Chapter 3
The Doctor held open the door of the TARDIS for Grace. He followed once she stepped inside. In the light of the console room, he looked at her more closely. It had been hard to see her in the dim alley. She was tall, with mahogany hair, a round face and large blue eyes that made her look so young. She looked directly at him, and he noticed her left eye had a dark, puffy ring around it.
"Are you ok?" he asked, his face crossed with true concern. It was a look that Grace hadn't seen on anyone in a while.
"Oh, my eye?" She said, unconsciously brushing her hair over it. "It's fine. I'm used to it."
"You sure? There's a medical bay down that hall if you need it." He pointed down one of the many corridors leading off of the console room. Grace smiled appreciatively but said nothing.
She walked slowly examining the TARDIS's entirety. The Doctor was fiddling with the panels in the center of the room.
"So Grace, all of time and space-" he was cut off as Grace tripped over her own feet. He couldn't help but chuckle. "You honestly expect me to call you Grace with reflexes like that? What did you say your middle name was? Nova, right? That suits you much better."
She blushed a bit, but laughed along with him.
"You're right. Gracefulness isn't exactly my strong suit."
"What is then?" He asked, turning away from the control panels to look at her. She leaned against the railing behind her with her arms folded.
"Well, on any other day, I would say my common sense, or my intelligence. But today is different. I just met a man in an alley and agreed to get in to his time machine police box. But there's something different about you. You're the first person, well, alien-"
"Time Lord."
"Bloody hell! Whatever you are! What I'm trying to say is, I trust you. And I don't trust many people. Anyone, actually. So thank you." She looked down at the ground, before lifting her eyes and cracking a cheeky smile.
"So, Nova. All of time and space, everywhere and anywhere, every star that ever was. Where do you want to start?"
"Any star? Ever? What about nebulas? How about the Eagle Nebula, or maybe the Trifid Nebula or NGC 6357."
"Never mind I've got a better idea. How about you shut up and I surprise you, yah? I don't like it when other people know where they're going. It's less fun that way, and honestly, I have no clue what you're talking about anyways. You humans have funny names for things. What does NGC 6357 even mean…"
As he rattled on, the TARDIS began to shake and whir again. The doctor threw his arms up, and with an energetic spin shouted: "Geronimo!"