CHAPTER FOUR: LIVES TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
This had not been Mickey Smith's day. The homework he had been dealing with until Rose arrived was fine, if frustrating. But waiting outside that internet nutter's place while she was inside? Not his idea of a good day, especially when a neighbour gave him a look that said he didn't belong. Although it had briefly looked up when he noted that Dr. David's car was parked nearby – until that wheelie-bin caught his attention and then... threw him in.
Mickey had since been stuck in a stinky place, surrounded by mannequins that were moving on their own, and staring down at a orange blob that seemed able to talk – even if he couldn't understand it. He was too alarmed to move to check his watch, even though he wasn't bound at anything. They'd waved stuff at him at first, but basically left him alone since.
Then he heard voices that he could understand. Three of them, and then he recognised his own name being called. Dr. David! He rushed to Mickey's stunned side, and Rose was following. Dr. David checked him for injuries and asked about what he saw, in-between a quick explanation of who the Doctor was. The forced calmness was enough that Mickey could manage a few words in answers.
Rose? She spoke a bit about his being okay, but complained that he stank.
Even through his shock, he was hurt by her dismissal. Dr. David started to snap at her, but the weird man they called the Doctor interrupted about keeping domestics outside. He went down to talk to the blob, somehow able to understand its language, and failed to talk it out of whatever it wanted. Two other mannequins grabbed the Doctor, and a blue box appeared on the level Mickey was on. It belonged somehow to the Doctor, and the blob alien saw it as a threat?! It was just a box! How could a box be a threat?!
Things happened quickly after that. The Doctor cried about something transmitting, and the blob started generating something that looked like electricity. Rose grabbed her phone to call her mother. Mickey glanced over at Dr. David, but he wasn't looking at the Doctor or the blob. He was looking back and forth between the moving blob and a vial that he evidently had forgotten he was holding in his right hand, filled with some blue liquid. Suddenly, Dr. David leapt down to the Doctor's level, stumbled to his knees, and tossed the vial over the ledge and onto the blob.
The blob started screaming in what sounded like agony, and the mannequins started twitching. The Doctor threw off the two holding him back, and the two that Dr. David had braced himself to fight off were frozen in their own bizarre dance. The Doctor helped Dr. David to his feet, grinning about being in trouble, and got dragged up the stairs by a very annoyed human.
The next moments passed in a giant blur for Mickey. They were inside the blue box, which was so much bigger than it looked. He heard Dr. David demanding a particular location, and then the box seemed to land. Mickey stumbled out, walking backwards away from the thing. He stopped when he walked into his own car. Where was he? Where had that thing that replaced him taken his car and Rose?! And what was the weird box?!
Dr. David rushed out after him, checking again on him and muttering some reassurances. As wide as his own eyes were, he was keeping a level head. He tended to, which Mickey's frayed nerves really appreciated that moment.
As Dr. David helped him to his feet, Rose stormed out, and started going on about how useless Mickey was 'back there'. Mickey felt his heart sinking. As he leaned against the car, he couldn't believe that the girl he loved was so heartless.
"'Useless'?!" shouted Dr. David at Rose. "He was practically eaten by plastic, shocked out of his mind! Have a little compassion! You were dead weight! I spotted everything the Doctor needed to know about, I helped him save the world when he was being an idiot, and I wasn't the one who failed to notice that Mickey had been replaced by living plastic!"
Mickey was stunned at the outburst, which actually drew him out of his shock. He noticed that the Doctor leaned in the doorway, watching the brewing argument. The man – no, the alien – was acting like it was the most entertaining thing he'd seen in a while.
"How long would it have been before you noticed he was replaced?" Dr. David continued, not letting Rose speak to defend herself. "You didn't until I pointed it out to you! What kind of a daft bint are you? What kind of a girlfriend do you think you are?!"
