Chapter Text
From her favourite chair, Liz didn't notice the sudden shift in scenery outside her front window, having enjoyed a rare afternoon cup of tea away from her lab with a book in her hand. The knock on the front door, however, was another story as she uncurled her legs out from under her, stood up, and moved towards it.
A young man, wearing a brown tweed jacket and green-checked bowtie greeted her, turning around to face her as soon as she opened the door, leaving her hand on the knob. "Oh, good, I see I've got the 1976 you. They'd never let me forget it if I got it wrong."
"Excuse me?"
"There isn't time to explain. C'mon." He grabbed her by the hand and pulled, leaving her little room to react as the door slammed closed behind her. She was glad she hadn't pulled her boots off after all.
"What is this? Some sort of joke?" Around her front bush they went, and that's when she saw the big blue police box sitting on her lawn and knew this had to be more than just some sort of prank. "Doctor? Doctor, if this is really you, I demand you let go of me this instant."
The Doctor stopped, dropping her wrist as he turned to look at her.
"What part of 'we don't have time for this' did you not understand?" He cocked his head at her, their gaze locking as his eyes darted back and forth and she summed up his appearance. "I've come to collect you, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw. Consider it of utmost importance."
"I'm not going anywhere." She pointed to the TARDIS before placing her hands on her hips. "Because the last time I saw you, you were a curly haired dandy who could barely get that thing to lift off the ground, to say nothing about travelling through time and space."
"But that was a long time ago for the both of us, well, for me more so than you." He motioned to the TARDIS. "Certainly, you trust I've had the time to work out a few kinks and bugs?"
"No." Liz shook her head, unwilling to believe that travel of any kind in the TARDIS with the Doctor was one hundred percent safe.
"You do understand the concept of time and space, right? That I can just come and go at a moment's notice? With hundreds of years to spare?"
"With that face?"
"I've certainly have had worse, and you my dear Liz, are getting us off track." He pointed at her. "We need to go."
"Where? When?"
"2012. March, to be exact, although I'm sure if I'm a few days off, the others will understand though I have been working on being more accurate." He stepped closer to her. "There are two very sick people out there that need you."
"Why me?"
"Because you're a biological match, that's why. According to Martha and Rory, it has to do with harvesting DNA and cells that I'm quite sure I only heard half the explanation of because Sarah and Luke were discussing a recent rather large temporal distortion along the Seine and that conversation sounded far more interesting--" The Doctor waved his arms around as he spoke.
"Doctor—"
"Really, Liz, you should meet Sarah's son, except that you will one day, I suppose. He's brilliant, the way he connects things back and forth. Looks a lot like my former self, actually, but that is so a matter for another day when Sarah isn't listening—"
"Do you ever stop talking, Doctor?" Now, her head was cocked at him as he shut his mouth. "No, I suppose there are some things that are still just universally you."
She sighed away her smirk, looking away as she put together the pieces. "You used the word 'genetic' and 'biological'. That means I'm a relation to whoever you want me to help--"
"Yes." The Doctor nodded his head. "Very much so."
"Well, doesn't taking me to my own future violate some kind of Time Lord rule of yours?"
"I'm the only one left. No one's rules left to break but my own." He sighed, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. "I did say it was of the utmost importance."
"Yes, yes you did. But, why this me? Why not ask the future version of me? Unless—" Liz thought about it for a moment, losing several shades of colour in her face.
"No, no." He stopped her, taking her by the arms to make her stop talking and then stepping back. "Don't even entertain that train of thought. Just know that it's, well, it's more than complicated. I wouldn't have come here if it could be fixed any other way."
"The laws of space-time usually are complicated." She raised an eyebrow. "Even in theory."
"If I promise to explain everything once we arrive, can we go? I do hate to keep the Brigadier waiting. You know how he hates to wait on me. I can feel his grumpy scowl from here." He tilted his head and waited for her to make up her mind, knowing that he could just do the obvious and take her without her permission. However, he also knew that taking her without her permission would never sit well with Alistair.
Liz bit down on her lip, staring at the younger Doctor. "You can do this. I have faith in you."
He teetered back and forth, continuing to watch her response. "But I don't know if you have enough faith in yourself. It takes great strength to see the road ahead and not know whether or not you can accept the path travelled. Believe me, I've had that experience more than once."
"So, I'll help these people, and you'll bring me straight back?" Her voice quivered little, though her insides were more than fluttering about.
"That's the plan. Straight there, and straight back." He nodded his head.
"And you promise I'll be safe?"
"On both of my hearts."
"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Doctor." She sighed. "Let's go."
"That's the spirit." He smiled, turning and holding his arm out towards the TARDIS, allowing Liz to walk ahead of him as he continued talking. "I think you're in for a real treat. I just fixed the dimensional--"
"Doctor—"
"Oh, right, sorry. You haven't seen her off the ground yet. Might be best to wait till after we take off."
