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As the door closed behind him he let out a breath and smiled. He proceeded with a bounce in his step down the street toward home. After his initial trepidation it had gone surprisingly well. The strange man and his dark skinned companion had shown him things he could barely imagine. He was in charge: Governor of the state, a hairs breath from the US Senate and maybe even President some day. It was fucking golden, a future truly made for someone like him.
Sure, there had been the scandals and the arrest but now that he knew of them he could avoid them. This knowledge of the future was a fucking valuable thing and he wasn’t going to waste it, wasn’t going to squander it away. He’d have to let Harris know. Not everything, mind you, but enough so they could avoid the pitfalls with the Trib’ and the seat. Oh yeah, now that he was forewarned, his future was a fucking beautiful thing.
***
As the door closed Martha turned to the Doctor. She didn’t criticize his actions of the last few hours. She did not question the wisdom of what they had just shown that sad little man. She just looked, and waited.
The Doctor busied himself at the controls. He flipped switches and turned knobs until he could distract himself no longer. Finally he looked up and met the eyes of his companion. “I take it you don’t approve?”
“What?” Martha raised an eyebrow as she replied. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Yes. And you were not saying it very loudly.”
After a silence that lasted too long Martha gave voice to the question that had stayed with her throughout their encounter. “Why?”
The Doctor allowed the hint of a smile to pass his lips before replying. “Why show him his future? Or…” The Doctor seemed to drag the word out far longer than it deserved, “Why let him change it?”
“Yes.” The single word was all that escaped her lips.
The Doctor’s smile changed reflecting not only his humor but something more, his approval. When the Doctor finally spoke she basked in that look as much as the words.
“Because everyone deserves a second chance.”
“And what…” she began tentatively. “What if he takes what we’ve shown him and uses it to…” She paused, unable to finish the sentence.
“…to take over the world?” The Doctor gave voice to her fears, his face matching her grim expression.
She nodded, unable to speak.
His face held the somber expression for a second more before breaking out in a wide grin. “Nothing to worry about, there are rules. If he chooses to use what he learned tonight to mend his ways the future will be a better place for it.
“But if he tries to cheat his fate, well the Universe doesn’t take kindly to that. He will find himself limited at every turn. In the end the effect will be the same, even if a few details differ.”
Martha was hopeful following the Doctor’s word but still a bit confused. “So the Universe has some sort of Blagojevich Limitation Effect?”
“Something like that, yes.” The Doctor replied with a wide smile.