Chapter Six:

The rest of the morning was spent in a shroud of curiosity as Alex and Alexys did their best to uncover as much evidence as they possibly could without looking too suspicious. Alexys used lunch to search around the building and the faculty listings for any other "John Smith" variants while Alex probed Luke for some information. It all turned up empty.

After some thinking they broke down their situations into four questions they needed to answer in order to uncover the mystery of where they were and why. First: where was the Tenth Doctor and where were Rose, Clara, and River? Second: what were those trinkets they found on the ground when they first arrived to Greendale? Third: what had frightened the Doctor so much to cause him to use the Chameleon Arch? And fourth: what was Alex to wear for his date with Luke?

"I wish this was like Choices with like three outfits picked and a short description of their benefits," Alex groaned toward the sky.

Alexys seemed to jump from a pile of his clothes as she pulled out a patterned shirt and leather jacket, "We have no such luck but the description part might help! What do you hope to achieve with this outfit?"

"I don't know…have sex? Be emotionally and physically intimate with my partner?" Alex shrugged with desperation, "While also not rousing suspicion!"

Alexys continued to pull out articles of clothing from the pile as she nodded her head, "Mhm, mhm, mhm, ah-HA!"

"What?" Alex turned to her with confusion.

"Here I have crafted a classic Ambrose look. We have an interestingly patterned shirt, cool leather jacket, nice form fitting jeans, and a nice pair of shoes to round the whole thing out. Try it on!" Alexys grinned as she pushed the ensemble into his hold.

"I don't know…I don't know if I can pull it off," he answered honestly.

"Alex, you can pull anything off. Plus! You're supposed to be Ambrose. Would Ambrose say no to wearing…anything?" Alexys paused to consider the answer to her own question but shook her head, "Besides! There's enough of us implanted into this history that Luke is already head over heels for you. It would definitely rouse suspicion for you to suddenly show up dressed completely different. I mean…look at me. Do you see any tie-dye?"

He shook his head as he gazed over her outfit, "No."

"I know! It's killing me," she gripped his arm to express her true devastation, "But we must go on! Now try this on and meet me in my room!"

Alex chuckled, "Okay, will do."

It took only a matter of minutes before Alex was down to Alexys' room. She let out a pretend whistle that mostly consisted of humming as she saw him, "You look AMAZING! Luke isn't going to be able to take his hands off of you."

"That's definitely the hope but…should I be doing this? Should we be doing this? We should be getting to work and trying to solve this," Alex had the look in his eye he usually did when he was distressed by the amount of work needed to be done.

"Alex, the Doctor used the Chameleon Arch on us and himself! That means he needs us to blend in. If you find some weird stuff or see some weird stuff, by all means, act on it! But number one: you cannot draw attention to yourself. You need to remain casual and cool and YOU. Have fun with Luke tonight and I'll poke around and see what I find," Alexys smiled.

"I don't like that. I don't want you going out alone. Who knows what the Doctor saw and plus there could be the S—"

"Sontarans? I know, super scary. But have fun! I will call Nick and we will explore together and he'll just think it's a fun quirky date from yours truly," she grinned, pushing Alex toward the steps to leave.

Alex stopped, looking at her seriously, "Alexys, I don't want you getting hurt. Don't do anything reckless. Please be on guard."

The doorbell rang signaling Luke had arrived.

"Promise?"

Alexys gave a solid nod as she extended her hands for the handshake, "Promise."

They double tapped and then Alex was on his way.

Alexys waited until she heard the car drive off before pulling out the folded up flyer from her pocket. She had kept it stuffed in there all day, not daring to view it with anyone else around for fear of what chaos it could create. With trembling fingers she unfolded the flyer and let out a shaky breath.

"Blue Moon Questions Need Blue Moon Answers

Join Us at Blue Moon Tavern 8:30pm

Come Alone"

A quick glance at her phone showed that it was already 8:10pm. She knew Alex would be pissed if she went alone but as far as their promise went…she made a promise not to be reckless! Alexys already had a backup plan anyway. She had texted Nick to meet her at her house around 10 and if she wasn't there? She knew Nick would do anything to find her.

Alexys grabbed her coat and her small backpack that held her wallet and a trusty pepper spray then was on her way. She had looked up the directions and, like everything in Greendale, it was a short walk. There was part of her that condemned herself for being so stupid…but the flyer seemed to be aimed right at her! It was an explicit invitation for her given that her instagram handle had been _bluemoonprincess for over five years. It was no coincidence in a place that seemed to operate on coincidences. The message was clearly for her.

She got to the end of the driveway then paused to look back at the house,

She said a silent prayer that Alex would forgive her for stepping out without him.

