Doctor Who
by Tyloric

Beta read by the lovely youroctober.

Chapter 4

Billy walked with a slight bounce in his step and a small grin on his face. He was trying not to show that he was enjoying himself, but it was hard. He couldn't remember much these days, and as such, he couldn't remember the last time he had been out in the sun breathing in the fresh air. Everything about it felt new yet familiar, like a sense of déjà vu that wouldn't go away.

And they'd only just left the hospital.

Captain Hammer, for his part, had yet to say a word and was just walking alongside Billy. They were strolling down the main highway that connected the business district with downtown. Hammer had a plan. Well, it wasn't so much a plan as it was an idea.

He intended to show Billy locations where they had done battle. He also planned on taking him to the place where she had died. The hero felt confident that if these places didn't help Billy remember Dr. Horrible, nothing would.

A shriek interrupted his train of thought.

"Oh. My. God!" the voice squealed. Hammer looked over to the source of the wail with only mild interest. "It's Captain Hammer!" A pack of girls, teenagers, it seemed, were rushing towards him. Normally he would have enjoyed the attention, but not right now.

Still, one must keep up appearances, so he forced that smile that seemed to make the population swoon as they all started talking to him at once, tugging at his clothes and hair. Hadn't anyone taught these girls manners?

Billy watched the scene unfold, fascinated. He had moved far enough away to be considered just an interested passerby. He immediately took notice of the smile that didn't quite reach Captain Hammer's eyes. In fact, if one looked closely enough, he looked irritated.

He was answering their questions as he heard them, but Billy wasn't entirely certain that any of the four girls were even paying attention. They just seemed to be having a fan girl moment.

Billy was trying not to laugh at the look on Captain Hammer's face.

After the lengthy process of ending the girls' rabid attack (which took a good ten minutes), Captain Hammer turned back to Billy.

"What?" he asked indignantly at the look on the younger man's face.

Billy took a deep breath to try and gather himself. "That happen a lot?"

"Yes," he said simply.

"What leeches."

"They're not leeches, just over-enthusiastic."

Billy scoffed. "They're leeches."

"How are they leeches?"

"Did you see the way they were pulling at you?"

"Just enthusiastic. I am Captain Hammer, after all."

Billy rolled his eyes. "Please. If you weren't a super human, they would have sucked you dry."

Captain Hammer leered at him, and it took Billy a moment to run over what he had just said in his head. "Oh, shut up."

Hammer smiled smugly as they continued walking. A not-quite-uncomfortable silence spread between them, mainly because they kept getting stopped by on-lookers. Each time Billy would move away far enough to just be considered a bystander. Captain Hammer found it curious how he seemed to do this on instinct, like he was used to blending in with the crowd.

Despite what the hero said, however, Billy kept seeing something flash through his eyes. With every fan he saw, every admirer he talked to, there was an emotion he just couldn't quite seem to identify.

"This looks like a good place," Billy said, eyeing the Burger Town sign.

"A good place?"

"The condition was that I got a burger if I came." He poked Captain Hammer in the chest. "Remember?"

Hammer sighed theatrically, batting the hand away. "Very well."

As they stepped inside the establishment, it was almost comical how quiet the place became when everyone noticed Captain Hammer. All eyes were on him, which Billy found a little irritating. Didn't people know it was rude to stare?

"You're quite the party killer," he whispered over his shoulder.

"You get used to it," Hammer mumbled in response.

Billy ended up ordering to go, figuring it would be easier to eat while all eyes weren't on Hammer, and by extension him for being with Hammer. He did find it odd that when they were on the street people couldn't wait to mob the hero, but inside a public establishment everyone felt reserved. You'd think it would be the other way around.

"So," Billy started, talking through a mouthful of burger, "you still haven't told me why we're out here. Just walking."

Hammer didn't respond immediately, and when he did his voice was hesitant. "Just trying to jog your memory."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "By walking?" Before Captain Hammer could respond, he quickly added, "We didn't used to be dating or anything, did we?"

The much larger (though, not taller, Billy noted) man made a face that was a cross between shock, horror, and disgust. "No!" he yelled a little too loudly.

The younger man raised his hands in protest. "Just checking! I mean, if all we're doing is walking, it gets a guy thinking, and it's not like I would know. So defensive."

"We're not just walking!"

"Then what are we doing, hero man?" he asked, annoyed.

Hammer raised a hand to point to something behind Billy. "First stop," he said.

Turning around, Billy saw a large building with golden revolving doors. It bore a sign onto which was engraved 'Richman Bank of America'.

"How appropriate," Billy muttered.

When they stepped inside, the blonde gaped indignantly at the sheer massiveness of the interior. There was a staircase in the middle of the far wall, easily twenty feet across, that led up to the second floor. On either side of the staircase were rows of five bank teller windows, all of which were open, long lines extending out from each of them. In the middle of the room were benches which all looked to have been crafted of mahogany.

"Okay, ya see," Billy started, "someone is clearly compensating for something. A bank does not need to be this fancy, I don't care who you are."

Captain Hammer just grunted, eyeing Billy curiously.

"Why are we here, again?"

The hero took a deep breath before responding. "This is where you and I first met."

Billy's eyebrows shot up. "So you did know me before."

He nodded. "Yes."

The slimmer male tilted his head to the side. "I use this bank?"

Hammer hesitated again. "You could say that."

Billy narrowed his eyes, piecing something together. "I did something bad, didn't I?"

The hero inhaled sharply. "You remembered something?"

He shook his head. "No, but it's written all over your face. Not just you, either. No one seems to want to tell me anything about myself, even when I ask. You're the first person who's even tried, to be honest."

Hammer didn't respond, not looking away from Billy. His eyes were suddenly very sad.

"Hammer," Billy said seriously, "who am I?"

The captain regarded him for a long moment, causing Billy to think that he wasn't going to answer him, until he said suddenly, "I don't know." His voice was level and honest, and it surprised the younger man. Hammer turned towards the revolving doors. "Let's move on. There are few other stops to make." And Billy was met with a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

~tbc.