"A Chance Encounter"

RATING: G.

FEEDBACK: I'm always eager to hear your views so contact me and let me know at tanyajoy74@hotmail.com

DISCLAIMER: Doctor Who belongs to the BBC and since they, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to do nothing with him I thought I'd have a go. Katie is my creation and cannot be used without the author's permission. This is an exercise of love and no money is being made from it.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Doctor stood alone. Drifting smoke stung his eyes and the loud murmuring of the crowd took on an angry tone. His companion was elsewhere in the clutches of a rowdy group of men and therefore unable to come to his rescue.

He hefted the small projectile in his right hand and squinted at the target. Once again it all came down to this last throw. Once again he found himself waging everything in a foolish gamble.

The Doctor turned to his tall muscular opponent. "How much do I need to win again?" the small Time Lord asked him, in his soft Scottish brogue.

"Eighteen," the opponent answered as he flexed his muscles. The bare-breasted woman on the man's left bicep caught the Doctor's attention. Underneath, hand tattooed in blue ink, were the words 'I Luvs Mum.'

"And that is again?" the Doctor asked.

"Double nine. Yer hit that and you've won," the biker, whose name was Barry, said. "Again," he added darkly.

"Right then. Here goes everything." The Doctor closed one eye as he judged the weight in his hand. With the tip of his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth the Doctor threw his last dart. It flew straight and true to lodge itself in the felt under the number nine.

"God dammit!" Barry yelled in disgust.

"Did I win?" the Doctor asked. "Again?"

"Three times in a row," Barry thrust a clenched fist underneath the Doctor's nose. "Are you sure you've never played before?"

The Doctor's hand drifted towards his head before realising he wasn't wearing a hat. His eyes darted about the room, looking for an avenue of escape before returning to gaze at Barry. "I swear I have never played darts in this lifetime."

Barry just scowled.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "How about I buy you a drink, or two? Just as a thank you for putting up with me and being such a good sport."

Barry grunted. "Yeah, a'right."

The Doctor and his burly new friend negotiated the length of the pub until they ended up near a table full of Barry's mates.

"Hey, Barry," one of the half-drunk men said. "How'd ya go, clean him up alright?"

Barry glared at the Doctor. "Yeah sumthin like that."

"Oh, he let me win a few games, didn't you Barry?" the diminutive Time Lord said. "He's quite the gentleman in that regard."

The other bikers just looked at each other, trying to decide whether the little man was taking the piss or not.

The Doctor stopped behind a person wearing a battered fedora hat. He flipped the hat off and walked it up his arm till it was perched in its rightful place on top of his head. He then leaned down and spoke softly into the person's ear. "Having fun, Bernice?"

The shorthaired brunette looked up from her pint glass and grinned. "Fabulous, you?"

"Oh, I thought he was going to hit me that last time I won."

Benny laughed out loud and pointed towards Barry. "Piece of advice in the future, Doc, 'let the Wookie win'."

"Right," the Doctor reached into his pocket and drew out some money. "I promised him a couple of drinks. Can you fix that?"

Benny nodded and looked towards the bar. "Oi, barkeep, couple more jugs over here," she yelled out.

The Doctor straightened up and smiled at the bikers. The smoke tickled his nostrils and made him sneeze. "You know I might go for a short walk," he said to the table. "All this fun is a bit much for a man of my age."

Benny waggled her fingers behind her head, in the Doctor's general direction. "Toodles then, have fun and no talking to strangers," she had a sudden thought and turned around. "Not unless they're very cute. If that's the case bring them on back with you."

The Doctor sighed at Benny. "I'll do nothing of the sort," he leant down again to talk privately. "Try not to drink all of them under the table this time."

Benny just handed him back his umbrella with one hand as she chugged down her beer with the other.

 

Outside the tavern the Doctor tugged the collar of his jacket tighter and peered into the foggy night. I wonder when this blew in? he thought. Oh well a walk is a walk is a walk.

He tucked the handle of his umbrella into one of his pockets and mimed throwing a dart into the night. He grinned to himself and, after blowing on them, buffed his nails against his pullover.

