Doctor Who
Overdue Goodbyes
A story featuring the Sixth Doctor and Peri
And Old Friends
Distractions. She needed distractions. She outright Craved them. Anything to keep her mind off of It. Anything to keep her eyes from wandering across the room to the door, because she knew that if she took even the smallest glance at the door, she would not be able to stop herself from running thru it, and if she did that, she would have to face it. That would make it real. She didn't want it to be real.
Thankfully the kitchen was providing ample amount of distractions to occupy herself with. Well, almost anyway. Making sure none of the simmering pots boiled over, making sure nothing in the pans burned, making sure the fire in the stove was kept well fed, as doing the same with the fire in the hearth was maintained as well to be sure the house stayed nice and warm.
The Children were also providing ample distractions. Keeping them busy was a mission unto itself. As her father liked to joke, She was the True General of the family. A Family Joke that often got him a loving bop on the back of his head from her mother, a task she came to find herself filling.
A plethora of happy and sad memories threatened to break into her current mindset. A sad smile tried to sneak onto her face, but she fought it off with stamina fueled by a puddle of inner strength she somehow found in herself. She gave silent thanks for it because if she let any of those memories out, she knew that would be the end of it.
Once again, the kitchen came to her rescue. An unattended pot's lid was nearly toppling off as the contents under bubbled away. Rushing over to stop this disaster, she took a quick look around the all-too-silent house.
Cooking Disasters efficiently diverted for now, she took the free moment to look over her current battleground. There were none of the children underfoot at the moment. All were diligently keeping to the tasks assigned to them. Only one was inside but she had possibly the most important task of them all.
Down ye cursed thoughts and memories, down! They almost pulled a successful sneak attack on her, but she prevailed against them once again, for now. She knew that all too soon she would lose the war against them, and they would come crashing thru her defenses like the weakest of kindling and paper. She would fight them with every inner bit of strength she had, dwindling as it were, but use it she would.
With one more glance to be sure the chaos in the kitchen was still tightly under her strict control, she wiped her hands on her well-used apron and walked over to a small steamed-up kitchen window and wiped it clear, and looked outside.
It was an early spring morning in Scotland in the year of our Lord 1786. There was still a strong chill in the air, and a thin frost covered the ground, but the bright colors of the season were doing a very good job of letting winter know that its time was done for the year.
A multitude of greens and browns like a blanket grew across the valley in between the high rolling and craggy mountains surrounding the farm at one end of the wide valley. The Sky was a gray overcast cloudy affair, threatening a very common chance of rain, what with it being spring and Scotland. On all sides of the valley's mountain tops a thick fog nestled atop them, soon to come rolling down and engulf the valley in their gray tinted whiteness.
Outside the two-story thatched roof cottage, the large farmyard was full of a small army of both friends and family. They came from both near and far for the event they all tensely waited for. Everyone was dressed in their finest attire. Kilts, dresses all in the bright family tartan colors on display. Most were milling around a large and warming fire built in an outside ring of stones in the center of the yard.
A few large tables were nearby, being set up and attended to by women of all ages. of both friends and family. Making sure they were ready for when the meals were brought out later that day. The boys, teenagers, and younger tended to the farm duties that needed daily doing despite whatever circumstances life threw at them. Farm Life and Chores.
Mostly the animals were being fed and contained, either in the barns, outhouses, or fields. Kept out of the way of the more important circumstances of the day. Her Husband was keeping a strict eye on all of those events, much in the same way she was doing inside.
Around the fire, Uncles, Aunts, Nieces, Nephews, and Cousins, and the older family members stood around it. Enjoying the warmth and telling stories and sharing memories while partaking in mugs of warming cider and ales. The youngest of the children was seen carrying wood to the fire, or outside the fenced yard collecting spring flowers to decorate the tables, and a lone wagon hitched to a beloved family mare that stood patiently by the wagon gate.
The Father from the Local Parish moved among Friends and Family. His dark clothes contrast with the clothes of the rest but give a certain comfortable feel to the gathered multitude. Comfort and Condolences are being shared and given. His primary task was already carried out earlier that day. At least for now, that is. Much like the Mare and Wagon. His tasks were not yet fully carried out but would be all too soon.