Mickey might have defended Rose, out of loyalty, but he was in too much shock to protest even slightly. Besides, Rose's behaviour was now really bothering him. Also, he sensed that Dr. David was about to let loose with some more accusations that were true – he tended to do that when he was angry. And when someone in Dr. David's family got angry, you stayed out of their way.
"And another thing: what the hell were you doing flirting with me last night when you have a boyfriend? Don't you believe in monogamy? Besides, if you think for one moment that I could be interested in a selfish girl who doesn't even make the most of her natural talents, you should have a clue!"
Rose was silenced completely, in tears. Not that Mickey was surprised – she'd essentially been called worthless by a man she'd wanted to catch. Of course, he nearly sank to the ground in dismay. He'd thought Rose was his girlfriend, and there she was apparently trying to cheat on him? He covered his face, feeling utterly foolish.
"Mickey," Dr. David said, in a much calmer voice, and catching his attention, "take her home and let her mother know what happened – I bet she needs to hear a lecture. You deserve better than her. Let me bring you round to my grandparents or my mum. They'll introduce you to girls who are already making something of themselves and who would like you. They're wrong for me for various reasons, but one might be just right for you. You're going places, you don't want a girl who holds you back."
Rose choked on a cry, but still couldn't speak.
It dawned on Mickey that Dr. David had another motive in making that offer. He'd once griped about being set up by his mother. Maybe the man figured that his mother would get off his back for a while if she had someone else to focus on. He wondered if he should worried about that.
The Doctor cleared his throat. "Right then! I'll be off."
Dr. David shot him a glare. "Going on to the next disaster? Well, try to think about covering your tracks better." He pat Mickey's shoulder, and walked toward his car.
"Unless, uh..." The Doctor took a breath, eyes looking from Rose to Dr. David. "I don't know... you could come with me."
Rose looked at him, perking up slightly. Mickey looked at the Doctor in alarm, ready to protest.
"Oi!" Dr. David whirled around. "You'd be dealing with this girl flirting with you every bloody day! I think she's looking for an excuse to escape her life and doesn't want to make the effort to turn herself into someone who's brilliant on her own."
That made Mickey blink. Had Dr. David not noticed that the invitation was also to him?
The Doctor frowned. "What do you think I am? I'd be a foster father to her. I know she's only sixteen."
Mickey groaned as Rose squawked as if a big secret was out. "Are you still telling people you're almost nineteen? God, your mum hasn't found out yet?" He slapped his own forehead. "Oh, she'll be frightening people tonight with her shouting."
Dr. David glared at the Doctor. "Don't!" He briefly wagged a finger at him. "Her mother obviously needs to take her in hand. You really want to deal with a teenager who thinks she's an adult when she obviously can't handle adult responsibilities?!" He scoffed at the Doctor. "Good luck, mate!" He quickly got in the car, rushing out of the parking lot. The police would surely be there soon.
Mickey watched as the Doctor watched Dr. David left. The alien sighed. "Well, good luck to both of you. Go home before the bobbies show. Have a nice life, both of you." He stepped backward and closed the doors.
Rose started in dismay, and then shock, as the blue box vanished with strange noises. "He's leaving without me?! After making the offer?"
Mickey shook himself. That whole thing was frightening. He sighed. "Come on, Rose. Before we have to explain things."
He had to practically force her inside his car, she was in so much shock and denial. But they did escape before the police could arrive.
/=/=/=/
David unlocked his door, and – after closing – sank against it. What a day – aliens and saving the planet. Did he even dare write about this in his journal?
Glancing around, he was surprised to not see Curie come to greet him. He did see a note on the little table near the door, and picked it up. "Thank you, Emily," he muttered after quickly reading it. "She got her walk and some play time."
Going further inside, he set his messenger bag on a chair as he looked around. "Curie!"
He heard an answering bark – from outside. What was she doing outside? Emily's note was from about an hour ago, so Curie should've been fine being inside. What the hell was going on?