"Nice to know I've still got it. That multi-coloured buffoon was good for something after all," he said to himself, referring to his previous incarnation who, apart from his atrocious fashion sense, had been quite the deft hand at darts. "Come to think of it, if I remember correctly, and that's getting harder to do, my fourth incarnation wasn't half bad, either."

Nodding in satisfaction the Doctor plucked his umbrella from off his jacket and started walking.

"Quick lope around the block, rescue the bikers from Benny and away we go."

He was halfway down the lane when he heard it.

"Doctor."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Katie was frustrated. She cupped her hands around her mouth and bellowed as loud as she could.

"DOCTOR!"

The fog just bounced the sound right back at her. This stuff was thick like mud, no, what did the Brits call it? That's right a pea souper.

I'm gonna kill him, she thought. All the times he's told me off for wandering and what does he do? Waits till my back is turned for one minute and gets himself lost that's what!

"Doctor," she called out again "Where are you?"

Katie was so disorientated in this fog that she had totally lost track of where the TARDIS was. Without the Doctor's unerring sense of direction - which she privately doubted but would never tell him so as it would harm his sometimes fragile ego - she was well and truly lost. The only hope she had was to wait till the fog lifted and then go give the Doctor a roasting for leaving her alone. When she found him, if she found him.

A noise to her left caused Katie to turn suddenly in fear, her heart skipping a beat. Was that an axe-wielding murderer? A slobbering monster, tentacles waving, looking for blood? Uncle Derrick with his pudgy fingers that always insisted on pinching your cheeks till you squealed in pain?

Down girl, she thought. Bad imagination bad, bad.

"Doctor?" this time the call was timid, voice quavering just slightly.

"Yes?" a soft Scottish voice asked from behind her.

Katie squealed and spun around. "Geez, give me a heart attack why don't you?" she peered into the gloom until she made out a small man standing before her, umbrella in one hand, raised hat in another. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. I believe you were calling for me."

"Um, yeah I was but, you're not him."

"I'm not?" the little man dropped his hat onto his head and leant onto the black umbrella. "I could have sworn I was a minute ago," he reached into his jacket and produced a folded cardholder. He proceeded to unravel it checking the cards as he went. "John Smith, John Smith, John Smith," he muttered as he worked his way down. "Aha, here we are," he pulled out a small business card and handed it over to Katie.

She stared down at the white rectangular piece of cardboard. Smack in the middle of a black blob of wax was a large golden question mark and written around the edges were some weird, almost Greek looking, symbols.

"There see," the little man said, pointing at some of the symbols. "It says 'Doctor' right there."

"Sure it does," Katie replied handing the card back. "And I'm Julia Roberts. You are not the Doctor!"

The stranger tapped the handle of his umbrella thoughtfully against his chin. "How would you describe him?" he asked, piling the cardholder back into a pocket.

"Well, I guess I'd best describe him as being like an iceberg," Katie explained. "You know he only ever shows about one tenth of himself and the rest is all hidden beneath the surface. Not to mention the fact that he's prone to sink people's grand schemes at a moments notice."

"No," the little man scowled. "What does this Doctor look like?"

"Oh that. Well he's so tall," Katie held her hand about ten centimetres above her head. "And he has curly reddish-brown hair, blue eyes, a really nice smile and a very old fashioned fashion sense. And he's much younger than you are."

The little man's face crumpled in concentration. "I don't remember ever looking like that," he snapped his fingers. "Of course I must have regenerated again."

Katie just stared at the man. Could it be? She vaguely remembered a late night conversation in the TARDIS when the Doctor had explained the concept of regeneration to her, where once in a while, according to him; he changed his whole body into someone else's.

"You changed!" Katie said. "You went and changed without telling me? How could you?"

"I didn't realise I needed your permission. But don't worry I haven't changed yet."

"But," Katie tried to work that sentence out. "But you're different! You must have changed."

"You are travelling with a future self. He must be around here somewhere."

"Oh God," Katie looked about her in the gloom. "You mean there's more than one of you?"

"Last I counted there were seven of us," the other Doctor chuckled. "Eight now if you include him."

"I swear trying to keep track of one of you is more than a mere mortal can handle."

"So I've been told," the little Doctor said. "I wonder where he is? Does he always go wandering off like that?"

Katie nodded. "Oh yeah, all the time. I'm thinking of buying him a leash," she grinned at the mental image that popped into her head.

