Chapter Four: One of a Kind Makes Three of a Kind
[TARDIS CONSOLE ROOM]
"So, errands, you say?" the Doctor asks as he closes the doors.
The Time Lady scoffs, "Actual errands... then we can play."
He grins excitedly, but it steadily drops when she holds up a finger, her emotions tinged with worry.
"When I was talking about Regeneration earlier, I felt a flicker of fear from you; what's going on?" she asks, stepping over to him.
"We're together again after so long and... I just feel happy in this body. The idea of having to Regenerate and walk away as another person again, I don't want it," he explains softly.
"You've never felt that way about Regeneration, Theta; we've always viewed it the same. Is it because we're running out of Regenerations?"
"It might be partly that," The Doctor shrugs, "I want us to be this us as long as possible and... I'm not sure I will want to change when I need to."
She pulls him close when she notes the shine in his eyes, "Regardless of what happens, when it happens, and who it happens to... we'll be by each other's side and love each other as we always have and always will. Nothing will change that, alright?"
The Doctor nods and presses his forehead into her shoulder. After a few moments, they pull back and exchange soft smiles.
"So, where are we going after stopping at UNIT?" he asks.
The Alchemist smiles, "We need to go shopping. This thing is not doing me any favors under here."
The Time Lord's eyes widen, "You never let me come, I can come?"
"I want you to. I can feel it: you want to stay close to me. So yes, you're coming."
"Where to, then?" he asks as he rushes to console.
She rolls her eyes, approaching also, "Well, I do this two different ways. If I'm in a rush, I'll just stop somewhere past the 50th century, where they have everything in every color. However, I feel like hitting the 2000s Earth right now."
"We're just going... to stay on Earth to shop?" the Doctor asks, confused.
She shakes her head. "I'm going to contact a very good friend of mine right now that you have never met, and she's going to order me everything I need and have some pieces custom-made."
"Custom?" he asks curiously.
"Some of it, yeah, she designs, among other things," the Alchemist shrugs.
He nods, curious about who they're meeting.
"The Brig first," the Doctor says and starts inputting the coordinates for UNIT.
They materialize outside his office in the Tower of London and pop their heads out the door, looking around.
[UNIT Headquarters - Outside Office]
"Hello, Lydia," the Alchemist greets the secretary, and they both walk out carrying the large wooden boxes.
"Alchemist, Doctor," Lydia greets with a smile, "He's out at the moment. How can I help?"
The Time Lord frowns at the box in his hands before looking up, "We have Major Blake and Mr. Llewellyn."
Lydia stands and nods in understanding before calling Major Dellert over the intercom to accept their remains.
"Please have the funeral arrangements funded by my salary, and if you could have their family or close friends' addresses sent to me by email, I'd appreciate it," the Time Lady says as she places the box on a table to the side.
"Also, could you ask the Brig to give me a call when he's available?" the Doctor adds.
"Of course," Lydia says.
They quickly make their way back into the TARDIS, not wanting to be noticed by any other UNIT member, and be saluted.
Major Dellert turns the corner just as the TARDIS dematerializes.
"Was that them?" he asks, awed.
"It was, yes," Lydia nods, "They've brought the remains of Major Blake and Mr. Llewellyn from yesterday's fiasco. Sanction Ten orders, please."
"Copy. I'll have everything arranged and send the message, Miss. Baker," Dellert says as he takes the boxes away.
[TARDIS - Console Room]
In the Vortex, they hear a beep from the monitor, and the Doctor checks it.
"I have their names, addresses, and the dates of their wakes. White Chrysanthemums again?" he asks.
She hums in agreement and pulls up one of the gratings to retrieve the cards to fill out as he places the orders. The Doctor produces a pen from his pocket, and together, they complete the cards before signing them off as 'D .'
The Time Lord furrows his brow, then reaches deeper into his pocket and retrieves a blank postcard from Paris, carefully beginning to address it.
"I'll pop out," The Alchemist softly says after everything has been addressed and stamped.
She flickers for a moment, and her hands are now empty.
"You're fast now," he notes.
"Yeah, a little weird, honestly. I was gone for thirty minutes on my end. Had to get a cat out of a tree," she flushes, making him laugh.
The Alchemist approaches the screen and begins a self-scan to determine her precise measurements while her husband watches behind her.
"Huh, I got my height correct," she mutters before glancing at her husband, "Turn around," she orders, gesturing, "I need to double-check when I last saw my friend. I've kept it in order since I first met her."
The Doctor sighs but does as she asks.
Nodding to herself, the Alchemist checks the date before skipping over to the phone and dialing, waiting for her friend to pick up.
"Well, well, if it isn't my gorgeous Scarlet friend calling me from the stars?" a mysterious and sultry voice answers.
The Time Lady grins, "It's been a while for me, Diamond, I'm different again."
