Chapter Text
My mother had always told me Aliens weren't real, but I saw the films. I saw the video's and picture proof. I had studied as many of the theories as a normal, half-way interested young person might. But the day I met him, well, I have to say I was a bit surprised. He looked just like any human would; however, I knew right away he was not. He was just too handsome to be human. Dazzling bright excited yet tired eyes, a smile that could make any girl faint, and soft flowing hair that puts a lion’s mane to shame. He stood straight and tall, impossible posture. A calmness in his voice showed he had done this many times before, the twinge of worry, however, was evident. He was polite "Ma'am, you and your family are in danger, you need to leave immediately." It was an odd request, I did not honestly want to question him, but he wanted me to leave my house. What if he was a robber? A well dressed, British man come to steal all my things because he was beautiful and had mind powers. That was not happening.
"Who are you?" I asked, looking back into the house. My cats had gathered around the door, looking out, and ready to make their escape. I pushed them away with my feet. "Maybe I should just come outside." I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind me.
"I'm the Doctor." he said worry lines appearing on his face. "And you have to trust me. Have you noticed anything weird lately? Anything at all?" He put his hands together, wringing them like he had to pee but did not want to be rude.
"No... I don't think so." I looked around the yard. Everything seemed to be normal, except a large blue police box sitting in the car port. "Except that, what's that?" I pointed to the box.
"That's mine." his voice wavered "Anything else?" The Doctor (what a strange name) seemed to be getting a little frustrated. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a strange flashlight that eluded a green shimmering bulb of light at the end. He waved it around my house like a madman, grunting as he did so. The look of confusion must have been written blatantly on my face, for he answered my unspoken question. "It's a Sonic Screwdriver." he exhaled.
"You're an alien." I laughed. His eyes shot to mine. A giggle escaped my quivering lips again. "Don't give me that look, it's obvious. Pretty boys like you don't live 'round these parts. And they definitely don't tell me to 'leave' because I'm 'in danger' or even have sonic anything. Unless it's fast food from Sonics in the next town over.
"So what are you called then?" I waited before saying "I mean, you're called the Doctor, I'm called Grace, but what I mean is, I'm human so what species are you?"
"I'm a Time Lord" he gave me a half smile, his tired eyes faltering, crashing to the ground "The last one."
"I'm so sorry..." I whispered.
"It's alright. I mean it's not. But that's not the issue at hand. May I come in?"
Hours later, my home, family, and pets were saved from some dreadful beast of robots called 'Cybermen'. The only thing that did not survive was my laptop. The only thing I loved in the world. I would have had a ceremony once the Doctor had left, but he did something I would never forget.
We were saying our goodbyes in front of the thing he called a Tardis, and I thanked him from the bottom of my heart for saving us. His body was half-way in the door, when I grabbed his arm, he turned to me.
"By the way Doctor, you owe me a laptop. That thing was my life." A smiled crept up his face.
"You're right." He raised up his hand and grabbed my hand from his arm. He held it gently, rubbing tenderly with his thumbs. "I owe you a new life." He pulled me slightly closer to him. "Come with me."
"To space?" I asked, eyebrows furrowing together.
"I can take you anywhere you want to go. Anywhere in space and time."
"Time too?" I looked down at my shoes. "I should have known. Time Lord. Makes since."
"So?"
"Yes." I looked up into his eyes. They sparkled, reflecting the setting sun through the trees. I turned away, looking back at the house I grew up in, my mother in the door. "Let me say goodbye first." I said running away from him.
My mom was my best friend in the world. I did not want to leave her behind in the town she grew up in and had longed to leave for so long. Thus, she willed me to go. With her doubts of course. She was rethinking her whole life now that she knew aliens were real and she needed time to think. "He seems alright, and he did save us. Just be careful. I love you." she said. I grabbed her in a tight hug.
"I love you too mama."
I did not tell her, and I did not tell the Doctor either, but I had a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. But I ignored it, covering it with the butterflies I felt every time I looked at the man in the fancy clothes. I had always wanted to travel, but never had the money, or the confidence. I would just live my life vicariously through people on the internet. I hoped he could break me from my shell.
The first thing he did was give me a tour of the Tardis which, by the way, was MUCH bigger on the inside. The tour went on until I was too tired to even walk anymore. He then explained that the Tardis was infinite. In other words that tour would have never ended if I would not have fallen from exhaustion. Thank goodness for weak knees. I sat on the floor of the giant library, panting from all the walking and the excitement of seeing so many books in one place. He laughed a laugh that could make rainbows as he bent down and picked me up into his arms. He was strong. So strong. I could not believe he could lift me and then walk the distance it took to get to where we were going.
After a few minutes, he pushed a large red button with my foot and a purple door opened to reveal a large, well decorated bedroom. "This is your room." his words were almost whispers. My eye lids had been fluttering, blinking slowly. He lay me down on the bed and pulled the sheets up to my chin. "Get some rest. When you wake up, we can go on an adventure." His footsteps were quiet.
"Wait" I called out, voice hoarse from sleepiness. He turned and looked at me in the door way. I closed my eyes, fighting sleep with all I had. "Won't you stay with me?" I inquired.
"Stay with you?" he asked confused. I pat the empty side of the bed with my right hand, smoothing out the covers. "Oh." he frowned. "Perhaps another time." The lights flickered off and in moments I was asleep.