First Entrance!

[and_she_waited]

When I was a little girl, I had an imaginary friend. And when I grew up, he came back. He's called the Doctor, he comes from somewhere else; he's got a box called the TARDIS that's bigger on the inside and can travel anywhere in time and space. I ran away with him, and this is the story of how he changed my life...

You know that lovely sound a TARDIS makes? It's sort of a whoosh, or a hum, or a whoom-WHEEEM, rwhooom-REEEM? Some would say it's the loveliest sound in the universe, because it means something wonderful is coming.

Only this time, there is no sound. Just a step, and a little stumble, and a brand new room.

Amy blinks, freezing in the middle of Ten Forward.

"Doctor?" she calls, glancing about. "Rory? Doctor! Rory!"

Oh, what has he done now? If this is a joke, she's not going to laugh. Frankly, his sense of humour is abysmal. "Where am I?"

Comments

[morphitudinous]

Billy nods along---she's right, of course. "We have a common enemy, though that might not be the right word. Q's doing something strange."

He lifts an eyebrow at the mention of that name. "The Doctor? Is that one of the ship doctors?"

[and_she_waited]

"Q?" she repeats.

There's a beat while she thinks on it.

"Rubbish name for a villain, isn't it? All I'm saying is I think he lifted it from a Bond film."

She'd rather talk more about this Q person, but Billy gave her something so it's only fair she return the favour.

"No, not a ship's doctor, not a medical doctor at all," she says. "The Doctor. He travels through space and time helpin' people, and he is very good at it. Well. Save for bein' late on occasion."

[morphitudinous]

"He calls himself Q of the Q, and I'm still not clear on exactly what that means," Billy shrugs, though he spares a smile for the joke. When phrased like that, he doesn't sound so threatening.

But he's soon interested in this Doctor fellow. "Through time and space? Then he has a time machine?"

That's the greatest news he's heard all day. If there's someone coming who's capable of time travel, they can sort this mess out.

[and_she_waited]

The Q, right, now they're getting somewhere. Either this alien is the biggest megalomaniac in the universe, or he's part of a commune.

Amy keeps this to herself for now.

"That's right, a big blue box called the TARDIS," she says. "Time and Relative... something or other. It can go anywhere you like. Even does, on occasion."

When the Doctor hasn't done it wrong, or the TARDIS hasn't decided on taking them somewhere she thinks is more important.

[morphitudinous]

"It doesn't like to cooperate?" Billy wonders. How the time machine can decide that is an interesting mystery.

[and_she_waited]

"It's complicated," she says.

To even get into the Doctor's odd romantic relationship with the TARDIS or not? He calls her sexy.

"She's not just a machine; she has her own personality. She and the Doctor stole each other, a long time ago," she says. "And he doesn't know how to fly her."

River proved that much.

[morphitudinous]

"So she flies him, and that's how you get anywhere?" Billy wonders aloud. "Compared to now, that has to be an amazing life."

[and_she_waited]

"Well, he thinks he knows how to fly her," she clarifies. "But he leaves the breaks on."

She smiles fondly.

"It's not half bad. Sailing the stars, goin' on adventures, seeing all sorts of new things," she hums.

Definitely fond.

[morphitudinous]

"I'd love that kind of life," Billy says immediately. What's there to hate? A lovely tour of the universe, amazing things...she's a lucky woman.

"And now I'm frustratingly close to it, but stuck on a stationary ship."

[and_she_waited]

"Let's be clear on one thing," she says a bit defensively; "The Doctor asks before he steals you away. He's a bit daft, but he isn't rude."

She peers out across the room. She supposes it wouldn't be so bad if she'd had some choice in the matter. She's definitely been worse places, but nothing will ever quite be the TARDIS.

"So then, we get the engines running and everyone back home. All right, Bill?" she says. "That's our first step."

[morphitudinous]

"All right, Amy," he agrees, nodding firmly. "I'll investigate and start planning to gain access---and hopefully we'll be able to move on out soon enough."

[and_she_waited]

She doesn't know much about him, but knowing he's on her side is enough.

"It's a start," she remarks. "With any luck, the Doctor will save us. But for now, it's you an' me."

And isn't he lucky?

"Where should I start lookin' around?"