The Horse and Wagon were on a small path that led up to the foot of a small hill. A small group of the men, her husband included were busy with a very important task up of the nearby tree-covered hilltop that gave a lovely view over the family farm and the valley it nestled in. A spot that was cherished by the entire family.
She looked out at this for a few seconds, before she convinced herself that matters in the kitchen once again demanded her attention, but a silently whispered prayer for distractions was answered in an unusual way!
Someone or Something was emerging out of the fog at one end of the valley! Out of the Grayness walked a display of Colors that she had never seen before, much less thought was possible! A man came walking down the road towards the farm.
He was dressed in the strangest and most garish display of colors thrown together she had ever seen! A Coat of many colors that would have even made Joshua blush. The rest of his attire is just as clashing. He had an oddly constructed parasol unfurled above his head, a head with the brightest halo of the blondest hair! The parasol was made of the brightest colors of the rainbow, but even that failed to not clash with his clothes!
The Cornucopia of Chaotically Clashing Colors approached the perimeter fence near the Cottage Yard. Her Husband, David being in between tasks, just happened to be the nearest person at the moment and took a courageous effort to greet the newcomer. The two met at the small fence gate. She could tell that general greetings and pleasantries were exchanged.
The Stranger nodded his head frequently and waved his hands and arms about in expressive and exaggerated fashions. David was doing his best to keep up with the stream of the conversation. An expression of relief crossed David's face, and he stepped back and opened the gate and welcomed the stranger in, and pointed towards the cottage. The Stranger gave a grateful and polite bow before he started making his way towards her.
She quickly wiped her face and hands again on her apron, hurriedly attempting to make herself as presentable as possible she rushed over to the front door, quietly wondering what David could have been thinking. A strong knock brought her back to the moment at hand. She had to stop herself from flinging it open.
She gave herself one more swift look to be sure she was presentable, and after one more knock, she opened the door at a normal rate. She was in no way prepared for the apparition that stood there. "Greetings Madame, I offer my most sincere and hearts erm… heartfelt apologies for intruding during this most humble and somber of times, but I found myself in the area, and when I learned of the situation, I simply had to visit and pay my regards."
All She could do was stand there and blink dumbly back at him. The Eloquent comment just seemed extremely odd coming from the colorful-dressed person standing in front of her. It should have been a laughable moment, but there was such a feeling of empathy and earnestness that it was impossible to react to him that way.
His sad smile held so much emotion it almost crushed her, and he had the brightest, and clearest eyes she had ever seen. "Oh, aye, I mean where are my manners, please do come in." She mumbled and stepped back and allowed him entry into the cottage. He smiled again, stepped thru with his hands clasped in front of him, and politely moved aside to allow her to close the door. She looked at him and thought to herself, she could have sworn he had an umbrella.
"Is something a matter?" The Stranger asked innocently. "What, oh, no, no everything is, it's just that I thought, that is, please do come in, oh, you're already in, I'm sorry, it's just that I am a bit flustered at present, I do apologize." She gasped quickly.
"No, if anyone must apologize it is I, for intruding at a time such as this." The Stranger replied with a great tone of sincerity. Before she could respond he interjected again. "Allow me to introduce myself, My, er family is old friends with your family, on your father's side. My name is Smith, Doctor John Smith, but please just call me Doctor."
"Oh, aye, aye, Smith you say. I don't seem to recall ever hearing either Mother or Father ever mention knowing anyone by that name." She answered quickly while trying to recall if having any knowledge of this.
"Ah, well it was a very, very long time ago actually, back during the righteous crusade of Bonnie Prince Charley to reclaim the Crown for Scotland. The Jacobite Rebellion, a lifetime ago, several lifetimes ago in fact." The Doctor answered her, seeming to almost drift away into his own memories.
"I haven't introduced myself, yet I do apologize, good sir, my name is Victoria. Victoria Campbell." She smiled back at him with a nod, which he gratefully returned. "Very Pleased to meet you." He said with a small bow. Unable to stop herself, she smiled back and bowed as well.
