The Penny Drops!

Part 12

[A/N. Inspired by the quote from The Girl In the Fireplace. (Mickey: Sarah Jane, Cleopatra. . . Rose: Come on, he mentioned her once! Mickey: Yeah, but he called her Cleo!) With River pretending to be her in the Pandorica Opens, I couldn't resist! ;) ]

The Doctor frowned and glared at the TARDIS's scanner like it was her fault. Which, it wasn't.

Rose had been traveling with him a while now, though he'd just regenerated and he wasn't completely sure she trusted him. She'd went to bed almost has soon as their little adventure with the robots in that Paris restaurant, insisting that she needed sleep.

And now he was bored.

Normally, he'd be off somewhere having an adventure alone when his companion was asleep. But he couldn't think of anywhere he wanted to go that would give him the adrenaline he needed.

So, he turned on the randomizer.

Was that a smart choice? Well, he didn't know. Generally it was. The TARDIS seemed to know what she was doing. . . most of the time.

He checked the scanner after the vworp vworp had quieted.

"30 BC. Earth. Hm." He said aloud.

The year rang a bell in his head, but he couldn't remember what. Might as well find out.

He sprinted to the doors, excitement already running through his new body, and flung open the doors.

To face several men with spears pointed at him.

"Bad time? Should I come back later?" He tried weakly, putting his hands up in surrender.

--------

When River heard that a strange blue box had suddenly appeared on the floor below her chambers-fine, Cleopatra's chambers- she immediately sent for the man she had captured. It was him, had to be him, and maybe now she could finally give him the painting that had her worried.

She adjusted her wig, checking to make sure she still looked like the Egyptian queen. He always did love it when they dressed up and pretended to be various monarchs.

She even considered taking off a few articles of clothing, but it could've been a younger version. So, she resigned to a different one, one she was going to wear when she went to that Roman camp later in the week. That was where she'd left the coordinates. Why he'd came here instead, she had no idea.

There was a knock on the door, probably a servant.

"Come in, dear." She said loudly, adding a touch more of the dark makeup that would make her complexion a little more convincing as an Egyptian.

A girl entered the room, head bowed in respect. "Your majesty, would you like to see the stranger now?"

"I would. Send him in."

"In your bedchambers, my queen?"

River raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

The servant curtsied and left the room quietly.

River had to admit, she enjoyed acting more than she'd care to confess.

--------

The Doctor's face had a pretty convincing glare on, he thought. He was trying, anyway. The scowl he now wore wasn't something well-practiced, since it'd only been a week in the new body.

"Get up. The queen wishes to see you." A large man said, motioning with his hand.

"Right. The queen." The Doctor's mind raced as he scrambled to stand up. "Which one, exactly?"