It was a dark and stormy night... as far as the Doctor could tell from the damaged display showing his arrival site, at any rate. When the screen refused to show any more detail, he frowned, crossed the console room to it in a few swift strides, and knocked smartly on the screen a couple of times. Still nothing. He would have to repair the circuit and lens as soon as possible. Hopefully he'd arrived at the correct coordinates; he had aimed for a place where he could acquire enough necessary parts for other repairs, and this would be an easy fix amongst them.
Another few steps to the console, a reassuring stroke to her surface and... how odd. He caught a faint tinge of joy the TARDIS normally reserved for companions, though they'd hardly, if ever, noticed. The Doctor automatically glanced up at the door to the living quarters, half hoping to see Charley- or, in the deepest pits of his hearts, Grace- stroll into the console room and inquire as to where they were now. The single second he waited stretched for longer than years could count, in his mind, before his memory faded once more and he reverted his attention to the matter at hand. The TARDIS had greeted a companion even as she had bid he himself farewell. He paused once more, his fingers resting lightly on the lever which would open the door to whatever murky outside would be there to greet him. One way to find out, he supposed.
It was not, in fact, a dark and stormy night, nor was he in the city of Jekuei. It was mid afternoon, in a very... Earthlike region. He squinted against the sun. It smelled and felt like Earth. He began forward, only to nearly trip over a small child who had been leaning against the TARDIS door. He smiled at once to prevent a scene of panic. The boy didn't bolt or yell; he merely stood there in awe. The Doctor knelt to maintain eye level with the child, when a streak of something vaguely akin to pain streaked across his mind. Memories. A barrage of memories.
He saw this face, under trees, growing up, staring out of port windows far, far from Earth, turning to him, smiling, speaking, such- such a beautiful mind, such ideas, such potential and yearning and learning and and love-
He took hold of the child's shoulders, excited, and let his words come forth to mend patches in memory. "I know you! Julian! Bijou! I remember you, and I've come back! You must have been waiting for so long, and here I am! Oh, your little face- I... I..."
And then he realized that he'd nearly run them into a paradox with such an outburst, and he shut his mouth, stricken, searching the boy's face for recognition or any other sign of trouble. Nothing but wonder and a bit of fear, healthy for young boys. Good. He lifted a finger to instruct the boy not to move, and swept past him toward the mouth of the alleyway he'd landed in.
Once he had a full view of the street, he closed his eyes to listen to the midday banter among the citizens, and taste the air from the sky. French. He was in France, though this city seemed much smaller than those he was used to visiting in previous regenerations. It had been so long ago- so far ahead from now- and he could barely grasp who he'd been when he'd seen this boy- or the man he would become- let alone who it was, aside from slivers and bursts of memories. Julian. Bijou? Well, the TARDIS knew him, that was for certain- such a sentimental thing. He could remember French now... in pieces. He hadn't spoken it in- what- centuries? Days? How was he to tell anymore? Did it matter? He pulled his knowledge together, as fretting about it would do no good to either of them.
He turned back to the boy and leaned down to face him again, ready to greet him properly. "Bonjour, garçon! Est-ce que vous me direz-vous svp où et quand je suis?" he asked a bit slowly, letting the memory of speech come back to his tongue.
The small voice was very clear and polite. "Vous vous tenez à Nantes, monsieur Ange. C'est le 5 juin de 1836 et vous êtes à Nantes. Je m'appelle Jules, monsieur, et heureux pour vous rencontrer." And he bowed respectfully.
The Doctor couldn't help but laugh. An angel? Him? "Jules est un nom très bien, mais je ne suis pas un ange. Je m'appelle le Docteur. Je voyage dans le ciel, et... euh, et à temps, mais je semble être perdu. Me direz-vous comment arriver à Paris d'ici?" He crouched again as he addressed the boy, finding the language coming easier with use.
Jules- why did that sound familiar! Jules! Jules raised his chin, his expression becoming somewhat defiant. "Il est impossible pour que les médecins voyagent à temps, ou il n'y aurait aucune maladie," he argued with a heavy certainty before pointing to the horizon, "et Paris est très, très lointain d'ici." It was then that the Doctor remembered- this man! The brilliant man, the poet of the science that never was, at least not on this Earth. One of his fondest memories of Earth, creator of some of his favorite literature, one of his closest friends here, aside from his companions- wasn't... wasn't Jules a companion? Hadn't he been? Why couldn't he be?
The Doctor rested his hands on those small, brilliant shoulders once more, to address him very seriously. Even if these memories were false and Jules was not who the Doctor thought he was, and especially if he WAS, there was one weed they had to pull out by the root before it grew further. "Jamais, ne dites jamais ce mot, Jules. Impossible! Impossible est le poison qui étend le plus grand des hommes sur les lits de mort de leurs rêves. Jules, vous devez ne vous laissez jamais empoisonner. Impossible n'existe pas!"
He could see belief blooming in the child's eyes- the fear was still there, but it was being stamped out by fascination. And then a woman's voice carried over the square, calling that name and breaking the spell. The boy stepped away from him, toward the entrance of the alleyway and toward the woman's voice. The Doctor released the shoulders, a split second of resignation washing over his face, before the most wicked of ideas came to him. And again he smiled.
"Venez, Jules! Venez et voyez. Je peux te montrer l'impossible et vous rapporter ici. J'irai à Paris plus tard!" he implored in a conspiratory tone. "Venez!"
There was a long, still moment, and the woman called again. The boy tensed in a manner that tattled of taking another step away... and then he reached for the Doctor's sleeve. Two old hearts swelled with pride and excitement, and the Doctor's face felt like it would split if he smiled any wider. He was overjoyed to find that smile reflected on the small face. Together, they hurried back into the TARDIS, and as she lifted out of the dimension, she whispered of the great adventures to be had within and around her. The vastness of space and time belonged to them.