Chapter two-

4 years later

Field trip day was one of the best days of the year. They usually took us somewhere boring but if it meant getting away from that hell, it was a little more worthwhile. However, this time Robyn and I were ecstatic as we bounded up the steps to our destination: The Science Museum.

"This should be interesting," I heard Robyn say happily. We were twelve years old now and since over the years I had taught her how to defend herself, she was bolder now; nobody made fun of her for her size anymore.

It was like stepping into a science wonderland when we stepped inside the building.

"This is incredible," she exclaimed. I could only nod in reply as chill wracked my body again. With it being a bitterly cold fall day, the museum's heaters were on overdrive yet there was a chill always running down my spine I couldn't get rid of. Robyn wiped a hand across her sweaty forehead and cocked her head towards me, concerned. "Are you alright?"

I straightened up as much as I could and tried to grin as normally as I could, "Fantastic." She raised her eyebrow in reply. I knew she could see something was wrong but she never questioned it just as I never questioned her on why she constantly sweats.

She shook her head and pointed her finger towards the exhibits. "Allons-y," she exclaimed; she had become so fond of that word since she started learning French. I simply rolled my eyes and followed her to the solar system exhibit. We shared a love for the solar system. Many nights we'd sneak out to the roof to watch the stars and constellations, wondering about other planets and what it'd be like to travel to them; sometimes it seemed as though the stars sang and spoke to us.

We weren't at the exhibit too long when a tall man flew by us, stopped and turned to face us with a look of curiosity on his face. He wore a grey vest over a white button up and black pants with brown boots. His long cashmere coat twirled through the air as he faced us and I could help but giggle at the bow tie. Despite his ridiculous outfit, he seemed very serious. "Run," he commanded, looking behind us. I shared a quizzical look with Robyn- who died and made him Queen? Suddenly there was a loud crash and whirring sound from the dinosaur exhibit behind us.

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!" I turned to see something like a trashcan with a plunger and whisk like arm coming down the hall towards us. Before I could think of anything, the man yanked mine and Robyn's wrists and half dragged us down the hall.

"Run! Run! Run!"

"What are those things," I yelled, since he seemed to know what they were.

"Daleks. Very smart and very dangerous," he replied. My wrist began to burn from his grip and I began twisting, trying to break free, as we paused for a moment to catch our breath.

"Who the heck are you?" Robyn demanded, trying to break his grasp on her as well. He looked at her sharply and then grinned.

"Hmm… Looks like you did get some traits from me, Streaks," he replied. I saw the look of annoyance on her face with the nickname and giggled quietly.

"Who are you," she repeated.

"I'll explain later, come on," and he yanked us again. We kept running faster and faster through the halls until we came to a fork in the road. He forced us down opposite hallways, "I'll distract them. Streaks, Zebra, keep going!" I gave Robyn the same annoyed look she gave me.

"Zebra?" I mouthed to her. Despite people thinking it fake, my black hair always had a couple light blonde streaks in it naturally; zebra, indeed… I switch to a sympathetic and encouraging look then took off down the hall. The further I went, the worse I felt my chills burning through me. My breath actually came out in puffs of steam, like on a cold winter's day, and my lungs began to burn but I couldn't stop. I turned the corner and could see the Solar System exhibit. "Almost there," I thought before crashing into another museum patron; she screamed in distress. "Oh, I'm sorry, so sorry!" As I entered the exhibit to see Robyn waiting, I tried pushing my bangs back but they just clung to my forehead. Before I could say anything else, I noticed her wringing her wrist.

"Anxiety attack…" I spoke softly and she just nodded in return. I heard a crashing and the woman screaming in distress again behind me followed by the demonic whirring again. "EXTERMINATE!"

I grabbed Robyn's shoulder gently and pushed her hair out of her face so she could see me, "Calm down, Okay? The situation is scary, yes, but you need to calm down," I demanded gently. I felt tense as she closed her eyes and counted down, slowly breathing.

