Ian Chesterton was late, and he so hated to be
late. He prided himself on his punctuality. He knew Barbara was there, waiting
for him to join her, but he loathed making her wait none the less. The sun was
warm but he kept his tie tightened and his jacket on, presentation was
everything of course. He made his way over to a spot under the shade of an old
oak and, taking his handkerchief from his breast pocket and flattening it on
the freshly mown ground, slowly sank to the floor beside Barbara, despite the
protestation of his old joints.
'I'm
sorry I'm so late Barbara,' he started, a gleam in his eye, his voice almost
breathless with excitement, 'but you won't believe what a morning I've had!'.
Ian
had spent most of the morning in a dreary board of governors meeting at Coal
Hill School and was glad to leave for once. He took his duties seriously of
course but it was a glorious early summer's day and much like the children
attending the school he kept finding his attention wandering toward the large
window of the room in which the meeting was being held. As the sun rose higher
in the morning sky and the temperature raised so did his desire to escape and
enjoy the rest of the day. He certainly wasn't getting any younger and he had
places he would much rather be for once. Still, the meeting eventually came to
its end and he stepped out of the reception doors into the bright sunlight, a
feeling a freedom, almost adventure washing over him. He decided he would enjoy
a drink at the local cafe before heading to his usual early afternoon
appointment with Barbara, so headed there, enjoying the stroll and the heat of
the day.
He bought his drink and chose to sit
at one of the outside tables, indulge in a bit of 'people watching' to pass the
time.
He had been sat outside, enjoying his
pot of tea, and a naughty scone, (his GP would tell him off but what the hell),
when he became aware of a sudden commotion behind him.
Suddenly
three people came running past him, then a fourth just clipped him on the
shoulder as he sat at his table on the narrow street.
After balancing his cup of tea, trying
not to spill it he became aware of the person who had knocked him skidding to a
halt. They turned and he could see it was a young-looking woman, with collar
length blonde hair and in the strangest ensemble he had ever seen. A long light-coloured
coat, over a rainbow top and yellow braces and blue culottes with brown walking
boots. Strangely, he couldn't help but think it suited her.
'Oh, soz about that...' she started
before trailing off, her eyes widening, her expressive face changing from one
of concern to one almost of sheer befuddled joy.
what was that look wondered Ian to himself. Recognition? Amazement? Ian
searched his memory furiously to see if he could recognise her. Was she an old
student? Maybe one of the countless stand in teachers the school had seen over
the recent years. He was normally so good with faces but he was drawing a
complete blank.
Then several things happened almost at
once and his world turned on its head.
Very softly, under her breath almost and with a wistful smile playing across
her lips she said simply 'Chatterton'.
'I.... I beg your pardon?' said Ian
slightly taken aback. But before she could reply the other three people who had
come running past had clearly realised the woman was no longer with them and
returned, standing a few metres away. The older man in the group shouted over to
her, 'C'mon Doc, there isn't much time left to do this!'
She glanced over her shoulder at the
trio then back to Ian who looked up at her sharply. She had an apologetic look
on her face and held out her hands in a placating gesture even as the word 'Doc'
formed on his lips as a hoarse whispered question.
She dithered for a moment, torn
between him and the trio then the young Asian girl called over urgently
'Doctor, come on.'
With that she lunged forward, clasped
his shoulders in a brief hug and whispered 'Missed you.' in his ear and then
she was gone, tearing off this time taking the lead of her three friends he
quickly followed.
Ian barely heard the sound of his
teacup hitting the pavement as he stared after them. He quickly grabbed his
wallet from his jacket pocket, pulled a note from it with shaking fingers and
left it pinned under the now cupless saucer. He watched the four figures
retreating into the distance at speed until they took a right turn into a side
street.
Ian knew this area well, like the back of his still trembling hands in fact, so
he was well aware that the street they had gone down led, at least eventually,
to a disused factory and some waste ground.
It had taken only a few seconds for
him to leave the money on the table, return the wallet to his pocket and get up
from the chair, following in their footsteps before he even realised it. All
the while her face hung in his mind's eye, and those words. Doc, Doctor. Missed
you.
Had he sat in the sun too long?
Had he finally lost his mind?
Ian
didn't rush to where he thought the strange woman's ultimate destination would
be. In fact, quite the opposite. He almost turned back several times but
something kept him going forward. No not something, he knew full well what it
was. He needed answers.
He knew he had come to the right place when he saw it. It was stood just at the
end of the road, where the waste ground started and was separated from the road
by a chain link fence and gate that he noticed was pushed ajar.
