This short story features the 2nd Doctor on holiday, but as usual things don't run smoothly.
Of course, I don't own the character of the Doctor, his companions or anything else from the TV series.
Splash! Victoria's hand broke through the surface and her fingers danced gently in the water A thousand tiny harmless creatures scattered in their wake. "I could stay here for ever."
"Yes, it is rather splendid isn't it?" The Doctor, who was slumped down on the seat next to her, opened one eye and nodded towards Jamie who was seated opposite them, rowing. "Don't you think that it's rather splendid too Jamie?"
"Oh aye, Doctor. It's beautiful right enough but I reckon it's high time you took your turn with the oars now."
The Doctor shifted about guiltily, he'd been enjoying his little nap and didn't really feel inclined to partake in any kind of exercise, let alone something as strenuous as that. He felt the boat wobble slightly as he moved, he grinned to himself and then shifted about a bit more causing even more movement. "Ah, not a good idea Jamie. This boat's not all that stable you know. If we tried to swap places we might all fall out. We'd get very wet. Besides, you're doing so well over there. Victoria's very impressed, aren't you Victoria?"
Victoria nodded in amusement. "My father took me for a ride in a rowing boat when I was young." She smiled as a passing thought flittered through her mind. " We had such fun, and such a large picnic that I thought we would surely both burst."
"Aye, well. If I'm bringing back some happy memories for you then that's alright then." Jamie took a quick a glance over his shoulder, checking that there were no obstacles ahead. It was a clear run and, despite his grumbling, he was enjoying himself greatly.
What a beautiful world. The lush vegetation of what appeared to be some kind of tropical rain forest lined the river to both sides. So quiet too, nothing to hear but the soft lapping of the oars as he propelled the boat through the clear blue tinged water and the sweet sound of bird song drifting through the air from the depths of the forest. Two suns were out, but they were both relatively small so the heat was far from uncomfortable.
Yes, thought Jamie, this is like paradise. "So how far are we going Doctor? We've only got this boat until the evening, remember."
"Oh, just there and back. To see how far it is." The Doctor's eyes were both closed again and Victoria was starting to doze too.
"Well I can see I'll get no more help from you two for a while." Jamie laughed as the tranquillity was broken by the Doctor's snores.
"Permit me to help you sir!" The voice was artificial, but not harsh.
Jamie looked all around but he could see nobody else. "Who said that? Where are you?" He was on full alert now. He reached down to draw the dirk from inside his sock.
"Relax sir. Allow me to introduce myself, I am the boat."
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The Doctor woke up with a start. His dreams of lazing about in a Skegness deck chair had drifted into a mild nightmare involving numerous corridors and a savage looking monster. Clearly it was time to stop napping. He slowly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. This wasn't right, not what he was expecting to see at all. No forests, just water for as far as he could see. And what else? There was an unmistakable tang in the air. Salt? He dipped a finger into the water and cautiously took a taste. Salt water! An ocean? Still looking down, his eyes wandered to the bottom of the rowing boat where both oars were laid, they were dry, it was some time since they had last touched water. Then finally the Doctor noticed Jamie. Jamie was asleep!
"Oh my goodness. We've drifted out to sea! Jamie, Victoria, wake up! We've got problems."
"Hello Doctor. You're awake at last then?"
"Yes Jamie, I'm awake. It's rather a pity that you weren't though isn't it? Look where we are, you've let us drift right out to sea." He gestured expansively around him. The boat wobbled dangerously.
"Doctor. Don't." Victoria was now awake too and very frightened. "You'll drown us all."
Jamie just grinned back at them both. "Don't worry. Boat is looking after us. Mind you, I didna think he'd take us this far."
"Boat?" The Doctor's face creased up in puzzlement. "You mean that this craft has some kind of automatic control." He looked around for some sign of electronics but there was nothing obvious. It appeared to be a very ordinary wooden rowing boat. There was no propulsion device either for that matter.
