Chapter Thirty Three
The week passed quickly and before the Doctor and Sarah knew it, it was the evening before their wedding. Sarah was dressed in a dark blue dress that hugged her petite features. She stood in front of the mirror in her large bathroom onboard the Tardis and regarded at her reflection. Everyone was right, she did look very young. Kate had been concerned that they wouldn't be able to get her in any of the clubs they'd planned on taking her to. So Kate being the Brigadier's daughter, had taken matters into her own hands and procured an updated driver's license for Sarah that showed her age as twenty one.
Sarah smiled at the thought of all the friends she'd acquired in the past few years as she brushed her hair. Never before had she had so many friends. Acquaintances sure she had countless, as well as sources for her work but never many friends. She always considered several people at Unit her friends but that was it. In the past she'd always been good being on her own, never needing the company of others to occupy her time. A good book and sometimes an old movie were all the companionship she required. On Moonbase Alpha she'd still been somewhat of a loner but found she had many friends. Since the regeneration however, she discovered much to her surprise that she actually enjoyed being with her friends. Many called and texted regularly, all knowing that if she didn't return their call or text right away that she and the Doctor were off on an adventure.
Maybe that was it, having friends that understood her lifestyle. Sarah neatened her bangs and stood back. That would have to do, she decided. Her phone vibrated and she looked down to see a text from Tanya Aleksandr saying that Alan Carter had proposed to her last night. On Alpha, her quarters were next door to Sarah's. She knew Tanya had always had a crush on Alan and knew the two were dating but hadn't realized they were serious. Sarah thought of Alan Carter and the number of times she'd had to shoot him down herself. He was a good man but seemed to be a player, a player that Sarah thought would never get married. Sarah brought up the keyboard on her phone and texted her congratulations. She texted her again with a question; 'I'm almost out the door Tanya. Is this public knowledge or should I keep it to myself?' After a few seconds came the reply. 'Tell everyone. I'm about to board a flight to Russia to see my family and tell them myself. Have a wonderful time tonight! I'm sorry I won't be able to attend your party or the wedding.'
Sarah texted back, 'Not a problem. Have a safe flight and a great visit with your family.'
'You as well Sarah.' Tanya texted.
Sarah grabbed her overnight bag, slipped the phone inside her purse and looked at her watch. It was only five minutes from the time the girls said they'd pick her up in front of the Tardis. She slipped through the Tardis quickly to find the Doctor looking over the central console. He looked up and his hands went to his hearts. "You look lovely." he commented.
Sarah whirled around in a circle once she was near him. "This old thing." she said, even though both knew it was brand new, as was everything in her wardrobe.
"What do you say we skip this whole thing and stay in tonight?" he joked with her, knowing she would never leave their friends standing outside waiting for them.
"Forget it Mister." Sarah picked up her bag from the floor. "But I want you to know I'll miss you." she said with complete honesty. Since they'd arrived on Earth they had been almost inseparable.
The Doctor took the overnight bag from Sarah's hand. "I still think this whole thing is crazy." he commented. "Why can't we stay in the Tardis together tonight?" This particular Earth custom was one he could do without.
Sarah reached up and kissed him. "It's bad luck and we've had plenty of that in the past. Now, you know that Harry will pick you up about noon to go to the ceremony right?"
"Yes Ma'am." he answered with a smile.
"They should be here at," she looked at her watch and with a look of panic and finished, "I bet they're all outside waiting for me. Anyway, the men will be here in about fifteen minutes to pick you up. I hope you have everything you need for the wedding." They started down the ramp and had reached the door when she suddenly turned and said, "Oh. I forgot to tell you that Alan is getting married."
"Alan who? Alan Carter?" he said in disbelief. Alan seemed like the type that enjoyed dating too much to ever settle down with one woman.
Sarah opened the door of the Tardis and daylight spilled in as she turned and said, "Don't look so shocked. I'm sure there were people that said you'd never get married." she said with a big grin before reaching up and kissing him. She took her bag from his hand and turned to see Kate standing with the back hatch of a large minivan open. Inside the car were Helena, Maya, Sahn, Alibe, Annette, Kate and Yasko. Everyone smiled warmly at Sarah.
Kate took the bag from Sarah and placed it in the back and closed the hatch. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting." Sarah apologized.