David went to the back door, opened it, and promptly froze. Sitting on the back porch, rubbing Curie's side, was the Doctor. And his TARDIS was standing with her doors open nearby.
The Doctor looked up at him, grinning. "There you are! I've been telling Curie about a dog I had once. A robot I named K-9. I miss him. I wonder how the version of him I left behind is doing. Sadly, I don't know how to find him or the friend he was with." His face fell. "That information was ripped from me," he added, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Can't even use later technology to recover the signal."
David shook his head, ignoring that odd babble. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, since you gave such a shining endorsement of Rose's merits as a possible companion, and even her boyfriend agreed, I chose to wait until a better time to ask again if you would come with me."
David's mouth fell open. "What?! You... you were asking me?!"
"Why not? You're brilliant – in all meanings of the word – and you just helped me save the world. I haven't had a friend on board in a long time, and I liked being around you today. Even with the hitting."
That kept him silent for a long moment. Travelling the stars? It sounded incredible... but should he? "I have a career, patients who depend on me, friends and family who check on me – not to mention some inventions to work on. I can't just haul off on a whim."
"Speaking of, what were you doing with medical equipment in a shop building?"
David exhaled sharply. "God, I have to explain myself when you've shattered all my preconceptions about what's possible?!" He leaned against the doorway, and folded his arms. "Do you ever bother explaining yourself and the damage you cause in the name of protecting planets?"
The Doctor started, not used to being challenged so much. "Eh, no. How many would actually believe me?"
David shrugged, sighing as he silently conceded the point. "Fine. I've been developing a defibrillator that's easier to keep charged and usable. I've heard of cases where a unit wasn't available or didn't work properly if it was. I've been speaking with electricians in several buildings to figure out the limitations of my prototype. I know it's an uphill battle, but I want to make it easier to save lives."
There was a lot more the Doctor could have said, but he chose not to. After all, challenging this opinionated human too much would be counterproductive – at the moment.
"And," David continued, "that's why I can't say yes."
"Did I mention that it travels through time?" the Doctor added on a grin.
David frowned. "What, is that your pick-up line with girls? 'Cause it works great for a t-shirt, but not for a reason to go with you. The only woman who might fall for that would be very geeky, and she'd still have questions."
The Doctor pouted and huffed a moment. "I can have you back any-time you like. Tomorrow morning, later tonight – name it. No one will know you left unless you tell them – and telling is a really bad idea, I promise you. I meant it when I said your planet's not ready to know about aliens."
That was a shock, and David didn't know what the hell to think. He blinked rapidly. "What- What the? I... I know you have a time machine, but I do have a job and obligations."
"The TARDIS likes you, and we'll make sure you get home in time."
David glared. "If you make me late even one time, by even one hour..."
The Doctor flinched, thinking quickly. "Then I can have you back within a few minutes of when we leave here. Each time. Want to have an adventure?"
An adventure. When was the last time he'd had one? Before university? Definitely before medical training. God, he needed a life. Perhaps... He took a deep breath. "You get me back within five minutes of when we leave – and by the way, it's March 4th of 2004 CE – and I'll consider another adventure. Which," he added, checking his watch, "means about 9:30 at night."
The Doctor beamed.
"But Curie comes with us while we're exploring."
The smile faded into puzzlement.
David scowled. "What, you can't make space for a dog bed in that big room inside?"
He shrugged. "Oh, there are rooms where she can run around if she likes."
Curie perked at that.
David sighed. "Give me about ten minutes to check on things."
"You won't need much, but do what you must."
"And don't look through my things!"
The Doctor frowned. "You're ruining my fun."
David snorted. "Good." He went back inside.
Watching him until he was out of eyesight, the Doctor turned back to Curie. "Your human has an odd sense of humour, but I think I like it. He'll keep me on my toes. Be nice to have companions once again. The Old Girl will like you, too."
Curie barked. The Doctor grinned at her... until she decided to lick his face.