"Oh! I know what that means! Measurements, please. I'm putting you on speaker so my assistant Cynthia can type it up for me, Scarlet."
"Hello Cynthia! I'm ready when you are," the Time Lady calls out.
Cynthia replies, "Hello, Ally! I'm all set for you."
The Alchemist reads off the screen quickly.
"Damn!" Diamond gasps, "Are you a runway model now? I may just need you for my next collection, Scarlet."
"You know my husband will go barmy if I model any of your collection, Diamond," she laughs.
She can hear the Doctor pacing behind her, wanting to do something besides just wait.
"Right, right. You promised to bring him this time, remember! Anyway, same forest green shade, hm? Materials?" the American voice asks.
"Forest green, of course. Flowers would be nice. As for materials, I'm feeling lace, mesh, and satin. I'm vegetarian now and would prefer no real leather or silk. My entire dress is lace this time around; you'll adore it. Some delicate pieces and some, uh... racy ones for the private collection? As for bottoms, just make sure they can stay in place, and I believe I'll be content."
The woman hums in thought, "How racy are we talking?"
The Alchemist glances behind her, whispering, "Suspenders, corsets, the whole deal. Go wild, surprise me. Also pleather. Strappy, preferably with buckles and cuffs," she rushes around the console when the Doctor turns to her in alarm; dragging the corded phone with her, "Like I said, wild! If you could pick up some good quality matching rope for me that'd be lovely," she twists around as the Doctor reaches for the phone, "Apparently, we're switches now!"
"I'll call when it's ready!" Diamond replies with a laugh.
The chorded line is ripped from the console and the phone from the Time Lady's hand.
'My phone!' the TARDIS whines, 'He tore out the phone!'
"The TARDIS is mad you tore out her phone," the Alchemist playfully admonishes as she plugs it back in.
The Doctor shakes his head, "Forget that! You, you just... what?What?Why did you? What?"
She sighs fondly, "Trust me, there's no one better to go to about this stuff than Diamond," she takes his hands, "She'sverydiscreet and she's a total sweetheart."
The Time Lord frowns, "But…"
His mouth is covered by her hand as he goes to complain.
"Nope, I want quality, thank you," she grins before gasping, "Did you just lick my hand!?"
She drops it in frustration, rolling her eyes, and wipes off the saliva on his sleeve as the phone rings. The Doctor sighs and picks it up, handing it to his Bondmate reluctantly.
"Scarlet, my beautiful friend, wait until you see what I have collected for you," Diamond says into the line.
The Alchemist grins, "Oh, my husband looks like he wants to run away right now, so this will be very entertaining for the both of us."
"See you in a moment; parlor, please!" she hears, and the line goes dead.
"What. Is. Happening?" The Doctor demands between clenched teeth.
The Alchemist quickly types in the coordinates she got from the phone line and shrugs. She flips off the handbrake and turns on the stabilizers in preparation for the quiet flight.
"Something fun," she smirks and starts flying the TARDIS alone.
The TARDIS lands silently inside the Tudor home's parlor, and the Time Lady throws the break on and skips towards the doors before slipping out.
The Doctor huffs, rubbing at his already wild hair as he slowly, warily, follows her out the doors.
[Von Teese Parlor]
"Dita!" the Alchemist cries out when she sees the gorgeous Burlesque Queen.
The petite, curvy woman wraps her arms around her warmly.
"Scarlet, my lovely starlit woman, you truly are a model now!" she says, pulling away to look at her.
She pauses in her inspection of the Alchemist when she sees the TARDIS door open again.
"Aha, you did bring the scamp, then," Dita smirks.
"Doctor, this is my dear, wonderful, talented friend, Dita Von Teese. Dita, this is my husband, The Doctor," the Time Lady introduces them with a grin.
"Lovely to meet you, Doctor. You have a very fine woman by your side, you know!" Dita says with her signature red smile.
The Doctor laughs at that, "I'm well aware, Dita. It's great to meet you, too. Just how long have you two been friends without me knowing?"
The Alchemist shrugs, honestly not sure herself. It's been years on her part.
"We met at my first show. I don't remember what face number that was, though, Ally."
"Ah, that was my first, so it's been a number of years for both of us, really," the Alchemist recalls.
The Doctor pouts, "And you didn't bring me?"
"To a burlesque show featuring the astounding Dita Von Teese when I wanted to become her friend?" she shakes her head, "Absolutely not, love."
"I've been informed that you can be rude and speak before you think. I'm a bit older now; I think I can handle that," Dita tells him.
The Doctor rolls his eyes and nods, taking in the lavishly decorated space.
Dita turns to the Alchemist and smirks mischievously, "You were not kidding about that dress, Scarlet. It is divine," she hip-checks her, "Also, BDSM now, hm? You certainly came to the right gal. I've got everything you need, my dear Scarlet. You and your man are going to be very, very happy."
