Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Doctor who whether it is the TV show, books, etc. Enjoy!
Dance of the Cuckoos: Chapter one
"Doctor, would you stop doing that?" Donna asked as she flipped through a history textbook.
"What?" the Doctor asked, his hands hovering over his controls to his TARDIS.
"You know what," Donna said, still looking at the history book.
The Doctor flipped some switches and pulled some levers. "I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about."
"Talking to the TARDIS," Donna said, finally looking up. "and caressing the controls."
The Doctor's mouth opened in shock and he placed a hand lovingly on his console as though what Donna had said was a direct insult to his TARDIS. "I do not!"
"And now you are caressing the console," Donna smiled.
"I am…" Doctor began to say but he noticed his hand finally. "…not," he finished.
"Would you like to be left alone?" Donna asked as she looked back down at the history book. "I still haven't picked a date I would like to visit."
"What are you looking at a textbook for?" the Doctor asked and walked over to her. He pulled out his glasses and sat down next to her.
"Just getting some ideas," Donna explained. "You know," she said and closed the textbook for a moment. "I've always wished I could live during the Roaring Twenties or the Fifties but now," she reopened the book to where she was before. "I can't decide what to visit first."
"Twenties," the Doctor said and leaned over her to take the book from her. "Great decade to be alive at that time. Well, except for the end of 1929. Well, except for Prohibition. Did you know that the twenties were also known as the Decade of Bad Manners?" He stood up now and raced over toward the TARDIS's console.
"Oh and the crazy things they did! Pole sitting contests! See how long you can sit on a dangling pole outside of a skyscraper. And the Charleston! That was such fun!" The Doctor's hands flipped levers and pulled on gears as he spoke in feverish excitement.
"Oh!" he gasped and spun around to look at Donna who had now stood up. "I know who you need to meet!"
"No," Donna gasped, getting caught up in the Doctor's excitement. "Not—?"
"Charlie Chaplin!" the Doctor yelled and flipped the last switch. The TARDIS pitched forward violently and the Doctor and Donna clung onto the console as the TARDIS went back in time once again.
The TARDIS shuddered and rocked as the Doctor and Donna fought to maintain their balance. Sparks were flying and steam was rising from within the TARDIS, the Doctor's nimble hands touching every button in an effort to sooth the TARDIS.
"Come on, old girl!" he yelled at his machine.
With a stuttering jolt, the TARDIS landed with a final wheeze. Both the Doctor and Donna had landed on their backs. They panted, carefully listening for anything out of the ordinary. Donna was the first to break the silence.
"You know, there are days when I think that maybe the landing will be smooth and not so bloody jarring."
"Oi!" the Doctor said, grabbing her hand to pull her up. "It's not as fun that way. Besides, the important thing is that we are here." The Doctor ran to the door and opened it as grandly as possible. "1924!"
Donna ran to the Doctor's side and looked out the door expectantly. She paused and stared hard at her surroundings.
"When did you say we were?"
"1924," the Doctor replied. He pointed at the busy street full of people and cars. "See?"
"I'd say 1930s, actually."
"Wha-? Nah, we can't be…" The Doctor's squinted at the car near them and his mouth opened slightly. He looked at Donna.
"Donna, you don't know when The Great Influenza of 1918 took place," The Doctor said, absolutely dumbstruck. "How…?"
"I just love the thirties," Donna grinned and stretched out her arms as though she was showing the Doctor a work of art. "The cars, the fads, the film stars."
"Well…that's…," the Doctor stuttered.
Donna laughed. "Oh, you are speechless!"
"I am not!" the Doctor said firmly which made Donna laugh even harder. "Oh, well then, little missy, do you know where we are as well?"
"We are somewhere in…" Donna glanced around them. "…England."
"Scotland," the Doctor clarified. "Although," he made a face at his surroundings, "I have absolutely no idea why the TARDIS brought us here." He paused for a moment. "That's really weird."
"What is?"
