Saving the Doctor

Chapter 22

We land somewhat roughly again, but this time it isn't as bad as before. I think I'm finally getting the hang of this. "This is actually kind of fun."

He smiles momentarily before heading towards the doors. "Fun is for later. Right now, we've got a plan to learn about."

I catch up to him and we stop at the door, his hand on the handle. "Ready?"

I nod, sure that my nervousness is showing. "Ready."

He swiftly opens the door and sticks his head out, making sure the coast is clear before stepping completely out the door. I follow cautiously, checking our surroundings.

We're in a large closet. An actual closet this time, not a storage space. There are all kinds of dresses hanging everywhere and I can't help but smile like one of the kids who were invited to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

Oh, I liked those movies too. Especially the newer one. Johnny Depp was great.

There I go again: getting distracted.

I refocus and try not to run my fingers across the especially beautiful dresses as we look around.

I notice the Doc standing over by one wall, just staring at it with his arms crossed. I join him and try to see what he sees.

All I see is that this one section of wall has all men's clothing.

He points to the small section of clothing. "What does this say to you?"

"Uh." I study the suits in front of me. "They have...good fashion sense?"

He gives me a look and I shrink slightly. "It says," he turns back to the suits, "that either he wears more dresses than suits, which wouldn't surprise me this day and age, or that he has a very spoiled wife. Which wouldn't surprise me either."

"Okay...so?"

"But. We know that he kidnapped you." He turns to me again momentarily. "He used his minions to do it and you didn't see him, but it was his plan."

I think back to my earlier visit to the building.

"Doc. What if...I'm not the only one he kidnapped?"

He studies me out of the corner of his eye, so I try to explain.

"What if that's what the dresses are for? He kidnaps girls and gives them a gorgeous dress. Make them want to stay here." I absentmindedly run my fingers down one of the dresses, my voice growing softer without my really thinking about it. "I'm sure any girl would love to stay if they were pampered to this degree." I look around the closet at all the different dresses. Different styles and different colors. If I were to wear one dress each day, I probably wouldn't wear the same thing twice within three years.

What girl wouldn't like that?

"But why? What would he want you for? There's got to be something behind all this."

I give him a look.

"Maybe he's lonely." I counter defensively. "Just wants to spend time with someone and make them happy. Someone to make him happy. Isn't that something we all want?"

"It's got to be more than that. And what have the Cobbleen got to do with it all?"

I think a moment. "You said they were sheltered, right? Never really interacted with other species or cultures? That type of race is easy to take advantage of. Especially when you're as technologically advanced as he seems to be."

"But why?"

I sigh. "I don't know, okay? Maybe he's a control freak with a god complex. I may know your future, but that doesn't mean that I have all the answers."

We hear a voice behind us, suddenly. "It takes a special kind of woman to admit such a thing, my dear."

Uh oh.