The drive to Cerberus Books was quick with sweet tunes and casual conversation. Alex wasn't certain he could hide what was on his mind but also wasn't certain he could keep to the small talk. Luke made it easy by playing an arrangement of Alex's favorite songs. He expected to only hear the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina soundtrack but Luke played actual songs that Alex enjoyed—including NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, and Ben Platt. They even sang a few tunes together in a beautiful display of silliness and joy.

Once at the Book Store/Diner Luke took on a whole new persona. The silliness was replaced by something far sexier as he went through natural display of taking charge.

"Just give me a chance (give me a chance). I won't let you down (I won't let you down)."

They walked through the door and Luke gave a single nod to Dr. Cerberus who returned the nod and motioned toward the back. Alex couldn't help but get lost at the sight of the place that had all of his favorite elements—fantasy, nostalgia, and comfort food. He found pleasure noting that the bookstore also decorated for the holidays but made sure to include all the holidays of December.

"Just know that I want you (just know that I want you). Want you around (want you around)."

Luke took Alex's hand suddenly and placed a kiss against his fingers as he smirked, "Keep up, darlin', I don't want you fallin' behind."

"Cause I'm in the dark (cause I'm in the dark). Or up on the shelf (or up on the shelf). When I'm without you (when I'm without you). With anyone else (with anyone else)."

"Uhhh, the only way I'm falling behind is if it gives me a chance to see your behind," Alex grinned at the blush his answer produced in Luke's cheeks.

"When I ask you to dance…please give me a chance."

He turned around then and tugged Alex toward the backroom that separated them from the rest of the patrons. All he could see were rows of bookshelves but suddenly Dr. Cerberus poked his head out with a joyful motion, "Around here, Mr. Chalfant. Everything is set to your liking, I hope."

They turned the corner he indicated and Alex gasped with joy.

It was a rounded booth surrounded by bookshelves with all of Alex's favorite genres. From the bookshelves hung fairy lights that casted a pleasant glow. On the table was a row of candles lit with rose petals decorating the surface that made the whole affair feel more intimate. Waiting for them was already two glasses of wine and a plate of mozzarella sticks. It was all so beautiful Alex wiped at his eyes and held in a genuine cry.

Luke looked to Dr. Cerberus with a grin, "It's perfect. That was exactly the reaction I was hoping for. After you, Alexander."

Alex moved in on one side, scooting all the way to the middle to meet Luke where we settled in.

The dapper man handed Alex his wine and raised his in a toast, "L'chayim!"

"L'chayim," Alex repeated, tapping his glass against the other man's. He took a sip of the wine with a joy that he had not felt in years. He couldn't help but to ask, "What is all of this about?"

Luke looked at him, genuinely looked at him with a sigh. Gone was the sexiness but its replacement was something that made Alex far weaker—compassion. He leaned in slightly closer, fingers touching at Alex's hand, "I noticed how stressed you've been. School's been hard and I know how much you want to make your parents proud. I also know they aren't giving you the support you deserve and it's making things harder on you. I don't like seeing you this way. I don't like seeing you so…lost. I want to be an anchor for you. I want to protect you, keep you safe. I want to be here to support you and I know you have your cousin, Alexys, but I want to be a different kind of support. She's there to remind you that you're strong enough to keep going. I want to be here to remind you that it's okay to take a break. This is me, helping you take a break."

Alex could not control the soft tears spilling out of his eyes. His heart felt full and though it was mostly joy there was sadness quickly changing the tides. His brilliant mind could not let him forget the Chameleon Arch and yet…and yet…He looked into Luke's eyes so sweet and blue as his hand caressed Alex's cheeks to wipe away tears. He wished to himself, willed to himself, begged to himself: please let this be real, please let this be real, please let this be real.

"Is that okay?" Luke asked, his hand slipping behind Alex's head in a supportive gesture.

Alex wiped at his own face with one of the napkins as he nodded, "Yeah, I…don't really know how to take a break."

"Yeah," Luke chuckled, "I noticed. This'll be what? Your fourth degree? You're nonstop. It's something I admire about you. Your drive, your thirst for knowledge, it inspires me."

Again Alex repeated the mantra in his brain: please let this be real.

"But come on, let's order. The world is our oyster but I wouldn't recommend the oysters here," Luke shuddered, "They travel very far."

On the other side of town Alexys entered the Blue Moon Tavern, immediately met with the smell of wet dog. She stepped to the side to take a look around and was not surprised to see it was a typical dive. A juke box across the way crooned Sultans of Swing while lost souls danced drunken steps with drunken partners. Alexys was surprised by how tipsy the crowd already seemed before nine but she made no judgments. The people there were looking to lose something while she was looking to find.

