you and I'm not going to ask you to leave," he assured her gently. "I don't operate like that. I had a companion once who almost destroyed the entire Earth but I let her stay."
"I'm sorry. I'm just used to…" Willow coughed slightly and then spoke again, with slightly more volume. "I've never been to Earth. Do you know where it is?"
Donna smiled encouragingly at her and then looked over at the Doctor nodding.
"Earth is one of my favorite places," he assured Willow. "Donna's from Earth."
Willow's eyes widened and she looked at Donna with enough awe to bring a slight blush to her cheeks.
"I'm nothing special," Donna asserted quickly. "I was just an ordinary temp in Chiswick when I ran into the Doctor here."
"Nonsense," the Doctor contradicted her, "you're brilliant!"
"You say that to all the girls," Donna quipped back. "Now come with me, Willow, and I'll find you a place to sleep. This place is enormous…"
The Doctor sat silently for some time after the women left, musing about his choice to add to his companions like this. He already knew the Tardis approved of her inclusion to the select group of travelers he had accumulated but why? True, she had a different way of looking at things but was there anything else special? Anything he should be considering? Even after careful reflection he couldn't nail down what it was about Willow that intrigued him enough to invite her along. Whatever it was, it would only become clear with time. Deciding to simply wait and see, an approach that he rather enjoyed if the truth be told, he made his way to the control room to set course for Earth. Deciding this would be a good time for Donna to visit her folks he set the time index for the 21st century.
When Donna and Willow joined him in the control room Willow was dressed slightly more appropriately for adventuring in a pair of soft tan slacks made of some silky material and a blue, long sleeved tunic-like shirt, also silky and with some sort of sparkly thread in it giving the impression of stars just winking into existence in the twilight sky. She wore flexible, moccasin-like footwear that she assured the Doctor was both comfortable and waterproof. Her long blond hair had been gathered into a loose braid that went from the crown of her head back in a style that looked ridiculously complicated to the Doctor but at least it was neat and would be out of the way.
With both women in the control room the Doctor pulled a few switches, turned some knobs and cheerfully slapped the rematerialization button. The familiar sound of the Tardis solidifying in a new location filled the room and as soon as the noise faded away the Doctor gestured at Willow to be first out the Tardis doors. However, rather than the noise and bustle of a busy London street, Willow stepped out into a quiet street in a small town.
There was no way this was a town in England, much less London. Across the street from where the Tardis had tucked herself between two buildings and behind a shed was a three story building with treated logs and a sign declaring it was the Prospector Inn. Next to it was another building deliberately built to look rustic calling itself the Dew Drop Inn – it had swinging doors leading into a foyer. Further down the street Willow saw a western wear shop selling jeans, cowboy boots and a variety of cowboy hats, a small café and a larger family restaurant that was named The Longhorn.
The streets were quiet with virtually no traffic at all and only a few miles on either side of town evergreen trees marched up the sides of the foothills that quickly became mountains. This town was in a valley and clearly more likely to be in America than the United Kingdom.
"Where are we?" Willow asked in confusion. "Or is it 'when' are we?"
"Ahhh," the Doctor rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I'm not sure. Let me just pop back in the Tardis and see what she has to say."
"Why don't you just ask someone?" Willow asked with what seemed to be inescapable logic to her.
"Better not," the Doctor decided. "Best to go into these situations armed with as much knowledge as possible."
He ducked back into the Tardis but Donna strode out of the small alley they'd materialized into towards the tavern across the street and Willow followed her. Twilight was just settling in on the street, the sun already down behind the mountains but still casting enough light that the two women could see perfectly well. They didn't know it but they'd just missed a spectacular sunset with the snow tipped mountains reflecting the vivid reds and oranges of the setting sun.
"Okay, old girl," the Doctor muttered half to himself and half to the Tardis as he flipped switches and turned knobs, "tell me where we are. And if you'd be so kind, give me a clue why you brought us here."
A frown settled in on his face as he read the information the Tardis brought up on the screen…
"Hello, could you help us?" Willow asked the bartender pleasantly as they seated themselves at the bar. She found the high barstools quite entertaining.
"Hey, we've got a liquor license to keep! No kids!" the bartender snapped.
"I'm twenty four years old!" Willow declared.
