Introducing Us

"You just saw that right?"

"You mean did I just see that large blue retro police box materialise in the middle of the street?"

"Yes."

"Yes, I think I did, although apparently everyone else missed it."

The policeman on guard outside the Scottish Parliament building hadn't even looked up at the grinding noise the box had made as it had appeared on the edge of the pavement. On the other side of the road the tourists on their way to Hollyrood House did not seem to have been disturbed either and on the hill behind the box there were no interested onlookers pointing out its rather odd appearance. Only the two girls standing mere feet away from where the solid mass had materialised out of thin air seemed to have noticed that it was not technically supposed to be there and certainly had not bee so a moment before.

They were an odd pair; one was fairly tall and slim with long chestnut hair and a little pixie face like an innocent Kate Moss. The other was a few inches shorter and curvier with auburn curls and a single raised eyebrow.

"Um," murmured the tall one, whose name was Gillian, "does this often happen around here?"

"Why on earth should I know?" replied the other who was called Jennifer.

"Well it's just that you spend more time in Edinburgh than I do." Her friend gave her a look which clearly said, "Do you know how incredibly stupid your logic is?" and Gillian shrugged but before she could say anything else the door of the box opened and a man wandered out. He was tall, moreso than either of the two girls and rather gangly. He wore a brown pinstripe suit and a brown tie as well as a light trench-coat and a truly funky pair of converse sneakers. He scrubbed his eyes with his fists before stretching and giving a massive yawn. He passed a hand through his messy hair and waved at them.

"Do you have the time?" he called, grinning. Gillian shrugged, she worked on her own time but Jennifer pulled back her sleeve and studied her watch before replying, "Coming up for half past two."

"Half past two, fantastic," the man seemed rather over cheerful at this triviality, "It's half past two in the afternoon on the thirteenth of July, 2006 and I'm in Edinburgh. Fantastic!" He flashed them a manic grin, obviously expecting them to be as pleased as he was and they both found his happy manner rather infectious.

"But where the hell did you come from?" asked Gillian grinning happily back, "I mean there was just this godawful noise and then whoosh! There you were." The man frowned at this.

"You saw that?" he asked. "Both of you?" They nodded. "Well… isn't that interesting." He put out his hand, "I'm the Doctor." he said.

"Just "the Doctor"?"

"Yup, and you two ladies are?"

"Gillian," said Gillian taking the proffered hand; the guy was hot, what did it matter who he was.

"Gillian, interesting, very nice to meet you. And you are?" He released Gillian's hand and put out his own in the direction of the other girl. Not being quite so frivolous Jennifer considered for a moment before taking it.

"Jennifer."

"Jennifer and Gillian well isn't that just fantastic. And you both saw the TARDIS arrive did you?"

"TARDIS"

"The box," he replied tapping the old police box proudly, "stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space or something, to tell the truth I can't actually remember what it stands for but that sounds quite good doesn't it. Let's go for a walk shall we."

Before either of them could disagree he swung his arms around both their shoulders and took off in the direction of Arthur's Seat.

"And just how did you happen to notice my little ship arriving, you must be two very observant ladies." He asked cheerfully as he dragged them up the steep side of the hill. His cheerfulness was rather forceful now and just a little worrying.

"Why do you want to know?" asked Jennifer.

He stopped already quite far up the steep incline and released them from his grip. In the wind which was fairly constant up there his coat flapped around him like a rather tall scarecrow. He looked at them quizzically for a moment before putting a hand in his pocket and drawing out a long metal cylinder with several rings and buttons on it. He moved a couple of rings and a small blue light appeared at the end of the cylinder.

"This," he said holding up the device for them to see, "this is a sonic screwdriver, apart from being very good at putting up shelves it performs several other functions most of which I've found a use for but I tend to find this one rather handy. This function performs an optical and passive brain scan."

"Passive" brain scan?" asked Gillian.

