CHAPTER 3

The plastic men were going to kill me. I knew that much.

What I didn't know was how I had gotten here, or where here even was. Who was I? Where was I? Where was the Doc-

The thought drifted away the minute I had thought it.

The plastic men weren't students, as I had originally thought. The plastic wasn't a costume, or a disguise at all, it seemed. And they weren't slowing down, just getting closer and closer...

I backed up, anything to get away from the creepy things and their hollow plastic eyes. As I backed up further and further, I felt my legs hit something solid; cool metal. The one nearest me raised its hand to strike and I shut my eyes tight...

... My wrist was grabbed by a large, warm, non-plastic hand. I turned just in time to see a man in a leather jacket drag me out of the way of the plastic man's crushing blow.

"Run" he said, a manic gleam shining in his eyes.

~0~

The dream left me sitting straight up in bed, sweat pouring down my face.I didn't know where I was. I clambered out of the bed with great difficulty- it was higher than the one I slept on at home. My eyes darted around the new setting, taking in what I could and trying to remember how I had gotten here.

The white walls of the circular room were lined with every type of book I could imagine, with dark oak wood trimming the bookshelves. Six slim columns reached up like branches from equal distances around the room to meet at the top of the glass domed ceiling. Outside, I could see the night sky, with more stars than I had ever seen in my life. I was frozen for a moment, mouth agape, staring at the sky. My socks sunk into white fluffy carpet, and I spotted my shoes by the door. Door! I raced towards it, pulling it open and smashing straight into the Doctor. A hot liquid splashed all over me and I heard a crash, and fell back onto the fluffy carpet.

Suddenly the events of what could have been the previous day (How long had I been asleep?) came rushing back to me. Work. Bad Wolf. The graffiti. UNIT. The beach. The Doctor. My head spun and I picked myself up off the floor where I had fallen after running into the Doctor. I groaned, clutching at my elbow, I had banged it against the doorframe trying to get out. The Doctor was picking himself up as well.

"What was that for?" he complained.

I blushed a bit. "Sorry. I got confused and couldn't remember where I was. Let me help-" I rushed over, noticing that he had dropped something, probably some sort of soup from the looks of it. Whatever it was, had gotten all over me as well.

"It's alright, I got it..." He leaned over and picked up the bowl, which was thankfully unshattered. "The TARDIS can clean the carpet later, it's not important. How are you feeling?"

I still felt bad. "I'm... better, I guess. What do you mean, the TARDIS will clean it up?"

He chuckled. "She's slightly sentient. Can do loads of stuff."

"This place is pretty big. I don't even remember seeing the hallway when I came in the first time."

"She's infinite. Anything could be in here, and it's always changing. That's half of the fun! Now, I had brought you some soup, but..." He stared down at the carpet. "How about we go get something from the kitchens instead?"

"I should probably get changed first," I said, motioning down at my soup-stained clothes. "Sorry to ask, but is there anything I could change into?"

He nodded, pointing to his left down the hall. "Three rights, a left at the bowling alley, and two more doors down is the wardrobe, last I checked. If you need anything, just ask the TARDIS, it'll feel weird to do, like talking to an empty room, but she can understand when you say things."

I nodded, briefly thanking him and running off down the hall.

~0~

He certainly wasn't wrong, but the room was not what I'd describe as a 'wardrobe'. It was massive, with at least three floors that I could see and clothes for every past time period I could think of and some unrecognisable ones I guessed were for the future.

In other words, it was the coolest place I had seen in my entire life.

I wandered towards the feminine clothes, admiring all of the gorgeous shimmering gowns and floral skirts that I could never pull off with my curveless masculine figure.

Sighing, I settled for a pair of dark wash skinny jeans that barely fit with a comfy red hoodie. I stepped over to the mirror after I was done changing and frowned. I had forgotten to take off my bra in my sleep and must have rolled over and flattened the tissue padding I usually used to give the illusion of breasts. I quickly turned away from the mirror, cutting off the incoming wave of body dysphoria at my reflection that looked so, so, so unlike me.

Back at home, I had been saving up to get surgery, and just stuffing bras with tissues and hoping for the best in the meantime. I hated it. Money was tight, and on a waitresses salary and no outside help or donations, it really wouldn't be happening anytime soon.

I briefly glanced up and wondered. The Doctor had said I could ask the TARDIS for anything I needed, right?

"Do you, uh, have a box of tissues or something?" I felt stupid asking, but there was a faint buzz in the back of my mind, and when I turned around, the shoes on a nearby table had been replaced with large foam pads, perfectly sized to fit in a bra. My jaw dropped. I fucking loved this place.

~0~

I arrived back at my room almost skipping, I felt more confident than I had in a long time. The faint buzz in my mind had stayed with me, and I assumed that it had something to do with the TARDIS's sentience, maybe it was telepathic? I grinned at the thought. Weird, but cool as hell. There was a note taped to my door with instructions leading to the kitchen.

I arrived there still smiling so hard I thought my face was going to fall off.

I rounded the corner into the kitchen, grinning like an idiot and throwing an overenthusiastic 'Hello' in the Doctor's general direction.

