Storm: Storm is Brewing

Fires of Pompeii

Terry blinked as she landed in a rather odd corner, some kind of alcove hidden in some kind of covered area of the street. She peeked out, noting her surroundings and wondered when and where she'd landed.

It seemed almost like Ancient Rome, but one could never really tell – the outfits all looked the same after a while, and fashions kept coming back in and out. Who'd have guessed that humans in the year 19,000 would feel nostalgic enough to try and go back to living in Ancient Rome style? She certainly hadn't. And while the fad lasted less than a month, it had been a strange experience.

Terry lowered the cloth covering again as she turned back to the alcove thoughtfully, when it suddenly lifted again behind her and she shrieked.

"Doctor!" She gasped, holding a hand to her beating hearts as she tried to calm the adrenaline pumping through her, while he stared at her.

"Terry?" He asked in confusion as he looked around the alcove, while Terry spotted Donna.

"Donna!" Terry smiled brightly, hugging the woman and feeling a little disconcerted as she had to reach up slightly to get her arms around Donna's neck, even with her heels.

"Oh, Terry, you're back." Donna said brightly as she hugged the Time Lady. "Though, did you move the Tardis?"

"The Tardis?" Terry repeated blankly, before she looked around the alcove again.

Suddenly realizing exactly where she was, she sighed and asked: "Pompeii?"

"Yeah." Donna agreed, while the Doctor's face fell.

"You didn't move the Tardis, did you?" He asked Terry, and she nodded while Donna's mouth fell open.

"You're kidding." She breathed. "You're not telling me the Tardis has gone."

"Okay." The Doctor answered quickly as he held out a hand for Terry to take.

She hopped out of the alcove beside him, while Donna demanded: "Where is it then?"

"You told me not to tell you." The Doctor replied, and Donna retorted sharply: "Oi. Don't get clever in Latin."

"Hold on." The Doctor muttered as he hurried over to a nearby fruit seller.

Donna was fuming, and Terry patted the redhead's arm, sighing. This was not going to be an easy trip for any of them, and Terry was not looking forward to having to try and keep Donna's temper down.

The Doctor was saying to the fruit seller hurriedly: "Excuse me. There was a box. Big blue box. Big blue wooden box, just over there. Where's it gone?"

"Sold it, didn't I?" The fruit seller replied smugly, and the Doctor said in disbelief: "But it wasn't yours to sell."

"It was on my patch, weren't it?" The man shrugged. "I got fifteen sesterces for it. Lovely jubbly."

Donna's mouth had fallen open again, and she was starting to growl menacingly as Terry held her back while the Doctor demanded: "Who'd you sell it to?"

"Old Caecilius." The fruit seller answered, starting to look annoyed. "Look, if you want to argue, why don't you take it out with him? He's on Foss Street." He pointed down the street. "Big villa. Can't miss it."

"Thanks." The Doctor answered as he quickly turned and took Terry's hand to run off.

But Donna had pulled away from Terry, hurrying off on her own and Terry looked back quickly, her brows furrowing anxiously.

"Wait, Doctor-" Terry began, when the Doctor screeched to a sudden halt.

"What'd he buy a big blue wooden box for?" The Doctor wondered, starting to turn back to go ask the fruit seller, but Terry tugged him back to her impatiently.