bigapplesauce | [closed] Trouble is a friend of mine

Donna squeezes his hand gently. "You understand, don't you?"

The Doctor smiles. "Course I do. Wasn't thinking. Sorry," he says. Of course Donna would like to see her family alone, when they hadn't seen each other for so long. He should be used to it by now -- his companions' mums aren't usually too fond of him. Even though he had been looking forward to seeing Wilf. Later, then.

"I'm gonna get some flowers and walk home. Why don't I meet you back here, this time, tomorrow?" she tells him.

"Here. Tomorrow. Sold." The Doctor winks at her and starts walking off. "Nice flower shop on the corner thataway," he calls out, pointing. "Ask for Loretta and say I sent you."

That had been an interesting day. That stuff had taken ages to wash off, though. Well, at least now he has no social engagements, he has time to figure out why no one is around today. He heads in the opposite direction from Donna and the TARDIS, shoving his hands in the pockets of his blue suit and ambling down the street.

Except he doesn't get all that much investigating done, because all of a sudden he feels his stomach twist. Like when you're walking up the stairs and you think there's still a step to go, but your foot only finds air. The whole world turns sideways for a second, the Doctor blinks, and lands on his knees on the pavement.

Except he's not where he was a moment earlier. There's a few things that tip him off. Mostly it's the huge, light-covered building and large amounts of people milling around. It's colder, and it's darker, though you can't really tell given how well-lit the place is. He mouths wordlessly at his surroundings. The yellow cabs is what sells it. No. Can't be. Except it definitely is.

He grabs a random stranger, asking "Excuse me, mind telling me the date?"

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The Doctor pats Luke's back comfortingly, offering an encouraging smile. "I'll help too. Don't worry, Luke, I'll get you back to your mum. Promise."

There he goes, promising things he can't keep again. But it's not like he has any intention of staying here for that long. He can probably build something that lets them reverse the rift. He'll think of something.

Except by all accounts there's no way to get the rift to undo what it's done -- only, perhaps, to go in and get spat out somewhere else entirely. Luke has not yet lost hope, though, and he returns the smile as best he can.

"Is it true that you have a ship that can travel in time?" he asks, suddenly. Look who's leaping to one possible method of escape.

Pffsh, the rift hasn't met HIM.

"I do, but it's stuck back where I came from, I'm afraid," he answers with a frown. "That's not the only way to travel, though. I've been stuck in worse scrapes."

"I guess I sort of have as well," replies Luke bravely. He's saved ~~(and endangered)~~ the Earth how many times now? "I've just never been this far from home, that's all."

"And perhaps not this long - three weeks, was it?" he asks, not waiting for an answer. "I can get you back in time for tea the day you left, so Sarah doesn't have to worry about you."

Yeah he's going to keep calling her Sarah.

Luke grins -- somehow, despite everything he knows about the difficulties of doing anything with the rift, he believes the Doctor.

"She'll be glad to see you, too," he points out.

"Oh, I should hope so!" he answers with a grin, completely ignoring the fact that the only reason he's met her in the last couple of decades was pure chance.

"SO, we'd better get on it. This rift, it pulls people from all of space and time?"

Luke nods eagerly, the Doctor's gung-ho attitude proving infectious. "Different universes, too," he points out. "That's what Topher told me, but I didn't get to look at all his readings yet."

"Hmmmm. Generally traveling from universe to universe is near impossible, but seeing as the breach is already here, it should be doable," he answers thoughtfully. And hopefully without damaging reality too much. "Who's Topher?"

"He helps run Romac," supplies Luke. "They help the people coming through the rift, and they're looking for a way to bring it under control and send everyone back."

Ahh, blissful naivety.

Saying Topher helps run Romac is maybe a bit of a stretch. The rift-related science department maybe, and he's got some respect and authority when it comes to that, but he's not all that administratively involved.

The Doctor doesn't even know what Romac IS though. "Right, that'd be the people you're staying with. What are they? Small band of scientists? Giant secret government organisation? A corporation? Bridge club?" he asks. No, Luke, you don't have to answer that last one, it was a joke.

Luke's grip on how Romac works might not be the strongest. Barry would be happy to explain, of course, but even Luke has his limits when it comes to Barry-splaining.

"Giant secret government organization," says Luke decisively. "I don't think a bridge club would be able to support all the refugees they do."

Is he joking? It is sometimes hard to tell. The fact that he didn't plan it out in advance probably means no.

"Right," the Doctor answers. Luke's a tiny bit odd, isn't he? Quite literal. That's alright though, odd is nice. "I'd like to meet them, though perhaps not quite yet. Got my own investigating to do before then."

He looks around, sniffs, contemplating what to do. "Tell you what, Luke, I'll be in touch. Is there anywhere I can reach you?"

Would Sarah Jane be likely to adopt a normal child?

"Can't I come with you and help?" he asks, a little hurt that the Doctor is ready to ~~abandon~~ part from him so soon after they met.

The Doctor grins. He was giving him an out, without having to worry about losing him forever, but alright, if he wants to join, the Doctor doesn't mind. It's getting late though, and the Doctor doesn't want to be a babysitter either.

"If you can keep up," he answers. "Now, let's see." He licks his finger then lifts it into the air. "Rift's that way." He points north. "I suppose we can go check that out first. I don't really have any equipment with me, but even just feeling it should help."

In all honesty, Luke should go 'home' relatively soon. Their curfew isn't unreasonably early, but it's not usual for him to stay out very late regardless. Still, this is the Doctor. One doesn't pass up an adventure with the Doctor just to make curfew.

"'Course I can," he says confidently. "I know where the rift is, too."

"Excellent, having a guide will probably make it quicker," he says, heading north at a brisk pace. "This seems like a pretty regular New York. No zeppelins. Cabs are yellow. Looks more or less like it's supposed to. Have you ever been to New York, back in the other universe?"

"Never," admits Luke, falling into stride a few steps behind the Doctor, and hurrying to catch up. "But I've seen movies and read books and things, and it seems like it's the same."

[closed] Trouble is a friend of mine

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