I yawned as I grabbed my keys and tightened the scarf around my neck. Today had been quiet, but long and I couldn't wait to head home. The thought of crawling into my nice warm bed caused a smile to cross my face. I grabbed the brown cardboard box from the counter and stared down at it's contents. Some people just never understand the difference between antiques and complete junk. I managed to open the door with my hand and pulled it open with my foot hurriedly exiting my small antique shop the door closing behind me with a loud bang. I placed the box down on the fresh blanket of snow that had started to pile up and locked the door. I picked up my belongings and began the rather lengthy walk home taking in the usual sights. Mrs. Carencro's cat scurrying about the street, the smoke rising from Mr. Kraus's chimey, and Mr. Lowry taking his usual late night drive around town. As I walked up the street I took note of a very unusual sight. Someone was moving in to the house next door to mine. People generally didn't move into the tiny town of Stuttgart, NY population 485 they usually moved out and never returned. It had been years since anyone had even lived in that house so naturally I was curious to see who my new neighbor was. I looked around and noticed a rather tall figure struggling to close the garage door. I placed the box down on the sidewalk and immediately ran to help.

"Having problems?"

He whipped his head around his hair shifting with every move. "What?" He said in his thick English accent which forced it to sound more like 'Wot'.

I smiled and pointed up at the stuck garage door. "Do you need any help?"

"Um…well…yeah, but you can't be more than what? Five foot nothing?"

My jaw dropped slightly. "I'm five foot two thank you very much!" I jumped up and gripped the top of the door my feet not even touching the ground. I figured maybe my weight alone would help bring the door down, but alas I found myself in rather an awkward situation. "Alright fine I'm too short! Would you mind helping me down?" I expected him to simply grab my legs and lower me down gently but instead I felt the door drop rapidly along with me. I fell to the pavement thankfully padded quite nicely by my many layers of clothing. "That's not exactly what I meant, but alright." I stood up and brushed myself off a little insulted that he didn't immediately ask about my well being. "Oh by the way I'm fine. Not a scratch on me."

"That's good." He roared under his breath before turning to face me his hair sticking up in all directions. "So um…name?"

I raised my eyebrow. "You tell me yours first."

He seemed a little taken aback when I shot the question back at him. "Er…John Smith."

I puckered my lips and nodded my head. "Right well in that case I'm Queen Elizabeth."

"That's impossible! Why she's…" He stopped finally coming to the realization that I was simply being sarcastic. "Very clever."

"What brings you here to Stuttgart, NY, population 485..."

"486." He retorted correcting me. "It's complicated."

"She dumped you?"

"No. No not at all actually I kind of dumped her."

"Rude."

"What?"

"Sorry?"

"Anyways I wanted to change career directions."

"That's great. Hey you know I actually have an opening down at my antique shop I could sure use the help if you're interested."

"I'm actually in the traveling business. I don't know if I could work. In a shop. With antiques and things like that, but thank you for the offer…um…what did you say your name was?"

"Ann Marie. You sure you're not interested?"

"I don't think so."

I sighed at the thought of being rejected by yet another person. I had pretty much asked everyone in town, but no one seemed interested in my little boring antique store. "Well it was nice meeting you John Smith." He gave me a cute slightly dorky smile his brown eyes twinkled as he bid me farewell with his fingers moving them in a wave like motion. I turned around and headed back to the sidewalk picking up my belongings and heading inside my own home. I threw my keys on the counter along with the box of junk and removed my shoes my feet aching from a lack of rest. I hobbled into the living room and as much as I had wanted to sleep in my own bed my body simply gave out. I collapsed onto the sofa taking a long breath before shutting my eyes and falling into a deep sleep.

The next afternoon I found myself running through the same routine. Sitting in the shop just waiting for at least one customer to pass through the doors. I stood anxiously waiting to hear the sound of the tiny bell that was perched above the door. I turned my back just for a second and then I heard the ring. My heart jumped at the idea of closing a sale and when I turned around I was face to face with the last person I expected to see that day.

"Well hello John Smith." I said in a rather loud voice. I watched as he seemed unable to keep his attention always looking around and never looking at me. "What brings you here?"

"The job. I'm here to he…he…" He swallowed hard causing his adam's apple to noticeably bob up and down. "Help." I stared at him causing him to feel more uneasy. "What do I need to do an interview or something? Are the questions really personal?"

"You're hired."