Dita strides over to a covered clothing rack before turning to the pair.
"You, Doctor, should take a seat," she gestures toward the sofa, "This is Scarlet's moment. Although knowing this gal, she's grabbing everything again."
The Doctor settles into an ornate sofa, his gaze fixed on his Bondmate as she confidently approaches to examine what her friend has set out for her. With a swift motion, Dita unveils the black satin drape, leaving the Doctor utterly speechless.
The Alchemist gasps, "Oh, Diamond, you are just as magnificent as always."
At least twenty sets are hanging on the rack, all nearing the same shade of forest green she loves. All different cuts of bottoms and brassiere shapes. Gentle lace appliques, solid lace, satin, chiffon, tulle, etc.
"This is just the daywear, love," the Time Lady says, turning to him with a smirk.
He blinks hard, "There's more?"
Dita laughs, "Of course, there's more! You know the woman better than I do, certainly!"
She takes one hanger off the bar and shows it to the Alchemist.
"This one I named the Star Lift, designed it just for you and it's in the regular collection now. I just had to add a little tassel, though, just for our inside joke," she explains with a wink.
"It has everything, literally everything I asked for. Dita, you astound me," the Time Lady says softly.
"I have ten of them for you; I know how much you run, so I was worried they'd wear out," she explains, patting her cheek.
The Alchemist nods, "This is why I pushed for it when you said you were thinking about going into design. You're wonderful at it."
Dita grins happily and puts the piece back on the rack.
"Go take a look, Doctor; just know I'm getting everything, so you don't have to be worried about that," the Time Lady smiles, following Dita to the next rack in the other room.
Dita turns at the doorway and points to him when he goes to stand, "You, Doctor Man, are staying here," she waggles her finger, "These are her treats, so no sneak previews."
He lets out a sigh but gives a nod, his curiosity piqued as he flicks through the rack. Meanwhile, Dita closes the grand, polished wooden door after the Alchemist steps inside.
[Von Teese Living Room]
"You said he was rude!" Dita chuckles, "And never mentioned how handsome he is, goodness! Is he shy or something?"
"He's a bit stunned, honestly. If I took him to a shop, he'd probably be running all over the place and chatting non-stop about what he wants," she shrugs, "I've never taken him along for my lingerie routine, and you're the only one I come to," she fans herself, laughing, "Also,I know. He always is. Every. Single. One."
Dita shakes her head, "Some men just can't handle these confident ladies, hm? His suit looks very nice. Is that from the '30s?"
"Oh, you are so good at that. Excellent eye. It was a gift from two very important writers... something about a green light?" the Alchemist whispers conspiratorially.
The Burlesque Queen gasps in shock as she reaches for the next rack covering and rounds on her.
"I'd say you're lying, but you have a time machine, so I know you're not. I know you can't always bring me along because of my importance or whatever, but that is amazing!"
"You've been important to me since I met you, Diamond," the Alchemist reminds her gently, "I don't care about your fame, you know that. Maybe we can fit in a trip today after I pay you for your work and the pieces and pack up. Knowing you, your day is clear," she nods to the black satin, "Now, uncover that thing, please,"
Dita grins and pops her hip as she pulls off the black covering on the rack, and the Alchemist's jaw drops.
"Oh, you look like your man now with that... is that a new piercing?" Dita asks excitedly.
The Time Lady laughs, "Yeah, I felt like getting another... and he got one too."
"The one you've been wanting? Good boy; congratulations on that move," she winks.
"He's a very good boy, indeed..." the Time Lady trails off as she removes a dark green and brass body harness with cuffs from the rack to look closer at.
"Yeah, that's one of my favorites, too; mine's red and black, though."
The Alchemist nods and puts it back before frowning at the rack in consideration.
"Not much sleepwear?" she asks, "Lots of gorgeous robes and a few nighties, though. I love that. The open lace corset is beautiful, too."
Dita replies knowingly, "Think about going to bed right now. What do you want on?"
"Nothing," the Time Lady quickly answers, confused.
"It's normal," the woman waves her off, "Most of us are so into being restrained that we can only actually sleep when we're not wearing anything to bed," she removes a satin piece and shows her, "Hence why the robes are made of very light materials, although I did get you plenty of patterned satin loungewear to wear around. It's just pre-packed for you,"
"That makes a lot of sense. Your taste is still pristine. It's like you know what I need every time, Dita."
Dita gives a quirky shrug as she hangs the robe back up and struts over to a large ebony wood trunk on the other side of the room.
"You never change that much, Scarlet, and you always know what fabrics you want. What is it you say?" she hums, "Base personality traits? I'd say we know one another pretty well after all these years. We did meet in 1992, after all," she reminds her and opens the black trunk.
