Where Waves crash and Journeys end (Doctor Who/Broadchurch)

15

From all the things Alec had experienced in the last few hours, the TARDIS was the weirdest. It turned out to be the same blue box he had seen on the beach and at first looked like nothing special to him - he was wrong. As he stepped inside, his jaw dropped. Literally. He had to be dreaming, his mind just had made that up again. But otherwise, it all seemed so real, waking up now would be a waste of time. 

He was standing in a giant circular room, with golden metal walls. Right in the middle of it sat a control panel with different levers and switches, ready to take off. Blue and red lights were flickering around him, giving the sight in front of him a cozy, warm atmosphere. All of a sudden, Alec felt something he had never felt before...something making him very comfortable. Something he had never thought would never be possible to feel - safety. He was safe. 

Safe from all the monsters who had haunted his dreams for decades. 

"I didn't hear you!", the other man said, showing up at Alecs side. His coat was gone, now hanging at a hook next to the door. His brown short hair was still a mess, but that didn't seem to bother him at all. 

Alec frowned: "What?" 

The Stranger chuckled, putting his hands in the pockets of his pinstriped suit. With a bright smile, he continued: 

"Well, people usually seeing my TARDIS, they go like Bigger on the Inside, you know? But you...you not. Very interesting, that is - very interesting..." 

His staring gaze made the DI shiver, not knowing what to answer. Maybe he even just wanted to get out of the TARDIS and finally return to his akward daily life. Maybe he wanted to see Miller, moving on with the case. Or maybe he just wanted to fall asleep. 

But what if this man was the answer? The answer to his questions, his nightmares? What if he knew the truth? What if he could help him out? 

"Anyway!", the man called out, interrupting his thoughts once more. 

"I'm The Doctor and this is Rose. You've already met her, as far as I know!"

He pointed at the girl, settled down on a chair with her nose buried in a book. She didn't look up, turning every page in excitement what was coming next. For the first time, Alec realized how cute she was. And finally - he knew her name. 

The Doctor went to the control panel, pulling different levers and pressing buttons. Alec followed him, watching in curiosity. Even if he knew him for a few seconds, he seemed familiar. Utterly familiar. He just couldn't tell how. And why. Just another secret he had to solve, another mystery hidden in his unknown past. A lost memory, waiting to be cleared. 

The DI took a deep breath, preparing to ask the question bugging him for years. For months. For centuries. It was on the tip of his tongue, he just had to spit it out. He just had to say it, right in his face. Just a few words. Just a question. Along with so many others. 

A loud WHOOSH made him jump, sending his entire body to the ground. The TARDIS began to shake from the impact, Rose looked up from her book. Alec tried to stand up, scanning for something he could use for balance. 

"What's happening?", he screamed over the noise, still trying to hold on something. The Doctor just laughed: 

"Don't worry, she's just flying. Imagine an airplane, but in spaceship style. You'll get home soon, no scratches, no harm - next stop: Broadchurch Beach, 13th of July 2013! ALLONS-Y!"

With these words and another creepy grin, he pulled the lever, sending the TARDIS into the endless stream of time itself.