This is a shift day [see above]. There will be another upload this afternoon: Steps 16-36, Time Is On Your Side, chapter 6.

"You'll Find Wonder"

3. The Real Magic Is No Magic At All

There were people everywhere they looked. It wasn't as though they were squeezed in like sardines, but it was definitely crowded. After their trek through the forest it was hard to believe they'd been so close to all of this without knowing. It didn't take long for Quinn to understand what he'd meant about her having trouble blending in to the crowd, with her very pink dress. And then there was the Doctor, who for the most part probably was 'dressed for the occasion,' but then stuck out because of his… overflowing exuberance.

He was like a big lanky kid, who had gone and forgotten about her situation. He'd see one thing, skitter up close, then get distracted and veer the other way, pick up something, twist it around. If she didn't know he was her only shot at going home right now...

"Where are you going?" she was snapped out of thought when she saw him slip between two tents, out of sight. She hurried and followed, finding herself slipping between more and more tents, like a long and narrow tunnel had swallowed them up. "Doctor?" she called out, and one second later he was back up in her face, covering her mouth with his hand and holding a finger to his lips.

"Indoor voices," he whispered, and she frowned, reproducing her craned eyebrow. "Alright, don't give me that look," he let go, straightening his jacket and bow tie.

"Fine, so why are we whispering?" she spoke, voice low.

"Hey!" a girl's voice startled them.

"That's why," he looked Quinn in the eye before turning to find the girl who'd caught them there. She was tall, messy brown hair pulled into a braid resting over her shoulder. She looked about Quinn's age, maybe just barely older.

"You shouldn't be back here," she sounded more like someone who wanted to get them out of trouble than into it.

"Terribly sorry, we may be lost, who are you, what's your name?" he asked, and Quinn was starting to see a pattern emerge.

"Violet... My name's Violet," the girl spoke, no, whispered now. "Just turn around and go back the way you came from," she pointed the way.

"We're sorry, we'll go, we... Doctor?" Quinn was all set to do as told, but the Doctor only kept looking at the girl.

"What's over there?" he asked, never breaking eye contact.

"It's not open to the public," was all she'd say, keeping his eye as well.

"Vi? Are you there?" a boy's voice called, and Violet blinked, looking over her shoulder.

"I told you to stay back!" she spoke to the boy who emerged from the shadows. He was shorter than her, probably about fifteen years old, but with the same messy brown hair, the same wide brown eyes, the odds were they were brother and sister.

"And who are you?" the Doctor asked, and the boy looked to him.

"Nicholas," he frowned. "Who are you?"

"He was just leaving," Violet spoke up. "Both of them," her eyes went to Quinn. The blonde was already envisioning having to drag him away, but all of a sudden he stood back up.

"Yes, we were just leaving," he announced. "Violet, Nicholas," he nodded to each of them, patting the boy on the shoulder as he passed and collected Quinn on their way back through the tents. When they landed back in the open area, he paused, looked around, then chose one way. "This way!" he called to Quinn, leaving little choice but to follow.

"Where are we going now?" she frowned, losing faith that she would ever find the other guy and get back home.

"Do you notice something right now?" he asked her.

"Beside the fact that you're just running around?" she asked, and he looked back to her. She sighed, obliging him and looking around. She saw it now. "Where is everyone going?" she asked, watching the people heading one way as a crowd.

"It's a circus, I would assume they are going to the show," he came to stand at her side, offering her his hand for the second time that day. "Feel like taking in a show?"

"Do I have any other choice?"

"Of course. We always have a choice," he spoke honestly. "Right now, yours are not... many... but you always have a choice. So what will it be?" After a moment, she took up his hand, and they joined the others. "We should definitely get you some new clothes as soon as we can," he sighed, and she frowned.

"You're talking like we're going to be here a while," she remarked.

"Is this about this wedding you were getting to?" he looked to her, like he couldn't believe she was still hung up on that. "You have travelled back in time. And no matter whether it takes us one hour or one year to find the time agent who took you here..."

"A year?" Quinn interjected but the Doctor kept going.

"... when you get back home, it will be the same moment in which you left, alright?" She frowned, but then she nodded. "So let's see what we have here," he told her as they got up the line. A man stopped them.

"Tickets?" he called, and the Doctor showed him the psychic paper.

"Right here," he smiled, tugging Quinn along.

"You have tickets? We just got here..." she was stunned.

"I have connections," was all he'd say. They followed the throngs of people, getting seats on the edge of the line.

"Why does it still feel like there's something you're not telling me?" she asked, the voices of the crowd still covering them. He looked at her and he almost seemed impressed.

"Maybe I have a feeling is all," he explained.

"A feeling?" she repeated. The voices were getting quiet.

"On with the show," the Doctor leaned to tell her with a smile. She would have tried not to smile but it would have been a strain.

The man that came to the center had to be the ringmaster, definitely looked the part, and when he announced himself as the great Magnus, it made sense. Quinn looked around, really looked around for the first time, and also for the first time... she believed him. Up until then she still could cling to some hope that this was all a big joke, but now she believed it... They were in the past.

"Alright?" she felt the Doctor give her hand a squeeze and she looked to him, finding kind eyes stating back at her. He had understood what she had finally accepted, and he was concerned for her. Now she knew she would follow the man wherever he told her they should go.

In the time they hadn't been paying attention, "the great Magnus" had finished his talk, and now the ring was empty again, though not for long. A complete hush fell upon the crowd, and so the Doctor and Quinn waited to see what would happen.

The woman came shuffling in, her stride flowing gracefully like any of her movements ever would be. Even with her cloak on, they could tell she was as lean as she was tall. Flame red hair ran down her back, and it took a moment for them both to see she had her eyes closed, from the time she had come walking in. She kept them shut, as young Nicholas came in to retrieve the cloak she took off and carried it away. Her clothes were as lithe as she was... Ethereal came to mind.

Now that he saw her well, the Doctor's previous exuberance was effaced. He looked to the crowd around, waiting in total silence, looked to the girl in the middle, and now his feeling that something was going on was confirmed.

"We need to get out of here," he told Quinn.

"The show is about to start," she pointed out.

"Which is why we need to go, before she opens her eyes," he looked caught with urgency now, so she did as told, exiting the row with her and dashing toward the exit.

"What's going on?" Quinn asked. "What happens if she opens her eyes?"

Right then, a light came from inside, and... She wanted to go back in there. No, she didn't want to, but she did want to, or something inside her did, like a pull.

"D... Doctor?" she blinked, and he pulled at her arm.

"Don't look at it, just turn away and come with me," he instructed, and she slowly nodded, still drawn to the light. "Quinn!"

"Sorry," she managed to turn away and now they ran. The longer it had been since she had been staring at the light, the easier it seemed to get away from it. "What just happened?" she asked, once they reached the forest. He breathed, looking at her.

"She was the first act. If having her was anything unique, they would have kept it for later, which tells me she is not the only one."

"The only what?" Quinn asked, lost. The Doctor took a breath.

"I can tell you've accepted that I have been telling you the truth, and that's good, because what I am about to tell you may be even more important for you to believe."

TO BE CONTINUED (FRIDAY)