A/N:This is my first Dr. Who fanfiction. It's simply an idea I had explaining why Mary wears a bow tie and stuff like that. I hope you enjoy!

-H

PS-this thing is 8 pgs on word!

The Doctor walked gloomily through the streets of London. He had lost so many of his friends over his long life. In the park, a man entertained folks with his strange music. The Doctor walked over to quietly listen.

The man finished playing and started saying comical poems about the people around him. The Doctor stepped forward and Bert's eyes widened, "Wind's in the East. Mist comin' in. Like somethin' is brewin', about to begin. Can't put me finger on what lies in store, but I feel what's to 'appen all 'appened before."

Only a few of the onlookers put coins in Bert's cap. The Doctor himself hesitated for a moment before putting in some coins. "May I ask you a question sir?" asked a little girl, walking up to Bert. She wore a pleated skirt and a thick sweater.

Her eyes shone in wonderment, leading the Doctor to believe she was out of her time. Bert nodded at the girl. "Where and when am I?" she inquired, curious.

The Doctor tapped the girl on her shoulder, "You're in London, England and its 1910." A look of puzzlement crossed her face.

"But it was just 1890!" she exclaimed.

"Now, what's your name?" the Doctor asked. The girl stuck her pert little nose up in the air in response. "Oh, I see. It's a guessing game!" He rubbed his hands together and pointed at her, "Mary.

Mary's eyes opened wide in awe, "Why, that's just it!" She looked over at Bert, who wasn't at all surprised at the Doctor's abilities. Bert gave Mary a charming and pleasant smile, which she returned to him.

Suddenly, he started thinking very hard; this Mary seemed quite like his dear friend who went by the same name. Her eyes were even the same shade of blue. Bert walked over to the Doctor, "Doc, would 'er surname 'appen to be Poppins?" The Doctor nodded.

Bert was now confused, he could remember his friend speaking about how horrid time travelers were. Yet here was that same friend, after time traveling herself!

"Bert, if you don't leave soon, you'll get a headache," the Doctor advised before leading little Mary off towards the TARDIS. He opened the door and led her inside.

Her blue eyes opened wider than before. "It's bigger on the inside!" she whispered excitedly to herself. Mary took in the sights and sounds hungrily. "What's this?" she asked the Doctor, pointing at a tape measure.

His eyes lit up and he strode over to her, "That measures people's personalities. Here, I'll show you." The Doctor took it from her hands and pushed a button on its side. The tape unrolled to Mary's height, which the Doctor showed her. In loopy script it said, Almost Practically Perfect .

Mary glared at the tape measure and said to it angrily, "Stupid, alien tape measure!" The Doctor looked at the girl for a moment and thought.

Then, going into another room while Mary continued to rant and rave, came back with lots of things in his arms.

"Sir, what is all of that?" asked Mary upon his return.

"These, Mary, are things that you will find quite useful in the future."

"Why? Am I to be living on the streets?" she exclaimed, horrified.

"Oh, no. You'll need them for work." Mary looked over at the table where the items now lay.

"What kind of work requires an umbrella, a carpetbag, a blank piece of paper, a tape measure, and a bow tie?" Mary asked, especially curious as to the last item's significance.

"Oh, I must have accidentally grabbed that," the Doctor said, his voice full of melancholy.

"Well, sir, I like it!" Mary said cheerily. "Now then, spit, spot! I need to get home!"

The Doctor gave Mary a knowing smile and started up the TARDIS' engines. In a jiffy, they were back to when and where Mary disappeared; a quiet, forested park in 1890. In fact, it was the same London park they had just left. The biggest difference was the number of trees and houses surrounding it.

Mary said goodbye to the Doctor. Then, turning back, she asked, "Sir, are you an animal, vegetable, mineral, or alien?"

"Good work, Mary Poppins."

"Sir how is it that you know my name, but I don't know yours?" the girl demanded.

He paused for a moment before answering, "They call me… the Doctor." Mary let this sink in before quickly walking off.

Her pace was quick, yet steady and she held the carpetbag carefully with both hands. Inside the house, her parents sat with a young Bert, quietly drinking their tea. Mary could now see that Bert had chalk dust in his hair from when they had traced each other on the pavement a few hours earlier.

Mary's mother looked towards the window, giving the hint that Mary was allowed to come inside. She walked in and quietly sat in her chair, stuffing the carpetbag underneath. Mrs. Poppins cast a curious glance at the bag. She felt certain that she had seen the pattern before, though it wasn't amongst her own belongings.

Teatime finished presently and Mary and Bert asked to be excused. When every last dish was spotless, Mrs. Poppins returned to the drawing room. She pulled the bag out from under Mary's seat and quietly unlatched it.

The first item she pulled out was the bow tie. Mrs. Poppins looked at the tie, eyes wide in amazement and whispered, "He's back."