My mouth hangs open as my thoughts catch up with me. This can't be real, things like this don't happen to people like me. People like me grow up, drop out of college, get married, have kids, get divorced, stay in the same dead-end job and then die. Now, I'm not going to say that I never hoped for something like this, an adventure, but come on, this can't be real! Maybe I've gone insane? Maybe I'm in a coma from that fall? I pinched my leg in an effort to determine my lucidity but just winced as I hurt my leg. This shouldn't be possible, does the doctor really exist in my universe? Can he take me back to my dad? Or even worse, am I in a different universe entirely?
I try and focus my mind back to the present as I notice the Doctor talking to one of the cat ladies, and my legs tense up as I try and think of a way to escape the situation, but before I can make a run for it, the Doctor spots me. He waves me over. I shuffle my way over awkwardly. I can vaguely hear The Doctor introduce me to the alien cat person and we start are having a conversation, but I'm far too wrapped in my own head to listen to them as I'm trying to keep my breathing steady as I feel dizzy, 'I'm never going to see my dad again' I think with distress. I shake my head to collect my thoughts as the overhead speaker sounds with the voice of a woman, or a cat I guess?
'Please report to reception'
I look up towards the disembodied voice out of instinct as we walk through a doorway into another way to the bright white room, this one is filled with a bunch of opened and closed curtains holding patients. I look around with sadness and pity and am suddenly very glad I'm in here because of a mistake and not an actual sickness or disease.
"Nice place." The doctor says as he looks around the room as we made a stop, probably marvelling the technology or something nerdy like that, a smirk a bit as the thought comes to my head. He looks back at the cat-nun. "No shop downstairs, I'd have a shop. Not a bit one, just a shop, so people can… shop."
The Nurse almost looks offended. "The hospital is a place for healing!" I rolled my eyes secretly at the irony, tell that to the people in your laboratory, love.
"A shop does some people a world of good." But he was quick to add. "Not me, other people."
"Defensive.." I muttered under my breath in good humour.
"What was that?" The doctor turned his head to me as we started walking again.
"Hm?" I gave him a fake innocent look, and he chuckled under his breath making me smile a bit. My smile fades and my fake confusion soon turned real, why was I being so familiar with him? I don't even know him and yet I'm making jokes with him? Maybe he was the one who friggin kidnapped me in the first place. I'll get to the bottom of this later, might as well have fun while it lasts right?
"The sisters of plenitude take a lifelong vow to help, and to mend." I ground my teeth together in agitation This lady was really starting to get on my nerves. Couldn't I just tell the doctor? As soon as the thought crosses my mind everything in me says it's a bad idea. If this is real, the last thing I want to do is get killed by cat people for exposing them, and I've watched this show enough times to know that changing the timeline from what you know is supposed to happen, to something else. I don't want a 'fathers day' reaper scenario on my hands.
I snap my head over as I hear a voice call out in offence. "Excuse me!" I raise my brow at her in questioning as my gaze slides over to the larger man with blue skin who seems to be having trouble breathing in his hospital bed. The doctor looks over at the woman with a brow raised as well before she walks over to us with her nose pointed up. "Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York."
The doctor suddenly looks concerned as he examined the sweaty man from afar."That's petrifold regression, right?" Our eyes turned from the woman to the large man as he spoke up with a croaky voice.
"I'm dying, sir." My lips tightened with concern as I considered the man who was obviously in pain. "A lifetime of charity and abstinence, and it ends like this."
"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan, may not be made public without official clearance." the snooty woman looked at us with panic.
"Frau Clovis!" The man exclaimed in a pained voice making me jump slightly in surprise. I looked on with sadness as the woman rushed to him in concern. I tensed as felt a hand on my shoulder, I looked up and saw it was the doctor and moved away from the comforting hand in panic, making him wince and looking at me apologetically even though I was already avoiding his gaze, who does he think he is? I don't even know him! But, now that I think about it, how did he actually know my name? He can't possibly know me, can he? The man whispered something to the blonde woman.