"Non-obtrussive, it won't muck up any of the lovely muck in your head just gives me a brainwave pattern neutron breakdown."

"Right." The two girls stared at him and then at the device in his hand.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said softly, so softly that his voice was almost lost to the wind. "But most people don't notice the TARDIS arrive because their brains blind them. You both must be quite exceptional people to have its arrival register in your heads. I just want to have a look." His voice was gentle and his eyes showed nothing but kindness. "Please." He put out his hand towards them once more.

This time it was Jennifer who bit the bullet first taking his hand and letting him sit her down on the grass. Gillian hung back and bit her lip watching warily not really afraid that he would hurt them but not really willing to be the first to undergo some kind of weird medical procedure.

"Alright Jennifer, just look into the light and try not to blink too much." He raised the glowing screwdriver to her eye and for a minute there was a faint buzzing. "All done."

After that it was Gillian's turn and having convinced herself that there was no pain involved she submitted herself to the test. When it was finished the Doctor turned some more dials on the screwdriver and put it back in his jacket pocket.

"It needs to catalogue the data." He said winking at them for no particular reason.

"Seriously," exclaimed Gillian, "but dude if it's not right now then it's not technology!" The Doctor laughed.

"Ignore her she works with children." Laughed Jennifer and Gillian threw her a look but they had both caught the Doctor's laughter and she quickly succumbed.

The three of them continued their walk up the hill at a more leisurely pace than before. They told the Doctor about themselves, that Jennifer was a student at Edinburgh University and that Gillian was a disgruntled childcare worker, that they had both gone to school together and that their birthdays had been on the two previous days Gillian being older by roughly thirteen hours. In return the Doctor told them about himself.

"Really?" shouted Gillian. "Time travel, really?"

"Yup. Why don't you believe me?" The two girls glanced at each other.

"Why not," said Jennifer evenly, "after all humans can't be the only race in the universe and with a bit of imagination time travel can't be that difficult." The Doctor grinned at Gillian.

"She's deep, your friend."

"Not really she's just good at bluffing." The Doctor laughed and Jennifer cuffed her friend lightly across the head.

"But what about this girl you travel with. Rose you said her name was, where is she?" asked Gillian concerned that she might have competition.

"I dropped her off at Glastonberry six years ago, her favourite band was playing and her mum said she was too young to go by herself back then."

Just then there was a small beeping noise from his pocket and reaching in he pulled out the sonic screwdriver. "Your results." He said waving the screwdriver at them then he studied the casing for a few minutes and although the girls leaned over his shoulder they could see nothing of any interest.

"Well," said Gillian after a minute, " are we hideously abnormal or do we have x-ray vision or something?" The Doctor grinned.

"Not quite. You might be rather twisted but there's nothing abnormal in you. You," he pointed to Gillian, "need to start wearing your glasses more often and you" he looked at Jennifer, "well alright in your case abnormal applies 'cos no one of your age should understand Shakespeare let alone enjoy it. But other than that you're both healthy normal girls… which makes it all the more interesting." He jumped up in one movement.

"I have to be heading off. Got to pick Rose up and I need to take a look at the TARDIS navigation system, it's been playing up a bit."

Gillian and Jennifer followed him sadly down the hill back to the police box opposite the Scottish Parliament building. When he had unlocked the door he turned to grin at them.

"I'll be back," he told them, "you two are weird and I love weird stuff. You'll be seeing me. By the way," and here he leaned forward and pecked each of the on the cheek quickly, "Happy Birthday both of you!"

And with that he disappeared back into the TARDIS which began to creak and moan as it dematerialised. The two girls turned to stare at each other.

"Well…," said Gillian quietly, "he was… hot." Jennifer nodded.

"Definitely a shouldn't but would."

"Nah, definitely just a would!"

"Yeh."

They burst into peals of laughter attracting the attention of the policeman who was still on guard. The two girls linked arms and started backup the Royal Mile chatting randomly.