Who On Earth...? A Doctor Who Story 8 - TARDIS's And Travelling

"Ouch!" Brenda exclaimed as the blue light disappeared, and they landed roughly back outside the school reception.

"Listen." The Doctor told her, pointing to the sky.

BANG!

"The ship self-destructed upon hitting the atmosphere – I programmed it to." He explained, still holding her hand.

Brenda pulled out of his grip to kneel down again.

"I can't believe she's gone…" She said tearfully, cradling her Mum's head caringly.

Suddenly, a cough broke the deathly silence.

"Mum?" Brenda asked, shocked as she looked down at her previously motionless mother.

"Yes Brenda, there is something I need to tell you before I…" she trailed off weakly.

"No Mum – you'll be ok," Brenda looked up to the Doctor for reassurance, seeing his eyes full of doubt, she rubbed her mother's forehead gently,"You will be ok." She said forcefully, holding back a sob.

"Brenda – you're not really…" Her mutant-mother trailed off, exhausted.

She looked down to see her mother's eyes glazed in agony.

Brenda could sense her pain, but also her love and her regret for leaving her only child.

"You're not really our daughter." she finished.

"What do you mean?" Brenda asked worriedly.

But it was too late, her Mum let out her last breath, before closing her eyes and finally passing beyond.

"Mum…" Brenda whispered, her eyes filling with unstoppable tears as she realised that this time, her mother wasn't coming back.

The Doctor just watched with a sorrowful expression, 'This is what happens,' He cursed himself, 'each time I get mixed up with humans I mess up their lives – and this time it's even worse – how old is Brenda? 16? 17? And now she has no family – all thanks to me!'

"Brenda?" the Doctor asked cautiously, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

"No Doctor, it's not your fault." Brenda slowly rose to her feet, gently, but reluctantly letting go of her deceased mother. Eyes stinging again, she burst into tears.

The Doctor looked on for a moment, fighting with himself. Finally coming to a decision, he walked forward to pull the sobbing Brenda into a comforting hug.

Inside The School:

Brenda sat down, staring at the crowds of terrified and disbelieving students and teachers; they clustered together, eyes wide and fearful.

Her eyes passed over everything, not seeing, not caring. She felt hollow, empty, emotionless, drained.

The Doctor sat next to her, his hand still holding hers, occasionally he squeezed it gently, unsuccessfully trying to comfort the girl.

'What now?' Brenda asked herself glumly, 'I have no Mum, no Dad, no other known relatives…'

She felt the Doctor pull her arm tentatively, causing her to look up and meet his dark brown eyes. Brenda noticed that they were full of concern, and a deep guilt.

"I know what you were just thinking," he whispered quietly, "Things'll turn out ok – I promise."

Brenda nodded distractedly, tears starting to prick her eyes again.

"Brenda," the Doctor called her name, squeezing her hand gently to reaffirm her attention. "Brenda, this is all my fault – only my fault. So I have a question to ask you."

Raising her eyes, Brenda glanced up, brushing the remaining tears out of her eyes, she began to feel curious despite herself.

"Would you like to come with me? – Different worlds, different planets, different civilisations – you could see them all!" the Doctor spoke passionately, grinning at her, while his eyes silently begged her to say yes.

Brenda's gaze fell to his hand holding hers, then to his eyes. Slowly, she nodded.

"Yes Doctor, I would love to – there's nothing here for me anymore, and I've always wanted to travel – but I didn't imagine it would be like this…" Her lip quivered slightly, but holding back her tears, Brenda nodded, smiling sadly at the Doctor.

"Then what are we waiting for?" He shouted, leaping up from his chair in excitement, "Allons-y!"

Brenda reached under the chair for her rucksack which she had abandoned earlier, and followed at a slower pace.

The Doctor waited for her outside the door, where countless vehicles were taking interviews with terrified members of staff.

Sighing, the Doctor looked for a journalist-free escape as Brenda appeared from behind him, holding a massive rucksack.

Raising his eyebrows in query, the Doctor gave the bag a puzzled look.