"You speak only the truth, my diamond-covered friend. Now, what's hiding in there?" the Alchemist asks as she follows her over.
"Everything you need for your shibari bedroom ventures. I got you dyed hemp and faux silk. That's what I prefer, at least, depending on my mood. All different widths are in there and as much as I could fit. You'll find you'll go through it if you use a lot of it, especially the hemp."
The Alchemist nods as she pulls out a long-wrapped length of one of each.
"I'm not sure if we know how to do this yet, but if not, we'll pick it up quickly."
"I'm prepared for that, there's a very informative book in there as well. Can't tell you where I put it, but you'll find it," she replies.
Dita moves and opens the second trunk right next to it and smirks up at the Alchemist, who is grinning excitedly.
"Now this, my friend, is the premium setup!" Dita gestures to it, "I had most of it custom-ordered to your color preference. All vegan and different textures," she counts them off, "Paddles, whips, gags, blindfolds, leashes, I could go on. For the cuffs... I went with faux-fur lined pleather. I also got you a furry blue set of regular cuffs to match your sexy time machine," she points to the Alchemist, "You're on your own for your toys."
The Alchemist laughs, "The Doctor will lose his mind when he sees this, Dita. He'll be a stuttering wreck the moment he spots it... and if you're here while I show him, he will sprint back to the ship and run away without me."
Dita pouts, "I was hoping I could see some stuttering, but... I wouldn't be entirely opposed to keeping my friend with me here."
The Alchemist rolls her eyes, "We have a companion right now. It's technically nighttime for us in our Earth timeline. She's still at home for the holiday, but I'm not letting that man run around with that child without me with him."
"Something bothering you?" Dita asks as she sits on one of the vintage chairs.
The Time Lady sighs heavily, dropping into the other chair, "We were separated for a while due to some... horrors back on our planet, and he was forced to travel without me for a long time," she frowns, "Not long before we met up again he got a new companion on his own… thinking I was... gone," she glances at Dita, "She doesn't trust me, and I think it stems from jealousy. I can also tell she's extremely attracted to his new body, which typically goes away, but..."
Dita nods, understanding, "You have a theory that it won't."
"I do, unfortunately. A friend of mine that helped me get back to him became our other companion for a while, and she shagged him while we were traveling together. However, I believe her... boyfriend?" the Alchemist shrugs, "Ex-boyfriend? I'm uncertain as to what he is to her. But he's being sort of… lied to about all of it seemingly," she frowns, "I believe he might want a committed relationship. You know my husband and I have a deeper connection than humans can understand or make, so this may be problematic."
The Burlesque Queen hums in thought, "It sounds like he's her backup plan…" she winces when the Alchemist raises her brows, "Which I obviously need to explain based on that look of confusion. Some people decide to make a deal where they'll marry in the future if they don't find someone they're better suited to or fall in love with," she shakes her head, "Sounds to me like he doesn't know it, and she's dragging the poor boy around while she tests the waters without telling him."
The Alchemist grimaces, "That's against everything my people experience. We're bound to only one soulmate and wait until we find them. Trying to separate Bondmates is against our laws. The resulting sentence would be death."
"Oof. Well, that's not good if she's after your man," Dita sighs, "I know you would never do such a thing to someone. You may want to reconsider keeping her around, Scarlet," she looks at her seriously, "Keep a close eye on the girl. I know how intelligent you are; you never miss a thing. Don't hide what's going on from the Doctor, alright?"
Rubbing her forehead, the Alchemist sighs and nods. She knows her friend is right.
There's a loud series of knocks on the wooden door, and they turn to look at it.
"Are you finished there yet?" the Doctor bemoans from behind it, "It's been ages. Maybe we can take Dita for a trip! Dita, where would you like to go? Past? Future? Future past? Space? Up to you! We'll find somewhere fun."
Dita grins at the Time Lady, "You really weren't joking about that 'gobs that won't stop' business."
The Alchemist rolls her eyes fondly and calls out, "We're done. We just need to pack up, and I need to pay," she turns to her friend, "Dita, are you down for a nice trip today? Who would you like to meet this time?"
"The Fitzgeralds," Dita smirks.
"Oh! Wonderful! They gave me this suit. Spent some time in Paris. We should go during one of those visits," the Doctor calls back.
"1926? We could see Hemmingway, too. You know how much he and I like to debate," the Alchemist nods before turning to her friend, "Fair warning though, Dita, the man's a scoundrel. We'll have to give Scott a call to make sure he brings Zelda, though, love," she reminds her Bondmate.
"Oh, that sounds great! I'll need to change, though. I'm currently way to '50s at the moment," Dita realizes as she pulls out her smartphone to ring up the Alchemist's payment.