"Got any ID?" the man demanded.
"What's ID?"
So it was that Willow and Donna found themselves back on the street.
"Oi! That was rude!" Donna protested, wrenching her arm from the grip of a burly man in jeans, flannel shirt and a Stetson hat.
"Just keep your little sister out of bars, lady," he told her, not unkindly.
"Where's the Doctor with his psychic paper when we need him?" Donna muttered as she looked up and down the street. A little further on was the western themed restaurant and she pointed it out to Willow.
"Maybe we should wait for the Doctor to join us?" Willow asked nervously.
"Nonsense!" Donna scoffed, "We'll find out far more by keeping our ears open and our eyes peeled."
Donna marched them to the restaurant and they ordered a meal. The restaurant was cheery with yellow pine walls, Norman Rockwell prints and a few cross-stitched samplers. Willow was fascinated by everything from the red and white checkered table cloths to the long sleeved plaid shirts almost everyone, male and female, were wearing. Her own top actually employed micro-circuitry to keep her warm or cool as the environment required so she hadn't noticed the chill in the air as soon as the sun dipped behind the mountains.
Donna decided to try a steak and Willow ordered a Caesar Salad. Both women were confidant that the Doctor would join them shortly. Unknown to them, however, the Doctor had left the Tardis and ventured into the tavern. He was too busy talking to the people in there to spare a thought for Donna and Willow. His research had indicated that this town of Republic, Washington had a problem and there was nothing he liked better than solving problems – unless it was uncovering a mystery.
While the Doctor asked leading questions and carefully listened as much to what iwasn't/i said as what was, Donna and Willow listened circumspectly to the talk around them. It was Willow who first noticed the dearth of children.
"Shouldn't there be at least a few children?" she whispered to Donna. The lack of children might just explain the subdued, almost oppressed atmosphere that she sensed hanging over the room.
"You're right." Donna agreed thoughtfully. "I think you're the youngest person in here. Everyone else is middle aged or older. But maybe it's just a school night?"
"Something is wrong, Donna." Willow insisted gently. "People are afraid and they're sad. But they seem to be hiding their feelings – why?"
"How would you know what people are feeling?"
"I don't know. I'm right though. Look at them."
As she spoke her eyes locked onto the manager approaching their table. The man exuded irritation and aggression.
"Ladies, you've occupied this table long enough. Please be kind enough to pay your check and vacate the table."
His words and tone were cordial enough but he was angry about something – Willow had no idea what. Donna, however, suddenly looked horrified.
"Money! I forgot money!" she blurted in dismay. The manager's face hardened ominously.
"You ordered food you can't pay for?"
"I have pounds." Donna pulled some colorful bills out of her purse.
"But we forgot to exchange them for American currency." Willow explained, not sure where the words came from but sensing their appropriateness.
"I can't use this!" the manager was not appeased. "You two wait right here – the police will handle this."
Donna and Willow exchanged troubled looks. Where was the Doctor?
"Wilt you can't call the police!" their waitress, a young woman with bright blue eyes and blond hair pulled into a ponytail, hissed worriedly.
"They're strangers. Better them than one of us," he replied with equal parts indignation and guilt.
"Better no one!" the woman retorted firmly. "I'll cover their check and you cool your jets!"
"Thank you!" Donna burst out with relief. "We'll pay you back, I swear."
"Don't worry about it. But you might want to skedaddle out of town quickly. This ain't a good place to be a stranger in right now."
Donna nodded although Willow was sure she had no intention of going anywhere.
"Look, is there anything we can do to help?" Willow burst out suddenly. "We came with a friend who is very good at helping people."
"Oh, aren't you sweet!" the waitress smiled at her like she was a precocious child. "But the best thing you two can do is get back in your car and wave good bye to Republic, Washington in your rearview window."
Down the street the Doctor suddenly looked up from his conversation, a concerned look on his face.
"Please excuse me," he told the man sitting next to him at the bar, "I just remembered an important engagement."
He burst out of the tavern and headed unerringly for the restaurant down the street, just as Donna and Willow emerged. They all saw each other at the same time and gathered into a huddle of intense whispers and looks on the other side of the street.
"Doctor! Something is wrong here!" Donna exclaimed in a hoarse whisper.