He looked mildly shocked, whether it was at my mood or outfit, I wasn't sure. I had changed out of the hoodie and instead wore a black tank top with major American city names in flowery block print.

"You seen happy," He commented, spooning out a portion of soup from off the stovetop. "It's chicken noodle, bye the way. Just like back on Earth."

"I love your ship." I announced. "Haven't had chicken noodle soup in, like, forever, thanks. Are we not on Earth anymore?"

"She seems to like you too. Uh, you might have noticed that there's a sort of buzzing, almost in the back of your mind, that's the TARDIS. She has a weak telepathic signal, she can use it to translate alien languages for you and help you find what you need. It's not invasive or anything, though, she can't read any of your thoughts unless they're directly towards her."

"That's cool. Anything else, specifically, that she can do?" I asked.

"Infinite, telepathic, bigger on the inside... what more could you want?" The Doctor smiled, and I knew he was joking.

"Not much, I guess."

We both sipped on our soup in silence for a moment, before I spoke up again. "I guess it's official that I'm coming with you on this now."

The Doctor considered what to say for a minute. "I'm sorry that there wasn't really a choice. It was either bring you in or let you stay there and choke on your own lungs."

I shrugged. "I probably would've come with you anyways. It's fine." I shook my head lightly as if to shake away the small pain that had started up in my temples. "So what's the first stop on our universe-saving adventure?"

The Doctor probably had said something, but whatever it was, I didn't hear, as the pain in my head had suddenly gone off the charts of anything I had ever felt before, and I passed out on the counter.

~0~

I was dreaming. Wasn't I? I was on a cloud, it seemed, all pink and fluffy. I didn't look off the edge, fearful of what I might find there. There was a girl a ways ahead of me, with a face so familiar that I could swear I knew her. Her blonde hair curled to her shoulder blades, and her clothing was tan and a bit torn up around the knees of her skirt, like something with huge claws had slashed right through.

"Do I know you?" I asked anxiously.

She smiled and her caramel eyes blazed golden. I blinked and it was gone. "You do. But I've made you forget."

I had to admit, I was a bit startled. "What? How could you make me forget?"

"Doesn't matter."

"No, it does! I know that I know you, but I can't put my finger on it! What's your name?"

"My name isn't what you need to know. You need to know about the Doctor. You're worried that he isn't trustworthy, that something bad will happen to you under his care."

I had no words, just gaped slightly.

"You're right. Something bad will happen-has happened-or is it happening?"

"Why am I here? Did I get drugged or something?"

"You're here because I brought you."

"And why is that?"

"Because you need to know to trust the Doctor."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he has been-will be-is my best friend, and only hope."

Images start to flood my mind, of a hospital and of a castle, and an ordinary suburban neighborhood. My head burns, and I crumple to the ground, more images pouring into my mind. The Doctor smiling over his shoulder. Pulling someone from harm's way. Sacrificing his safety for others. Being... Amazing. There's no other adequate word for it, really.

"You'll forget now. Everything except the trust. I can leave that," The girl said quietly. "I almost don't want you to go. The things you will go through, Adrian, I'm so sorry."

I frowned. "Don't call me that. I don't know how the hell you know about it, but my name is Sophia and I don't want to forget."

She smiled sadly. "Like I said, the trust will stay, but I'll be forgotten. Bye, Adrian."

I didn't get a chance to correct her.

~0~

I awoke slowly, the way I would on a lazy Sunday morning, all eyes fluttering and wishing I could just go back to sleep, then it hit me. What had just happened? I had been fine, then my headache had flared up, and... I must've passed out. My blurred eyes finally registered The Doctor gently shaking my shoulder, trying to get me to wake up fully. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, thousands of questions whirred past at lightning speed, but I forgot them. I looked up at the Doctor as if seeing him for the first time. I trusted him. I didn't know how or why, and whenever I tried to think about it it slipped away like a summer breeze.

"Hello," I said, still a bit dazed. "I seem to be doing this a lot today, falling asleep, nearly dying."

A little smirk flashed across his features for a moment. "Yeah, it's a bit unhealthy, really. What happened?"

"I dunno, I just... A headache or something, I forget."

He frowned at this. "Come on, we can head down to the infirmary, you might have a concussion or something. Can you stand up?"

I nodded, slowly rising and feeling a pain in the back of my head as I did so. "Headache's still there. Do you have some aspirin or something?"

He shook his head. "Not aspirin, no, I'm allergic. I can find something else for you, though."

We made it to the med room and he checked my head, declaring that I did not have a concussion, but should probably take it easy for a few hours. He gave me a small blue bottle with a slightly glowing blue syrup in in that he claimed would help with the pain and fix the bruise on my head faster.

I took it eagerly, feeling relieved as the headache dulled in a few moments.

"So, like I was saying before my headache so rudely interrupted, what's the first stop on our universe-saving adventure?"

"How do you feel about a bit of adventure?"

Okay, I would like to apologize. I tried to upload this all day yesterday, but I think there was something up with the wifi? anyways, I couldn't submit the document. Hopefully it will work today. About to sumbit it. #pray4sky. GODDAMMIT JAVA UPDATER NO.

Thanks for reading!

-Sky

Edit: HOLY SHIT IT UPLOADED GOD BLESS AMERICA