𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒔 ☆ The Glorious Series ｟ BOOK 1 ｠

Closing Time [Part 3]

Inside, Store, Jewelry, Night...

The Doctor, Lexi and Craig walked in, Craig pushing the stroller.

"Good afternoon, Val." The Doctor and Lexi greeted an older woman behind the counter.

"Hello." The woman smiled.

They started to walk over to the counter, but Craig stopped them by grabbing the Doctor's arm.

"Where am I investigating?" He asked them.

"Well, look round." The Doctor told him. "Ask questions. People like it when you're with a baby, babies are sweet, people talk to you. That's why I usually take a human with me."

Lexi just rolled her eyes, before continuing her way over to the counter where Val was.

Craig raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. "So I'm your baby?"

"You're my baby!" He smiled before hugging Craig.

From the counter, Val watched and smiled at the two men. Lexi sniggered, turning away and trying on a pair of sunglasses.

Craig then left with Alfie as the Doctor came over and took the sunglasses off of Lexi and tried them on himself.

Lexi just huffed amusedly at his behavior before turning back and looking at a pair of earrings.

"Hope you don't mind me saying, Doctor," Val began. "but I think you look ever so sweet, you and your partner and the baby."

"Partner." The Doctor nodded. "Yes, I like it. Is it better than 'companion'?"

"Companion sounds old-fashioned." Val shrugged. "There's no need to be coy these days."

"I agree." Lexi chimed in, turning around. She leaned against the counter as she spoke to Val. "You've not noticed anything unusual around here lately have you, Val?"

"Well..." She began.

"Yes, yes?" The Doctor and Lexi asked eagerly as they leaned in close to her.

"Mary Warnock saw Don Petheridge snogging Andrea Groom outside the Conservative Club on his so-called day off 'golfing'." She told them, nodding as she finished.

"Yeah. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all." The Doctor admitted.

"Yeah, probably not." Lexi agreed, standing back up straight.

The Doctor air-kissed Val on each cheek before and Lexi started to walk away.

"And then there's that silver rat thing!" Val called over to them.

The duo stopped walking immediately, turning back around with curious smiles on their faces. "What?"

Inside, Store, Toy Department...

The Doctor was under a table scanning with the sonic as Lexi was right next to him under the table with a large net in her hand.

"A silver rat." Lexi as she and the Doctor got out from under the table. "With glowing red eyes."

"Yes, then it zizzed off." Val informed the duo. "I wanted to get one for my nephew, but stockroom say there's no such item."

"I bet they do." The Doctor commented, putting away the sonic.

"Well, what was it then?" Val questioned. "Answer me that."

Suddenly Lexi, the Doctor and Val heard the sound of stands falling over off in the distance.