Katie ran into the Doctor, who was already on his way to talk with her. Instantly, they both knew the other one had realized the discrepancy.
"How?" The Doctor asked.
"You expect me to know?"
"Yeah! You are the one lecturing me about history, and you are the American looking for him here!"
"I was looking for him here, only because he serves as a messenger at times, so I didn't think anything of it when I saw him. The permanence just didn't click until now!"
"Oh, young foolish Americans!"
"Ancient dull aliens! Whatever, we can argue history later."
"Right, the problem is how to get him there on time."
"That's easy enough Doctor. You have room."
"I am not taking him on the TARDIS."
"Why ever not? Even if you stick with local time, he'll still be able to get the news, make his meeting, take a nap, see the lanterns, ride a horse and spread the word! They hear about the 19th tonight; they might have already. He just has to be there when it all starts."
"Fine then. You stay here-"
"Ho, no. Nothing doing pal! I am going with you! There are still people out there who are trying to stop this from happening, and you are going to need help."
"That's the point Kathryn! You stay here, this is where that shot is fired and where the line you talked about is drawn. You need to be on this end."
"Like hell I do! Somewhere in Boston there's an idiot rejoicing that Paul's store down here was blown up and that the Reveres are out of the way for good. He's going to be mad as a wet hornet when he finds out it was the wrong building and that Paul is up and moving, ready to spread the news! You need someone watching your back, and history needs another person making sure everything works out the right way, and I'll be damned if I let anything stop me!"
The Doctor blinked in shock. He hadn't heard Katie swear before, and knew if she was mad enough to do so, then he'd be safer stepping aside.
"Fine."
She nodded once, then turned sharply to Paul and Rachel, who were staring at the Doctor and Katie.
"Pardon my language. Mr. Revere, how involved have you been with Adams, Hancock and the rest? No, stupid question, they're both here. Augh! Okay, are you still in touch with the message system around here? Are you still a courier?"
"Yes, of course."
"Good, that's important. Now, get your hat and coat; we're taking you to Boston tonight. You have an important job to do, and it's going to get done even if I get killed sending you off. Don't worry, you'll be back here in two days, though I strongly suggest that after this, you move back to Boston."
"What on earth are you two speaking of?"
Katie groaned. "Oi vey. Look, Revere, this is going to sound horribly complicated, and incredibly weird, but these next two days are going to be the most important ones of your life if you follow through. The colonies have known for a while that the Brits are heading for Concord to shift the supplies. That's why they got spread out through several towns. Now, you also know that they're still coming. You need to get to Boston, either wait for your friends there to summon you or get information, take a nap, then when Dr. Joseph Warren calls for you tomorrow, do whatever he says. Sounds crazy, but you have to do this."
Revere looked skeptically at Katie and the Doctor. "Why do I need to perform this task?"
Katie glanced over at the Doctor. She knew how much like a lunatic she would sound, but she couldn't tell Paul Revere the real reason, that all he would do would be to return to Lexington. So, she would do one of the things she did best: use a dash of knowledge and a lot of pretty words.
"Oh, pish-posh Paul - kinda like the sound of that, pish-posh Paul - you're a freemason, you have your own ideas about how it works."
Rachel gasped and Revere's eyes widen just a touch. "How did you know that? It is not common knowledge."
"Which makes us uncommon people. As a freemason, you know all about the influence underground societies have, that sometimes people…manipulate things, not always for good. There are people out there who have been manipulating you because they know what you can do, and what you WILL do if you aren't removed. That's why the dress shop was blown; they thought it was yours. Like I said, these next two days will be your most important, but you have to trust us, no matter what may happen."
"Have you two been sent by someone?"
"No. But we do have full access to information that could easily be used for wrong. You have to trust us. There are parts of this venture that you must keep secret, from everyone, even to the grave. But this is vitally important."
Revere studied the Doctor and Katie for a moment, then gave a firm nod. "I'll get my things."
"Remind me to never get in your way."
"As if that would help, Doctor. Anyway, you have a chance of winning, because I know very little about you, and you know me. Paul Revere Junior, on the other hand, is someone I know quite well, though he doesn't really have a clue as to who I am and how I can use words."
Katie and the Doctor were standing outside the TARDIS, where they had told Revere to meet them. The sun had set, and the stars were out. People were still walking around, but none of them took any notice of the blue box.
"Yeah, I heard you talking to Elizabeth. Quite a story you spun."
Katie glowered at him. "Sometimes your superior hearing, even to me, is rather annoying. So what if I told her a nice story and gave her a holographic ring? Her mother will probably forbid her from taking it out of the house, and Elizabeth is unlikely to show it to anyone for fear of it being taken from her now. When she gets older, she'll realize that people will panic if they see it."
"Slow down, Kathryn. I wasn't criticizing, only commenting. What were you doing carrying it around, anyway? Small trinket, you could easily lose it."
"Do you remember Yop'hiw? When you saved us from a life of permanent nanny-hood with a handful of beads and some string?"
"Oh…."
"Yeah. I'm not getting caught without something small and shiny again."
After standing in silence for a few moments, the Doctor cleared his throat. Katie looked at him sideways. Even after they had spent so much time with each other, they never really seemed to talk. Quiet moments didn't really exist, making this peace awkward.
"Did you want to ask something?"
"Yeah," the Doctor said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Back in the house-"
Katie felt her cheeks turn pink, and was glad they were hidden in the darkness. "Sorry about the swearing. I was…frustrated with myself for making such a colossal error. Won't happen again."
"The errors, or the cursing?"
"Yes."
Something in the way she said it made the Doctor pause. She glanced at him again, then sighed. "I'm used to being right on the first go. So, when I got something that significant wrong, it made me feel…well, stupid, for lack of a simpler term. I was also running all the terrifying scenarios that might occur if America doesn't get going, including, selfishly enough, the termination of all that I am right now. No America, no me."
"Self preservation. One of the greatest instincts of all forms of life."
Katie made a noise that could be taken as an agreement or a disagreement, then looked over to the left. "Oh, look, here comes Revere. You know, for a messenger, he's not very fast."
"Well, he only has some crazy woman's word to speed him on. You have a country you lived in for fifteen years."
"I am not crazy! I only choose to appear that way."
The Doctor flashed Katie a grin as Revere jogged up beside them. "I am here. Where is the transport you spoke of?"
Katie's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Right in here," she said, as she pushed open the TARDIS door and went in, followed by the Doctor.
Revere furrowed his brow. "A blue box? How will we fit? How does it move?"
"Trust us," Katie called out from the inside.
Katie had had few chances to see the astonishment of someone else when they first saw the inside of the Doctor's magnificent blue police box. The fact that Revere came from the 1700's only made his shock even greater.
The Doctor and Katie both bit back a laugh when they caught each other mouthing those oh-so-common words with Revere.
"It's bigger on the inside."
"Really?"
"We hadn't noticed. I've got the door, Doctor. You hit the gas."
*Constructive critisisim welcome, praise happily accepted, flames not wanted*