Hey guys. Hmmmmmm. This story seems to be taking its time to where its going, but what the heck, I'm enjoying writting this. By the way, I should note that I barely ever read over my work and if this is a little hazy and confusing, blame the two glasses of wine I had while writing this.
"This is where I must leave you," Gabrielle said when entering Versailles. The Doctor looked about and realised how much he missed this place. He had some good times here in his past incarnations and he would not let a murder get in his way of enjoying his experiences here.
"Where will you be going?" The Doctor asked as Gabrielle let go of the Doctor's arm. As much as she enjoyed the Doctor's company and his knowledge of the future, she was tired and wished to go to bed after an eventful day such as this.
"Me? I am off to bed. It has been a long day and I am tired. I am sure I shall see you in the morning," Gabrielle said and looked about the room. She noticed Jack leaving his seat and the girl the Doctor had arrived with was sitting on her own in the corner. "Good night." Gabrielle said and made off for her room. The Doctor watched her go and thought about the conversation they had. It is sad when a friendship is broken up. He thought about a certain experience he had witnessed before when a friendship was broken up because of something so simple. The memory was vivid in his mind at the moment, as he remembered comforting the boy when he was there. Obviously the boy would not remember him now, as he had comforted the boy in one of his previous incarnations, but he remembered the situation.
The boy was gay. He had told his best friends that he was gay and they accepted it and became even closer after that point. The Doctor had no prejudices against homosexuality as he did not consider it to be a sin as some conservative Christians considered it. The Doctor understood how difficult it was at the time to come out, and how some people could be funny about man on man action, but nonetheless he comforted the boy at his time of need. He almost invited him to travel with him in the TARDIS but thought it was inappropriate as he had to confront his fears, not run away from them by running off with an alien through time and space. He comforted the boy when he needed comfort the most. He had come out to his family and they had kicked him out of their home and their lives. They wanted nothing more to do with a homosexual and removed every evidence that they had a relative who preferred to sleep with men than with women. The society at the time was that being different meant being excluded from everything. The Doctor felt proud that humans overcame that problem in time and felt that they had grown up. Gone was the days when homophobes and racists made people feel afraid. He knew this for a fact that if Jack could sleep with every man/woman/animal/plant/living thing going, then the human race must have accepted homosexuality. Nonetheless, this boy was on his own and he had told some of his other mates as well. He had told the Doctor that two of his mates had accepted him, and that he will always respect them for that, but all his other mates had turned against him, calling him queer and spitting at him and kicking him in the street. The boy's life was a disaster and he was willing to give it all up to ease the pain.
The Doctor remembered the use of persuasion he had given to the boy.:-
"It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks. If they can't accept you for what you are, then they should never be your friends. You still have friends. Don't give up your life just because of some jerks giving you a hard time. Life will get better. Trust me."
The Doctor remembered the response. He was travelling on his own at the time, as Ace had finally decided to leave him.
"How do you know? Can you see into the future?"
"I have seen more things than you can imagine. I would invite you to join me but you need to confront your fears. If we meet in the future, I hope that life will treat you better, and maybe we could meet up for a drink." The Doctor said and decided to leave. He had no idea what had happened to the boy. He was no more than a teenager, but he couldn't quite place the name of the boy.
Rose had gotten up out of her seat and made her away towards the last of the people in the hall. One of them looked extremely upset. The Doctor thought this must be the fiancée of the late Louis Theréson.
The Doctor was about to intercept Rose when he noticed a woman had entered the hall. It was the woman who he was in league with the other two. Their eyes met and the Doctor knew she was looking for him in particular.
She must have spoken to the Jack wannabe, The Doctor thought. God knows what Rose had told him.
The woman made her way across the hall towards the Doctor with an angry look on her face.
Oh boy, the Doctor thought.
"Who are you really?" She said and the Doctor noted the redness across her face.
"I told you already. Marie, right?" The Doctor said trying to remember what Gabrielle had said.
"Listen. No psychic paper can fool me. You have been speaking to Gabrielle, haven't you?" Marie said and she continued to look cross.
"What's it to you?" The Doctor said, his patience wearing thin.
"I don't know who you are but you cannot interfere!" Marie said but the Doctor had enough.
"Not interfere? Your presence here is interfering with the course of history! You obviously did not come back just to study this period of history. The three of you have another motive in mind. Don't talk to me about interfering as I am an expert in that department. By the way, how could you accuse of me of interfering when you try having it off with a man ready to be wed?" The Doctor ranted and noticed Marie had backed down.
"What did Gabrielle say to you?" Marie said, not willing to let go of the conversation.
"Nothing much but I do have a brain you know. Why were you having an affair with the man?" The Doctor said.
"Because I wanted to okay? I did not intend on him being murdered." Marie said and the Doctor was not convinced.
"For someone who has just lost their love, you seem pretty stable for it. In fact, you don't look upset at all." The Doctor said. He was deliberately trying to wind her up to try and get the answers he wanted. Of course, he could wait for Rose but he had to do something in the mean time.
"How dare you? You're accusing me of murdering him aren't you!" Marie said, loud enough so some people stopped taking and looked at her.
"Not entirely but you are a prime suspect. In fact, your little trio are prime suspects." The Doctor said, triumphantly.
"What about you and your little blonde bombshell?" Marie said and knew this was the wrong thing to say.
"Leave Rose out of this. We had nothing to do with the murder as arrived afterwards." The Doctor said and now Marie had a look of triumphant on her face.
"So. You did lie to me. That box of yours is a time travelling machine? Why is it stuck as a police box?" Marie said, trying to get the conversation away from her.
"It's a disguise." The Doctor said, angry at letting his guard down.
"A disguise? Maybe in London 1960 but in Paris 1789 I think not?" Marie said.
" Have you noticed anyone taking an interest in it?" The Doctor said. He noticed Marie was thinking that no-one had taken a serious interest in it bar herself and Charlie.
"Good point, but why a police box?" Marie said, considering herself on safer ground.
"It got stuck like that. I've tried fixing it but came out disastrous. It did give Peri the giggles though when it turned into a large organ in the middle of London." The Doctor said and decided to bring the conversation back towards Marie.
"Are you going to tell me what you are doing here?" The Doctor asked and knew he would not get the answers he needed.
"Not just yet. Who do you think murdered Louis?" Marie asked.
"Me? I have no idea. I'll speak with Rose later and see what she has found out. For the mean time why don't you tell me why your friend is impersonating Jack Harkness?" The Doctor asked. He liked where this conversation was going.
"None of your business. You just keep going on about Louis." Marie said and gave a little smile. She liked the Doctor but not enough to tell him everything. She was getting tired now and decided it was time to go to bed.
"I am off to bed. I shall see you in the morning." Marie said and left the hall. The Doctor stood on his own for a moment and went to get some of the food that was left behind from the party.
Oh my God what is that, the Doctor thought and picked up this strange jelly like food in front of him. It didn't smell nice either and the Doctor thought it would be safer to leave that alone. He helped himself to some fruit which was left behind and decided to join Rose who was talking to a woman at the other end of the room. He noticed that the woman she was originally talking with had left.
However he was interrupted when the second event of the evening happened.
Some guards entered the hall and surrounded every entrance and exit.
Someone had tried to kill the King and Queen but failed. However the list of suspects increased with the Doctor.
He narrowed it down to four individuals.
Jeanne D'Artois. Marie Orléans. Jack wannabe. Gabrielle.