Time Tinker

By the Dickens!

"I can't do that, sir." The driver explained. "Why not?" The Doctor exclaimed as the hearse got further away. "I'll tell you why not. I'll give you a very good reason why not. Because this is my coach." The man who had followed them out yelled.

"Well, get in, then. Move!" Tink covered a laugh knowing her mate was too flustered to have realized he was talking to one of his favorite authors in the universe. They climbed in with the man as the driver pulled away.

Tink put her hand on Theta's shoulder trying to calm him. "Darling, we will get Rose back." She said firmly. He nodded worriedly. "But I think if you take a look at the man across from us you'll be pleasantly surprised." She said with a slight smile.

The driver cracked the whip and the carriage was fast gaining on the hearse. "Everything in order, Mister Dickens?" The driver shouted into the carriage. "No! It is not!" The author shouted. The Doctor looked from his wife to the man and back a few times. Tink had to laugh despite the terrible timing.

"Let me say this first. I'm not without a sense of humour." The man, Dickens, started. "Dickens?" The Doctor parroted happily. "Yes." He said frustrated. "Charles Dickens?" He double checked. "Yes." "The Charles Dickens?"

"Should I remove the gentleman, sir?" The driver called back worried. "Charles Dickens? You're brilliant, you are. Completely one hundred percent brilliant. I've read them all. Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and what's the other one, the one with the ghost?" He asked looking to Tink who always knew what he meant.

"A Christmas Carol?" Dickens asked in a much happier tone. "No, he was reading Signal Man. True genius by the way." Tink answered for the Doctor as he nodded happily. "The best short story ever written. You're a genius." The Doctor continued raving.

"You want me to get rid of them, sir?" The driver asked again having not been answered. "Er, no, I think they can stay." Dickens said with a smile. "Honestly, Charles. Can I call you Charles? The wife and I are such big fans."
"A what? A big what?" Dickens asked confused what a method of keeping cool had to do with him.

"It's new slang, Mr. Dickens. It's the shortened version of fanatic or to be devoted." Tink explained with a smile. The poor man was overwhelmed by her husband as many were.
"Mind you, I've got to say, that American bit in Martin Chuzzlewit, what's that about? Was that just padding or what? I mean, it's rubbish, that bit." The Doctor hadn't even take a breath

Tink put her hand over his mouth making him breath, bivalve or not, and giving the man a chance to answer.
"I thought you said you were my fan." Dickens said with a smirk. Tink slowly took away her hand now that Theta had calmed some.

"Ah, well, if you can't take criticism. Go on, do the death of Little Nell, it cracks me up. No, sorry, forget about that. Come on, faster!" Tink threw her hands up with a laugh. Her man was mad and he was wonderful.

"Who exactly is in that hearse?" Dickens asked worried. "Our friend. She's only nineteen. It's my fault. She's in my care, and now she's in danger." Tink grabbed his hand twining their fingers. "Darling, it's just as much my fault." She said sadly. "I agreed that we take her with us and we share the responsibility equally." The Doctor wanted to argue but seeing the haunted look in his wife's eyes he dropped the matter.

"Why are we wasting my time talking about dry old books? This is much more important. Driver, be swift! The chase is on!" Dickens shouted realizing the gravity. "Yes, sir!" The driver said snapping the whip to hasten the horses.

"Attaboy, Charlie." The Doctor grinned. "Nobody calls me Charlie." "The ladies do."
"How do you know that?" "I told you, I'm your number one..." "Number one fan." Dickens finished looking ill at ease.

They finally pulled up behind the hearse. They quickly scurried from the carriage and knocked on the door of the mortuary.

Tink felt a instant bond to the woman who answered the door. "I'm sorry, sir. We're closed." She said already closing the door. Dickens didn't allow it putting his hand on the door.

"Nonsense. Since when did an Undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master. " He said every ounce the aristocrat he was now. "He's not in, sir." Tink took a small step forward putting herself into the pool of light from the door.

"Let us in, Gwyneth." She said softly, not realizing she had taken a motherly tone. Gwen was stricken silent looking at the woman that knew her name. She had never met another person that could do that.

She was snapped out of her stupor when the gas lights behind her flared. "Having trouble with your gas?" The Doctor asked knowingly. "What the Shakespeare is going on?" Dickens demanded.

The Doctor went past Gwyneth to the flaring gas lamp. "You're not allowed inside, sir." She said worriedly. "It's ok, dear. We'll take fault with your master." She said slipping into the language of the time unconsciously, a soothing measure.

"There's something inside the walls."  "The gas pipes actually, dear." Tink said hearing the rattling. "Something's living inside the gas." He agreed quickly.

Before they said anything else they could hear Rose screaming from down the hall. They took off following the sound.

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Hi guys,

The past year has not been good. But I'm hoping to come back now even better than before. Do t be silent! Let me know what you think.

Mrs. Urie-Stumph