"Sister Jatt!" Oh, that was the name of the nurse! "A little privacy, please!" We walked away as the man started groaning.
"He'll be up and about in no time." Sister Jatt tried to assure us.
"He can't get better, he's turning to stone" I spoke without realizing it and saw them looking at me, the doctor with pride and the nurse with vaguely controlled annoyance. I looked down with a blush, me remembering insignificant things like that from the show is super weird, I can't help It though, I've watched 'Doctor Who' so many times at this point, it's like second nature for me.
"She's got a point, though." the doctor turned to nurse Jatt with confusion written on his features as I looked at her with contained anger but tried to replace it with a look of curiosity. "That's petrifold regression, there won't be a cure for… ooh, a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue."
"Have faith in the sisterhood." She nodded at us with un-nerving patience. It's irritating how sure of herself, she is, I can't wait for the doctor to stop her. "But is there no one here you recognize?" She looks around and gestures around the room with her hands. I'm still in my nightgown, I have no idea why she doesn't think he's here for me. I see the doctor look at something with recognition. "It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient."
"No." I follow his gaze and see who he's smiling at, my eyes widen and I grin slightly as I also recognize him. Jack. "I think I've found him." Oh, that's right, he doesn't know that Jack's the Face of Boe yet. I'm gonna have to remember not to slip up. I see Jack in that big jar of his with another nurse attending him, and remember, he's dying. I force myself to cheer up before the doctor notices. We walk up to the jar.
"Novice Hame," Jatt speaks to the nurse attending to Boe as me and the doctor approach the tank with me more visibly excited than him. "If I can leave this lady and this gentleman in your care?" The doctor turns to Jatt and as I continue towards the tank I hear him say.
"Oh, I think our friend got lost, uh, Rose Tyler." My eyes winded in remembrance, Rose Tyler! I wonder if Cassandra has taken her over yet? A sudden feeling of guilt takes over me, but I know there was no way to prevent it happening now (I couldn't if I wanted to anyhow.l, I arrived too late. "Could you ask at reception?" Jatt confirms and then leaves with a respectful nod of the head.
"I'm afraid the face of Boe's asleep." Without really thinking I crouch down to look at Boe more closely and put my hand on the glass, almost like I'm trying to comfort him. The Nurse continues watching even as I miss the doctor gazing at me in confusion. "That's all he tends to do these days, Are you two friends of his, or..?"
"We met just the once on platform one." He answer is rushed. "What's wrong with him?"
"I'm so sorry, I thought you knew…" She speaks softly, with a sadness that I know is genuine, even as I continue to study Boe's face. "The face of Boe is dying."
"Of what?"
"Old age" They're both looking at him now, with the same sadness thatI am. "The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old, some say millions! Though, that's impossible."
"Don't be so sure." I look at her with a smile, although my hand is still resting on the glass. "I like impossible." The doctor smiles at me and I can't help but smile back. I wasn't lying, I do like impossible. The doctor crouches down next to me and speaks to Boe.
"I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me." I can't help but give an airy laugh at that, different is a bit of an under-exaggeration. "It's the doctor." He places my hand on the glass to the space next to my own. We stay there for a while just looking at Boe before. I sit down cross-legged after deciding that crouching was starting to cramp up my legs, the doctor quickly followed suit. I catch the doctor looking at me, I quickly looked over to Boe but speak to the doctor and take a breath.
"If we're in New New York." I considered bringing up something more serious but decided that I wasn't sure if I wanted answers yet. "Then why does everybody sound English?" He chuckled rather loudly, but I looked at him with raised eyebrows, I was serious… mostly.
"It's the Tardis translation matrix, I think it always translates accents into British."
"That's weird." He gives me a questioning look, silently asking why. "Well, I've never actually travelled in the Tardis before." I look at him as he takes a sharp breath in and blinks a few times before switching to confusion.
"That is really weird, impossible in fact." He looks into the distance as if trying to work something out before mumbling under his breath. "Do you need water? I'm going to get water." He leaves without waiting to hear my answer, only making me shake my head in good humour. Last minute as he started walking away I called out to him as I looked over my shoulder at him.
