URGENT NOTE: As you may know, the BBC starts shooting the 50th anniversary special this week. If you'd like to see a proper tribute to Sarah Jane in the special, please consider signing the petition at www dot ipetitions dot com / petition/sarah-jane-smith-dr-who-tribute (automatic link removed because we don't want to break any rules) and passing it on to any groups you belong to. If we all pass it on, we can make a difference! Time (ironically) is of the essence! Thanks!
"It won't make them sick will it?"
"Of course not," he said. "I'd never do that."
Sarah giggled at the thought of them not knowing what they looked like and imagined them walking around the rest of the day like that. "That's really funny," she said, trying not to laugh too loud. Then she started thinking about Gerg and Hysol's behavior. "Doctor, are there people like those two boys everywhere?"
He skipped along behind the attendant, still giggling about black teeth. "What do you mean?"
"The way they treated us. There are people like that at my school too. They pick on people and tease them if they don't like them or if they're different," she put her head down and chewed her bottom lip.
The Doctor thought about all of the bullies he dealt with on a daily basis. "Sometimes people feel like they're doing the right thing because they're defending themselves in one way or another. Sometimes they're doing it to make themselves feel better. And sometimes," he said, squeezing her hand, "they're just boneheads."
"Like Jeremy Eckhart? He's picks on me all the time, but not the way some of the others do," she said in an angry voice.
"What do you mean?" he asked seriously.
"Jeremy teases me about the way I think about things sometimes."
"What about the way you think?" the Doctor said defensively. "I think you think just fine."
"Jeremy says things like there's no Father Christmas, or that wishes never really come true. He says you're not real either, that I just made you up. He says he doesn't believe in anything he can't see."
The Doctor patted his chest. "I feel pretty real," he said. "What about you, do you think I'm real?"
"I know you're real," she said as she took his hand and squeezed it. "I know Father Christmas is real too and that wishes do come true. That's why I don't mind so much about what he says. The other ones though, they're more like those two mean boys."
He let her hold his hand. "Of course wishes come true. You've got to believe that!" he said. "But what about the other ones?"
Her eyes began to well up with tears. "The other ones call me names like 'orphan' and they say mean things, like I don't have a mother or a father."
He put a friendly arm around her shoulder. "You shouldn't pay any attention to them. I mean, you do have a mother and father, they're just not with you anymore. And you have another mother anyway. You may call her Aunt, but what difference does it make what you call somebody if they love you and take care of you?"
Sarah stopped and looked at him. "You're right, I never thought of it that way, but it's true isn't it? I do have a mother and father and auntie does love me and acts like a mum should." She leaned over and hugged him. "You're wonderful Doctor and I love you very much."
He squirmed a little, but he let her hug him. "And besides, you've got plenty of people who care about you. Like me, for instance. It's probably more than those boneheads have."
"And are there boneheads everywhere?" she asked him.
He sighed, then rolled his eyes, thinking about what he dealt with, day in and day out. "There sure are. But there's great stuff, too. Oh, Sarah," he said, now skipping ahead of her. "you have to see it, the universe is just brilliant. It's worth a few boneheads."
"Come along children, we're running late as it is," called the attendant.
"Yes ma'am," answered Sarah Jane as she caught up with the Doctor, took his hand once more and skipped together with him as they followed the attendant.
The attendant walked into the office with the Doctor and Sarah Jane behind her. "Here she is, a bit scratched up, but I'll think she'll be just fine."
"Thanks," said a beautiful fish woman. "Would you please step this way, your highness," she said to Sarah Jane. "You too," she motioned to the Doctor.
They followed her into the next room and waited to see what was going to happen next. "First we'll tend to your injuries, then we'll get you and your escort prepared. We'll have to hurry, we haven't much time." She got out a first aid kit and cleaned Sarah's hands and her knee. "Does that knee hurt very much dear?"
Sarah Jane shook her head no.
"I'm so glad to hear that. I'm very sorry you were treated that way. People don't usually behave that way here. This is a place to come to be happy, not to fight." She turned to the Doctor. "Are you hurt at all young man?"
