Chapter Two.
"What?!" cried the Doctor. "What do you mean, parallel universe? How did I get through to here?!"
"You tell me," the man answered with a shrug. "Now, come with me."
"I don't go with anyone until I know who they are and why they want me," answered the Doctor. The man glared at him.
"I work for Torchwood," he answered. "And we need your help with something very important."
"What is it?" the Doctor asked curiously.
"I'm not authorised to tell you," the man said as he turned and walked quickly towards the door.
"Wait, what about my TARDIS?" asked the Doctor. The man rolled his eyes.
"It will stay here until you have helped us with what we need, now hurry." The Doctor took one last look at his TARDIS, then followed the man out of the door.
The Doctor followed the man into what appeared to be an elevator, but there was a screen inside and what looked like the keyboard from a computer attached to the wall. The man pressed a few buttons and the lift began to shake. The Doctor held onto a rail on the side of the wall, while the man stood there calmly, obviously used to this form of transport.
"Sorry," the Doctor asked. "But can I ask what your name is?" The man looked him up and down before answering.
"Jacque," the man answered quietly. "And you, Doctor? You are just known as the Doctor?"
"Yes," the Doctor replied, nodding slightly. "So where are we going then? Torchwood?"
"Indeed," Jacque answered with a wry smile. "And here we are."
The lift was now still, and the door slid open to reveal an office full of people sitting at desks, typing on computers. Jacque stepped out of the lift and the Doctor followed him down a hallway. None of the people even glanced at them as they walked quickly towards a staircase. Jacque jogged up the stairs and the Doctor hurried along behind him, not knowing what to expect.
Finally Jacque stopped outside a large white door and knocked three times before entering. The Doctor followed him in and saw several people standing in white lab jackets around an old wooden wardrobe.
"Any progress?" Jacque asked the man nearest to them. The man pushed his glasses up his nose before shaking his head.
"Same as when you left," he answered. Jacque nodded.
"So, that's the Doctor then, is it?" asked a red-headed girl from the other side of the wardrobe. She was holding a clipboard and staring at the Doctor intently. She only looked about seventeen years old, quite young to be working at a place like Torchwood, the Doctor thought.
"That's me alright," answered the Doctor with a half-hearted smile. The girl smiled back broadly.
"Good to meet you at last Doctor. We've heard a lot about you."
"Enough chit-chat," interrupted Jacque. "You have a job to do Doctor."
"And what is that job, can I ask?" ventured the Doctor. The man with the glasses laughed.
"It's to do with this here contraption," the man said, motioning towards the wardrobe. "It just appeared one day in the middle of London Bridge, causing quite a ruckus for the cars!" The man chuckled to himself, as though it was the most amusing thing that had ever happened.
"We believe it is something alien," Jacque continued. "But we can't figure out what it is. We were hoping you could help us Doctor." The Doctor sighed heavily.
"You know, this isn't exactly how I pictured spending my Christmas," he muttered grumpily as he wandered over to the wardrobe, running his hand softly across the rough wood. He yelped when a splinter lodged into his finger, and he cursed under his breath.
The man with the glasses chuckled again which made the Doctor feel highly frustrated. He tried to open the doors to the wardrobe but they stayed put.
"We've tried everything to get those doors open Doctor," piped up the red-headed girl. "That's why we had to get you, it seems almost impossible that they'll open!"
"I see," murmured the Doctor. "What's your name?"
"Gemma," the girl answered. She was smiling shyly at the Doctor and he suddenly felt a bit self conscious.
"Um, right," he said as he ran a hand through his hair quickly. "Well, Gemma, can you possibly get me a glass of water?" She nodded and ran out the door. The Doctor sighed in relief, before turning back to the wardrobe. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned the wardrobe. He froze in shock.
"What the..." he started whilst letting his hand drop to his side. "But that's impossible!" he cried.
"What?" asked Jacque. "What is it?" The Doctor shook his head slowly and stepped back. Then he spun around and ran straight into Gemma. The glass of water she was holding spilt down the front of the Doctor's pin-striped suit.
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" Gemma yelped. She sat the now empty glass down on the floor then pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to the Doctor. He couldn't help but smile as he attempted to dry the front of his suit; the poor girl looked so upset.
"It doesn't matter," the Doctor said to her as he handed back the handkerchief. "That was my fault, I should be more careful." Gemma smiled gratefully at him, and the Doctor momentarily forgot what he had just discovered. But then the man with the glasses spoke up.
"Doctor?" he asked. "What have you worked out?" The Doctor turned back to the man and took a deep breath.
"It's a TARDIS," the Doctor said.