"Sleepover – not happening." Brenda explained in response to his expression. "Liliana, we saw her earlier – she's going to move in with her brother up near Cardiff."

"Hmm, Cardiff… right." The Doctor said, obviously not paying attention.

Brenda rolled her eyes, and started to walk off down an alleyway.

The Doctor ran to catch up with her.

"No, this way." He said, pointing. And linking his arm with hers, they walked away from Brenda's school.

A Few Minutes Later:

Finally, they rounded a dark street corner, about a mile from the school.

Brenda squinted, trying to adjust her eyes to the light.

"You parked your spaceship here?" She asked in amazement, still peering.

"Right there actually." The Doctor told her, as he pointed at a tall, rectangular silhouette.

"Police Public Call Box." Brenda read as she drew closer, recognising the 'object' as an old 1950s police box.

"Funny sort of spaceship," she commented, noticing the Doctor's face fall comically, "But it's different! I like different!"

The Doctor smiled back at her in approval. Pulling a key out of his pocket, he grinned widely at her, then fitted the key in the police box's lock.

"This is the TARDIS – Time And Relative Dimension In Space!" He told her enthusiastically.

"It travels in time as well? No way! But-" The Doctor cut her off abruptly.

"Don't go thinking that you can go back and save your parents! Last time a … friend of mine did that very thing it almost ended up wiping out all life on Earth!" He cautioned, raising a finger.

"Who? Why?" Brenda asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Timelines." The Doctor explained simply, indicating the end of the conversation.

Having finished unlocking the TARDIS, he smoothly pushed the doors inwards, producing a loud creak.

Before venturing inside, Brenda asked another question. "So do this mean this police box travels at – or faster than – the speed of light?"

"Well, I suppose you could say that – but the TARDIS doesn't really 'fly' – she just sort of disappears and reappears." The Doctor replied, smiling at her endless questions. Gesturing for Brenda to go into the police box, he tucked the key away again.

"Wow!" Brenda took a sharp intake of breath as she saw the massive control room fitted inside the tiny blue box.

It was shaped like a dome, with orb-like circles decorating the walls, to the side of the control panel was a small sofa, and in the middle of the ship was a strange sort of pillar, surrounded by numerous buttons, switches and other devices.

"That is…" She paused, trying to find an appropriate word. "novel!"

The Doctor grinned at her boyishly – obviously pleased by her reaction.

"So! Let's not just stand here! Where would you like to go?" He asked happily, pushing the TARDIS door shut and leaping over to the controls.

"I-I really do not know – the whole of time and space… I'm a bit spoiled for choice!" Brenda smiled back, showing her true gratitude.

"Well then…what do you say to a random journey – we could end up anywhere!" The Doctor exclaimed, bouncing with enthusiasm.

"Hold on…Doctor, can I ask you something?" Brenda asked, as a thought struck her.

"Depends what it is." He answered mysteriously, guiding her towards a sofa by the console.

"You said… you said before that you were the last of your people – who were they? And your planet – where was it?" Brenda asked, as they both sat down.

The Doctor looked to the floor, his cheerful excitement vanished and replaced by a deep sadness.

Several minutes passed, until Brenda didn't think he would answer.

"Doctor?" she called, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, sorry." he said, coming out of his trance as his eyes focused on Brenda's.

"Well?" Brenda persisted, but in a more gentle tone.

She could tell that he didn't want to talk about it, but after all the events of the previous day; Brenda thought that she deserved to know even a little about this enigmatic traveller.

"My people… the Timelords – one of the greatest races in the universe, we watched over the planets and civilisations…but it didn't last. The Daleks – different ones to those you met – they wiped us out in the great Time War – my friends, my family, everyone…leaving me alone to finish it." the Doctor said bitterly. Brenda sensed his incredible pain, so she moved up and put her arm around him in a hug.

The Doctor looked up at Brenda, and smiled wearily at her before continuing.

"My planet was called Gallifrey, but it's long gone-"

"What did it look like? And the Timelords – surely some of them survived if the Daleks did?" Brenda interrupted with curiosity.

