The Doctor Of War ³

Thin Ice

"Come on. Come on this way. Come and see the elephant."

"Ok. I have questions" Bill comes back into the TARDIS "you never said we could travel to parallel worlds!"

"Not a parallel world" I say.

"But that's London" the map is on the scanner.

"Our London. We're on the Thames. The last great Frost Fair. 1814, February the fourth."

"Hang on, why aren't we home? Can't you steer this thing?"

"We told you. You don't steer the TARDIS, you reason with it."

"How?"

"Unsuccessfully, most of the time" I set the TARDIS in motion "she's a bad girl, this one. Always looking for trouble" the TARDIS has materialised safely above the river.

"Whoa," Bill says walking out of the TARDIS.

"Last day before the thaw. Thought we'd better find a more reliable parking spot" I say.

"Wait, you want to go out there?"

"You don't?"

"It's 1814" Bill points to her face "melanin."

"Yes?"

"Slavery is still totally a thing."

"Yes, so it is."

"It might be, like, dangerous out there."

"Definitely dangerous."

"So, how do we stay out of trouble?"

"Well, we're not the right people to ask," the Doctor says.

"Ok, when you go somewhere dangerous, what do you take?"

"First door on the left, second right, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth door on the left."

"What's there?"

"The wardrobe. Come and pick a dress" I say walking back towards the TARDIS.

"So, the TARDIS has dresses and likes a bit of trouble? Yeah, I think I'm low-key in love with her."

"Me too" Bill follows me into the TARDIS. A vendor with a basket of vegetables on his shoulder nearly collides with the Doctor.

"Watch out, sir!" he slips and turns on the icy stones and his basket falls onto the ice "oh" a short time later. The Doctor has chosen to wear a top hat and black frock coat, while Bill and I are dressed suited for the time period, the doctor holds out his arm for me.

"M'lady." I laugh and link my arm with his.

"Doesn't anyone notice the TARDIS?" Bill asks.

"Your species hardly notices anything," the Doctor says.

"So, what are the rules?"

"Rules?"

"Yeah. Travelling to the past, there's got to be rules. If I step on a butterfly, it could send ripples through time that mean I'm not even born in the first place and I could just disappear."

"Definitely. I mean, that's what happened to Pete."

"Pete?"

"Your friend, Pete. He was standing there a moment ago, but he stepped on a butterfly and now you don't even remember him."

"Shut up! I'm being serious!"

"Yeah, so was Pete."

"You know what I mean. Every choice I make in this moment, here and now, could change the whole future."