Alex's Beginning

Chapter 16

"I give up." Alex said, speaking up into the sky. "I just give up. I don't know how we got to this, but this is just stupid - and I give up." She had this urge to just hit her head on the wall of the bar. She saw no point in going back there, so she turned her weary head to Martha. "How about we go home?" She was tired. She wanted to get some popcorn, plop down on that nice couch, and watch a movie.

"I think I have a better idea." She didn't even know what her friend was talking about until she followed her finger and gasped in delight when she saw the Doctor. All signs of exhaustion left her as her head snapped up and she looked joyously at the alien.

"Doctor!" She called to him. "Hey!" She waved her hand, happy to see him. He smiled at them, and he waved before taking a step back and into the alley behind him. Alex didn't even think about it, she didn't even look at Martha as she took off after the Doctor. "Come on, Martha!" They turned down the alleyway, and quickly walked down there until they turned again. Alex smiled in delight when she saw the Doctor leaning up against the TARDIS.

"I went to the moon today." Martha said. Alex skipped - or as much as she could in heels - and paused at the TARDIS. She sighed happily, oh she loved this ship just as much as she loved the Doctor. She ran her hand down the worn wood. It was smooth to her touch, not a splinter anywhere. It was warm, too. She turned and leaned against the ship, linking her arms together behind her back.

"Bit more peaceful than down here." The Doctor commented.

"That is a true understatement." Alex sighed and leaned her head back and bumped against the doors. "A serious understatement." His smile told her that he saw the whole thing. She glared at him a bit, annoyed that he would take enjoyment out of her misery.

"You never told me who you were." She had already explained it to Martha about the show and how she knew most things - not a lot though, considering her terrible memory.

"The Doctor." He replied. Remember that name, Martha. Alex thought, because it was the name to a man that you will never forget.

"What sort of species?"

Alex laughed. "Bet you didn't think you'd ever ask that question when you woke up this morning." The Doctor laughed with her.

"I'm a Time Lord." She felt a shiver run down her spine. The Time Lords, what an amazing race, she thought. It would've been so awesome to be a Time Lord. Well, up until the Time War.

"Right..." Martha was quick to tease. "Not pompous at all, then." Alex giggled. It was a bit arrogant to call yourselves the Lord of all time.

The Doctor smiled. "I just thought since you both saved my life and I've got a brand new sonic screwdriver." He pulled it out from his coat pocket.

"See!" Alex laughed. "I was right. You could get a new one. I'm glad, you were so heartbroken."

"I love my sonic screwdriver." He repeated. She just smiled teasingly at him. "As I was saying," Alex held up her hands and backed off. "I just got a brand new sonic screwdriver that needs road testing, you might fancy a trip."

"Yes!" She raised her fists into the air. "Outer-space road trip! Time and Space! That has to be the best road trip I have ever heard about! Let's do it!" Oh, that idea was just so exciting - she was getting all tingly just thinking about it. She was so ready. The Doctor smiled, happy that one of them was onboard.

Martha was a bit more hesitant than her friend was. "What, in space?"

"Well..." The Doctor shrugged. More like time and space, Alex though with excitement.

"We can't." Alex looked back over to her friend whining like a child. Why couldn't they? "We've got exams. I've got things to do - and I know you do too, Alex. I have to go into town first thing and pay the rent, and Alex's is coming up too, I've got my family going mad..."

The Doctor stopped her before she could worry about anything more. "If it helps, I can travel in time, as well."

Martha refused to believe it. Even with everything that's happened, she still believe that some things weren't possible. "Get out of here." She said flatly.

"No, seriously Martha he can." Alex laughed. "Seriously."

"Come on now," Martha was not amused by the American's teasing. "That is going too far."

"I'll prove it." He gently nudged Alex away so that he could enter the ship. Alex watched with a grin as the TARDIS disappeared with the grinding of engines. Martha was just stunned, she watched her friend walk over to where the ship had just been - waving her hand around as if to touch it again. When the wind picked back up, and the noises reappeared, Martha backed up into some trashcans as Alex laughed. The Doctor peeked out once the ship had finished rematerialized and held his tie up as proof. "Told you."

"Oh so it was you!" Alex said. "I knew it! I knew it was you, but I couldn't say that obviously, so I had to pretend I thought it was a brother or something! I knew it was you doing time travel!"

"But..." Martha couldn't get the words out for a minute. "That was this morning! But - Did you..." She finally understood. "Oh my God! You can travel in time!"

The Doctor tried his best to put on his tie, and Alex rolled his eyes at his horrible attempt. "Doctor, here let me..." She walked over to him and fixed it. "You are horrible with this, look at this! You messed up your suit and jacket! And it's crooked!" She looked up at him exasperated. "It's miracle you can dress yourself in the morning." Alex missed the startled look he had when she came so close to him.

Martha seemed to realize something as she messed around with his tie to fix it. "But hold on, if you could see us this morning, why didn't you tell us not to go in to work?"

"Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden." The Doctor said sternly, and Alex smiled in triumph when she got his tie perfect.

"Unless you have a cheap trick that's not even really a trick, since all you did was take off your tie without undoing it."

"That's a trick." The Doctor defended.

Alex gave him a look. "Any man that I know could do that."

"Exactly, it's an easy trick to know. But a trick." Alex smiled and rolled her eyes, admitting defeat.

"And that's your spaceship?" Martha got the attention back to her as she walked up to the wooden box.

"Yes it is!" Alex gave her a fond pat. "She's called the TARDIS - that stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space. Be nice to her," Alex waggled a finger at the Black British woman. "She's a good ship, and is going to do a lot for us, so try and be nice and give your thanks to her." She looked to the Doctor, and he gave her a nod, delighted that at least someone he's come across is respectful to his ship.

"She's made of wood, Alex." Only on the outside, Alex wanted to respond. "There's not much room. We'd be a bit intimate." Was it just her or was Martha's tone a little flirty?

The Doctor seemed completely oblivious as he opened the doors. "Take a look." Alex didn't need to be told twice. She shot right through the doors and up to the console. Her eyes lit up as she smiled brightly. Oh, she was beautiful. Alex spun around in circles, taking in as many angles as she could. She kept leaning against the railing, to look up at the floors above them.