Martha and Rory were standing to one side of Martha's office, staring at the lit x-rays on the wall as the sudden shift in the light of the room caused them to stop and turn to face the impending landing. Sarah was sitting off to one side with Luke, but both jumped up as all of them waited.
After a few minutes, the doors opened and the Doctor's head popped out.
"Hello everyone, how long was I gone?" He asked, and Sarah looked to her watch as Rory and Martha exchanged glances.
"Forty-five minutes or so?" Martha looked to Sarah.
"Forty-seven and a half, to be exact." Sarah looked up from her watch, dropping her wrist as the Doctor looked to her, and she smiled. "Which is definitely a new record for him."
"Yes." The Doctor gave himself a mental congratulatory pat on the back before stepping forward to pat the side of the TARDIS's door. "That is what I am talking about. Over nine hundred years, and I finally get the guidance systems calibrated properly. That takes skill, you know. Slept through that class quite a bit in school."
He stepped out of the TARDIS, but the door remained open and they were curious as to whether or not anyone else would follow.
"Heh, last time you said that, the TARDIS ended up underwater for seventeen hours during fish migration." Rory added. "Although, the colours were remarkable, I'll have to give you that. I see you didn't leave the parking brakes on again."
"Oh, quiet you." The Doctor waved Rory off. "Just because Mr. Amy Pond decided to take some outrageous holiday with River in Egypt does not give you, Mrs. Amy Pond, the right to be cheeky. I half expect Interpol to call us any moment now."
"But I'm Mr. Amy Pond." Rory pointed to himself.
"After your last fight with Amy?" The Doctor motioned to the TARDIS, smirking. "C'mon, Rory, we both know you're the missus."
"Doctor—" Martha gave him a warning glance, her hands on her hips. "This really isn't the time. Were you successful?"
"Where's Alistair?" The Doctor's expression went serious as he looked between the four people, waiting on one of them to give him an answer.
"In Katie's room," Luke said, standing next to Sarah and speaking for the first time. "At least, he was there about ten minutes ago. Her fever spiked. We really didn't expect you back quite so soon."
"Of course not, Lukey-boy. The universe forbids the Doctor ever be successful and on time for anything." The Doctor turned around, intending on entering the TARDIS, but then pausing to look over his shoulder as his voice lowered. "You should think better of me, Martha Jones."
He then entered the TARDIS, leaving the door open and walking towards the console where Liz was standing, staring up and down and around as it was obvious that she was more than nervous. Stopping at a fair distance, he watched her for a moment before clearing his throat.
"I—" She started to speak, but found her voice unable to as her hands gripped each other tight. "This is incredible."
"Yes, well." A small smirk turned at the corner of his lips as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Everything is, at some point or another. That's what the universe is full of, incredible things."
"You got me here, Doctor. You can stop with the gloating now." Liz smiled, looking up and down again before touching the edge of the console. She watched him sigh as she pulled away from the console and walked towards him. "Do they know I'm in here?"
"They have their suspicions. I'm sure walking out that door would confirm them." He motioned to the door. "Especially in that outfit. It's been a long time since anyone's seen you, well, in those boots."
"And Alistair's really out there?" Liz ignored his comment for the more pressing issue at hand.
"Well, not in that particular room. But, yes." The Doctor sighed again. "He's here. I should go find him actually. Let him know I've arrived. He'll be quite relieved, I imagine."
Liz felt her emotions bubbling to the surface as she thought of seeing Alistair as an old man as opposed to the gruff soldier she remembered. "You promise me I'm not dead?"
"Can I make such a promise?" The Doctor retorted back, and Liz crossed her arms. "I did tell you not to entertain such thoughts, Liz. Don't you trust me?"
"Trust is a relative issue with you, Doctor. When it comes to dealing with alien species? I'll defer to your vast judgment. However, this is my future we're talking about. I'm bound to ask more than a few questions."
"Yes, well, you wouldn't be you if you didn't."
Liz paused. "I suppose now is as good as time as any to break a few of those laws of yours. You said there were sick people involved. The sooner it's done, the better."
"Martha will be glad to hear you say that. And Alistair, and the rest of them, come to think of it." He thought about it for a moment. "And me as well. It's been far too long since I knew a human who—"
He paused as he stared at her, almost as if he could see her timeline changing in front of him. "Who could relate. In the name of science, of course. There's no dumbing things down, or using silly words to explain the simplest of Newton's laws. You are unique, you know. Never forget that."
"You flatter me, Doctor, when I know precisely different." She stepped up next to him as he offered his arm out. To his surprise, she looped her arm through his, giving a good squeeze before motioning towards the open door. He smiled, walking them the short distance before dropping his arm.
"Are you scared?" He watched her eyes glaze over as she could see the light of the office, and the side of someone standing in her view. It made the trip even more real.
"Absolutely terrified." Her eyes wanted to fill up with tears as the butterflies in her stomach decided to play violent ping-pong. "I don't suppose you have any brilliant suggestions?"
"Just be yourself. They'll like that." He smiled. Liz took a deep breath before walking forward, and he closed the door of the TARDIS behind them.