The Doctor looked straight through her, making Brenda shiver slightly.

'He looks so hurt and lonely.' Brenda thought, as sympathy flooded her.

"I'm sorry Doctor – I shouldn't have asked." She apologised guiltily.

The Doctor shook his head, snapping back to reality, then smiled reassuringly at Brenda.

"That's ok." he replied, returning to his usual, cheery self as he strode over to the console.

"So, how do you fly this thing?" Brenda queried, changing the subject as she watched the Doctor stroke the TARDIS's controls.

"You'll see!" he replied secretively, winking at her cheekily.

Brenda grinned back at him in response, hoisting herself off the sofa; she joined him at the console.

"Shall we go? – Allons-y?" the Doctor asked keenly.

"Hmm – ok – but first…where can I put this?" Brenda asked, indicating her rucksack.

The Doctor eyed the bag warily. "Through that door," he pointed "First right, second left – four doors down on your…" He trailed off, trying to remember, "– right!"

Brenda smiled as he grinned at her boyishly.

Hoisting her bag onto her shoulders, Brenda headed to where the Doctor had pointed, attempting to remember the complicated instructions.

"Looks like a maze." She commented, finding herself in another, very similar-looking room.

Slowly, she dragged her bag into the next identical room.

She paused, confused as she realised she was lost and unable to remember the directions. "Uh-oh - where now?" Brenda asked aloud, pushing her long hair out of her eyes.

"This way!" She heard the Doctor call, as he popped out of nowhere and grabbed her rucksack for her, before leaping towards one of the numerous doors and bounding enthusiastically down the corridor.

Wondering how he knew one room from another, Brenda snapped out of her thoughts, and ran after the rapidly disappearing Doctor.

She saw him turn into a room on the right of the corridor. Panting slightly, she stopped running, then stepped into the room.

The Doctor watched her cross the threshold from the door's entrance, his eyes sparkling and a true smile crossing his face as he noted Brenda's awed expression.

"It-it's amazing." She gasped, taking in the magnificent room.

The room looked similar to the TARDIS's control room, but it was slightly smaller, and filled with a soft blue light. The strange, but wonderful light shone from the strange orbs on the sides of the room.

There was a small glass desk near the wall, many foreign objects were scattered carelessly on it.

Brenda smiled as she noted the en-suite bathroom and the giant, comfy bed surrounded by a thin blue veil.

Finally, there was an amazing rainbow coloured flower laid next to the bed in a plant pot.

Brenda walked over to have a closer look at it. Normally, she didn't like flowers very much, but this one attracted her attention. She watched with fascination, as the petal's different colours swirled and changed constantly.

"Fleuvris memoris," the Doctor said, bending down to pick up the flowerpot, and carefully handing it to her, "they're very rare and unusual – that's one of the last ones in existence."

"Like you." Brenda whispered without thinking, her eyes transfixed to the flower.

The Doctor frowned slightly in response, but didn't say anything.

"Oh!" Brenda exclaimed suddenly, as, before her eyes, the flower-petals colours changed to a striking black centre, with stunning lightening-blue tips.

Staring at the flower, the Doctor pulled out his glasses to get a better look at it.

"Fleuvris memoris change colour depending on the holder – I suppose you could say that they reflect the holder's personality with the colours."

It was Brenda's turn to frown, pondering what he meant. Meeting his eyes, she gently lowered the plant back onto the ground.

"What colour does it turn for you?" She asked thoughtfully.

The Doctor shrugged, and diverted his eyes from the flower.

"So," He said, changing the subject, "Do you like the room?"

"I love it." Brenda answered truthfully, deciding not to persist. 'Some people just can't help being mysterious.' She thought.

The Doctor's face lit up at the compliment, he was obviously pleased.

"But first," Brenda said lifting a finger, "I am not going anywhere in my school uniform, so give me five minutes to change."

The Doctor sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes, "Five minutes?" He asked.