"I've had much worse," the Doctor said, rubbing his face. "You just take care of Sarah Jane."
The woman smiled as she went and got a cold pack out of a drawer of the desk next to where she was taking care of Sarah. "My, but you're very brave," she said. "Does he always come to your rescue, your highness?"
"Oh yes, said Sarah. "Once he saved me when some bad men kidnapped me."
"My but you're fortunate to have such a handsome protector." She handed the cold pack to the Doctor and smiled at him. "Your lady is fine now. Would you be kind enough to let me offer the hero of the day something to soothe his wound?"
Sarah giggled at the way the woman talked to the Doctor. She liked being called his lady and the idea of him being her handsome protector.
The Doctor sat down next to Sarah and swung his legs back and forth, deciding to put the cold pack on his face. After all, it did hurt. "Thank you," he said.
"Now then, Princess Sarah Jane, shall we prepare you and the Prince to greet your public?"
Sarah's eyes lit up. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she really liked the sound of it. "Yes please," she said.
The woman went to a closet and pulled out several items. "I think these should fit. Let's try them on, shall we?"
She wrapped a fur trimmed velvet robe around Sarah Jane and put a crown on her head with a pink veil attached to it. "My, don't you look beautiful. Don't you think she does," she asked, turning to the Doctor.
Sarah Jane's eyes were sparkling as she turned to look at the Doctor, waiting to see what he thought of her new attire.
The Doctor smiled. "I think she looks great," he said. He'd planned the day, and even he hadn't expected this much.
Sarah beamed at him.
"Now then Prince... I'm sorry, I don't know your name," she said to the Doctor. "Could you tell me what it is, please," asked the attendant.
"You can just call me Doctor," he said.
"Right then, Prince Doctor, here are your royal robes. Would you put them on, please?"
"Wow," he said, and put on the robes she gave him. "Look Sarah Jane, I've got robes!"
"Of course you do," said Sarah Jane. "You're a Prince, aren't you? Haven't I always said that you're my Prince?"
"Yes, you have," he said. He turned back to the attendant proudly. "I'm her prince," he said.
The woman curtsied to him. "Would you and Princess Sarah Jane please follow me? You are both the guests of honor in today's parade."
Sarah Jane gasped loudly. "Oh, how wonderful," she exclaimed.
"Parades are cool," the Doctor said. "Do we get to ride in a float and everything?"
"Yes you do, in fact, you get to be at the very head of the parade. Now if you'll just come with me, the parade is waiting for us so it can get started."
The woman led the Doctor and Sarah Jane to the front of the parade area. "Here's our royalty, take extra special care of them."
"Will do," answered a tall fish man as he winked at her. He bowed down in front of Sarah Jane deeply, then again to the Doctor. "Are you two ready to start the parade?"
Sarah Jane was almost shaking she was so excited. "Yes we are," she said.
"Well then your highnesses, would you both kindly step up into the seat of your shell coach?"
Sarah looked over to where he was pointing. There in front of her, less than a foot away, was a beautiful shell coach with a velvet cushion inside of it. The coach was on four huge wheels made of some sort of round shells with starfish for spokes. Leading the coach was a team of eight silver, turquoise and pink sea horse-like creatures. "Oh Doctor, look," she said, climbing up into the coach with the attendant's help. "It's beautiful," she said to him as he settled her into the seat with the Doctor by his side.
"Remember to smile pretty and wave," said the tall man. "You only need to hold these, the team knows the route," he said, bowing to them as he handed the reins to the Doctor and stepped away.
The Doctor smiled at Sarah. "Ready?"
Sarah Jane nodded, smiling so much she could barely contain herself. "This is just the way I dream things are. You made my dreams come true Doctor. I love you so."
The Doctor blushed. "Oh come on, I didn't do anything. It's your birthday."
"You brought me here and you made today possible. I'm going to remember this forever" She gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek.
He gently pushed her away the way only a little boy pushing away a little girl could. "Stop it," he said, blushing even more, "people are watching."