Chapter Four
Stairway to Heaven
The next song started with a soft acoustic guitar and flute intro, one the Doctor recognized instantly. A smile slowly formed and he tapped his foot in time to beat, conducting an imaginary band with one hand.
There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold,
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.
The Time Lord nodded approvingly. Led Zeppelin! Love them! Well, honestly, who hasn't heard of Led Zeppelin? He frowned slightly. I've been on Earth too long. I'm going native. Now, that's terrifying.
There's a sign on the wall,
But she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook
There's a songbird who sings.
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
I've never been sure what they meant when they wrote this, the Doctor thought, but it's very . . . wise. Well, for a human. Now, where was I? Oh, yes.
Oooh, it makes me wonder.
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
No kidding. He had an insatiable curiosity, he did. It got him into trouble more often than not. Luckily, being the genius that he was, his quick thinking and improvising also got them out of trouble.
There's a feeling I get
When I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen
Rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
And it's whispered that soon
If we all call the tune,
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.
By now the Doctor had ceased trying to analyze the song and was just enjoying it, nodding his head and trying very hard not to air-guitar along.
He failed.
The fact he kept breaking out into song with Robert Plant probably didn't help.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow,
Don't be alarmed now.
It's just a spring clean for the May Queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by.
But in the long run,
There's still time to change the road you're on.
And it makes me wonder.
Your head is humming and it won't go.
In case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him.
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow?
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?
At least Rose isn't awake to see this, he thought. I'd never hear the end of it if she was watching. Well, if she was watching, she'd have already killed me for nicking her iPod.
It was a good thing his pink-and-yellow human was asleep, then. He really wasn't looking forward to another Tyler slap.
But, wow, this song was depressing. And, somehow, he couldn't shake the sudden nagging feeling that it could relate to Rose.
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our souls,
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How ev'rything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard,
This tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all.
To be a rock and not to roll.
And she's buying a stairway to heaven. . . .
At that last verse, all the Doctor could think was, Bad Wolf . . .