"Not at all, we just arrived." She looked over at the Doctor looking forlorn in the Tardis' doorway and smiled. "Don't worry Doctor; we'll take good care of her."
"You better Kate." the Doctor halfheartedly threatened.
Sarah climbed into the car and gave him one last wave and a smile as did everyone in the vehicle before they drove off. She knew the Doctor was sad but she also knew there was nothing she could do about it. Hopefully when the men arrived his mind would be directed elsewhere. Besides, tomorrow would be here before they knew it. After fastening her seat belt she looked back to the others and said, "Did you hear that Tanya and Alan are getting married?"
This was met by many outbursts of shock and conjectures of why they may 'have' to get married. Sarah didn't participate in that part of the conversation, she just listened. She felt eyes on her and looked over at Kate. They were sitting at a red light and Kate asked her, "You all right?"
Sarah looked back to make sure no one else was paying any attention and then answered, "Yes, I guess I'm just a bit nervous."
"It's understandable. Hopefully tonight will ease your mind a bit and you can have some fun." The light changed and Kate drove them closer to their first destination, dinner. Looking at Sarah Jane, it was hard for her not to talk to her as if she were guiding a young person who hadn't really experience the world. It was hard to believe she was seated next to a fifty six year old woman, a woman who had lived an amazing life not only on this world but many others. She pulled the minivan into a nice secluded Italian restaurant. Kate had taken several special envoys here in the past and as before she'd rented a private dining room where they could talk freely. She parked and as they all exited the van Kate said, "Here we are ladies, our first stop." She smiled warmly over the hood to Sarah. She would make sure this was a happy night for Sarah, she certainly deserved it.
The Doctor stood in the Tardis door watching the group of women pull away. He watched them till the van completely disappeared from view. He blew out a breath and walked back into the Tardis. This time tomorrow, he and Sarah would be married and celebrating with their friends. He thought of his family. His father would definitely not have liked or approved of Sarah. He would have told him that he was marrying beneath his species. He would have said Sarah was nothing more than a primitive. His mother on the other hand would have attempted to get to know her future daughter in law. In the end, he'd like to think, she would have approved of his choice. But if any of the Time Lords had found out what he did to Sarah's DNA…there would have been hell to pay. It would have more than likely resulted in Sarah's death. He shook his head. He needed to get away from these thoughts. He was once again checking the Tardis to make sure she was all right. "How are you doing old girl?" he asked as he stroked the console. She answered by softly glowing. "Tomorrow's the big day you know. Tomorrow Sarah becomes my wife and she joins us permanently on our travels. So we'll be away for most of the day tomorrow but we'll be back as soon as the wedding and reception are over. Are you happy Sarah's going to be my wife?" The Tardis responded again by glowing brighter.
Their conversation was ended by a knock at the door. "Guess my ride's here. See you later old girl." he said as he descended the ramp and opened the door to Harry. "Hello Harry the imbecile."
Harry internally cringed. He remembered so many times in their travels feeling that exact way. Sarah Jane seemed to know the protocols of space travel from the get go. She knew instinctively not to touch buttons and go places without first checking them out, on the whole. Harry had the tendency to just go blundering in without thinking. If there were a button to be pressed or a switch to be pulled, Harry seemed to gravitate toward it and used it. The fact that he didn't know what he'd just pushed or pulled seemed superfluous. If the buttons were out there in the open, surely they couldn't really do any real harm…right? In the end, his lack of ability to know all the little etiquettes of space travel that seemed to come so easy to the Doctor and Sarah Jane had been his downfall and one of the reasons for leaving them. The other was Sarah Jane herself. It was obvious that she was never going to feel for him half of what she felt for the Doctor. "Hello Doctor, ready for tonight?"
"I just want to get to tomorrow." he answered honestly. He didn't want to appear ungrateful but he knew himself well enough to know that he may not be the life of the party his friends were hoping for tonight.
"Well the quickest way I know to do that is to get started with your stag party." He motioned to the first of two Land Rovers parked in front of the Tardis. In the first car were the Brigadier, John Koenig and Victor Bergman. In the second car driving was Benton as well as Mike Yates, Tony Verdeschi and Alan Carter. Harry climbed into the driver's seat as the Doctor climbed into the front passenger seat. The Doctor began nervously, "Harry, I…"
The Brigadier leaned forward and tapped the Doctor on the shoulder. "Don't worry old man; I'll make sure they go easy on you."