"Plenty of clothes in the Wardrobe, Miss. Von Teese! I'll go call the Fitzgeralds and see what they're up to," the Doctor says.
"Where do you think most of her clothes come from, Doctor?" the Time Lady laughs, "I've snuck her into the TARDIS to take her shopping in all her favorite eras while you were locked in your workshop over the years."
"What!? You went without me?" he cries.
"You hate shopping, love. Dita does not," she replies.
The Alchemist rolls her eyes as she hears him grumble on his way back into the TARDIS to make the phone call.
Dita's laughing at their antics, and she holds up her phone with a slider cube for the Alchemist to swipe.
"Total's $17,519.24, dear, not that you care. Does your husband even know how rich you two are yet?" the woman asks.
"Nope, and I've yet to tell him... if I ever do," she mutters as she swipes a small black square card through the device.
"You're divine, Ally. I just adore you to pieces. Now, I have a few large bags ready to pack everything into. Reusable, of course. You know how recycling is right now."
The Alchemist nods knowingly, standing, "You go get changed, and I'll pack this room and make him pack the other. Sound alright?"
She receives a grin as Dita Von Teese gets up to fetch two large black satin duffle bags and one matching cotton tote.
"I know you won't! But I'm saying it anyway: make sure those pieces go right into your lingerie drawers after this trip, Scarlet!"
"Of course, Queen of Diamonds," the Alchemist firmly replies.
The Time Lady takes the bags, allowing the beautiful Entrepreneur to change outfits. She drops one already slightly filled duffle and the tote on a chair before going into the other room to put down the other for the Doctor to pack everything into.
[Von Teese Parlor]
The Doctor slips out of the TARDIS just as she places the bag on the sofa.
"They're all going to meet us at the New York Bar on the 19th of June 1926 at 19:00," he tells her with a smile.
"Saturday, then," the Alchemist nods, turning to him, "Can you pack up this room, please, love? Just leave behind the hangers. Fold the bras that aren't lined."
"Fold them? How?" he asks as he grabs the bag and moves to the rack.
The Alchemist smirks, "In half, cups facing out. You can just put everything else in the bag after that."
The Time Lord nods before going about his task, "What are you going to do?"
"I need to grab the trunks and pack up the other rack," she explains mysteriously.
"Trunks?" he asks, looking at her as she walks towards the door.
"You'll see later," she says and slips in.
[TARDIS - Console Room]
Packed up and ready, the Alchemist carries both trunks into the TARDIS, placing them on the Console Room floor for now. Dita has the tote while the Doctor has the duffles, and they put them next to the stacked ebony trunks.
"What's in there?" the Doctor asks them.
"Rope mainly," Dita shrugs.
The Doctor pauses and stares at the boxes before glancing warily at the women grinning at him.
"Right... right, let's get going. They, uh, they said they're available for a few hours tonight," the Doctor stutters.
"You've redecorated again. It's very early 90s in here," Dita acknowledges.
"Eh, I'm hoping the next one's shinier. The Doctor likes it, though, so there's that," the Alchemist informs her.
'This was never my favorite look,' she hears the TARDIS say.
The Alchemist cackles, and the other two send her an odd look.
She waves them off, "Sorry, Sexy talks to me now, Dita. She said something funny, is all and I'm not repeating it."
The Doctor rolls his eyes as he enters the coordinates, and the Alchemist helps him start the quiet flight; breaks off and stabilizers on.
Dita Von Teese leans elegantly against one of the rails, smiling at the pair fondly and excited for another time-traveling adventure, this time with two Aliens instead of one.
[Von Teese Parlor]
The TARDIS silently lands once more in Dita Von Teese's parlor in 2022, a mere five minutes after they left.
The Burlesque Queen peaks her head out of the doors to check they're in the right spot before opening them both widely outwards and walking out.
"That was wonderful! You really weren't joking when you said Ernie's a scoundrel, my goodness!" Dita giggles, quite tipsy.
The Doctor laughs, carrying a case of French Champagne with him out the doors.
"Always has been, Ernie," he agrees, "He'll not forget the smacks you ladies gave him for a long time to come. Although, he certainly deserved it."
"He called me a strumpet, and then he pinched Dita's arse! He damn well deserved those slaps. I would have socked him instead if I wasn't certain I might accidentally break him. He is a famous author, after all. Still has a lot to write about," the Alchemist confirms, carrying another case of different spirits for cocktails.
"True, true. Can't have that," the Doctor says as he places the case against the wall for his new friend.
The Alchemist glances around, "Dita, do you want me to move these to your entertaining room? They're not heavy for me."
Dita waves her arm over the side of the sofa before popping her head up, "That would be great. You know where it is. I'll have a little chat with the Doctor man while you're doing that."
The Alchemist nods, shifting one case to her arm before grabbing the other. The Doctor and Dita observe her as she strides away, cases in tow.