"Now, once I learned of these somber events, I felt that I simply must pay my regards, or I nor my …Family would ever forgive me, and I refuse to take up any more of your precious time, so please…" He said quietly with a soft assuredness. "Yes, yes of course." Victoria hesitantly uttered and slowly turning, she looked at the Door.
The Door. Her fingers were a hairs width from grasping its handle, but that reluctance, the Fear swelled up inside, stopping her. Her face blushing, she turned to apologize for her silliness and make excuses to the Doctor, then her eyes met his.
Those eyes! Those Brilliant, Bright Eyes! The Most Dazzling Green she'd ever seen, or were they blue? Gold? That face, and the smile on it. Altogether it radiated energy, almost physical as well as emotional. It was full of compassion, understanding, and most of all Strength! Standing straight, she turned, grabbed the door handle, twisted it and opened The Door, and lead the visitor into the small room.
It was a small, but very well-lived-in bedroom. It had a small desk, a wardrobe, a couple of trunks, and a couple of simple small paintings on the wall. That and it was full of a lifetimes collection of odd trinkets, mementos, and antiques. All misplaced and chaotically cluttered around the room, but in that loveable fuddy way one can't really get upset with. It could all use a good dusting though.
Most importantly, on the far side of the room along the wall under a large double window with dust-filled light streaming through them was a small but very comfy bed with old worn, and equally comfy-looking old blankets. Snoring rather loudly was an old man who looked to be even older than all the things in the room.
"Hello Mama, Hello Misser!" A Happy little girl of no more than the age of 3 or 4 at the most. Long straight blonde hair, big brown eyes, and a just as big smile. She was wearing a simple dress of the era, and she was sitting in an old, slightly rickety but well-taken-care-of and obviously loved rocking chair placed next to the bed.
"I'm keeping Grandpapa company as you told me to Momma, see! I'm reading him stories from his book, just like he does for me!" Polly said while trying to hold up the big book. "I'm reading him the Story bout the Silver Pipers on the moon and the Evil Pepper pots with the Princess in the castle!' Victoria almost couldn't hold back a sob at seeing her daughter with the book next to the bed The Old Man snored away in.
"Polly, you know that you're supposed to stand to greet someone when they enter a room." Victoria scolded the child but not too severely. "I can't mama!' Victoria tried not to react too much like her mother would have in this situation. "Why in Heaven's name not!? The Little Girl struggled very furiously on the chair. " The Book is too Heavy; I can't move it!"
Sure enough, the little girl struggled against a large leather-bound volume, that was almost half as big as her and it had her securely stuck in the chair. "Well, under such extreme circumstances, I think this a must justifiable excuse to what would under normal situation be an inexcusable disregard to the protocols of etiquette." The Little Girl just stared back at the Doctor's pompous-sounding reply as the Doctor reached down and lifted the book, freeing her from the chair. "No harm, No Foul." He said to her with a big smile. She didn't understand that either, but the happy look told her all was forgiven, so she returned the smile.
He handed the big book back to Polly who eagerly took it back and hugged it to herself. "Are You a Clown Misser!?" Polly blurted out the mispronounced word Mister again as only an excited child can. "POLLY!" Victoria gasped as only a parent can when their child does this in front of a stranger.
The Doctor reacted in pure Doctorly Fashion. "A Clown? A Clown. A CLOWN!?" He gasped in a very overly melodramatic (some would say hammy) manner. His spine going straight, hands and wrists to his waist with elbows sticking out like straight angles. His heels in green shoes and orange spats clacked together sharply. Mother & Daughter could only watch in amazement as the show unfurled in front of them.
"Why, how Anyone could even Potentially somehow in the impossibility contemplate the very idea that someone of my obvious prominent pomposity of personal importance could be somehow mistaken for a simple clown of all things, good heavens where did those come from!?" The Doctor performed this pronouncement as if he was on a stage before royalty, all while seemingly unnoticed his hands slipped into his pockets, retrieved 3 very colorful balls, and effortlessly started juggling them seemingly without his knowledge of it.