"Aye, it spoke to me. Just after you fell asleep. It said it's been programmed to take voice commands so I just asked it to take us somewhere where we can get something to eat."
"Here? Well I wish I'd brought my fishing rod with me! There not going to be anything much else out here is there?"
"Doctor." ventured Victoria. "Why don't you just tell the boat to take us back?"
The Doctor pulled himself back together with as much dignity as he could muster. "Yes, yes. Of course, you're right Victoria, Er… Boat? Please take us back to the marina."
"No."
"No?"
"No Doctor, I rather like it out here. It makes a lovely change, most people just row me along the river for a mile or so and then turn straight back. I never get to see anything different, this is the chance of a lifetime for me. I couldn't believe my luck when you all fell asleep."
"Lifetime? Oh my giddy aunt, you're totally sentient aren't you?"
"You bet I am! Hold on tight, we're all going to have so much fun together!"
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Three days later the Doctor unlocked the TARDIS doors and ushered his exhausted companions back inside. He walked across to the central console and rubbed his hands together enthusiastically. "Right then you two, I think we all need a nice little holiday after that!"
Only Jamie was still listening. Victoria had quickly headed to her room to clean herself up.
"Aye Doctor. Every time you take us on holiday we need a break to get over it." Jamie plucked the last few remaining ants from his hair . "And just look at the state of us!"
The Doctor glanced down at what was left of his trousers. Some very sharp claws had had a field day on them but at least his knee was no longer bleeding. Suddenly his mood became more serious. "Yes, I think I'd better follow Victoria's example and get changed."
He set of through the corridors of his ship. When he reached the door to Victoria's room he raised his hand to knock, paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, then called out her name.
"Yes Doctor, come in." Victoria had cleaned herself up and changed her clothes and was sat on the end of her bed reading.
"Victoria, I'm so sorry about all of that. I don't think that Boat did it on purpose though now. Do you? We only hired him for the day. Our time was up so he must have been recalled by his owner. He wouldn't have been able to resist returning to the marina, however sentient he was."
"No Doctor, I suppose not. But the way he just left us like that, on that awful little island. With those terrible creatures."
She shuddered at the memory of them. All of that fur. They'd looked so cute at first. She should never have picked that baby one up though, she knew that. Not without checking with the Doctor first. The infant's screams of distress as it had vomited down the front of her dress had brought a whole pack of the adult creatures swinging down from the trees. It had all happened so quickly. One moment she was cuddling the baby and the next she, Jamie and the Doctor where surrounded by dozens of the animals. Then all hell had broken lose in a frenzy of teeth and claws. On the Doctor's command to run they had dashed back to the beach where Boat should have been waiting for them. Should have been. But wasn't. It was a difficult choice to make, wait for the creatures to catch up with them or go into the water where who knew what perils might lurk. They chose the water.
After about half an hour of gibbering and growling at the edge of the sea the creatures had finally given up and scampered back into the heart of the island. The Doctor and his companions, totally exhausted from treading water for all that time, were then faced with the task of constructing some kind of raft for themselves. They managed to gather enough wood to do so without disturbing the creatures again and eventually they were able to set off.
Victoria knew that it had been more by good luck than good fortune that they had sighted the mainland within half a day. Finding their way back to the TARDIS from there had not been easy either though. All three of the travellers had been asleep for most of the outward journey with Boat so it was a long time before any of them recognised any landmarks. It had taken almost two days of trekking along the bank, living off foul tasting river water and dubious looking fruits to keep their strength up.
Still, at least it was all over now. Victoria looked at the Doctor and smiled. "We will land somewhere safe next won't we Doctor?"
"Oh yes, Victoria. I'm sure of it. We're all due a break aren't we." He uncrossed his fingers from behind his back and patted her fondly on the arm. "I promise."
Author's note: If you like or dislike this story then please leave me a review. I'd be really grateful for any comments.