"Thanks." the Doctor mumbled and then asked, "Where are we going?"
Harry answered, "To a little pub that serves the best steaks. We figured…" The Brigadier cleared his throat. "The Brigadier figured," Harry corrected himself before continuing, "that it would be a good idea if everyone had a full stomach before we go to some bars." The Doctor shot Harry a look akin to horror that Harry didn't miss. "Don't worry Doctor. There won't be anything wild. I know that's not your style. It'll be a nice quiet evening with some good friends." 'Famous last words', Harry thought to himself.
By two in the morning not a single man in the group was sober, including the Doctor. They had been forced to call two on duty Unit soldiers to come and drive the group to their individual destinations. As the two Land Rovers pulled up to the Tardis to get the Doctor inside, loud off key singing could be heard from both vehicles. As the soldier that had been driving was helping the Doctor out, the Doctor stumbled and almost face planted on the cement surrounding the Tardis. "I'm, I'm fine." He told the soldier and then turned around to the two vehicles and yelled loudly, "I told him I'm fine." The Doctor laughed hysterically. He couldn't remember why he'd been so hesitant to go to his bachelor party in the first place. They'd had a great time, even if he couldn't remember all of it. He was looking for his key and when he finally found it, he dropped it.
"Allow me Sir." the soldier said. He reached down and went to hand it to him but found the Doctor was asleep against the Tardis, standing up. The soldier was confused. What was the protocol in this situation? He knew the Doctor was very high up in Unit and didn't want to offend him. If it had been anyone else he'd have picked him up and put him to bed, but with a high ranking official? The soldier walked over to the Land Rover and asked Dr. Sullivan, "Sir he's asleep. What do I do?"
Harry whose window was completely down in a vain attempt at sobering the carload up, shouted at the top of his lungs, "Doctor wake up. You've got to go into the Tardis!"
The soldier saw him move immediately and rushed over to his side with the Tardis key. "Your key Sir."
The Doctor took the key from the soldier's hand and murmured, "Thank you." Before turning it in the lock and staggering into the Tardis. After he closed the door behind him, he yelled, "Honey I'm home!" He climbed the ramp while holding on to the railing. Loudly he called out, "Did you miss me?" The Tardis' normal lighting dimmed. "Don't be that way." he pleaded, slurring his words. "I just went out with my friends to celebrate my wedding to Sarah tomorrow. Sarah…" he smiled as he leaned heavily against the railing surrounding the console. "You know I think we should go see Sarah." But as he approached the Tardis' controls the lights dimmed further. The Tardis had no intention of taking him anywhere in his condition. "Fine, that's just…fine! Lucky for you I'm tired so I'm going to go to bed." The Doctor was holding on to anything he could for support as he made his way to his bedroom. "Women!" he yelled to no one in particular as he stumbled through his bedroom door and fell face down across the bed, asleep instantly.
Across town in the small community that Elisabeth Baker once called home, a minivan of women were on the road to Sarah's former home. Kate hadn't drank at all during their excursion but the others had. All of the women including Sarah were feeling no pain as the group sang old top forty hits as she drove along the narrow country lane. Kate pulled the vehicle into Sarah's driveway. The group had finished a song and Kate announced, "Sarah Jane we're here."
To her surprise they were. Sarah hadn't even noticed they were on her road. She looked over at Kate and then back at the others before saying with tears in her eyes, "I can't thank you enough for such a wonderful party." Sarah wiped at the tears in her eyes before they could fall. 'Why had she been nervous', she asked herself?
"We had a wonderful time too Sarah Jane." Helena commented. "Are you sure you don't want one of us to stay the night?"
"No I'll be fine, really." Sarah assured her. Sarah exited the van as Kate retrieved her overnight bag in the back. She brought the bag to Sarah and was handing it to her when suddenly singing could be heard in the distance, drunken singing. At the beginning of the road they were on, a military Land Rover was parking. The driver got out and helped a staggering man out and to his door. He quickly returned and the vehicle took off again. It passed the women and stopped at the other end of the road and the process was repeated. As one, Kate and Sarah looked at one another and said together, "Yates and Benton."
"Do you think the Doctor's all right?" Sarah asked her.
