Finding Harmony

11. Frozen Custard & Fries

I looked around as soon as we stepped out of the smoking TARDIS and knew immediately I was not in West Virginia.

Perhaps it was the big sign with a sailboat, 'Fish Creek.' I had been there when my flight to West Virginia had got re-routed to Wisconsin of all places, due to a storm.

I heard a step behind me and turned toward the Doctor, "Not West Virginia."

The Doctor stuck out his tongue, "Oh Wisconsin, well it was W place." He looked at me with big puppy dog eyes, "Right year too."

"Well we are going to have to go to the bank, I'm not sure how I'll be able to get anything with no ID on me." I looked down at my rubber ducky pj pants in chagrin.

The Doctor patted his chest, "Leave it to me."

We walked the several miles into town and the Doctor did something a bit sketchy with the ATM at the closest bank with his sonic.

"It's not robbery."

"I didn't say anything." I spoke to his back as he got the money that came out from the machine.

"No but you were thinking rather loudly."

Our stomachs growled and I looked at the Doctor, "I know a place."

Down one of the many pine and birch lined roadways was a fun lil place tucked away.

The Doctor looked at the sign with a laughing gnome on it and grinned, "Not Licked Yet...I like it."

We ordered a bacon burger, an apple pie and even frozen chocolate bananas. Each resulted in the Doctor spitting it back out with a disgusted look on his face.

"Oh no, not the bananas too."

The Doctor slumped forward on his elbows and I narrowed my eyes at him, "Ok so no sweet or salty but what about a combo of both."

He wrinkled his nose, "I don't know about this."

"Trust me."

A serious expression passed through his jolly features, "Always Darcy Lewis."

I went to the counter and ordered the signature frozen custard and an order of fries.

When they arrived I placed them both before the Doctor.

"Dip them."

He picked up a fry as if it were some sort of strange and new thing before dipping it in the custard and then popping it into his mouth.

His eyebrows went up and then he was scarfing down fries with dollops of frozen custard. He ate every last bit while I finished up the other half of the burger he didn't eat.

"So I take it, it was the right choice then."

He hummed in delight. I picked up a napkin and reached over the picnic table to wipe some custard from the Doctor's chin.

I smiled, "Next up thrift shopping, lets get you some new duds Doctor."

There was a nice quaint little thrift store right down the street from the frozen custard stand.

It had the classic musty dusty smell of donated items that felt rather nostalgic to my times in London rummaging through sale bins and racks at my local thrift.

I pulled the Doctor by the hand to the back men's section.

I started going through the dress shirts, pulling out a couple and placing the hanger below his chin.

"Nope...I think we need something a pattern."

I pulled out several with more subdued patterns and held them up, shaking my head.

"Go big or go home, I say. Let's go crazy with the pattern."

"I'm in your hands, Darcy Lewis."

I noticed how often he said my name as if sounding it out on his new tongue.

I grabbed a couple of dress shirts with bright plaid that I'd had my eye on from the moment we came into the store, but I thought too bold.

I handed them to him before heading towards the blazers.

"I feel a slight academia vibe from you..." I tilted my head looking him over, seeing how the last Doctor's clothes hung not right on his gangly frame. "Hmm...like an eccentric professor." I mumbled.

I grabbed a tweed and a brown blazer before pushing the Doc toward the changing rooms.

"One more thing..."

"I think this is enough." The Doctor looked down at the heap of clothes in his arms.

"No let it be two." I grabbed some burgundy suspenders and then headed toward the ties. I couldn't help the excitement as I grabbed a tie that would match the suspender, "Bow tie it, will you?"

He nodded as I pushed him into the dressing room.

"Don't forget to show it off to me."

He spun as he came out doing jazz hands after straightening his bow tie.

"The brown didn't fit, the tweed was better."

As I saw him exchange the jackets, I couldn't help but applaud.

A sparkle came into his eyes when he pointed at me, "Your turn."

---

Later that night as we perused the newly renovated TARDIS, we set up camp in the library where we made a blanket fort and made smores in a little portable fire pit. We laughed as he told me stories from long ago, of beings and planets that made him giggle and for a little while I could see some of the sadness leave his eyes.

I rested my head on his shoulder and I felt as he placed a kiss on my head.

"Someday you'll travel with me, won't you Darcy Lewis?"

I looked up at him, "Most definitely."