Patrons entered behind her and so she moved out of the way by taking an empty seat at the bar. The man behind the bar gave a gruff hello before asking, "Can I see your I.D.?"

"Oh, right," Alexys pulled her bag off her shoulders and removed her wallet to show him.

A different bartender came up to relieve the man, "What'll it be, dear?"

It was then that she realized the bartender was none other than Dorian Gray. He looked at her impatiently and so she quickly answered, "Water with lime?"

"Right up."

Alexys turned on the stool to look at the room again. She wasn't sure what she was looking for but she assumed anything strange or out of the ordinary was the right move. A bang made her jump but when she looked it was just the Mr. Gray dropping off her drink before moving to somewhere else.

Before he got too far away she called out to him, "Hey, wait!"

He rolled his eyes then returned, "I am sorry, dear, but water with lime does not tip as well as a triple bourbon so I beg of you…make this quick?"

"Yes, right," she stammered a moment before asking, "Have you noticed anything strange or weird happening tonight?"

A delightful smirk pulled on his features as he seemed to look at her truly for the first time, "Oh dear, if you are searching for strange or weird you have certainly come to the right place. Every person here holds their share of dark, twisted secrets that will be sure to leave you questioning the very world around you. However…if you look at the corner booth you'll see an individual that has just arrived this very evening."

Alexys followed his gaze as the opening riff of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida began to play. Her eyes followed the divide of swaying bodies to a man sitting alone at a table with a tall glass of water at his left while his right index finger formed lazy circles on the table. It wasn't until her eyes met his that she gasped.

"Calls himself Father Blackwood. I asked him what religion but he simply pressed a finger to his lips and gave me a good shhhh. He told me if I had any more questions to attend service tomorrow evening at the old church by the lake."

She turned her head, "Hasn't it been abandoned for years?"

He shrugged, "I guess the Church of Shush is taking over. Oh…look at that. It seems he's got his eye on you. He seems to be a silent recruiter but as I said. The triple bourbon is calling."

Alexys felt her heart beating so hard inside of her chest she was sure it was louder than the juke box. The power of the man's eyes seemed to beckon her forward and, almost without her control, she stood from the stool until another body bumped into her. The spell broken. She sat back and looked up as a man apologized profusely.

"It's fine, it's fi—"

"Smellpan?"

"Spellma…" Alexys' eyes lifted up to meet the eyes of the man that had bumped into her. It was none other than Johnny Cash, Professor Smythe, the Ninth Doctor.

At Cerberus Alex and Luke continued their evening with laughter and secrets. Two bottles of wine sat at the table while their plates of food sat enjoyed but not completed. Luke looked off beyond Alex in disbelief as he rested his elbow on the top of the booth, propping his head up.

"You know, Spellman, I just…you get the deepest things out of me. I set this night out to be supportive to you and here I am telling you how I pissed the bed until I was eleven," he finished off the rest of his wine as if to punctuate his sentence.

Alex laughed at his reaction, shaking his head. His face had already turned the signature red it got whenever he drank but Luke's insistence that it was adorable and the many glasses of wine he drank helped him to forget it, "Hey, I had my own issues growing up. I like knowing about you though. I want to hear anything you'll tell me."

"What about the fact that you're the only person I can let my guard down with?" he began to take on a serious tone.

"What about Nick?" Alex had memories of them being close.

"He's my friend, don't get me wrong, but we don't exactly sing in the car together," he refilled Alex's glass of wine and grabbed the water left on the table for himself, "You let me…be me. I don't know how to explain it. I'm around you and I feel…disarmed. Like I can be vulnerable around you. It's not just the singing either. It's the way you look at me. No one…no one looks at me like you do."

Somewhere in the middle of the evening Alex decided even if this wasn't real it was the reality he chose. He wanted to be Alexander Spellman dating Luke Chalfant and attending Greendale Community College. He reached his hand over to hold onto Luke's as if to remind himself that his solid fingers meant actuality.

"You make me feel strong and weak at the same time," Luke let go of Alex's hand so that he could hold the back of his head in a comforting manner, "I don't know what I'd do if something bad happened to you. I know we've been together for a little while now but it feels like we're meeting each other for the first time. I feel like I'm truly meeting the real you. I don't want what we have to end, Alex. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," Alex was firm in his promise, "I'm right here with you. I don't want to lose any of this either. You mean…so much to me. You make me feel so safe, and appreciated, and taken care of. Especially at a point in my life when I feel like the floor is being ripped out from under me."