Mother and Daughter watched on totally absorbed in the performance with smiles on their faces. Polly clapped excitedly while awkwardly hugging the big book. "Why, this will never do, never do indeed!" The Doctor huffed, tossed the balls into the air, and down floated 3 thin sheets of fine paper of the same colors. Hands moving almost faster than the human eye could follow snatched them out of the air and grasped them in clasped hands.
"There. This is much more dignified." The Doctor leaned forward and handed Polly a small flower made of the same colors, it almost seemed to glow like a rainbow in the hazy sunlight. Polly's eyes almost doubled in size as she stared in awe at the magically appearing flower. Victoria managed to catch the book before the child dropped it.
"Now, why don't you run along to the kitchen and put your daisy in some water while your mother and I finish our conversation, maybe later Mommy can help you press it in your storybook, and it will say beautiful forever!" The Doctor said to the enraptured little girl in total awe of the magical events that just unfurled before her young wide eyes. "Ok, bye Momma, Bye Misser Clown!" She once more mispronounced that word and ran from the room.
The Doctor smiled with childish delight on his own face as he wiggled his fingers waving goodbye to the quickly retreating child. Victoria stood next to him, holding the storybook to her chest completely unable to keep a very similar smile from her own weary face.
"There, that is what I like to see, as any doctor worth their salts, the best medicine any of us would prescribe is a good smile." The Doctor said to her once again emanating that completely contagious positive energy.
"Thank you, Doctor, I just don't know how to thank you for that, I've had so much to do today, and Little Polly and this silly book of my Fathers…" Victoria weakly sighed, hugging it closer to her and almost capable of stopping herself from glancing at the Old Man sleeping on the bed. "My Father has it filled with the most outlandish and silly stories. He'd say that the only way he could get them out of his head was to write them down."
"I think I may have heard those stories myself once upon a time." The Doctor replied comfortingly. "Now, please. I have intruded upon an all too…momentous day for you and your family already. Let Me have a moment with your father and I will be swiftly on my way.
'You call yourself self-Doctor, is that a stage name or is it…" She asked him, desperate hope burning in her eyes as she looked at him, willing to grasp at any offered strand dangling before her. He shook his head with a sad smile. "Sadly, I am not that kind of doctor, but even I can tell you that there is no cure for what ails your father."
"It is simply his time. He has obviously lived a very full and dare I say happy life, if the contents of this room, the people gathered outside, and you and your daughter's presence are any clue." He put a hand gently on her shoulder and looked at her with those eyes again. Those eyes seemed to encompass all the colors of the magical flower.
"Don't focus on the loss that is about to happen but instead remember the lifetime of memories that filled that life, even the one that just happened. The memory of walking into a room and finding a small girl reading bedtime stories to her snoring grandfather from a storybook that he once upon a time read to you in the same way, and that you also read to that little girl. Stories that she will in turn one day read those stories to her children, as long as those stories are shared, your father will never truly be gone, he will be there in the room then as much as he was then just as he is now., just as he will be forever."
She looked from the Sadly Smiling Doctor to the old leather book in her arms, to the Old Snoring Man on the bed, and to the door that just a few minutes ago she so feared to open, a door she now did not want to leave thru. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but the smile on her face dampened the sadness with soft laughter.
"Now please, there is a little girl waiting in the next room for her mother to help her with a flower, and that is another memory I most adamantly would never dare interfere with, I will simply have my moment with your father then I will leave you and your family to this day." The Doctor said while gently nudging her to the door. Victoria could only nod her thanks, hugging the book more tightly she walked thru the door and quietly pulled it closed.
The Doctor silently watched her leave, his head tilted to one side in that curios fashion like a cat, with indecipherable thoughts behind His eyes while watching this Human Drama unfold. Shaking his head he turned and went to the rocking chair, sat in it, and turned looking down at the old man in the bed.