Kate walked to the center of the road and yelled, "Private, would you come here please?"
The soldier quickly ran the short distance up the road to his superior. "Ma'am, can I help you Ma'am?" he asked as he stood at attention.
"Did you take the Doctor to his Tardis?"
"Ma'am, yes Ma'am."
Kate tried to decide how to ask the question tactfully and then decided on, "Was the Doctor well?"
"Ma'am, yes Ma'am he was well." the soldier answered diplomatically.
Kate looked over at Sarah who gave her a look that said she wanted more information. "How well was he? Was he as well as Yates and Benton?"
"Ma'am, yes Ma'am." the soldier answered. He'd been called by his superiors to pick up a high level delegation and take them home. He had no idea exactly who it was or their condition and because of the privacy pact he'd signed, no one else would either.
Sarah smiled and Kate decided they'd heard enough. All the women in the vehicle had been listening, knowing their spouses and friends were in similar condition. "All right Private that will be all. Thank you for your service tonight."
"No problem Ma'am. Have a good night Ma'am." The soldier saluted her and ran down the road to get to his vehicle, anxious to get away and back to the base.
By now the chill of the night air was sobering the ladies significantly. Kate returned to Sarah's door as Sarah removed the door key from her purse. She unlocked the door and reached inside and flipped on the light switch. She turned back and embraced Kate. "Thank you so much Kate. I had a wonderful time tonight."
"I'm glad. Sure you'll be all right tonight? I don't think you'll be able to count on Yates or Benton if you get lonely or need help." Kate told her with a smile.
"Unless things have changed dramatically here," she looked around and smiled at the country pastoral setting, "and I don't think they have, it will be a quiet night especially with the two boys asleep." She and Kate laughed.
"I agree but if you need anything…" Kate began.
"I have your number on speed dial." Sarah told her as she walked away from the porch. Sarah leaned over and waved at the women in the minivan. "Thank you all for everything. I had a marvelous time. I'll see you all tomorrow." she told them.
The women waved and called back their best wishes to Sarah as they drove away. Sarah picked up her small bag, went in the house and closed and locked the door. She looked over the room as she headed through the house. Everything was clean and neat thanks to Unit's upkeep of her house. She looked at the bookshelves that were loaded with books that she'd read and reread over her years of living here. She set her bag down and without turning on the light in her kitchen, she peered out the window to see the meadow beyond lit by moonlight. She smiled as she noticed a female deer and her two fawns. They seemed to notice she was watching them and Sarah realized in the bright moonlight they must be able to see her through the glass. As she'd done hundreds of times in the past she said aloud, "It's all right." The deer went back to nibbling on the clover that grew behind her house.
Sarah looked to the clock on the wall. It was almost three o'clock in the morning. Sarah looked down at her grumbling stomach. Though she'd eaten a big meal earlier, she'd found since the regeneration she had to eat more meals than before to satisfy her. Maybe it was a transitional thing. She decided to ask the Doctor later, once he sobered up that is. She smiled at the thought of a drunken Doctor as she walked across and opened the refrigerator knowing she hadn't had time to visit a store. She expected it to be empty but was pleasantly shocked when she found it fully stocked. "Kate doesn't miss a beat." she said aloud. She removed some bread, ham and mayonnaise and made herself a sandwich. As she was eating she looked in the cupboards and found them stocked as well. She opened a bag of chips and happily crunched them, enjoying the peace and quiet of the night.
Sarah quickly washed up the dish and knife she used and picked up her bag and headed for her bedroom. Deciding to shower in the morning she quickly changed into her nightgown. She picked up her brush and stood in front of the full length mirror whose image on more than one occasion had haunted her. Looking in it now she saw only herself in the present. She decided to forgo brushing her hair and layed the brush down before turning back the covers and sitting down. She reached over and set her alarm for nine, though she doubted she'd need the alarm to wake her up. Before she turned out the light she looked over at her wedding dress set up on a mannequin. She smiled, it was so beautiful. She, Kate and Helena had found it in a bridal shop in Paris. The second she put it on, she knew without hesitation that it was the one. They'd wrapped it up for her and Kate had directed her to a wonderful older woman who had done all the fittings herself. She had done a wonderful job, so much so it looked as if it were originally made for her and her alone. Sarah turned out the light and was asleep in a few minutes.