"There are no children," Willow added sadly, "and people are very frightened."
"Of what?" he asked them curiously.
"Their police, for one thing," Donna supplied with more than a touch of acid in her voice. "But there's more than just that…"
A police car drove slowly by and then stopped halfway up the street.
"Back to the Tardis!" the Doctor urged them as the car began slowly backing up. "Don't run yet but go!"
"Hey! You three, STOP!" the officer called through his speaker system.
"Go on – I'll talk to him." Willow urged them, stopping and turning.
"Willow, no!" the Doctor hissed.
"Go!"
Willow was banking on her youthful looks to protect her. It was a hunch but the lack of children encouraged her to believe that she might be treated well. She was still frightened but convinced that she could buy the Doctor and Donna time enough to escape. Willow had a great deal of faith that they could figure out the problem and rescue her if need be.
Behind her the Doctor and Donna picked up their pace, although they weren't running yet.
"You two, stop now and put your hands up," the officer called again, pulling to a stop next to Willow.
The Doctor and Donna ducked down a side street and broke into a run. Willow put her hands up, smiled uncertainly at the officer and did her best to look innocent and harmless.
"Where are they going?" the officer demanded, stepping out of the car and caressing the gun holstered at his hip with unconscious aggression.
He was a tall man, at least six feet, with a five o'clock shadow on his chin and dark brown hair peeking out from under the brim of his hat. He was broad shouldered and looked strong to Willow but he had the beginnings of a paunch straining at the buttons of his uniform shirt and an unhappy frown on his face. Willow got the impression of irritation, satisfaction and a trickle of the ever present fear that was hanging in the air like a London fog.
"They're trying to reach the Tardis." Willow said honestly, seeing no reason to lie.
"What the hell is a Tardis?"
"It's his ship. The waitress said we should leave so we were trying to leave."
"Why did she tell you to leave?" the man demanded irritably.
"Because this isn't a good town to be a stranger in," Willow answered simply. "Have I done something wrong?"
"I need to see your ID."
"I don't know what ID is."
"Identification. A driver's license, passport, green card, something…" he clarified.
"I don't have anything like those things. Why do you need my identification? Can't I just tell you who I am?"
"You could be lying," he noted. "And you're not American – so if you don't have a green card you're here illegally. I'm going to have to take you in."
"In where?"
"Are you stupid? I'm taking you to the station. We'll run your pictures and your photo and see if you're wanted for anything."
"How could I be wanted for anything? I'm not from around here."
"Just get in the car!"
"No!" the Doctor thumped his forehead with a fist as Willow obeyed that command and slid into the backseat of the police car. He and Donna had run down one block and then doubled around to see if they could do anything without being captured themselves. The Doctor almost started out from where they were skulking between an evergreen shrub and a house but Donna grabbed his arm and stopped him.
"We can't help her if we're in jail with her," she whispered forcefully. "We have to figure out what's going on."
"Come with us," a new voice said from behind them.
The Doctor and Donna whirled to face this new threat and found a young man in the ever present jeans and cowboy boots and a t-shirt proclaiming he was a member of the Horde and a green monster face on it. He didn't look much older than Willow, which rather surprised Donna, and the anxiety on his face made him look considerably younger than his actual age of 27.
"Are you coming or not? It isn't safe to be out at night," he demanded, glancing around them with the sort of nervous hyper-alertness that made the Doctor and Donna think of battlefields and sieges.
"Who is 'us'?" Donna wanted to know.
"Are they coming or not, Jer?" a female voice demanded from behind the house.
Making his decision off the cuff, like he usually did, the Doctor started forward with a nod to their guide.
"Yes, we'll be coming."
"What about Willow?" Donna worried.
"We'll be back for her," the Doctor promised grimly, turning the corner of the house and following the woman waving them on through the gate of the fence to the back yard. "But first we need to get more information. We've got to figure out what's going on."
"Well we'd better hurry," Donna noted unnecessarily. "She's the youngest person I've seen in this town, besides this fellow, and I've got a really bad feeling about that."
"So do I, Donna," the Doctor agreed bleakly. "So do I."
In the back of the police car Willow sat very quietly and hoped that her growing fear didn't show on her face.