"Five minutes." Brenda confirmed, before gently pushing him out the door and smiling.

Brenda watched the Doctor shut the door before walking over to her bed and letting out her pent-up breath. She couldn't believe everything that had happened to her – it was all so impossible.

Feeling as though she was going to start crying again, Brenda tried to busy herself with choosing some clothes to wear.

As usual, she wore mostly black – a black top, with black trousers and a black leather jacket. The only coloured item being her sky blue necklace that her mother had given her so long ago.

Walking into the big en-suite, Brenda discovered a mirror. She stared at her reflection, noticing how she looked slightly more drawn and weary.

However much she tried to hold them back, Brenda couldn't help a few tears escaping her stinging eyes. She realised that there was no going back – no mother to hug her – no father to reassure her…

Wiping the salty tears away whilst sniffing a bit, Brenda composed herself with a calming breath, then opened her bedroom door to walk out into the hall.

The Doctor turned around as he heard Brenda's almost-silent footsteps emerge into the corridor.

He immediately noted her red eyes, and the way she hung her head. Her eyes were filled with an aching pain which she unsuccessfully tried to cover up.

Brenda slowly looked up to meet the Doctor's concerned eyes, seeing his deep compassion, and for a brief moment, her emotions echoed in his own expression.

Brenda cursed herself as another tear ran slowly down her cheek and fell onto the ground silently.

She quickly turned around, covering her face with her veil hair out of embarrassment, hoping that the Doctor wouldn't notice.

A sudden warmth spread through Brenda as she felt herself being pulled into a caring embrace.

"It'll be ok." the Doctor promised reassuringly, rubbing her back gently as Brenda trembled slightly, holding back her sobs.

Drawing her eyes up to meet his, she smiled at him weakly, attempting to show her gratitude.

Brushing a some strands of her hair out of her face, the Doctor produced a tissue from his pocket.

"Right then…where was I?" He asked, grinning at Brenda again, trying to cheer her up, "How do you fancy seeing the crystal skies of Nephantya? Or the flame-waters of Cascadia?"

Brenda nodded nonchalantly.

The Doctor took her nod as a yes, and jumped to the console enthusiastically.

"Cascadia it is then!" he exclaimed as the TARDIS hummed. He ran around pressing various buttons, and fiddling with random controls, causing the machine to produce an oddly familiar scraping sound that Brenda couldn't quite place.

The ship jerked wildly as they travelled through space, continually producing the strange screeching sound.

Brenda quickly grabbed hold of the console, as the TARDIS shook from side to side. Hoping that the journeys weren't always this rough, she shut her eyes.

Brenda breathed a sigh of relief, and released her tight grip on the console as the ship finally fell still, resuming its usual, innocent humming.

"Have a look!" the Doctor encouraged Brenda, who stumbled slightly. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her keenly towards the door.

Brenda took another deep breath, recovering from the bumpy ride, and focused on walking to the door without falling over.

Slowly reaching out her arm, she pulled open the TARDIS door as the Doctor watched her in amusement.

A sudden surge of energy hit Brenda as she stepped outside into a scented and vibrant atmosphere.

She could hear something similar to cicadas singing, the rustling of undergrowth, and the whispering of leaves.

Looking skywards, Brenda acknowledged the gigantic, towering trees, reaching to the sky – only centimetres away from touching the wispy yellow-tinted clouds.

The trees' unusual leaves flew like graceful birds, spinning in spirals until they alighted on the ground.

Brenda bent down and noted the strange colour of the leaves – some were a deep violet, others were a flame red or a shocking pink.

Picking up one of the bright pink leaves, Brenda twirled it between her fingers idly, holding it closer to inspect it. The leaf was entirely pink except for the strange blue veins running up its length.

"This is amazing, beautiful – but not particularly alien." Brenda called back over her shoulder to the Doctor.

He emerged, looking slightly crestfallen; his eyes caught by the bright leaf in-between Brenda's fingers.

"Yes," he commented simplistically, "that's because it isn't alien – it's Earth – in 2000 years."