Luke stroked Alex's neck with his thumb, a deep and haunting expression on his features, "Everything does seem to be changing. I feel like everything I was secure about is slipping out between my fingers. I guess that's another motivation for this dinner tonight. I want to make sure we're on the same page. I want to make sure you still feel the same way about me."

"Oh…" Alex blushed brightly as he looked at the man, "I definitely do. Especially after hearing you hit that high note in Temporary Love? Oh, I am in it for the long haul."

Luke laughed as he leaned in for a kiss. Alex jumped closer to complete the moment, moving his hand to tenderly touch Luke's delicious jawline. There was something about the connection, about the touch, about the intimacy that brought shivers throughout Alex as nothing ever had before. He had felt it the night before when they had "done it", as Alexys liked to say, but in the booth at the back of Cerberus was much different. There were brief, flittering memories of lovers from the past and even the Doctor and the terror on his face as they arrived to Greendale but Luke's touch made him feel completely safe and he did not want it to end.

Luke pulled away then, as if he could hear Alex's thoughts, and sighed as he looked deep into Alex's eyes, "Alex…"

He felt his heart drop.

"I have something for you."

"Oh…that was not what I thought you were going to say," Alex laughed it off but there was still a sensation of worry taking him over.

Luke smiled, pulling back in the booth so that he could reach for something in his pocket. Alex took the time to take another bite of his grilled cheese and to drink the freshly poured wine. Luke seemed to wrestle with something but suddenly it was free and he smiled, "Aha, here."

"What is it?" Alex asked before opening his hand to receive it.

"It's a pocket knife. It's been in my family for generatio— no, it doesn't open how you'd think. Tradition says that when you are in the greatest danger it'll open and know exactly what to do. Otherwise it won't work," Luke smiled.

Alex was amazed. The design of the pocket knife was unlike anything he had seen. From what he could tell it seemed to be framed in gold Koftgari and inlaid with some sort of ivory or bone. It was designed with blue and white stripes that made it look like an ocean and at the edges of the knife it had detailed designs of stars and odd constellations Alex had never seen before.

He shook his head as he looked to the blue eyed man, "Luke, I don't know what to say. This is beautiful. I…I don't know if I can accept this."

"Please," his eyes seemed to gleam and looking into them Alex realized the blue of the pocket knife watched the blue of his eyes, "I need to know that you're safe and I trust this to do the job. Just hold onto it for a little while. If I need it…I'll ask for it back."

"Okay," Alex nodded, kissing him once again before resting his head against his shoulder, "This has been one of the best evenings I've had in my entire life."

Luke wrapped his arm around Alex's shoulders and held him tight, "I'm glad."

"Hello! Your server has left for the evening so I'll be takin' over from here on. Would you like any dessert?"

"Can we just get this wrapped up, I think we're gonna head out," Luke smiled.

"Right, right. Are you sure you don't want anything else…"

The blonde looked to Alex who was suddenly frozen in Luke's hold as he gazed at the woman he knew to be Rose Tyler and squeaked out a hard to believe, "I'm fine."

At the Blue Moon Tavern Alexys sat opposite of the Ninth Doctor with her water before her and two empty glasses of some British drink before him. The two laughed over the din of the bar, enjoying each other's company. Alexys shook her head as she motioned toward the flyer she had pulled from her pocket long ago, "I cannot believe this is supposed to be a flyer for an Astronomy Club."

"I don't know. The students in the group know I wanted to entice new members with its mystery and location. Who knows, it might've worked if you had kept it up!"

Alexys smirked as she leaned slightly over the table, "And risk losing this one on one time? I don't think so."

A deep blush set in the man's features that she very much enjoyed. Father Blackwood had left who knew how long ago but Alexys did not care. She had the Doctor in her hands for the first time in what felt like centuries. She did not want to let him go.

"Oh, sorry," she grinned as she sat up straighter, "Am I being inappropriate again?"

The man shook his head as he tried to keep a straight face, "Very, but I'll allow it. You are the only person to show up this evening. I will say I'm disappointed by the other members. They typically never miss a meeting. I even have a cool 'members only' gift I was planning on giving out."

"Ohhh! What is it? I'm totally a member now," she beamed happily.

"I don't know…so far you've only been to one meeting," he looked her over with playful deliberation.

"Oh please, Professor, I'll do anything."

Once again his face went bright and he motioned toward one of the waiters, "I'll have another drink, please!"

Alexys laughed, "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Oh, I don't…uh…I don't do this…honestly," all pretense of joking or flirting or teasing was gone.

"Get drinks with students?" she questioned.

