They found themselves once again in the family room. It was only now that the Doctor noticed a fruit bowl with bananas in it. He picked one and was about to peel it when:
"What do you think you're doing?" asked Lauren accusingly.
"I like bananas. Bananas are good," replied the Doctor.
"Yeah, they're also $1.50 each," said Lauren, putting the banana back. The Doctor looked disappointed as he sat down. Lauren sat opposite him.
"How are you coping?" she asked.
"This whole experience is just … surreal," said the Doctor. "Even for me." Lauren nodded. "I just can't believe that my whole life was written for people's entertainment. Rose is gone just because someone thought it was a good idea."
"Actually, it's because Billie Piper quit," said Lauren. "She'll never do any better. And now it's gonna be bloody Martha J …" Lauren stopped, before revealing too much. "But anyway, you've brought up an interesting point. You remember the Time War, right?"
"Of course," said the Doctor, lowering his head a little. "Who could forget?"
"But the Time War was never written about," said Lauren. "So maybe you aren't just a puppet. Maybe the writers are the puppets."
"How do you mean?" asked the Doctor.
"Maybe you are in complete control of your life in your own world," said Lauren. "And in this world, your world is fiction. Maybe people are writing about some of your actual experiences and thinking it's just an idea in their head, but you really did experience it."
"I doubt it," said the Doctor.
"But how is it that you're here now? The BBC couldn't have written you into our world," said Lauren. The Doctor looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eye.
"Then again, maybe it's the other way around," continued Lauren, bringing the mood down. "Maybe no one is in control. Maybe someone else in control. Have you ever read Sophie's World?"
"That's that book about that girl and the philosopher, right?" said the Doctor.
"Yeah," said Lauren. "And they realise their life is a book. At first I thought this was just something to give us a break from all the philosophy mumbo jumbo, but then I realised that's it's making us question the universe and our existence. How were we created? Why were we created? Is her and the philosopher coming out into the real world like what you've done now?"
"Wow," said the Doctor. "Those are some good questions. My head is spinning." Lauren then looked at her watch.
"The TARDIS should be about ready by now," she said, poking her head around the corner. She could se the fully materialised TARDIS in her bedroom.
"I guess you can go now," she said.
"Oh," said the Doctor. "I'd been enjoying myself. Now I've gotta go back."
"Yeah, and before my dad and brother get home from the driving range," said Lauren, taking the Doctor back to her room.
"I don't suppose you'd like to come with me?" the Doctor asked.
"As much as I like your adventures, I prefer to watch," said Lauren. "And collect. And write."
"Okay," said the Doctor, stepping inside the TARDIS. "Bye then."
"Bye," said Lauren. "And just for the record, there are about a million stories where you get back together with Rose." The Doctor smiled. He then closed the door and started up the TARDIS engines. He didn't know how he was going to get back to his own universe, but it was in fact incredibly easy. He just set the ship in reverse.
Lauren sat down on her bed. She knew there was no way that had really happened. She knew she was in a story now, and she had a fairly good idea of who the author was too. She stared up at the ceiling.
"If you're who I think you are, give me something we both want," she said. Instantly, Andrew Hansen appeared at her side.
"Hello again," she said to him.
"Oh, hi," said Andrew. "Did I mention last time we met that I love you?" Lauren grinned. Being in a story written by yourself had its advantages.
The End
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I was tossing up between Andrew Hansen and David Tennant, the two crushes in my life. Screw my former tennis captain, I want someone who's been on the telly!
If you're reading this Scott, forget what I said about screwing you. Wanna go out sometime?