"She wasn't able to do that before..." the Burlesque Queen trails off, worried.
The Doctor sighs and leans against the wall, "Some things happened to her back on our homeworld. There was... it was bad. It was very, very bad for everyone, and now it's gone."
Dita gasps at that and tears up, "Your entire planet? I'm so sorry, Doctor," she swallows hard, "Does that mean... I mean, your children... I hate to ask, but I know how much you both adore them."
"We, we don't know... It's hard to have hope about it, but Ally has some memories trapped in her mind. She's constantly working on getting them to come through. She thinks she may have gotten them out."
It's surprising to him how willing he is to be open with this woman. It must be because she's been Ally's trusted friend for so long; she knows what they are, and it doesn't bother her.
"The Alchemist would never leave behind your children, Doctor. Never. If she got out, she got them out, too. Find that hope and hold on to it. You'll find them," she tells him confidently, her eyes still glassy.
The Doctor smiles softly, "Thank you for being her good friend for so many years. I can see why she waited to let me meet you, though. You're one of a kind, Miss. Dita Von Teese."
Dita laughs heartily and shrugs, "That makes three of us then! You know that's the first thing Scarlet told me? That I'm 'One of a kind, and one of a kind needs another to be friends with,'" she smiles, recalling, "Ally ordered me a sidecar, and we talked for hours about what I wanted to do with my life after my first show—never told me a bit about what I would achieve. I didn't find out that she wasn't human and a time traveler until she was in her second body," she shakes her head, "I knew it was her, though. That scarlet hair and those sparkly eyes. Knowing she went out of her way to meet me gave me so much confidence to become who I am now. I wanted her to be proud."
"I am proud, Dita Von Teese," the Time Lady says from the doorway, "I've always been proud of you and always will be. You're who you are because of your decisions, choices, and efforts, not because of me. I was just there from the sidelines cheering you on."
The Doctor smiles at his wife's comment and watches Dita stumble off the couch to run into his Bondmate's arms and hug her tightly.
"I love you, my dear Scarlet. I know you'll visit me again, you always do. Make sure to keep calling though, alright? I'm rather fond of this new accent of yours," she tells the Alchemist, eyes still glistening.
The Time Lady nods, "Of course I will, Diamond, of course I will. Now, you need to work on sobering up and take care of that hangover of yours. Maybe watch some old films again today, hm?"
She laughs as she stumbles over to lean against the back of the sofa, "Good plan. I'll probably just need a green smoothie this time, at least. You two have a lovely evening... even though it's... what time is it, Ally?"
"12:38 pm here, Dita; you were gone for five minutes," she replies, which earns a grin from her Bondmate.
"It'll be like a trip to another timezone and back, could be worse," Dita shrugs.
The Doctor steps forward, "We best be off then. Still have a few hours until our companion wakes up... Five hours, maybe?"
"Yeah, probably," the Alchemist confirms.
Dita strides over to the Doctor and pulls him into a tight hug, "Wonderful to finally meet you, Doctor Man. Keep taking good care of Scarlet for me. I want her back in one piece, you understand?"
"Hah! Got it, Dita. It was nice to meet another 'One of a kind;' we'll see you soon," he replies, hugging her back before letting go.
The Alchemist steps forward to kiss Dita's cheek, who smiles brightly up at her, "See you, Diamond!"
Both Time Lords walk back into the TARDIS, pulling the doors shut behind them, and it dematerializes.
Dita Von Teese smiles at the spot the blue box once occupied before shaking her head and making her way to the living room to enjoy a classic black-and-white film, just as her friend recommended.
[TARDIS - Console Room]
"She's brilliant," the Doctor comments as they walk away from the console towards the pile of bags and trunks.
"She is," the Alchemist agrees, "I'm sorry I haven't brought you to meet her sooner, but every last one of you was so rude, and she wasn't confident enough yet. I planned on bringing your eighth self, but things obviously happened."
With a heavy heart, he draws her close and gently presses his lips to her forehead.
"It's alright, we're okay now, yeah?" he mumbles into her hair.
She shrugs, "I hope so. I still feel off, and it's still disconcerting."
"We'll figure it out, and we'll... we'll have hope that your theory is correct."
The Alchemist smiles, "Let's bring this stuff to our room. I have something very important to tell you."
'Old room,' she hears the TARDIS say.
"Important?" he asks.
"Uh, yeah... hold on, Sexy's trying to tell me something, but she's worse with tenses than Teacher used to be, no offense," the Alchemist says.
The Time Lord frowns as he watches his Bondmate converse with their ship. His mind spinning with questions of his own.
"'Old room'... Do you mean there's a new room, Sexy?" she asks the TARDIS and the console room flashes and hums.
"Can you move it so it's across from ours?" the Doctor asks their ship.
'Already was,' she hears.