The Old Man let out a loud rolling thunderous snore while he fidgeted under the thick blanket. "Uh, I'd know that snore anywhere, Hello Jamie." The Doctor sighed looking down at one of his dearest and oldest friends. Jamie emitted another rackety snore, followed by a troubling wheeze. "Oh, dear, dear, dear me." The Doctor tutted. "Just look at you, I dare say you appear to have made something of yourself, all due to my excellent tutelage of course."
The Doctor chuckled at his own joke. Jamie snored again, but not as strongly. His strength was departing him quickly. "You'd think being a Time Lord, I'd have learned the lesson of not wasting what precious time we have." Jamie wheezed, color draining from his already pale cheeks.
"To the point of my visit, I'm here to undo a most unfair injustice done to you on a world in a time long ago, or maybe yet to happen, You can never really be sure. I'm here to give you back some memories that were locked away from you in your subconscious but appear to have partially snuck out if your storybook is any indicator."
The Doctor reached out and put his hand on Jamie's forehead. "Remember Jamie, REMEMBER!" A spark flashed between The Doctor's finger and Jamie's pale forehead. The Old Scot's eyes snapped open like a shot! The Fog cleared from them, and they blazed like twin suns in the sky!
Jamie sat upright, memories flooding thru his mind like an ocean! He saw a funny little Man in a dirty frock coat and a Beautiful Blonde Girl and a Brave Sailor standing next to a Strange Blue Box, to a City under the sea, Dancing upon the Moon! Giant Claws in Poison-filled Tunnels! Freeing a Beautiful Maiden in a dark trap-filled manor house and seeing a City of Evil Burn under an Alien Sky!
Next, he was fighting Soulless Metal Men in an Icey Tomb! Hairy Abominations hunting him on a mountain in the dark! Frozen Warriors waiting to be freed from a Prison of Cold! Waving goodbye to the Crying Maiden as she stood next to a rolling gray sea!
Facing the Soulless Metal Men again on a Wheel turning in the Dark of Space! Meeting a Strange Girl with more courage and strength in her small frame than seemed possible! Being Lost in a forest of Letters and meeting people that don't exist! To again fight both the Soulless Metal Men and the Frozen Warriors both wanting the same prize but at different times!
To Fighting in The Wars of Man that was yet to come and had already happened. Seeing a Strange Colorfully Dressed Clown who seemed all more familiar than he could tell, with Evil Potato-headed Monster Men, and another strange creature who wanted to make a meal out of him!
Finally standing in a room in a world Ruled by Cold and Alien Godlike Beings, and the Odd Little Man in the Dirty Frock Coat. The Man was smiling sadly and waving to him and the Funny Girl. He was saying something. Who was he? Who is He!? The Answer came to him!
"DOCTOR!" Jamie cried out, as his final breath passed his lips and he fell back on the bed. A single tear rolled down his wrinkled and weathered face. The Tear rolled until it hit the corners of a large, happy smile that would never leave his face. "Goodbye Jamie, Goodbye." The Doctor whispered as he gently reached over and pushed the old man's eyelids closed.
Peri stamped her feet in the tall wet grass on the high mountainside trail of the Scottish Highland. Arms wrapped around her as she once more looked down into the valley below her. She could just make out a small little farm in the center with smoke rising into the clear sky above, but the heavy fog was looming on the mountains beside it ready to roll down over it.
The Tardis stood just behind her silently as it always did. She was seriously considering going inside and getting a coat and maybe some boots. Her normal sandals were proving to be a poor choice for standing around in the tall damp dew coated grass. She was freezing but refused to go back inside the Time Ship. Not until the Doctor reappeared from wherever he disappeared off to. AGAIN!
It was the second time in as many days that she'd woke up in an empty Tardis. Its Halls and rooms were empty, with the machine humming to itself as it always did. She'd found a note on the Tardis Console reading Wait Here. Back Soon.
At least that is what she guessed it said. For all she knew it could have been a recipe on how to make Blueberry Pancakes in Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics. You could never be sure with what passed for The Doctor's penmanship.
She tried to keep herself occupied and distracted by studying the many wildflowers growing in the heather of the Scottish Highlands. Mixed in with the deep green, the colors stood out very beautifully. Her interest in botany was almost enough to distract her from wondering where her irritating companion was. "Oh, where is He!" She growled!