"Oh yay." He said unenthusiastically.

"By the way I was meaning to ask you. How much would you sell that blue police box in your garage for?"

His eyes widened. "The blue police box is not for sale."

"Come on it's clearly an antique and could be worth quite a bit of money."

He leaned down our eyes meeting. "It's not for sale."

"Fine. You can start by dusting." I waved my arm signaling for him to follow me into the backroom where I kept a majority of the cleaning supplies. I glanced about the room and found a feather duster laying on the floor next to one of the brooms. I bent over picking it up off the floor and turning around just in time to see his eyes shift slightly. "Were you looking at my ass?"

"You call that an arse?"

"Hey watch it mister my last boyfriend couldn't keep his hands off it."

"You don't let very much get to you do you?"

"What's the point?" I smiled waving the feather duster in his face before handing it to him.

"Fair enough. Right well I'm off to dust! ALLONS-Y!" I giggled as he turned around held the feather duster out in front of him and marched away. He was quite attractive I had to admit, but he was still reeling from his previous relationship so it would be inappropriate of me to try and put the moves on him. I walked back into the front room watching him dust everything paying very close attention to detail. "You're single then?"

I stood there for a moment not sure if I should answer truthfully or not. "Yes I am."

"Care to entertain me?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "What's there to say? It was an abusive relationship and I needed to get out."

He stopped what he was doing and looked at me the expression on his face now turned somber. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's fine. As a matter of fact you're the first one I've really talked to about it. I don't know why."

"I have that affect on people."

"What about you?"

"Well I just I couldn't keep her with me. I've been bouncing around from place to place trying to find ways to keep busy so I'd think less of her. It's been working so far I mean I'll never forget her, but…hey are you busy tonight?"

"I love how you went from pouring your heart out to asking me if I have plans."

"I'm a rather random person. Besides it's been a while since I've had any company and I'm only…" He hesitated. "…human."

"You could just say you want sex I won't be offended really."

"WHAT?" His eyes bulged out of his head. "WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT SEX?"

"Or you could just act repulsed by the idea that's fine too."

"It's not that I'm just not use to someone throwing out the idea of sex like that. I generally like to eat first and then you know."

"How long has it been?"

"God it's been years. Believe me I need the food to get up my energy."

I laughed so hard my stomach began to hurt. "Alright alright stop it stop it. There's a restaurant just down the road." He smirked and went back to his work. "You sure you're not a virgin?"

"I'M NOT A VIRGIN!" He shouted back which sent me into another fit of laughter. "NOT FUNNY!" He bit his bottom lip trying his best to hold it in, but alas he let out a loud cackle that filled the entire room. We both laughed so hard we cried and it didn't stop until the first customer of the day walked in. I still don't know how he did it, but he managed the send the man off with two antique clocks, a bedroom set, and an old Polaroid camera. John Smith was growing on me by the minute and after we finished dinner that night I found myself completely mesmerized by him.

We walked back to his house and as much as I wanted to be happy about gaining a new friend I couldn't help, but feel slightly guilty about not being honest about who I really was. Then again he hadn't been completely truthful either. We stepped inside and I was quite shocked to see that it was completely empty except for a few boxes. "It's um…it's nice."

"I don't have a lot of belongings well I do, but I travel so much there's no way I could have fit it all in here. Besides simple is best."

I smiled and sat down on the soft carpet which covered what should have been the living room. I looked around and shuffled through the cardboard boxes expecting him to stop me at any moment, but it seemed that my curiosity amused him.

"What are you looking for?" He asked taking a seat across from me.

"Just looking to see if you have any antiques hidden in these boxes." I reached in and pulled out a stethoscope which was covered in dust. I blew on it sending the dust flying into his face causing him to sneeze. "Sorry."

"Um…let's put that away shall we? I'm not even sure how it got in there."

"Oh come on Doctor let's have a little fun."

He tilted his head looking at me confused. "What did you just call me?" I simply smiled and extended the stethoscope out to him. He slowly took it from me our hands touching briefly sending chills down my spine. His eyes pierced mine as he put in the ear pieces and lifted the bell up to his mouth breathing on it heavily. "Have to warm it up you know." He reached out and pressed the bell against my chest. His breathing became heavier as he became panicked by what he was hearing. "It's impossible. You can't exist. You just can't."

I grinned my hearts beating furiously. "So says the man with a TARDIS in his garage.