"The streets are empty," the Doctor answered and Donna followed his gaze to the empty houses and cars parked along the streets. "I mean, if this is the thirties, this place should be packed with people…what?" he asked for Donna had held up a finger to shush him.
"Do you hear that?" Donna asked.
"Hear what?" the Doctor asked.
"That…song," Donna said, her eyes closed in concentration.
The Doctor fell silent and listened carefully. Very faintly from what seemed like it was far away was a melody. It was high-pitched, dissident, and awfully familiar.
"Are those church bells playing that?" the Doctor asked out loud.
Donna's eyes snapped open and she began to jump up and down. The Doctor stared at her in alarm.
"Donna, what?" he asked.
"Oh, This. Is. BRILLIANT!" she yelled.
"What?"
"The song!" she yelled in answer and took off running, leaving the Doctor absolutely bewildered.
"What?"
"Donna!" the Doctor yelled, trying his best to wedge his way across a crowd that was getting thicker and thicker as he ventured forward. Something was snagging his coat and he turned toward the person standing on it.
"Excuse me, would you…" he started to say but stopped short when he saw that it was not a human standing on his coat, but a green female Silurian with a dark veil covering her face. The female Silurian stared pointedly at him and he smiled sheepishly.
"Right, my mistake, miss…?"
"Missus, human," she said, her voice hard.
"Oh!" The Doctor nodded. "Who's the lucky fellow?"
She gestured toward a female human who was standing next to her. "We are married."
"Oh congratulations, would have loved to see the ceremony. Must have been huge, Silurians usually like that sort of thing. Me personally, I love them. Course, that's Time Lord stuff. That's me, by the way, hello," the Doctor said cheerfully. "I'm the Doctor."
Her features softened slightly. "My apologies, Doctor." She extended her hand. "Vastra." She gestured toward her wife. "This is Jenny."
"Charmed," the Doctor and kissed Vastra and Jenny's offered hands.
"And what is a Time Lord doing here in Scotland?" Jenny asked.
"I really don't…," the Doctor started to say, but someone roughly bumped into him and he stumbled forward. "…know. Why are there so many people?"
Vastra tsked. "Really, Doctor. What kind of Time Lord are you?"
"Well, I really don't know the exact date," the Doctor said in defense. "I'm looking for my friend so I've been a bit preoccupied to wonder about—,"
Abruptly, another man pushed against the Doctor's back and he stumbled again. This time, he landed hard on the ground, his hands scrapping the ground from trying to protect himself. It appeared someone had also got Jenny for she was by his side on the ground. Vastra had managed to maintain her balance but she frowned at human.
"How human," she remarked.
"They are just trying to get a closer look, ma'am," Jenny said from the ground.
"Who?" the Doctor demanded.
"Doctor!" a familiar voice yelled.
The Doctor glanced up and caught a glimpse of a long mane of red hair before it disappeared again.
"Donna!" he yelled back. He got to his feet and pulled Jenny up as well. "Donna, where are you?"
"I'm over here!" she called out, her voice somehow carrying over the roar of the crowd. The crowd was thick but the Doctor could just make out her hands waving him over. He began to weave his wave through the crowd toward her with Vastra and Jenny close behind him.
"So you really don't know what's happening today, Doctor?" Jenny asked as loudly as she could.
"Not now, Jenny," he said hurriedly. "I have to get to Donna before she runs away again."
His words, barely audible as they were, were drowned out by another collective scream of delight from the crowd followed by everyone beginning to whistle or hum the same tune from before.
"Where have I heard that?" The Doctor hissed to himself, his brow furrowed.
"Look, ma'am," Jenny called out to Vastra. "I can see them," and she pointed out toward the crowd. The Doctor followed her gesture and what he saw made his mouth drop.
"No. Way," the Doctor said to himself.
Barely visible in the sea of people were two men dressed in suits, beaming at their fans. The Doctor was more accustomed to seeing them wearing their trademark hats but even without them, the song that everyone was whistling and their mere appearance was enough for him to recognize one of the most famous comedic duo of all time: Laurel and Hardy.
To be continued…