"EXTERMINATE!" We turned and the Daleks burst into the room, five in all, and began to surround us. We backed up but collided with a metal guard rail. I felt the intense cold return as it had before, my breaths came out in puffs of smoke again and just as I felt the rail getting colder, I heard a strange noise beside us. The sound, much like a motor having trouble working, started out softly but quickly became deafening. The so-called Daleks backed up in surprise and a shape materialized in front of us. It became clear as one of those police boxes from the 1960's we learned about in class at one time. When the door opened, outstepped that weirdo that called me zebra and a boy who looked a couple years older than Robyn and me. They silently held out their hands for us and waited for us to decide. I took the boy's hand and Robyn took the man's, having decided we would have a better chance with them than the trash cans.

After pulling us in, I gazed around in wonder of the size of the room. The man ran up to the center of the room and stood in front of a console, had so many buttons I wondered how he remembered what did what, that was attached to a huge glass tube which glowed eerily. After pushing a set of buttons, he pulled a red lever and the angry whirring began again.

"Kai Saxon, Robyn Smith, welcome aboard," he exclaimed to us. Robyn and I stared at him, unable to take in what just happened.

"Who are you?" She repeated.

"And where are we?" I finished. As much as I was curious as to whom this guy was, that was important too.

"I'm the Doctor," he replied, "And this beauty is the T.A.R.D.I.S."

"It's bigger on the inside," Robyn noted.

"It is? I hadn't noticed," he replied; the boy with him just smirked.

"Dad's used to people saying that. Except the time his most recent companion…Clara Oswald I think…right dad?" The Doctor nodded at him. "Well, when he first met Clara, or a version of her at the Dalek Asylum… I think it was…She was amazed. Dad expected her to dart in and out and say 'it's bigger on the inside.' She did but she came back saying 'it's smaller on the outside.' Which was a first for dad," the boy laughed at his story. I just gave him the sweetest smile but my head was pounding with annoyance.

"Oi, Ashton, shut it," the doctor pointed his finger at the boy, his laughter quieting down.

"It was funny, dad."

"As true as it may be, I don't like being made fun of."

"I'm not making fun of you, that's mum's job."

I had enough, we needed answers, "I hate to break up…whatever that is but I have a question. What is this place, this T.A.R.D.I.S?"

"It's an acronym. It stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space," the Doctor began excited.

"Dad's granddaughter, Susan, thought up of it like what 800 years ago?" The boy, Ashton, interrupted again.

"Close yeah. The TARDIS is a ship, a sentient ship, a living being, that can travel anywhere in time and space. She is an old model, mind you, a Type 40, which was pulled out of service a long, long time ago on Gallifrey after I took her though."

Robyn piped in, "What does it-"

"SHE!" The boys exclaimed in unison.

"Why does SHE look like a police box from 1963," Robyn kept asking questions and I slowly began to lose interest in the conversation. As she asked about the girl named Clara and what he meant back in the museum, my headache grew worse. I've always had a problem with them, just a constant pounding in my head in an unusual pattern: four beats repeated constantly. Most days were alright but rare occasions it would be so bad all I would be able to do is curl into a ball holding my head to relieve it; this one was starting to become like that. The doctor pulled on a lever and the room shook.

"What was that?" Robyn questioned.

"I'm taking you girls home. Your parents must be worried sick," he explained.

"What parents?" I glared, slightly growling, "Robyn and I don't have anyone that cares about us."

"Everyone has someone that cares about them," The doctor seemed shocked with my attitude, "Surely you two lovely girls do as well."

I rolled my eyes, grabbed Robyn's elbow, and headed to the door when the shaking stopped, "Whatever. Now, have you gotten us home or not?" I headed out the door and noticed we were at Eastgrove.

"How would you like two come with me?" He called out.

"I told you we can't. We do have people that care about us, Doctor," I breathed out, trying to get my headache to subside; he looked at us sadly. I felt Robyn go limp for a minute and she began staring at the man in shock, spaced out. I gave her a tap on the shoulder and she shook out of it, noting my concerned look. She gave me a weak smile and I gave the man a curt wave goodbye before we headed back inside the gate.