"What's her name?" Lila pestered Bill about her latest attempts at romance, begging for some normal gossip for once that didn't involve heinous plots or conspiracies that span centuries complete with governments willing to kill to keep them going.
It says a lot when Lila's begging for normal gossip for once.
Bill met someone, but she won't tell Lila much about her, giving her intuition a run for its money.
Giggling as she smiled, her glossy lips shimmering under the sunlight as they're sitting outside on the patio drinking coffee, Bill tells Lila that she can't tell her anything, she doesn't want to jinx this one.
"Sorry about what happened with Daria," Lila recalled her previous girlfriend that broke up with her after two months, despite everything going swimmingly.
Took a job somewhere else and went with her other girlfriend.
Took strength on Lila's part and maybe Theodore from popping Daria's mouth for the slight.
It was only two months, as Bill pointed out, but the betrayal didn't fade away like one expected.
"I should've known something was wrong, at least I knew now than later. It was only two months, better two months than two years, right?" Bill exhaled as she stirred her coffee with the small spoon.
Bill had her share of bad dates, romances, she's come to terms with them, it's healthier realizing that for every bad romance, there's always a better one making up for it.
"Yeah, but she did you dirty, you sure this one's any better?" Lila worried that Bill's latest romance would've done similarly like Daria.
Looking at her with her warm smile, Bill thanked her for her concerns, but she's sure this romance's true.
"Smart, like, I think she's smarter than Hammond," Bill described her new love with her brown eyes twinkling. "I could like, say something like a phrase from a famous poet, she'd know it, down to the book, page, section."
This mysterious woman knew more than Bill did and she worked in the library for five years at this point.
No way she's got a cheat sheet on the side, either, Bill did everything to slip her up, but she got all it right every time.
Even the most obscure things, she managed to get, and she even corrected Bill when she intentionally got something wrong.
The only thing's that she had problems with recent stuff, like boy bands, wouldn't know anything about what's playing in the movie theaters, either, shows for that matter, too.
Classical music, books, arts, history, she aced those with flying colours.
"Well, don't keep the audience in suspense, tell us what she looks like," Lila begged for more information regarding the woman that vexed poor Bill's heart.
Her foot gently kicking up and down as she's pondering, Bill described her as someone tall, like, shorter than Theodore, but taller than Hammond, slim build, dark hair.
Seeing her having problems describing this woman that stole Bill's heart, Lila inquired how they met, and shocked when Bill admitted that she met this woman online.
"Bill, you gotta be careful, you don't know who's on the other side of the screen. She says she's a girl, but on the other end, it's a creep with a bad shave job," Lila cautioned her friend not to take everything the woman said seriously.
Everyone lies on the internet one way or another, among the factoids about beanie babies, there's plenty of people making up profiles for their own purposes, some not with great intentions.
"Trust me, I got everything worked out, I wouldn't go this far if I didn't think it'll be safe, but I think she's not on the out, if you catch my drift," Bill admitted that the woman she's been talking with isn't out like she is and knowing how it feels, Bill gave her space, and kept things cordial, not wanting to cause issues for her.
It's looking like the woman has traditional family, believe Bill, she knows the pain well, and some trauma.
Oh, believe Bill, she knows her share of trauma, quite well.
Lila flinched as she asked Bill where the woman lived and Bill said she's somewhere in Cheshire, didn't want to give out too much information on the public forum, but might move to London for work.
"I mean, only if you're sure," Lila frowned.
She trusted Bill's judgement and if she says the woman, she's been talking to's like she described, then Lila's not going to look further into it, as gnawing as her concerns were, and Bill thanked her for it.
"She's been in this forum I've been frequenting for a while and I talked to the people there, they didn't say anything bad about her, just that she's shy, and doesn't like talking about herself much," Bill explained to Lila how she met the woman behind the username Dolus.
She said it's a combination of her first and last name, didn't have much of an inspiration for it, and Bill took her word for it.
Bill's username's a combination of her favourite flower and the name of her first pet, so, she knows the trouble.
"Hm, sounds complicated," Lila noted that this "Dolus" definitely has issues with opening herself up, sounds like she's dealing with the old fashion types.
Dad's not like that, thankfully, but Lila knew plenty of people on his side of the family that wouldn't accept Bill or "Dolus."
Nodding, her puffy curly brown hair bobbing, Bill said that she understands why Dolus' sheepish talking about that stuff outwardly.
From what Bill gathered talking to people in the forum, it took Dolus years before she talked about the stuff bothering her.
After all the horror stories that gets posted to that forum, Bill doesn't blame her.
"Sheesh, hope she's doing better," Lila brought her cup of coffee close to her, drinking from it.
Bill nods as she hopes the same, she's been giving Dolus plenty of information where she can get discreet help.
"Don't get too far ahead, man, I know you wanna help her, but, watch where you step, right?" Lila cautioned her friend not to let it get into her head in case it turned out that Dolus wasn't interested in her like her subconscious mind thinks.
Slowly nodding, Bill acknowledged that she's trying to temper herself, but couldn't help it, the way Dolus talked, why, she'd give Hammond a run for his money.
"Well, if she turns out legit, you can introduce her to Hammond, while I get the camera," Lila tells Bill that if Dolus' legit as she hoped, bring her down to the library, see what her mind can do against Hammond's, Lila'll have a camera ready for the match of the century between the two.
Giggling as she's bringing her coffee cup close to her lips, Bill teased that Lila ought to try her hand at dating again.
Only fair that Bill gets a drop considering Lila's pestered her about her dates.
Shrugging her stout shoulders, Lila says to her that she thinks she's matured out of the concept, at least mentally, because she can't help wonder about the people she meets.