"That's where it already is, love," the Alchemist says as she easily lifts the heavy trunks.
The Doctor gives a cautious nod, keeping a close eye on her as he picks up the bags to trail behind her down the corridor. He knows he must ask this question and pull it from the mountain; it's been nagging at him since he first witnessed these abilities in action.
"Does that hurt you at all?" the Doctor asks worriedly.
The Alchemist frowns, "Does what hurt me?"
"Holding that much weight?"
"No, my musculature structure and most connective tissues are so advanced now that I can carry 400 lbs with no issue. Even more, if the situation calls for it, I can safely jump down about 100 feet from above without hurting myself when I land," she explains quietly.
"What do you mean, hurting yourself?" he asks, and she can feel his worry.
She pauses outside a solid steel door across from their bedroom.
'Can you open the door please, Sexy?' she asks in her mind.
It opens, and she walks in, burying her amusement at the sight of the room. The Alchemist puts the trunks down in front of the bed and turns to face her husband; the wood matches, unsurprisingly.
"Well, my bones weren't enhanced, just my muscular structure, remember? None of us were enhanced that way, which was idiotic when you think about it," she eyes him, "I found that out when I attempted to, uh... escape once. I broke my legs and crushed a few vertebrae when I jumped from the top of the Alpha Base. It was 450 feet up.
"I had multiple fractures in my legs, and the landing paralyzed me from the waist down. He had one of the 'nurses' heal me with his Regeneration energy. I kept apologizing for him needing to use his energy on me by force. Never was able to try again. I was trying to warn the rest of the Council, namely our parents. That's when he put me in the cage," she explains, worried about his rising frustration and anger.
He swiftly wraps his arms around her, inhaling the scent of her hair, trying to ground himself. Her words caught him off guard; this was the last thing he wanted to hear. Calling it abseiling is putting it lightly. He can't shake the feeling that there are even more painful truths she's still holding back about what transpired.
"I'm here, Theta, I'm alive. I'm here with you," she reminds him strongly in Old High Gallifreyan.
He pulls back and nods, thankful and calmer now.
"You need to promise me to be careful with your strength in that case," the Doctor sighs, "You can't jump farther than you know you can handle. Be careful about it. If you go too far and cut yourself... you'll have to stop to..."
She interrupts him, "Destroy the blood, I know, and we don't always have time while we're running. I've been pretty good about it so far. Just, you know, no big heights are the main thing. If I feel like jumping, I'll keep it to around 10 feet, okay?"
He nods in agreement before looking around the room finally with high brows.
"Our ship created a..." he trails off.
The Alchemist shrugs, "Sex dungeon, I noticed, love. At least it's nice and bright in here. No black walls or... red. The uh... the bed's interesting," she looks it over, "Does my head go in that hole?"
"Or mine," he quips.
The Time Lords chuckle softly, exchanging amused glances as they survey their new room.
The walls and ceiling are white with a slightly shiny finish. The ceiling itself is glowing softly, lighting the entire space. The bed is enormous, easily king-sized, with white cotton bedding and pillows. The bed frame is made of iron in a canopy style and is rather modern-looking.
There are circles on the headboard like rings and actual rings all along the edges to lock something or someone down. At the footboard, an ebony wooden stockboard is going across the middle, high enough to kneel and bend over behind.
"Is this what I think this is?" the Doctor asks as he looks at an ebony wooden cross with more rings attached to the wall.
She comes up next to him, "Traditional torture device... It's a saltire, definitely. We'll need to read up on this stuff."
"Huh," he mutters and continues exploring.
The rug is soft, fluffy, and white. Curious, the Alchemist jumps and bounces slightly before her feet sink in.
"Theta, jump! The floor bounces," she says and does it again.
He does the same and laughs.
"We have a sex dungeon that bounces, Amara," the Doctor laughs.
"We do!" the Alchemist agrees.
One wall has multiple ebony wood horizontal stripes going down vertically. The Alchemist zones in on them and spots the hooks to hang all of their new things.
The Alchemist does want to set the room up all the way, but there's something very important she needs to tell him before they do anything else. She would also rather put away her lingerie, as Dita ordered.
"Let's put away everything in the trunks later, Theta. I want to go to our actual bedroom to talk right now, okay?" she grins as she picks up one of the full duffles.
"This is good news, then?" he asks, grabbing the second.
She stops him before he picks up the black tote bag with her custom pleather restraints.
"Leave that one. It's for in here," she nods to it, "But yes, it is very, very good news. Some of the best."
He watches her closely, sensing the excitement and joy radiating from her despite the heavy sadness that lingers within. There's also an unsettling darkness beneath the surface that troubles him deeply. That's the emotion neither of them can figure out.
"Come on, then," he says, opening the door to leave and enter their bedroom.
