ignite ➝ Doctor Who¹

XXII

"It's a heart, Mickey. It's a human heart."
— Rose Tyler, The Girl in the Fireplace

"Oh fireplace man, you are in my memories. You walk among them." Penelope stood guard by the mirror just in case one of the clockwork men came back. She watched him, intrigued and in awe of him - as always- as he did something to Reinette's mind.

"If there's anything you don't want me to see, just imagine a door and close it. I won't look. Oh, actually there's a door just there. You might want to cl- Oh, actually, several." Penelope couldn't help the burning in her chest as she watched them. She spun the ring on her finger, trying to ignore that, especially as this same woman had tried to kiss her before, despite wearing a wedding ring.

"To walk among the memories of another living soul. Do you ever get used to this?"

"I don't make a habit of it."

"How can you resist?"

"What age are you?"

"So impertinent a question so early in the conversation. Not one I really wish to answer before Penelope, if you don't mind." He frowned, unsure where her infatuation with Penelope came from, only having seen her a handful of times across her life.

"No, not my question, theirs. You're twenty three and for some reason, that means you're not old enough. Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect." Penelope didn't know why she thought Reinette was younger than her, maybe because she first met her when she was seven and still has that image of her. She watched as Reinette's eyebrows furrowed in sadness.

"Oh, such a lonely childhood."

"It'll pass. Stay with me."

"Oh, Doctor. So lonely. So very, very alone." Penelope stood away from the wall. They never told her that he was called the Doctor.

"What do you mean, alone? You've never been alone in your life. When did you start calling me Doctor?" He stepped back, letting go of her head and looking over to Penelope, who was also looking at the woman before them.

"Such a lonely little boy. Lonely but now you've got Miss Adaams, I can see you wonder how long until she leaves you lonely again." Penelope steps forward, pulling the Doctor back a little, as he seemed out of it and her instinct was to pull him out of the situation.

"Reinette, how did you do that?"

"A door, once opened, my dear, can be stepped through in either direction." The bold woman looked to Penelope, who held onto the Doctor's arm. "Penelope Adaams, dance with me?" Penelope flushed red, not having expected that.

"I-I can't, Reinette. I'm sorry. You're supposed to dance with the King tonight."

"Then first, we shall make him jealous." The Doctor finally stepped forward as Reinette started to move towards Penelope.

"She can't, Reinette, we don't belong here." The woman looked up to the Doctor now, vaguely annoyed that her advances weren't working.

"Doctor. Doctor who? It's more than just a secret, isn't it?" His grip on Penelope's shoulder tightened and she looked over her shoulder at him.

"What did you see?"

"That there comes a time, Time Lord, when every girl of the stars and their lonely little boy must learn how to dance." She tugged on Penelope's hands, pulling her out into the corridor and towards the dance hall, causing the Doctor to chase after them. He's still not recovered from Penelope being taken from him at New New Earth.

They stopped off to get Penelope changed - not that she agreed - for the party. She was put in a golden dress with vague red accents that she adored. Despite all that she learned about French fashion, it did not take her long to don all of the thick skirts or get used to a corset.

She stepped out around 27 minutes later, feeling like a whole new person. And from the way the Doctor looked at her, she felt like the world. Reinette took her arm, leading her towards him before going round, continuing to hold onto Penelope as if this was the last time she would see them. And - as far as she was aware - it may be.

"Now, let's give them something to talk about."