Episode 7: Terror in the Darkness

Angie sat across from Steve, studying him. Trying to peel away the layers to the truth as to why the Doctor lied about him. Well, at least a hint. "You said you crash landed here."

"Yes, many years ago. Please, call me Angel." He said as he shifted in the arm chair, crossing his legs.

"So, you and the Doctor are friends?"

"Yes, back in our youth. He was always a dreamer you can say."

"Really?" She wanted him to proved more details about the Doctor's past. She glanced over to the control panel, the Doctor was working on his TARDIS as always, unaware of the conversation.

"Yes." He continued. "He was always looking up at the sky, talking about seeing the universe, going on adventures. He was never the type to stay in one place for too long. So, when I heard he ran off with a TARDIS, I volunteered to get him back."

"Volunteered?"

"I was part of the royal guard, so they allowed me to go after him. But, something happened in the time vortex, and I crashed here in an alternate universe."

"I am sure you are relieved to have run into the Doctor."

"Yes." He leaned towards Angie to lower his voice so she can be the only one to hear. "So, what number is he on?"

"Regenrations?" He nodded his head to answer her question. "He had regenerated seven times." He leaned back into the chair and looked over at the occupied Doctor. "I see he has been busy."

"Yes, he has." She looked over at the Doctor again as she spoke. "He is always trying to fix what is broken, rather it's his TARDIS or people's problems he so happened to stubble upon."

"You seem to have a fondness for him."

Angie looked back at Angel with heat rising in her cheeks.

"Nothing like that, more of an admiration for what he does." She corrected him, though she knew deep down he was right. He leaned towards her again. "Have you guys kissed?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"I asked first. Well?" He had a mischievous smile.

Angie could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. "Well, that answers my question." Angel stated.

"It wasn't like that." She snapped at him.

"Well, a kiss from you would be delightful, and I am sure he delighted in kissing you."

Angie fell silent. The idea that he may have liked kissing her. She remembered that she liked it, a lot.

"Just between you and me, I think you two look cute together."

"So, ready you two?" The Doctor was standing by them, unaware of their conversation.

Angie stood up and gave Angel a warning look. He flashed her a smile and he stood up and walked past the Doctor. "Did I miss something?" The Doctor looked confused as he looked at both Angel and Angie. "No, just some small talk." Angie replied quickly.

"Where to, Doctor?" Angel asked.

"Not to sure, I am trying to track down the Master, so where we go could be anywhere in space and time."

Angel pulled the lever. Joy filled his amber eyes. "It's been so long since I got to do that."

The Doctor rushed over to the control panel, frantically turning knobs. "I had not quite finished setting the coordinates." He sounded worried. Angie stood near the Doctor as the TARDIS dematerialized. The Doctor leaned towards Angie. "You might want to hold on to something." He remarked. Angel braced the control panel as the box shook violently through the time vortex. Angie stubbled as she tried to reach for the console. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her, keeping her steady.

"Angel, the stabilizer!" The Doctor called out. Angel looked around the console till he found what he was looking for. He slammed on a button. The TARDIS stopped thrashing around.

"There, all better." Angel commented with a sheepish look. The Doctor gave him a frustrated side ways glance. He asked if Angie was alright before removing his arm from around her tiny waist. She ran her fingers through her long wavy hair. "I am fine. Thank you."

"Sorry, I got a bit excited." Angel apologized to the Doctor.

"It's quite alright. I understand."

"So, where are we?" Angie asked.

The Doctor went to check the monitors. "Well, we didn't end up across the universe." He said as he went for the doors. "We are still on Earth, the year 2014."

"Well, that is a relief I guess." Angie followed the Doctor as he opened the door.

The Doctor stepped out into the darkness. Angie was close behind him. "Angel, are you coming?" He called out.

"Yes, on my way, give me a minute."

The Doctor looked around, trying to figure out where they ended up at. It was too dark to tell though. He gathered they where inside a large building.

"It's so dark, I can't till where I am going." Angie commented. "Umph!" She walked into the Doctor.

"Angel, see if you can find some torches for us." The Doctor called back. Angel still inside the TARDIS acknowledged the Doctor's request.

He could hear Angie digging through her pockets. "I can use my cell phone as a flashlight." She activated the light on the back of her phone.

"Good thinking" The Doctor padded her on her shoulder as they both looked around. They discovered tall warehouse racks on either side of them. There were pallets with boxes in the slots of the tall rackes.

"We are inside a warehouse." Angie concluded.

"Don't you work in a warehouse?" The Doctor asked as he knelt down and placed his hand to the ground.