She looked back into the valley. The Fog had nearly covered over half of it. The little farm on the very edge of it. A faint sound reached her ears. She leaned in and strained to hear it. The sound of bagpipes slowly wailing what sounded like a sad tune. A few seconds later the sound of singing joined in. The voices sounded sad and wavered as did the music. A tear threatened the corner of her eye, but for the life of her, she didn't know why.
Suddenly from a patch of dense fog, The Doctor broke out of it like a multicolored genie appearing in a puff of smoke from a magic lamp! Umbrella unfurled above his head and a faraway look on his face. His eyes were completely unfocused, leaving the navigating to his feet.
"About time you showed up, where have you been, what's going on!?" Peri demanded gruffly. "What is Going on Doctor!? Whose Farm is that down there? What were You doing down there, WHY are We here, and does this have Anything to do with that Space Station that you pulled the same vanishing act on?" Peri shot questions at him rapid-fire, almost stamping her foot in time with each demand!
"Mm? What? What? What?" The Doctor stuttered almost being brought back to the here and now. Peri rolled her eyes and did her best to keep from exploding. "I'm asking ALL the Questions Doctor! Who? When? Where What and WHY!" Her cheeks blushed with barely controlled frustration.
The Doctor still appearing to have not noticed her, just as rapidly answered her, kind of. "Visiting and Old Friend. The late 1700s. The Scottish Highlands. Returning something, that should have been done, a long, long time ago." He said still looking into the fog.
"Returning? Returning What?" The Doctor slowly turned, almost looking at her but still not seeming to have noticed her. "Returning some Overdue Goodbyes." Peri tilted her head and just stared at him in utter confusion. "Doctor, you're not making any sense, as usual."
The Doctor's head snapped up and his Gray Eyes locked on to her with such intensity she almost took a step back. "My, my, my, but aren't we in an Inquisitive Mood!' He retorted. "Quite a Rare Occurrence for one Ms. Perpugilliam Brown, quite a Rare Occurrence Indeed!" She couldn't believe it. He was almost making her feel Guilty!
"Now, Doctor, don't you…" She started to reply but was instantly cut off. "No, No, No, Peri, your quite right for once." If she could shoot lasers from her eyes. "We need something to occupy ourselves with, a good conundrum, a perplexing puzzle, A Mystery! Yes. A Good Mystery! Good Suggestion Peri, Thank You!" He said while furling his umbrella, shaking the dampness from it, and tossing it into her unready arms! She just managed to catch it without dropping it.
Peri could only glare at him as he stormed rudely past her, unlocked the Tardis Door, and barreled inside. If the umbrella had been alive, it would be in danger of being strangled in her vice-like grip. "The Song is Flowers of the Forest, written by John Skene in the 1600s." The Doctor called out from the darkness of the open door.
"Huh, what?" Peri stammered looking from the Tardis to the Valley behind her, now completely hidden under a blanket of grey fog. "It's a Funeral Song. Very Sad. I thought you would appreciate it, you a Botanist and all." Peri stopped and listened to it the sad song. "It's very beautiful." She whispered.
"Yes, it is. Do Come Along Peri, Close the Door, You're Letting the Fog In!" The Doctor called out from inside the Tardis. Peri shook her head, turned, and looked down. The Fog was rising from the valley and swirling around her feet.
She put her hand up against the closed side of the Tardis' front doors listening to the Sad Sound of Singing being absorbed into the fog behind her. She stopped and looked at her hand. It was wet. She looked at the Tardis Door. Streaming down from the Hazy Glass Window Frame was a trickle of warm water. If she didn't know better, she could almost swear it looked like the Tardis was…"
"PERI!" The Doctor shouted out impatiently. The thought escaping her mind, Peri stepped thru the door and pushed it closed. As the reverberating sound of the Tardis Engines fired up and mixed with the sad music in the valley, the Doctor's voice could be heard echoing from within. "Have you ever heard of a planet called Ravolox?"
Never…The End