Breathe In, Breathe Out

Chapter Two

author's Note: Hola, I'm excited about this story even though I only have one follower (madd13b0bad1, thank you!!) I really think it's going to be great. Adios, thethousandthballoon... :)

I raced through the woods, heart pounding in my throat. I could hear Jayden's feet crunching the leaves behind me. I forged ahead, unable to contain the bubbling concoction of fear, hope, and excitement. I could smell smoke. The acrid smell burned my nostrils and I had to breathe into my shirt. I sped up and the smoke smell got stronger. Eyes watering, I stopped short as I saw the box.

It was beautiful. Sure it was a little dented from the fall but, the dark blue paint glimmered eerily and the light shone through the shade. A battered sign read "Public Police Call Box". Even though it was barely functional and smoking, I felt as if everything would be fine; nothing to worry about.

"Reid..." I felt a hand on my shoulder, and spun around. Jayden was behind me, his brown wavy hair sticking to his sweaty forehead. "Let's go get help." I shook my head furiously. Something about this box drew me closer, like a big, blue magnet.

"No, you're not staying here alone!" he said, his eyes pleading me to come with him. "Who knows what's in that...thing." I sighed and made eye contact, which was hard considering he was about a foot taller than me. His mother always said I made up for it by being bossy. We had known each other since birth and our parents would joke that the moment we met, I laid down the law.

"How I about I stay here-" He opened his mouth to protest- " And you go get help! Who or whatever is in there may need help, Jay! We can't just leave them here!" I raised my voice. My friend sighed and rolled his eyes. Handing me his phone, he raised an eyebrow.

"Call the house if there's any trouble," he ordered wearily. I nodded and pocketed the phone as he disappeared into the shrubbery. As soon as I could no longer hear the crunching of leaves, I slowly approached the box. With every inch I drew closer, I could feel power and warmth radiating from it. Maybe that was just the fact that something in there was on fire and was about to explode and bye-bye Reid Evans it was but I couldn't help but feel as if I had been carrying around a heavy bag on my shoulders and had just removed it.

I gently placed my fingers on the wood, careful not to get a splinter, and traced the small sign below the window.

"Police telephone, free for use of pub-" I jumped back as the door next to me swung open, and a pair of brown boots lined up with my tattered Converse. I looked up and saw a quite handsome-looking man. His bright green eyes studied me as I stared at the man, who seemed to be unscathed.

"Who are you?" I asked a tad bit breathlessly. I had a strange urge to run my index finger along his cheekbone-just to see of it would slice my finger open. He closed the door behind him and took out a small little metal probe with a green light at the end.

"I could ask you the same question," he said as he pressed the button on the probe and scanned me. It made a tinny whirring noise and I wondered if I really had met and alien. That would explain the bowtie and suspenders. I studied the probe for a moment, then pocketed the strange device.

"I'm the Doctor and you're human." He turned to the wreckage of the glorious blue box, then immediately turned back to me, tapping his furiously. "Ah, yes. What's your name? I always forget the name!" He muttered the last part to himself.

"Reid..." I said cautiously. He smiled and grabbed my face in both hands, kissing each of my cheeks. Adjusting his bowtie, he went inside the box, disappearing into a plume of smoke. I wiped both cheeks and followed him, waving away smoke and buzzing with questions.

"What kind of a name is 'Doctor'? Where'd you get thi-" I stopped in the middle of my question and froze. The "Doctor" looked up from the console of the box and smiled excitedly.

"The, the th- it's-...what the- the box it's, it's..." I blubbered, pointing to the ceiling. The man set down what he was doing and absolutely beamed.

"Go on, say it," he said encouragingly. "I love it when they say it!" I stared back at him and said softly.

"It's bigger on the inside," I said in awe. He smiled from ear to ear and came to the door, taking my hand. I let him take it. (I was in shock, okay?) He danced around the console and spread his arms.

"It's a T.A.R.D.I.S., time-and-relative-dimensions-in-space, the last of her kind and a beauty at that." He placed a tender hand on the console.

I hadn't found an alien, but a mad magician.

"She can go anywhere and any time in the universe, you say the word and she'll go." He paused for a moment. "Well, you do have to push a certain amount of buttons and the occasional lever and sometime she doesn't always go where we want but rather where we need but- in short mostly anywhere you want to go."

I looked around the room, suspended in a dream-like state of awe. I looked at the Doctor, who was smiling at me hopefully. He leaned across the sea of gizmos and gadgets.

"So what do you say?" he said. "Will you let me show the stars?" I studied his face, full of a child-like wonder. I smirked.

"Of course," I answered. The Doctor broke out into a smile. Well, he never really seemed to stop smiling, and when he did really smile it lit the room up. Or rather, burned it down. As he twirled around the machine, I cringed, hating to be the killjoy.

"One problem..." I said. The Doctor frowned at me.

"And what is that?"

"Your T.A.R.D.I.S. is burning." The Doctor looked at me, remembering with a jolt our situation.

"Ah...yes..." he said as we heard a strange creaking noise. I yelled as a chunk of smoking metal slowly crashed over our heads.