Outside the Doors
Part 3: Sleepydale
"It's a forest, breathable atmosphere." The Doctor said, sticking his head outside the TARDIS. "And there's something else beyond the trees…correction." He said, sticking his head back inside. "It's a forest on the edge of a city, probably a suburb of sorts."
"Is it Earth?" Clara asked, approaching the doors and glancing out.
"Earth?" The Doctor asked, gazing up at the sky. "I don't think so. Does Earth have two moons?"
"Definitely not Earth then." Clara said, glancing at the Doctor. "Earth only has one moon. It also is the third planet from its sun, has seven continents, and it's populated by humans, who are descended from apes."
"Yes, yes, I know all about the Earth." The Doctor grumbled, retreating back into the TARDIS.
"Just checking." She remarked, following after him. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to find the wardrobe room." He remarked, staring down at his clothes. "Whoever dressed me has poor fashion taste, purple is not my color, and it doesn't even fit right. I need to find something with a little more…pizzazz or what not."
"Pizzazz?" Clara asked, stunned as the Doctor left. "I thought that suited him just fine. Well, the old him…" She muttered to herself, shaking her head. "I'm not going to get used to this." She waited awhile, not certain if she should go after him, but then she might get lost in the TARDIS trying to locate the wardrobe room, and she didn't know if she could handle the Doctor…changing clothes. She had already seen him naked before, although that was his old self. Changing bodies had been traumatic enough.
"Ta-da!" The Doctor called out as he reentered the TARDIS console room awhile later, dressed in a burgundy coat worn over a light blue dress shirt and black pants with a kerchief sticking out of the coat pocket. "Well, what do you think?" He asked, adjusting the kerchief. "Do I look sporting, dashing, or daring?"
"It could have been worse." Clara remarked, studying him. "It could have been your multicolored suit. But at least you look somewhat fashionable."
"Thank you, I think." The Doctor said, glancing at her. "Well, let's get on with it and see what's out there." He cocked his elbow out at her so that she could hook her arm in with his and then they wandered out of the TARDIS. The Doctor glanced back at his vessel and stopped. "Egads, it's smaller on the outside! And why is it a blue box?"
"Oh, no…" She muttered before she shook her head. "That's the way it always is. Look, Doctor, are you sure that you're up for exploring when you're like this? Don't you want to wait awhile until you're more…used to who you are? Perhaps we can find that diary of yours again, and you can read up about yourself."
"No, I don't want to. I want to know who I am without looking it up in some old book. I should know who I am without checking up on what other people have to say about me, including me." The Doctor said, turning back to her. "Cause I can bet that I am my own worst critic."
"You wouldn't be wrong." Clara said.
"Didn't you say it's better to be sorry than safe?" The Doctor asked.
"But that was before I knew you didn't even remember the TARDIS!"
"Well, I happen to believe that. I believe that we should go out, look and explore, like we've always done. That's the easiest and hardest way of finding out things for yourself, right?"
"Right." Clara said, nodding.
"Now, come along…Pond?" The Doctor stopped, frowned, and shook his head before he continued on with Clara keeping up with him.
They wandered through the forested area and discovered that they were in the hilly backyard of a large, white building, almost a mansion, with a city skyline in the distance. Clara marveled at the sight, especially at the distant skyscrapers, which definitely would be considered an architectural wonder back on Earth. They walked up the slope of the mansion's backyard, heading for the back door.
"Are you sure that we should be doing this?" Clara asked. "Technically we're trespassing. Maybe we should sneak around…"
"No, I want to check up with the homeowners here." The Doctor said. "Tell them that we're visitors, wondering where we've landed, and if they could keep an eye on our blue box in the forest beyond their lawn? Won't take more than a jiffy." He said, knocking on the back door. "Hello?" He called out loudly. "Is anyone at home?"
"We're at home, but no one's awake yet!" A voice shouted from above as the Doctor and Clara glanced up at a woman leaning over the windowsill on the first floor. "If you want us to come, then you must knock twice more, spin around three times, and crow like a cockle hen!" She laughed.
"Huh?" Clara asked as the Doctor knocked twice more on the door and started to spin around before she stopped him. "Doctor, please, you're making things worse." Clara told him as she spotted a young man, around her age, approaching the back door inside.
"Oh, come on, give us a show!" The woman upstairs shouted. "I'm dying up here, we all are! Entertain us, entertain us!" She shouted, and more muffled voices from the upstairs rooms could be heard repeating her refrain.
"I'm just doing what she told me to." The Doctor remarked as the back door opened. "Ah, yes, my good fellow," The Doctor said, addressing the young man, "Could you please tell us where we are? My friend Clara and I have gotten lost. Our vessel has broken down in the forest beyond your home and we would like directions to the nearest repair shop."
"It's not my home." The young man said. "It's the Sleepydale Sanatorium."
"Ah, a sanatorium, yes, I see now," The Doctor said, noticing the young man's scrubs and glancing at the facility inside. "It looks like a nice place to recover in. What sort of patients do you get here?"
"All sorts usually, but lately we've been getting some…weirdos, I suppose you could say." The young man said.
"Weirdos?" The Doctor frowned as Clara raised an eyebrow. "Who are you to judge?" The Doctor asked.
"I'm sorry, it's just that they're not normal. A whole bunch of people have shown up here suffering from some unspecified kind of head trauma and neurological disorders and they need special attention, especially to make sure that they don't go wandering off into the streets." The orderly said. "I look after them sometimes. The doctors are baffled as to how so many people could have been so severely affected all at once."
"Well, my name's the Doctor, and I'm here to make sure they get the best care and treatment that money can buy." The Doctor said, his hand digging into one of his coat pockets and pulling out a wallet, which he flipped open to show the orderly.
"A government healthcare inspector?" The orderly asked, staring at the paper. "I didn't know that there would be a government inspection today. None of the doctors or nurses are on staff, you know, it's a holiday. I'm the only one here."
"Well, then, it's the best time for me to come around and see how the patients are faring on their own, is it not, to see what kind of benefits they are getting out of treatment." The Doctor remarked, flipping the wallet closed. "This is my assistant, Clara Oswald, and she'll be watching out for you to make sure that you don't act up." He lectured the orderly as Clara did her best to glare at the young man, who looked confused and scared.
"Now, show me a few of your patients, specifically the ones with a rash of neurological disorders, in the treatment rooms and we can get things started. Perhaps a look at their medical record files might also be in order." The Doctor said, turning to Clara. "Would you be so kind…?"
"Got it. I'll take…what's-his-name here to help." Clara said, nodding.
"Gerald." The orderly said, wondering what he was getting roped into here as the Doctor and Clara entered Sleepydale Sanatorium.