A Police telephone box. His heart
skipped a beat and his mouth went dry. He walked tentatively up to the box and
reached out a hand. He rested it on the door and felt that same vibration he
had felt so many decades ago on a chilly winter evening, not too far from this very
spot. Instead of jerking his hand away like he did that first time though, he
let it rest there and thought he felt the vibration change slightly, it became
deeper and softer. The surface under his hand felt like it became just a little
warmer too. 'Hello' he said, suddenly aware he had spoken aloud and becoming self-conscious.
He reluctantly pulled his hand away and felt snapped out of a strange reverie.
It was then that he became aware of
noises like thunder coming from the disused factory across the wasteland. He
made his way through the gate, noting the padlock and chain lying discarded on
the dusty floor. He started making his way over the uneven and weed riddled
ground when he was stopped in his tracks once by a sight he thought, and indeed
hoped, would only ever be a distant memory. Out of the yawning double doorway
of the skeletal factory and wreathed in fire came the distinctive silhouette of
a Dalek. It was shrieking in that wretched metallic voice that had haunted his
and Barbara's nightmares for years after their return. It was also firing its
weapon wildly, in all directions in what were clearly its death throws. Ian
hunched down, remembering only too well the damage the weapons of those
horrific creatures could inflict.
And then, with one last shriek the
Dalek exploded into nothingness. Small fragments raining down across the
wasteland around him.
As he
stood back up straight Ian saw the woman and her friends make their way from
the door. She looked at the scorched ground where the Dalek had been, and then
looked directly over to him. She planted her hands on her hips and shouted
over.
'Ian Chesterton, what d'you think you
are doing here? Hmmm?' and then broke into a broad smile as she started
striding towards him. The other three looked at each other with varying degrees
of puzzlement before trudging after her.
She drew up in front of him and looked
him up and down.
'Doctor?' asked Ian 'Is that really
you?'
'Oh yeah,' she replied nonchalantly,
with a flick of her hair. 'It’s a kind of renewal, healing, thing I do. From
time to time.'
'From time to time?' he replied
incredulously. 'So, you've done it before then, since we were with you, I
mean?'.
She
pulled a 'you could say that' face and nodded a couple of times.
By now
the other three had reached them and the Doctor introduced them all.
'Graham, Ryan, Yaz. This is Ian. Ian
Chesterton. Ian this is the fam.'
At that all three vehemently shook their heads. The Doctor looked crestfallen.
'The
Crew? The Posse?'
Ryan, his embarrassment at the Doctors continued attempts to name them
interrupted.
'Doctor, hadn't we better go and sort
out that scout ship?'
'Oh, oh yeah. Time is pressing i'nt
it?' Yaz and Graham nodded gravely.
She turned back to Ian.
'I'm sorry. I'd love to catch up, but
there's a ship of them,' she gestured back to where the Dalek had exploded,
'still in orbit and someone's got to sort them out.'
'Don’t worry Doctor, I completely
understand.' said Ian. 'Thank you. Thank you for still looking after us all.'
he added.
She looked a little bashful at that then set herself and looked at the TARDIS.
She chuckled.
'Huh,
what's the point of time machine when time is always of the essence, eh?' with
that she stuck out her hand to shake Ian's. He clasped it in both of his, a
warm smile on his face. No words
necessary.
He let go and she strode off towards
the TARDIS. Without looking back she called out
'C'mon
fam, good bye Chesterfield, give my love to Barbara!'
For a moment tears stung at his eyes as he said good bye to Graham, Ryan and
Yaz, but he was laughing all the time. And then, they were all in that box and
it made a mighty roaring, wheezing sound and dematerialised into the ether.
He wasn't sure how long he stood
there, but he suddenly remembered he had an appointment and, on checking his
wristwatch realised he was already late.
And
that was it. He let the last words of his story hang in the late afternoon air.
It was cooling now and he realised he hadn't eaten for the best part of the day
and it would be late by the time he got home.
'Good bye Barbara,' he said, 'see you
tomorrow.' he put two fingers to his lips and kissed them tenderly. He then
touched them to the cold stone and let them linger. Then, he slowly got to his
feet, picked up his handkerchief, shaking it off and folding it back up neatly.
Returned it to its pocket and started the journey home. Fish supper for dinner
he thought. He deserved a treat after today.
Not
too many minutes later, a shadow, long in the late afternoon sun fell across
the gravestone. The Doctor read the words inscribed upon it.
'Here lies Barbara Chesterton. Beloved
Wife, Mother, Teacher and Friend.
And then below an inscription.
'Our destiny is in the stars, so let's
go and search for it.'
'I miss you too Barbara.' said the
Doctor softly.
The End.