"Yes. Though I am used to more lighting inside a warehouse."

The Doctor felt something off about the place. They were not alone.

"It's way to quiet in here, I am used to a warehouse to be buzzing with activity." Angie commented. She stepped forward carefuly, slowly waved her phone from side to side. The Doctor stood up and reached forward to grab her arm. "Stay close to me, I have a bad feeling about this place." He spoke softly into the darkness.

"I got the torches." Angel said proudly as he walked up behind them, making Angie jump a bit with fright. The Doctor grabbed one from Angel as he handed the other one to Angie.

Angie turned the light off her phone and placed it back in her pocket. She pushed the button on the flashlight, pointing the light from one spot to another. The two time lords were talking, catching up on olds times. Angie rolled her eyes as she turned away from them, she flashed a smile. They do find odd times to do such things. She was reveling in the mystery the TARDIS had brought them. A little jumpy. Though enjoying it all in the sametime. She was sure the Doctor was feeling the same way. She started to walk the opposite direction from the two time lords. She flashed the light through the racks when she heard the sounds of light foot steps. Her heart began to beat heavily. It's just a person. She reluctantly walked toward the sound. Her hand holding the flashlight was shaking uncontrollably. A dark figure passed by from behind the blue police box. Angie froze with fear. She looked behind her shoulder to see the Doctor and his friend's lights in the distance. She turned back to where she saw the figure, and advanced. She carefully appeared around the back of the TARDIS with her light.

"Hello?" She out into the dark lightly. Her voice sounded tiny she thought. Something was behind her. She could feel the presence looming over her. She tighten her grip on the flashlight. It was getting closer. Do it. Do it now! She whirled around and with all the strength she could muster. Her flashlight made contact with something hard.

"Ugh", a sound emitted from the figure she just clubbed.

"Who are you?" She demanded, angry that a person gave her a fright. She shined the light on the person as they looked up, blinking from the brightness. She immediately recognized the face. She couldn't move or think of what to say for that moment. Just the pain of when he left her in the worst way possible filled her heart. With all of time and space, it had to be here, with him. She remembered how she was always there for him, but in the end he was not there for her. He left her. Left a note on her floor. Coward. He couldn't tell her face to face. Now here they are, face to face.

"Do you mind getting the light out of my eyes." The man demanded in a deep voice. Angie moved the light and walked back towards the Doctor. The man got up and followed her. "How did you get in? They won't let you leave this place." He keep rambling on. He had not seen her face. She would like to keep it that way for a little while longer. She focused on the two flashlights at the end of the aisle. "Will you say something?"

"Doctor." She called out.

"Ah, there you are, Angie." The Doctor answered back. "Find anything?"

"Yes."

"Angie? Is that really you?" Angie turned to face the man behind her. He had a bewildered look when they made eye contact.

"Josh." She simply replied.

"I can't believe it's you. You have been missing for eight months. The cops came to my door, asking questions. I... we all thought you were dead." He explained as he moved towards her. She backed away from him. The Doctor approached her side, his presence gave her comfort.

"I assume you both know each other." The Doctor spoke looking at Josh with little emotion on his face. Angie never seen him mask his emotions in such a way.

"Yes." Josh answered. "And you are...?"

"The Doctor." He answered with little impact in his voice.

"Really? The Doctor? Like the show? Angie, seriously? You ran off with a nut job." Josh criticized her that caused the anger to rise inside Angie.

"He is not a nut job, he is the Doctor." She snapped back at Josh, her voice full of venom.

"Umm, guys." Angel finally spoke up, his back facing them as he looked down the aisle.

"It's a TV show." He spat back at Angie.

"And this is the real Doctor."

"How is that even possible?" The Doctor stood there, seemingly taking in their arguement.

"Guys!" Angel called out with urgency in his words. Every one turned to Angel who was pointing his light at a tall robot looking humanoid advancing towards them.

"Cyberman!" The Doctor warned as he grabbed Angie's hand and started running. "The TARDIS, everyone."

Everyone, including Josh were running for the TARDIS.

"Well, we know why this warehouse is void of people." The Doctor explained as he held on tight to Angie's hand. "They have all been upgraded, and some how your ex managed to hide from them."

"How can this happen?" Angie asked, almost out of breath trying to keep up with the Doctor's pace.

"There is another one!" Called out Angel. The Doctor came to a halt noticing another Cyberman in front of his TARDIS.

"This way." Josh diverted the group through a breakaway in the aisle. They kept running till they reached the end of the large warehouse.

