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Crowley and Aziraphale were sitting in the bookshop together, Aziraphale buried deep into a book and Crowley staring out the window. It was a very uneventful day, up until a strange whooshing noise began. It was very quiet, almost like a whisper.
Aziraphale recognised the sound. "No.. It can't be.." he muttered, eyes widening in shock, "But- he's just a story, isn’t he?" He looked up, towards the direction of the noise.
The hum grew louder as an object phased into view, landing in the center of the bookshop. Books were thrown off of desks and papers were scattered across the room, as this mysterious police box materialized inside the room.
A man swung the door open, stepping out of the box. He noticed the two men sitting next to each other.
" 'Ello," he said, "Listen, er, I got some strange readings from this building, have you seen anything particularly odd? Maybe a weird spot on the ceiling?"
"It's the Doctor," Aziraphale's eyebrows knit together as he stood up, "But you- you can't exist! Y-you just can't! I have your books to prove it!"
"Books?" Ten repeated, half-blinking, "Like- like what books? What'dyou mean 'books'?"
“Mr. Fell owns all of the Doctor Who comic books. ’Loves them,” Crowley stated, gaining Ten’s attention, “ ’says he’s going to watch the show, but he never gets ‘round to it.”
“Show..?” Ten turned to face Crowley. He paused, before rushing back into the TARDIS and slamming the door behind himself.
Aziraphale rushed to the back room of the shop. He threw the door open and began sorting through the many comic books lined up on shelves and in baskets.
“Series 2, episode 5,” Crowley yelled to Aziraphale, prompting Aziraphale to look up,“ ’called ‘Rise of the Cyberman’. The Doctor travels to an alternate world where Rose never existed. That’s the first example of parallel universes in ‘New Who’.”
“Spoilers, Crowley,” Aziraphale replied, returning his attention to the shelves, “And I must insist you watch the original Doctor Who, from 1963.”
Crowley laughed. “I’ll watch it when you do, Angel.”
The TARDIS’s door burst open. The Doctor hung on the door, distraught. “Okay, er, it appears I’ve somehow traveled to an alternate reality. I need your help to find the source of this energy spike, so I can attempt to close the rip in the fabric of reality. Are you certain you haven’t seen any strange things happening?”
“We are the strange things happening,” Crowley replied, taking off his sunglasses.
Ten half blinked, abandoning the TARDIS door and walking towards Crowley.
“I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed this before,” Ten muttered, his eyes darting between Crowley’s, “It seems so important. You..” He grinned, pulling a lock of hair loose from Crowley’s head, “You’re ginger! Awh, I’ve never been ginger!”
Crowley batted Ten’s hand away. “Oi! Watch it!”
“You look like me as well,” Ten continued, “And those are some brilliant contact lenses!”
“They’re not contacts,” Crowley replied, baring his teeth, “I’m a snake.”
Ten paused, before pulling out his sonic screwdriver and quickly scanning Crowley. He checked the small screen on the sonic, tilting his head sideways.
“Mm, not fully snake,” he muttered, “What are you..?”
“I’m a demon.” Crowley replied, putting his glasses back on.
Ten looked up. “Sorry? A demon?”
“What’s wrong with being a demon?” Crowley grinned.
“Really? A- a demon, from hell?” Ten repeated.
“It’s not rocket science, Doctor!” Crowley rolled his eyes, “I’m a demon, he’s an angel!” He pointed to Aziraphale.
Ten looked at Aziraphale. He laughed. “No, he’s not an angel ! The only angels I know are weeping!”
Crowley laughed. “Tell that to Gabriel,”
“I’ll have you know I witnessed the birth of Adam and Eve personally!” Aziraphale stepped towards Ten, furrowing his eyebrows, “So did Crowley!”
“Well, Mr. Fell,” Ten started, “I know people who’ve been to the afterlife. ’You know Jack Harkness? ’Traveled with him for a while. He’s immortal. Er, Owen Harper? ’Never met him personally, but-”
“Your point?” Crowley crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow.
“Right, yes!” Ten snapped his fingers, “My point is that there is no heaven or hell. It’s just darkness !”
Crowley chuckled dryly. “Prove it.”
Ten grinned. “In my 903 years of life, I have never encountered any sign of an afterlife.”
“Well, in our 6000 years of life, we’ve never doubted the fact that there is one.” Crowley leaned back in his chair, “Plus- and you said this yourself- you’re trapped in an alternate timeline . Maybe the afterlifes don’t exist in your reality?”
Ten clicked his tongue. “Right. That’s a good point.”
Crowley nodded, slowly.
Ten clapped his hands. “Well, I should get back to closing that rift, good to meet you!” He grinned and stepped back into the TARDIS. Soon after, the familiar vworping sound was heard throughout the bookshop, and soon after the space the blue box took up was left empty.
“That’s an experience we’re never going to forget, huh, Angel?” Crowley laughed.
Aziraphale nodded, still in shock.
