Chapter 12

I walked down the street about a block, a fish under one hand and a duffle bag slung over the other. I stopped and sat down on the curb, gently setting the fish and duffle bag down. I opened the duffle bag and looked inside. A small blanket was folded on top of my pillow. Clothes were folded neatly under that. I dug around a little until I found my shoes. My shoes were packed with my jewelry. (Lip and others.) I emptied them into the bag and put them on my cold feet.

I suddenly heard that low, rumble and the metallic siren again. The blue box materialized a few away from me, under the soft glow of a street light. The door creaked open and he stood in the door way.

"I'm guessing it didn't go over well," he said, eying my items that sit next to me on the sidewalk.

"Like a lead air balloon," I replied. He stepped out of the box and walked over to me. He sat down on the curb right next to me. I held the fish in my lap.

"What's his name?" He asked looking at the fish.

"The fish?" I said, suddenly feeling stupid, who else could he be talking about.

"Of course the fish," he smiled as he spoke.

"Gerald."

"Gerald?"

"Yeah, Gerald."

"Why Gerald?"

"I dunno, he looks like a Gerald." I held the fish tank up to get a better look at the gold fish that swam in circles in his bowl.

"Hm, so he does." The Doctor said, eying the fish, as if baffled by what the creature was.

"Wanna hold him?" I asked, outstretching the bowl to him.

"Sure," he said, picking the fish tank up from my outstretched hands. He held it up to his face, as if trying to get a better look at him.

"What did you say his name was again?"

"Gerald." I answered.

"He likes that, although he prefers to be called…" I stared at him in silence. The fish was right up against the glass staring back, as if they were having a contest I wasn't let in on.

"Stormegeddon…" He finished, "Dark Lord of All."

I gaped at him and he handed me the fish back. I took the fish and stared at it.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"That's what he calls himself."

"And how would you know that?" I held the fish up; the street light behind it lit the bowl up a soft yellow.

"I speak fish." He replied, enthusiastically.

"Anything else you speak?" I questioned, setting the fish on the sidewalk space between us.

"I speak baby as well." He answered. "And some other things," he spoke confidently.

I just stared at him for a moment. "I speak some French." I said.

"Incroyable, je parle un peu français aussi! "

I turned my head and faced the blue box that sat in the middle of the street.

"I have no idea what you just said," I replied to his French.

He laughed. We sat in silence for a few moments. It wasn't the kind of awkward silence you get when you first meet someone and run out of things to talk about. It was a warm, friendly silence. The one you get when you sit and talk with an old friend and run out of things to say. Kaisia Reeds, the girl who could give a shit less about the world, actually likes someone.

"So, do you have a place to stay?" He asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I could go couch surf between Derek and Marissa's place, but I don't think that will last very long." I said, still staring at the blue box, the door left wide open spilled orange light onto the dark pavement.

"Well," he started; I turned my head to look at him. "I get pretty lonely, would you like to join me?" He spoke, starring at the blue box as well.

"You know," I began, he turned to face me. "I wouldn't mind that." I smiled for once in my life, the smile felt real. We sat I that comfortable silence for a few moments.

"I noticed something today," I said, sad to shatter the silence.

"Hm?"

"You're only important unless you have something to give, other than that, no one is important." I finished staring down at my shoes.

"Nobody's important?" He questioned. "Blimey, that's amazing. In the 400 years of time and space I've never met anyone who wasn't important before."

I stared at him. What he said shocked me. I expected him to just brush it off with a 'yeah, you're right'. He stood up and outstretched a hand to me. I took his hand and stood up, grabbing my duffle bag and fish before following him into the blue box. This was the start of a wonderful friendship.

More stories of Kaisia and the Doctor yet to come. Thanks for reading!