"You're going to have to explain everything to me at one point, you know that right?" He didn't look back at me, he just stood still for a moment before continuing on. I sighed in disappointment, but I wasn't going to give up either. I stared at Jack's tank. "What am I gonna do, Jack?" I whispered under my breath so the lady wouldn't hear me. I sighed again as I lightly banged my head on the glass and rested it there in frustration and waited for the doctor to return.
'Hope, Harmony and Health'
"That's very kind." I pulled my head up from the glass a couple minutes later at the sound of Hame's voice, I see the doctor handing her a Styrofoam cup of water, I notice curiously that his jackets suddenly gone. Weird. "There's no need." He then looks at me and offers me some. I smile and go to take it, but I see the look on his face, he's asking me to trust him, I barely have to think about it before giving him a softer smile and gently taking the cup out of his nervous grasp, I take a sip and see the corners of his lips turn up slightly before turning back to Hame.
"You're the one working." He walks over to the window with the futuristic cityscape. I look out and bite my lip as I consider looking. I stand up and tilt my head as I make my way over to the window, not aware of the doctor watching my every move. My sun shines on my face as I'm right next to the doctor, looking out. Its absolutely amazing, a smile lights my face as I see all the cars flying around, things I would've never seen in my lifetime.
"There's not much to do just maintain his smoke, and I suppose I'm company" I look back at the nurse as she continues talking, my wonder can wait for later. The doctor takes a sip of his cup and listens, although, at this point, I'm too enthralled with her talking to remember my forgotten cup on the floor. "I can hear him singing sometimes, in my mind. Such ancient songs." I wonder what songs he sings? I would love to hear them someday.
"Are we the only visitors?" The doctor speaks up again.
"The rest of Boe-Kind became extinct long ago. He's the only one left" I looked at Boe with sadness, while partially untrue, I know that Boe has probably been alone. I vowed that one day I would come back and visit him, I just wished I could be there for his death, so I could say goodbye. I always had such an admiration for him, he deserved so much better. "Legend says that the face of Boe has watched the universe grow old. There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says just before his death, the face of Boe will impart his great secret, that he will speak those words only to one like himself. "
"What does that mean?" During the story, the doctor and I had grown smiles on our faces, but the doctors had slipped in favour of a curiosity-filled look. A common look with him, apparently. The nurse looked slightly sheepish at her response.
"It's just a story!" She laughed it off. I smiled, I like Hame. I mean, sure she's making bad choices, but she redeems herself in the end.
"Tell me the rest." He raises a brow, almost challengingly and she obliges as her face becomes more serious.
"It's said he'll talk to a wanderer. A man without a home, the lonely god." I swallow as a sadness covers the air like a blanket. I sneak a look at the doctor, but he's looking at the face of Boe with one question in his eyes. 'Who are you?'. Little does he know I'm asking myself the exact same question as I look at him.
'Who are you, Doctor? Who are you, really?'
The Doctor then excuses himself to make a phone call to Rose, apparently becoming concerned by her absence. I was sitting down, with my back leaning against Boe's giant jar watching the doctor have his conversation. When he would look over I would give him a smile, but when he would look away, my face would once again become worried, Rose didn't deserve this, I hope she's not in pain. He was too far away for me to hear what he was saying other than a few things. I heard him mention my name once, telling rose I was here, I think. How on earth would she know who I was, I'd never met her, then again, I'd never met the doctor either and he seems to know who I am.
But I had a growing theory in my head as I gathered all the facts. Maybe it's a river song kinda situation? Maybe I become a time traveller or something.I don't know, but I quickly realised that I just needed to get the doctor to tell me, or I'd never find out. I closed my eyes and spaced out, Maybe I died or something, maybe this is my super nerdy version of heaven? I shook my head and opened my eyes to see the doctor trying to subtly get my attention and motion his head in the way of the dying man we had spoken to earlier. My eyebrows creased together in confusion as I saw the previously grey and stone man, laughing with some other people (or aliens) looking very healthy. As I saw the doctor walk over to them I got up and walked over as well.
