When The Doctor Was Me (Frerard Doctor Who AU)

"Strange Attire" from "Another World"

The Doctor listened to Frank's dream in silence, nodding along and intent on Frank. When the human finished, the Doctor remained silent for a few minutes longer.

"Much of that is based on a movie I believe you've referenced in the past, a game you played as a child, and someone we've both met during our time together." The Doctor finally said, crossing his arms.

"Bits of it were so real through, Doctor." Frank muttered, furrowing his eyebrows as he looked at the ground, "Those years as well... They feel different when I say them outloud... Like, they're truly significant!"

The Doctor bit his lip, looking at Frank worriedly. "You're stressed out." He finally said, popping to his feet. "We need a break from the future."

"Doctor, we seem to keep running into him!" Frank argued, "Even in my weird dream delusions!"

"Yes..." The Doctor nodded, "and I don't like what he keeps reminding me more and more of..."

"What do we do?" Frank questioned, rising to his feet.

"Right now, I want to be somewhere he won't be." The Doctor replied simply, walking over to the tardis controls.

"But Doctor-" Frank tried to argue, but the Doctor cut him off.

"My ship, my rules!" He declared, "We're going to..." He spun a dial, waiting a moment to see how it would land. "Aaah, ancient Egypt."

Frank frowned at the Doctor's evasiveness. Why wouldn't he face the matter at hand? Did it have to be staring him in the face at the current moment for him to react?..

"Hold on, Frankie, before I install seatbelts specifically for you." The Doctor shot him a grin as he slammed his hand into a button on the control consul.

Frank pulled himself to his feet and held onto the railing next to him. The tardis whirled to life and began its journey through time and space. The Doctor walked over to Frank and leaned next to him on the railing.

"Do they teach you anything about ancient Egyptian culture in those Earth schools of yours?" The Doctor asked, nudging Frank playfully.

"Not really." Frank shrugged, not really thinking to hard to be definite. He was still stuck on the events of his dream, and the Doctor's avoidance of the bald man with metal appendages.

"Oh, come on, Frankie!" The Doctor shook his head, "What do they teach you then?"

"Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell." Frank blurted out, almost automatically.

The Doctor nodded with a small shrug. Frank laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"I've been out of school for like, six years, Doctor. I haven't exactly retained much."

"What do you do without the school bits?" The Doctor asked, tilting his head at the human. "We've never really discussed it."

"We've never really discussed you either." Frank said, looking down at the ground. "I mean, bits, I know bits about you... There's so much I don't know, and didn't before I allowed myself to get sucked into your crazy blue box!"

The Doctor looked a bit shocked by Frank's small outburst. He blinked quickly before clearing his throat. "Well... Ah, we-we could talk about that if... If you'd-"

Just before the Doctor could finish his words, the tardis landed. The Doctor had to hurry over to pull a lever or press a button or something Frank wasn't really paying attention to.

Frank was just feeling off from the dream. How had it not happened? When did it blend so perfectly with reality? Then, why did the Doctor want to run from the man at the center of it? Frank didn't want to particularly deal with him either, but shouldn't he be dealt with before more people were hurt?