"How are there Cybermen here?" Angie asked the Doctor.

"They most have came across like I did. There most be a hole in the fabric of reality. Which means there may be a way back." He explained with excitement in his voice.

"What about those things?" Josh asked, pointing his arm in the direction they just came from.

"Oh, yes. That is why I need to get to my TARDIS. I have something to stop them." The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and began scanning their surroundings.

"A screwdriver? Old school." Angel commented with laughter in his voice, then turned to Josh. "My name is Angel, nice to meet you." He held out his hand to Josh. Josh just glanced at the hand. "Josh."

"Not much of a people person are you?" Angel replied.

The Doctor flipped the screwdriver in the air then catching it before placing it back inside his coat pocket.

"So, what do you have that can stop this cyber-what ever you called it?" Josh looked at the Doctor with distrust. He was still not sure what to make of the Doctor. Though the Doctor didn't care much, only that they must find a way to the TARDIS with little resistence.

"A Cerebration Mentor, it's an emotional enhancing device." He replied.

The Doctor placed his hands together and placed his thumbs against his lips, deep in thought.

"Doctor, I believe I found lights." Angel announced with Josh beside him trying figure out how to get the power back on. The doctor spun around pulling his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. He walked over to the electrical box and examined the wiring with his screwdriver. The sound of heavy footsteps getting nearer.

After a few moments of tinkering the lights in the warehouse began to flicker back on. The Doctor turned to find everyone but Angie. Fear washed over his already pale face.

"Where's Angie?" He asked. Angel and Josh looked around. The footsteps became louder. Then there was the sound of something rolling towards them. Suddenly Angie appeared from a breakaway with a standup forklift. She was speeding towards them and just a few feet came to a sudden stop. She had a proud look on her face.

"Look what I found." She smiled.

"Brilliant Angie." The Doctor beamed. A plan was starting to form in the Doctor's mind.

"Okay, Angie will lead the way back to TARDIS, everyone will follow her. Got this, Angie?" The Doctor looked over at Angie who seemed more and ready. She winked at him and lifted the forks chest high. "Lets get this device." She said.

By the time they reached the TARDIS, they had one cyberman impaled on Angie's forks. The Doctor ran up to his TARDIS but paused before opening the door. He turned to face Josh. "If you still doubt that I am the Doctor, well..." He pushed open the TARDIS door and walked in. Angie was close behind him. Josh stepped in next only to stop in the door frame and step back out. The Doctor turned to observe him with amusement on his face. Josh stepped back inside, mouth wide open. "Impossible." He said under his breath.

"Well?" The Doctor asked with a smile. Here comes his favorite part.

"It's bigger on the inside."

"Yes it is. You will feel disoriented at first, but you will get used to it." The Doctor explained as he disappeared into the corridor.

Steve walked inside, closing the door behind him.

"It's bigger inside, it's bigger." Josh kept saying as he slowly walked about inside the control room of the TARDIS.

"It's time lord technology, finest in the galaxy if you ask me." Angel stated as he walked up to the monitor at the console. Angie leaned against it, looking every at home inside the TARDIS.

"How is it all real?" Josh asked.

"Well, thanks to the Doctor's meddling in 1963, influenced them to make the show." Angie said matter-of-fact. "He came here from an alternate universe."

"Got it." The Doctor declared when he bolted back inside the control room with a large gadget in his arms. He quickly walked straight for the door. Once he was at the closed doors with his arms holding the Cerebration Mentor, he was struggling to get the door open. After a few moments struggling to reach the door knob, even with his chin. He sighed with frustration.

"Here." Angie helped him by opening the door. The Doctor walked out and stopped to look over his shoulder. "Everyone wait inside. Once I start the Cerebration Mentor, it will cause the Cybermen to malfunction to the point they go 'kaboom'."

"So, you really are traveling around with the Doctor in a real TARDIS." Josh asked.

"Yep." Angie answered simply.

"You're still angry with me." He stated. She glared at him. "I will take that as a yes."

After a few minutes the Doctor ran back inside the TARDIS telling Angel to activiate the defense shields. The Doctor ran for the console just as there was a loud explosion outside.

"What was that?" Josh asked glancing at the door.

The Doctor was setting the coordinates. "The Cybermen malfunctioning. That device enhances emotions, I set it to fear and the cybermen go 'mad' from the fear." He looked up from the console as he pulled the lever down. "I did say there would be a 'Kaboom'." He said with a playful grin. The TARDIS began to materialize. "Next stop, who knows."

**I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Comments about what you think of the progression of the story are welcome.**