She follows and closes the steel door behind her listening as it locks. She's relieved that no one but them will get in here.
Following the Doctor, the couple enters their bedroom, and she eyes his feet in annoyance.
[Fated Pair Bedroom]
"Shoes. Off. By the door, Theta," she orders, "Every time we come in here, I want them by the door; I don't care which side. New body, new rules."
He drops the bag instantly and does as she commands, hopping around to untie one.
The Alchemist huffs and pushes him into a chair the moment he's in front of it; he doesn't even acknowledge the move and just continues to remove his Converse.
Pulling off her boots, she drops them to one side of the door, and moments later, the Doctor's shoes land neatly next to hers. He follows her to their wardrobe room.
With a smile, the Alchemist retrieves a satin and lace nightie from her bag, this particular one a rich, deep green.
She slips off her dress and carefully hangs it in her now vacant blue wardrobe, acutely aware of the Doctor's steady eyes on her the entire time.
'Sexy, can you please strengthen this dress, dimensionalize the pockets, and multiply it for me by ten?' she asks the ship.
'Yes, Thief One,' the Alchemist hears, which makes her raise a brow.
She'll ask about that later.
She undresses completely, placing the stockings in the closet for future use and tossing the rest into the laundry basket. The intensity of the Doctor's gaze lingers on her, filled with desire, and she can sense his pheromones intensifying in the air.
The Alchemist slips her nightie on and moves the bag to the ground before rounding on her Bondmate.
"My gift, you didn't ask what it was that I said we needed back," she reminds him.
He nods, eyeing her form, "What is it?"
"I got something back 'that should never have been taken,'" she quotes.
The Doctor narrows his eyes, "That's from your prophecy."
"What was taken?" the Alchemist asks, "That we were so devastated by? It was so hard to tell you, but I knew I needed to tell you almost immediately after we found each other again."
Her Bondmate leaps up from their bench in shock and sprints across the room to grip her waist, "The Time Vortex... they... your... you, Amara, we, we have the chance to have children again?"
She grins, eyes glossing over with unshed tears, and nods, "Yes, Theta Sigma. We do."
The Doctor is overwhelmed with joy, tears streaming down his face as he embraces her tightly, and she wraps her arms around him in return.
'You need not be welcome; this should never have been gifted; this was yours to keep,' she hears her Teacher say.
"Thank them for me," he whispers into her ear.
She shakes her head. "Teacher just said, 'You need not be welcome; this should never have been gifted; this was yours to keep.' They hate that Time Lord as much as us."
The Time Lord pulls back and wipes away the tears from his face, nodding until his eyes narrow. He looks his wife up and down before he picks her up bridal style, carries her down the steps to their bedroom, and drops her on the soft mattress while she laughs.
"Is this you wanting something now? Do you want to play? You don't use words anymore? Where'd that mouth go?" she grins, leaning back against the pillows.
He's quiet as he pulls his trench coat and jacket off, throwing them behind him. He practically rips the tie off his head to join the pile of clothing.
"I'll show you where my mouth is going," the Doctor growls and dives onto the bed to join her.
[Fated Pair Bedroom - Fireplace]
A few hours later finds them by the fireplace, reading quietly.
The Doctor frowns as he recalls what occurred on Floor 500.
"Something from the later mountain?" he asks, looking at his wife.
She nods and shuts her book, turning to her Bondmate.
"Something specific?" the Alchemist asks.
"Scarlet Tsunami."
She winces, silent.
He frowns, "How did they even see you to name you?"
The Time Lady sighs heavily, "Battle of the Monanic Dredges."
"...when all the Daleks disappeared at once. I wasn't there for that," he recalls, "There were so many rumors. What's the truth?"
"Funny thing about dredges, they're muddy. My hair was clean, though," The Alchemist pinches the bridge of her nose.
"Your Aidos was covered," the Time Lord realizes.
"And they spotted me moving my hands, and a wave of light removed all the Daleks. The recording must have been sent out to the ships above Monan, and they saw my eighth incarnation before I was recalled. Only my hair was uncovered."
"Right before the war actually started," the Doctor acknowledges.
"You'd hear it said occasionally in whispers, but no one knew it was me besides Rassillon and the forced teams he had to keep the Alpha Base running. The Aido tech was adjusted after that, so an enemy never spotted me again."
"But they knew you were there when Daleks would disappear en masse. I remember hearing the name. Our people thought it was time itself helping us," the Doctor replies, his book closed now.
The Alchemist smirks, "Technically, it was. I'm Time's Chosen, remember?"
A/N: I'm having trouble getting the italicized text to save when I go to post, so I'm just going to stick to using it on Gallifreyan and telepathic conversations from now on. Whenever I use it, the words get all jumbled. I'd love to keep my inflections in my writing when I post here, but FF needs to update their posting system for me to do that.