 

"There you are!" Katie's Doctor stepped out of the fog. "What have I told you about wandering off?" he looked up and realised they weren't alone. "You!"

The little Doctor doffed his hat at his other self. "Yes, me."

"Hey, what do you mean I wandered off," Katie said. "You left me remember?"

Katie's Doctor shushed her as he glared at the other Time Lord. "What are you doing here?"

"I could say the same thing about you," the Doctor retorted. "At least I know where my companion is."

The younger Doctor grabbed Katie by her shoulders and gently pulled her backwards until she was standing by his side. "I know where she is, she's right here."

"Now she is."

"Shouldn't you be off manipulating some future event to your own advantage?" the younger Doctor sneered.

"For your information it's a past event and it's none of your business."

Katie just looked from one to the other. She felt like some unseen spectator in the universe's weirdest tennis match. She was already starting to think of them as D1 and D2, D1 being her Doctor, of course. "And I thought my family reunions were awkward," she said.

The two Doctors stopped their argument to look at the young woman.

"Are you really the same guy?" Katie asked.

"I was him and he will be me," the smaller Doctor, D2, explained.

"And you're both okay with this?"

D2 shrugged. "Well, I don't like the thought of regenerating again," he looked D1 up and down. "Especially if I'm going to turn into him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katie's Doctor said. He grabbed at his lapels, subconsciously mimicking the exact pose of his other self. "I haven't been more fashionable in centuries."

D2 snorted. "Sure, if you call that fashionable."

"Guys, guys," Katie held up her hands. "Save the arguments for the next Christmas dinner, okay?"

D2 smiled at Katie. "I can see why you picked her," he said to D1.

Just then a small beeping could be heard. Both Doctors reached towards their pockets and produced identical fob watches.

"Mine," D2 said. He opened the watch and peered at its contents.

"What is it?" D1 asked, trying to peer over the other's shoulder.

"Just a reminder," D2 replied, closing the clasp and returning the watch to his pocket. "I should be two hundred years ago in the Ca'lush System right now."

"Oh yes," D1 nodded his head. "I remember that now, it was a right mess -"

D2 held up his hand to stop D1. "Don't tell me."

"Why not? It's no different than you leaving notes around for yourself," D1 said.

"Because I said so, that's why."

Katie cleared her throat.

D2 smiled and lifted his hat. "I'll give your regards to Benny."

"Ah, Professor Bernice Summerfield," D1 reminisced. "How is she?"

"Drinking some hardened bikers under the table," D2 replied.

D1 smiled at the thought. "No surprise there, then."

D2 turned towards Katie and shook her hand. "Lovely to have bumped into you," he reached out and gently tweaked the end of her nose. "I'll so look forward to meeting you one day."

"Um, sure," Katie shook her head in amazement. "Likewise, I think."

D1 leaned forwards and glared at D2. Mine, the look said. So leave her alone.

D2 smiled at the young man's proprietorship. Nice to see some things never changed. He looked up at his newer self. "No offence, but I don't look forward to being you."

D1 bowed his head in acknowledgement. "None taken, I'm sure I'd feel the same way if the circumstances were reversed."

"Well I hate long good-byes, especially when they're directed at myself," D2 doffed his hat in Katie's direction one last time. "So long."

"Bye," Katie waved at D2, as he started walking down the foggy path. "See you around."

The small Doctor turned back one last time. "Count on it," he said before disappearing into the night.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Doctor tucked Katie's right hand under his arm and started walking in the opposite direction from the other Time Lord.

"Well that was weird," Katie said. "This sort of thing happen to you everyday?"

"Oh well, you know," the Doctor said. "Maybe not everyday but sometimes it seems that way."

They walked on for a few minutes in silence.

Finally Katie spoke up. "So, you knew me before you met me?"

The Doctor stopped walking and turned to look down on his companion. "No, that day in the park was the first time we met."

"But," Katie shook her head trying to understand. "But I just met a past version of you so therefore - ergo and all that - you knew me before you met me."

"He met you just now. I, on the other hand, met you in the park."

"Alright now I'm really confused. You have no memory of meeting me before?"

"No," the Doctor dropped Katie's hand. "Wait, wait. Yes I do recall meeting you just now."