"Yeah," he chuckled nervously before shaking his head and looking to her, "No…I. The flirting…I don't. I keep very professional boundaries and yet…"

"Do you want me to stop?" guilt washed over Alexys as she saw how much he fidgeted in his seat. She forgot that the Chameleon Arch changed the Doctor into someone completely different. She did not want to upset anyone with her forwardness.

"That's the thing there," he smiled to the waiter as he dropped the drink. He finished it off in one gulp before locking eyes with Alexys, "I don't think I do."

Alexys couldn't help but to grin at that point, "Then I won't."

He took in a shaky breath as he drifted his fingers across the table to meet her right hand that held the ring that he had put on her left, "You've got a boyfriend, don't you?"

"I…" her eyes grew wide as suddenly the whole world around her took shape again. She did have a boyfriend who she also liked very much named Nicholas Scratch who she had told to meet her at her house. But there was the Doctor that she had married at the Sapphire Waterfall! She looked down with a completely red face as she looked pulled her hands back, "I don't know what's come over me…I guess I got caught up in the moment. I just…"

She paused in mid-sentence as she looked to him. For a moment there was something in his eye that reminded her of the Doctor but in an instant it was gone. In its place was a man suddenly growing sadder by each word she did and did not say.

Alexys sighed as she looked into his blue eyes, "I guess I just feel this weird connection with you. I forget where we are and most of all, I forget who I am. I came here looking for answers and now…I'm just even more confused. I'm sorry to put you through all this. It was really inappropriate of me."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. This has been the best night I've had in…oh, centuries," he smiled before pulling something out of his bag, "Before I forget. This is the new members gift."

Alexys' eyes widened in amazement, "It's beautiful!"

"You like?"

"I love!"

What the Professor held in his hand was a necklace with a raw natural sapphire in the shape of a crescent moon, rough and unsmoothed to preserve natural properties. She took it politely from his hands and fastened it around her neck as he smiled, "I thought it appropriate since we are the Blue Moon Astronomy Club."

"Everyone is going to love it," she said the words but doubted anyone would enjoy it as much as she did.

"I surely hope so. I guess that concludes our evening?" he looked almost disappointed.

"Well…why don't we end the night with a dance?"

A blush crept into his face once again, "A dance? Oh…I don't know. I'm not much of a dancer."

"But I am!" she grinned as she stood from the booth and extended her hand, "Follow me!"

He looked to her hand then looked to her eyes and nodded, "Alright, can't hurt."

She lead him to the center of the makeshift dance floor just as the song changed. A slow, tender melody took over which prompted Alexys to place her hand as high up on his shoulder as she could while he took her other hand and placed his fingers high on her waist. Slowly they began to move and Alexys couldn't help but close her eyes and imagine this to be the reception she never got to the wedding.

"Strangers in the night, exchanging glances wond'ring in the night. What were the chances. We'd be sharing love before the night was through?"

Perhaps it was the lyrics but something in the man seemed to soften and his hand moved lower to her hip while the other gripped her fingers tenderly. She risked a glance up at him only to see his eyes shut too, sinking into the moment. Her face grew warm as she watched him and remembered how she had seen that look in many positions before.

"Something in your eyes was so inviting. Something in your smile was so exciting. Something in my heart told me I must have you."

His arm moved to tighten around her, bringing her body closer, as she leaned her face against his chest and listened for that familiar double heartbeat.

"Strangers in the night, two lonely people we were strangers in the night."

Before she knew what was happening he took her hand and twirled her away then back to him so that her back was to his chest and he was holding her in his arms as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Up to the moment when we said our first hello."

He spun her out once again so they were facing each other, this time both his hands on her hips and holding her closer while both her arms wrapped around his neck. Their noses just moments from touching as they locked eyes.

"Little did we know. Love was just a glance away a warm embracing dance away."

The ringing of Alexys' phone caused her to jump and pull away. She looked and saw it was Nick but more importantly saw the time as 10:05 pm. She shook her head as she looked to the Professor, "I am so sorry but I have to go."

"Of course," a heavy sigh left him as he suddenly turned back into the professional, "I will see you tomorrow at Greendale."

She nodded in return, "I will see you then."

She turned to leave but stopped.

"Oh, by the way…"

He paused to look at her, longing caught in his eyes, "Yes?"

Alexys couldn't help but to smirk, "You're a fantastic dancer."

"Well, I had a fantastic partner."

It was her turn to blush. She said her goodbye then rushed to the door. On her way she paused, noticing that one of the patrons was using their right index finger to draw lazy circles just as Father Blackwood had. The ringing of her phone caught her attention and she dismissed the idea all together.

She had Nick waiting for her but also…she had to talk to Alex!