"It's that man again!" The overweight Duke exclaimed with happiness. "He and that girl of his are my good luck charms. Come in! Don't be shy!" The Doctor and I moved closer to him and his assistant who spoke up rather quickly.
"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a legal contract." I smile politely as the doctor nods in understanding. The man asks the lady to pull up his seat and she obliges with her remote which makes the chair give a loud beeping sound.
"Ah!, Look at me, no sign of infection!" I can't help but smile at the man's enthusiasm. A Butler man walks past and offers me and the doctor champagne, The doctor refuses
"Champagne sir, ma'am?" I look to my right to see a butler man (or alien I guess), holding up a silver plate with two glasses of champagne. I grab one off of the silver platter, the doctor gives me a disapproving look making me stick my tongue out at him before taking a sip.
"No thanks." The doctor declines the champagne before going into investigative mode again. "Um, you had petrifold regression, right?" The Duke and his assistant smiled at him before the Duke answered with a shrug.
"Had' being the operative word. Past tense." He held his arms up with one hand holding his champagne. "Completely cured!" He then erupted in a burst of happy laughter, but the doctor did not quite share his joy. I notice an older nurse walk up behind us as the doctor expressed his doubts.
"But that's impossible!" He frowned at the man and tried to share a confused look at me, only to discover the nurse standing between us.
"Primitive species would accuse us of magic." I frowned, it's much worse than magic, it's murder. "But it's merely the tender application of science." Nope not that either, lady. The doctor seemed to share my concern, in fact, I would say he almost looked frightened.
"How on earth did you cure him?" His voice was soft as he sought an explanation from the cat-nun-nurse-alien.
"'How on new earth', you might say." This lady just wouldn't friggin give up. And she had that secretive smile on her face like the type criminals have when you ask them why they did what they did. She was just smiling, like the thousands of people suffering in her basement were something to make a joke out of. I decided to stay quiet for the time being.
"What's in that solution?" The doctor nodded over to the orange and blue bag hooked up to the Duke from an IV. He wasn't gonna take no for an answer.
"A simple remedy."
"Then tell me what it is." I can feel the Doctor's frustration growing along with my own.
"I'm sorry! Patient confidentiality." She spoke with the same ego that sister Jatt has. She tilts her head in questioning towards us "I don't believe we've met, my name is Matron Casp."
"I'm Abigail and this is the Doctor." I find myself speaking up with a rather flat tone, it was getting hard for me to pretend that these cat's attitudes weren't pissing me off. She looked at me and then looked right at the doctor with a suddenly serious tone.
"I think you'll find we're the doctors here." Another nurse walks up to her and says that she's needed in 'urgent care', I try my hardest not to glare, but at the same time, I'm glad. Those people will be free soon. She urns back to us with a rather fake smile. "If you'll excuse me." The Doctor and I turn and watch her leave as they began whispering frantically to one another.
"On a scale of one to ten how bad is it?" I'm surprised when the doctor whispers in my ear. I look at him with confusion, he seems to remember something. "I can tell by your reactions that this is one of your episode things, so, how bad is today going to be on a scale of one to ten?" I look at him with shock, so he knows about 'Doctor Who' then. This is getting weird, I remember my silent promise to ask questions later and clear my throat instead. It tried to think of the best way to explain it without giving spoilers. A new race would be born so I don't want him panicking and thinking that it's going to be a disaster, but I don't want to lead him into a false sense of security either.
"Well, depends who you are." I avoid his gaze as I carefully explain. "Some things will go bad and, just like always, it will look like there's no way out. But in the end, I promise, everything will turn out for the better." I look at him waiting for a response or even approval but he almost seems… wary. Like he doesn't fully trust me. I frown at him in confusion, but he just seems to wave it off and pulls out his 'look at me, I'm so smart' glasses, and begins to examine the multicoloured liquid hanging from IV's. I follow his gaze as he discreetly reads from patients' charts.