"Aha!" Katie said, in triumph.

"But I only just remember it. Because it only just happened."

"What?" Katie flung her arms up in despair. "What kind of reasoning is that? How can you have just remembered it?"

"Because it only just happened to him."

"Are you trying to tell me that random memories just pop into your head, things that happened to you in your past lives? But that you don't remember doing them until they do it?"

"Well, not exactly. It's hard to explain," the Doctor said.

"Hard to explain? Try having to understand it," Katie rubbed at her temples. "There are still other versions of you tromping around the Universe?"

"Yes," the Doctor nodded.

"Thank God the place is infinite then or there would be more of you bumping into each other."

The Doctor shrugged. "I never said my life was easy," he held Katie's hands in his. "Now take some advice from me trying to think like a Time Lord when you're not one can give you a nasty headache."

Katie wrinkled her forehead. "Too late for that advice."

The Doctor 'tutted' at his friend and, after dropping one of her hands, tried to smooth away the worry lines on her brow. "Lets take you back to the TARDIS for a nice round of toast. I went out and bought a jar of Vegemite, just for you."

"Oh, that's so sweet," Katie said. "But to be honest I prefer Marmite."

"That's alright I ended up buying both because I wasn't sure."

Katie sighed and draped the Doctor's left arm over her shoulders. "You're high maintenance, you know that?"

"Yes, I know," the Doctor said, as they resumed their journey back to their ship. "But I'm worth it," he added with a huge grin.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Seventh Doctor was almost back to the pub when he heard the distinct sound of a dematerialising TARDIS. He turned and raised his hat in farewell before pushing open the door. The inside was just a smoky as he had left it, but the noise was more muted as most of the patrons had finally gone home.

He found Bernice still seated at the table surrounded by comatose bikers. She was still sipping at some beer and waved cheerfully when she spotted the Doctor.

"Have fun?" she asked.

"I thought I told you not to drink them all under the table?" the Doctor said.

Benny just pointed to one of the bikers, who had just stumbled out of the men's room. "He's still upright."

"I'm surprised," the Doctor said. "Well say your good-byes it's time to go."

"Already?" Benny seemed a little disappointed. "Oh well. Did you have fun on your walk?"

"It was interesting."

"Meet anyone?"

"Yes," the Doctor drew the word out.

"Anyone I might know?" Benny downed the last of the beer and stood up, swaying ever so slightly.

"You could say that," the Doctor reached out a hand to steady her just in case she tripped over her own feet.

"I'm s'alright," Benny said waving his help away. "What's with the Mr. Cryptic? Have I met this person or not?"

"In a sense. Maybe you'll still be around to meet him one day. But I won't be," the Doctor replied. "Do I need to settle the bar tab?"

"Yes," Benny nodded. "And what do you mean -" her muddled thoughts finally lined up in her head and danced a quick can-can of realisation. "You ran into yourself? Why am I never around when this happens?"

By this time they had both reached the bar and the Doctor used the time to search for some money to delay answering. He finally remembered he had given Bernice his money pouch and reached across to pluck the string-tied felt object from her jacket pocket.

"Well," Benny demanded. "Did you?"

The Doctor spilled currency from across countless galaxies onto the mahogany bar and sighed. "Yes I did," he began swiftly separating the sentient currency from the duller kind. A swift purple crab tried a desperate bid for escape across the bar before Benny trapped it under an upturned pint glass.

"Thank you," the Doctor said rescuing the errant scuttling currency and sweeping it back into the money pouch with all the others.

"So what was he like?" Benny asked as she stacked some gold doubloons into a pile.

"Oh you know, me but not me," the Doctor finally piled an assortment of coins together and left them for the barman. He raised his hat in the general direction of the cash register, where one of the staff had currently taken up residence, and escorted Benny out of the pub.

"Yes, but was he good looking?" she wanted to know.

"I didn't think so," the Doctor looked sideways at Bernice. "Why, are you tired of me already?"

Benny rolled her eyes in the Time Lord's direction. "Not likely. I was just curious that's all," she started walking towards the empty car park, where they had left the TARDIS. "Now are we going or what?"

"Yes," the Doctor said. "There are things to do and a whole universe to do it in. Let's go indeed."

 

THE END.