"You're not even in your thirties, yet, and you think you're over the hill, already?" Bill raised a fine brow at Lila telling her that she basically feels older mentally and can't relate to anyone.
Looking away bashfully, Lila told her that she just can't relate with people anymore.
Truthfully, it's expected when she's been adventuring with Theodore for what amounts to centuries while returning to her universe with only hours passing each time.
You can't exactly tell people what you do when you're not working at the library without them dialing for the men in white coats and their white vans.
Telling them that you stopped aliens with Abe Freaking Lincoln wouldn't go over so well, either.
… Yeah, that was an unexpected adventure that couldn't be put down on paper without sounding like a schlocky sci-fi summer movie.
Theodore stole the man's hat for god's sake, unapologetically, Lila might add, and had the gall to say that he wasn't going to miss it.
Pretty sure he noticed it missing from the top of his head, but by then, they're already in the TARDIS and gone.
Oh, right, back to the focal point.
Romance on the job's a no-go, too much trouble, and no one wants to cause a temporal mishap or wars or whatever.
No one wants to be their own grandparents.
Which, Lila didn't tell Bill that, but she left it as her unable to relate with people.
Of this world.
Of this century.
Of this universe.
"Come on, there's plenty of fish in the sea, at least one's just right for you," Bill tried to raise Lila's spirits and she thanked her for it, but it's no good, there's no way there's a man for her.
He'd have to be insane!
Mad as a hatter, on par with Hannibal Lecter, everything else.
With Lila's luck, he'd be the next Jack the Ripper.
"Yeah, well, Hell's bound to freeze over before that happens," Lila doubted her chances.
Hardly any time to herself as it is, why would she risk punishing herself introducing a boyfriend?
Already she can hear the conversations about where she goes when she's not at the library or home.
"Come on, I had some bad spots in my life and I still managed to come out on top, you can too," Bill tried rallying Lila from giving up completely.
Bill had plenty of failed romances, just like Lila, but she's still keeping her head high, if she didn't succeed now, didn't mean she couldn't, then.
"I envy your optimism, Potters," Lila tells her that she envied her friend's ability to remain optimistic despite the constant setbacks that've occurred over the years.
Smiling at her, Bill responded that she couldn't let every bad date weigh her down.
Just wouldn't be right if she did.
"I'm sure the answer's right under your nose, dear Watson," Bill chuckled as she looked at Lila.
Thinking, Lila responded that if there's an answer to the eternal question of who's the one for her, maybe it had the answer for the lottery numbers.
Romance doesn't last forever, but good lemons and a lot of money lasts forever.
They're talking until Lila hears someone moving around in her head, none other than Theodore, asking her where she's at, and she told him where, asking what he wanted.
"Al picked up on an urgent call, people needing help, the usual," Theodore summed that, he needed Lila's help on their newest adventure that fell into his lap.
Someone tried to reach out for help, but couldn't get through to anyone, the line went dead, but it's enough for Al pinpointing the source.
Durham Industries, already he's looking up everything he can find on it, and so far, nobody's heard from people working there.
"On my way," Lila tells Theodore she'll meet him at his place, but he said that he met her half-way, figured it'd be easier. He had it materialize behind the coffee shop.
Confused, Lila asked him why he hid it behind the coffee shop that she and Bill were at and Theodore pointed out, "Well, it wouldn't be easy doing it across the road, now would it, come, come, we've much to do, dear Watson."
Covertly, Lila checked the time and said that she's heading off, things to do, and all that.
Paid for her share and bid Bill farewell and good luck with Dolus.
When she wasn't looking, Lila ducked around the coffee shop, going down the side of the building, turned the corner, with Theodore waiting for her by the TARDIS, wearing a getup only a fictional detective would love.
"Alright, Theo, what case are we solving this time?" Lila poked fun at his outfit, but Theodore wasn't bothered, saying that it's what he said, a cry for help, and an entire complex going dark.
Heading inside the TARDIS with him, Lila trailed behind as he went up to the console, sending them to Durham Industries, his stitched coat fluttering in the breeze.
Dialing in the location, pulling levers, pushing buttons, Theodore felt the air changing in the TARDIS as Lila leaned against the railings.
The air turned cold and still, the inaudible sounds of the TARDIS powering on, and the TARDIS disappeared from its spot, reappearing in the cafeteria of Durham Industries.
Door opening, Theodore poked his head out first, surveying their surroundings, once he concluded it's safe, he stepped out, with Lila behind him, as they studied their surroundings.
There's food in the lunch line, heading over, they're both revolted when they'd see the state of the food, completely rotted, cold bricks stuck to the serving trays, and from the way Theodore deduced the mold growth, it's been this way for a few weeks, give or take.
The way the trays remained untouched; the mold started after everyone went through the lunch line a few times until it became apparent the mold's set in.
Seeing the fuzzy greens and whites, blacks and brows growing on everything from the mashed potatoes to the blackened shepherd's pies left in the tray, Lila's unnerved that when the food was at its prime, was around the last time people heard from the workers in Durham Industries.
"Come along, Lee," Theodore motioned with his large hand for her and they left the cafeteria, finding their way to a map of the complex.
Four thousand people worked here, Al only picked up at least one or two of the four thousand.
"This complex's huge, if they're still here, we're not going to find them," Lila pointed out that if there's anyone still around, it'l take a while finding them due to the size of the complex.
Clicking his tongue against his teeth as he pondered, Theodore says that no adventure's easy, they'll come up with something, as is tradition.
For now, they're going to find what they can on what happened in the complex and why everything suddenly went quiet.