Hello you beautiful people! I'm back from camping. I'm exhausted. And dirty. But it was a lot of fun. Anyway! Here's another chapter. You were so patient that I decided you deserved another nice chapter. Although there's also a bit of plot in it. The next couple of chapters are not going to be nice. (*spoilers*) please R&R
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor who, or the book "Hexwood." But I recommend you read it. It's one of my favorites and is very under appreciated. Sorry I can't remember the name if the author.
With the wedding over and everything, it was time for everyone to leave the newlyweds to their newfound marital bliss. They only want to be alone for a week or so before getting me and Meta again, but we all think it's a good idea to let them have it.
Meta gets it into his head that he wants to go on a road trip across the United States. He insists that he and I get a car and go. I can't say no to his puppy dog eyes so I agree.
So the Doctor drops us off in New York City in June of 1986. It's agreed that they will pick us up in two weeks our time in Los Angeles. The day spent in New York is quite nice. We do all the typical tourist things and I think Meta is relishing in the humanness of it.
Ever since that day that he disappeared he seems to appreciate it all more. And ever since the wedding he seems to be more attentive to me. I'm not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand I love it. On the other, it's very strange and I feel like I'm reading too much into nothing.
We find a battered old jeep that Meta insists be our car. I try not to let my heart flutter at the thought of it being "ours." After the purchase he strokes the hood and I raise my eyebrows.
"Ya gonna name this one Bessie too?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" He pause and gets a big grin. "This is Helga."
With that, he gets into the driver seat and I get into the passenger seat shaking my head. Despite my fears, he actually isn't a bad driver. I still tease him about it though. He refuses to let me drive his precious Helga but that's just fine with me.
We stop in DC next. The prattles on about the history of everything. He falls in love with the Smithsonian museum. I'll admit that I rather enjoyed it as well.
Next, we find ourselves in New Orleans. He gives me a gift. It surprises me. He hands me a simply wrapped box without a word. I ask what the occasion is and he hair shrugs. When I open it, I find a book. "Hexwood." My breath catches. The cover is the same. The words on every page is familiar. It's a piece of home.
"Where did you find this?"
"That book loft in New York."
"How did you know to get this one?"
"You mentioned a while back that it was your favorite. You were sad because you couldn't find it. You didn't think it existed in this universe. It's just really unknown. Didn't do very well."
I smile at the thoughtfulness of the gesture. He doesn't look me in the eye for several hours. Finally I just force him to look.
"Thank you."
"It's just a book."
"No it's not. It's a piece of my past that I didn't think I'd get back. There's a lot of my past lost to me, but you gave me something back. So thank you."
He smiles. "You're welcome." There's a shift in the air. The same shift I thought I felt for a moment on the bus. He leans in ever so slightly, seeking permission which I grant.
His lips are gentle on mine. Giving and undemanding yet still insistent. He makes no move to deepen the kiss but he doesn't pull back either and I know that he's waiting for me give him the okay. So I deepen it a bit and that's all he needs. He explores like a man with all the time in the world. Mapping my teeth and lips as if committing them to memory. I think he is.
It's a long time before we stop for breath. Our foreheads lean against each other as our breath mingles. We laugh at the absurdity of it. And we stay with what we are both comfortable with.
We next travel to Las Vegas. I have no interest in the slots or the card games but he's curious so I send him off while I order myself a drink. I'm not sitting there alone for long when a woman, not much older than I sits near me. Her hair is longer than mine, braided down her back. It's a little lighter but not by all that much. It's too dark for me to see her clearly but I can sense a sadness about her. But then she speaks to me.
"You need to remember."
I stare at her, startled. "Remember what? Who are you?"
I can hear the smile in her reply. "Spoilers. But that's not the point Jane Ryder. You have to remember."
She finishes off her drink and begins to walk away. "Remember what?!" I call after her. But she doesn't turn around. Meta pulls my attention for just a second but when I turn back, she's gone.
"You all right? What is it?"
I shake my head, trying to clear it. "Nothing. I'm fine. Just tired I guess."
I try not to let my thoughts harm the rest of the trip. But I can tell that Meta notices and looks a bit worried. I have no idea who the woman was. I have no idea what she was talking about. I don't think it was River. That doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it was Rose? After she regenerates next time? Or someone else entirely?
No matter who they are though, the real question in my mind is what I'm supposed to remember. A certain episode? My past in general? My name? It's been a long time since I've heard my real name. I haven't once said it aloud. But I still remember it so that can't be it. Something with Clara maybe? She was always saying to remember.
When we reach Los Angeles, I have no time to think about it any more. The TARDIS is waiting for us when we get to the designated spot. Over the next couple of months I begin to forget all of my questions. I focus more on all the places and times we go to see.
It's fun to watch Meta and the Doctor interact. It's been so long now since they were the same man that they are now separated. They've picked up on their own individuality. The brother explanation seems to work well so they don't deny it. It's sort of what they are anyway. Rose and I are just as close as we ever were. It's nice, just the four of us.
One day Martha and Mickey call saying that they decided to elope without everyone. They didn't want a fuss. Martha was concerned about the Doctor coming to an Earth wedding anyway. We're all fine with it. They deserved their quiet ceremony anyway. So we wish them a congratulations and move on.
Everything is going so well. And then the phone rings. And it's Jack. And then I realize that the universe is telling us that vacation is over. And I'm worried. Because I never watched much of Torchwood. I saw like three episodes. But I heard about this. I heard about the Doctor not coming. I heard about how Jack's grandson died. How Ianto died. But I don't know enough. I don't know if I can fix this one. And that scares me.
Rose looks concerned. "This ones going to be bad. Isn't it?"
"Yeah. Yeah it is."
She nods and that's all there is to it. Meta looks worried as well. The Doctor's jaw is set. Nothing about this bodes well. But there's nothing we can do. So we head to Cardiff, and I try to pretend that I don't have a sense of impending doom. Instead, I focus on the hand that's holding mine.