The Stubborn One

Part One: Discovery

A/N: Sorry, I know everyone really hates these stupid author notes at the beginning of a story; usually I'm one of them. But I happen to really like this story idea, I love this OC character and all of it. It's a really long chapter, and a really long story, but please be patient. The chapters get more and more exciting as time goes on. Anywho, please enjoy, and please review (I'm addicted to reviews)!

Ch. 1 With a Giant Pile of Textbooks

When I look back on it now- the last few years of my life- it seems to be one large, very elaborate dream. As if, prior to this moment, I was a mere ghost in time, a mere shadow of what I would be. I was the embryo to the chick, the caterpillar to the butterfly, the fetus to the baby, the seed to the seedling. It took two years of incubation to catalyze the reaction, for me to burst forth in my new form. It took two years for the person I was to transform, to die, to become the person I am now.

It seems, almost, as if I wasn't born to be what I was; I was born to be what I am, now.

I open my eyes and I see two, haunted brown eyes staring back at me in panic. I smile and I sit up, the whir of the universe exploding in my mind.

And so the golden age is before us, not behind us...

TWO YEARS EARLIER

You know when you're sitting an exam, staring at a particular question, squinting your eyes in concentration and trying to remember the answer?

I've never had that problem...

... until today.

I sat there, in my Molecular Biology class, staring at my final exam like it was in Latin or Greek and I had no idea what those languages even looked at.

I groaned, rubbed my forehead, and leaned against the chair. Gah. It was as if the entire universe was converging on my brain and cluttering it up so that I couldn't remember. I knew the material, seriously- I loved Molecular Bio, I had an A, and I could easily recite every single ribosome RNA code for different polypeptides by memory. But today, of all the days in the year, the day of my Final Exam, my brain was drawing a blank. It was just too cluttered, what with my Advanced Statistics and Environmental Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and (of course) Anatomy classes all encroaching on my brain. For a biology major, I was certainly forgetting the genetic pattern of life.

What was with me? I had felt fine and confident prior to entering the exam room. But then there was some sort of large whirring sound outside the classroom and my brain just exploded with derivatives (I took calculus last year, what the heck?) and astrophysical calculations and theorems (took physics freshman year,) and all sorts of mumbo-jumbo about astronomy and constellations and the universe (never took astronomy, was going to next year-senior year- for shits and giggles.) It was as if some sort of key had opened my mind to all sorts of physics and calculus things that I, as a bio major, didn't have to worry about.

I groaned and rubbed my forehead again. Two hours left and about a hundred questions left to go, plus an essay. I bit my lip, squinted my eyes in concentration, and went to it. I had to pass the class to get my degree, and God-damn it, I wasn't going to ruin my 95 average in that class just because my brain got cluttered. Bitch, please.

Once I concentrated, all the information I had crammed into my brain the night before came back and easily flowed into my pencil. I finished the exam with a half-hour to spare, turned it in, and walked out of my classroom, free as a bird. Figuratively. I still had one more final left before I could go home for the summer...

Environmental Ecology.

You'd think I'd be good at that class- I was a major "greeny," I was the person on campus who put up all the Save-The-Earth posters, I was the head of University of Chicago's Environmental Awareness club, and I put recycling bins in every dorm room- but I had a real beast of a teacher. Professor Santos was a mean, grubby old man with a receding hairline and a terrible need to trim his nose hair. Plus, sometimes the way he pulled at my skin was unnerving. It was as if it wasn't his skin or something. My friend Nadine and I joked around about how he was a werewolf and changed shape every full moon. I had a 97 in the class, of course, but that was through brute force and struggle, and most everyone else was actually failing. I had a good seven point lead above the next highest grade.

Plus, Professor Santos freaked me out sometimes. The way his eyes would bug out and his mouth would almost drool whenever I walked into the room was probably the worst bit. He was also obsessed with the color fuchsia- it was as if every example for the class had a bright purple flower on it or something. You'd think he'd come up with better examples.

So, as I walked out of the Molecular Biology classroom towards my dorm room to begin the epic cramming session, I shouldn't have even noticed the strange blue box next to the city bus stop. But I just so happened to turn my head and notice that, next to the class-walled sitting area, was an object that had never been there before. I frowned and walked up to it. It had a small little light on top, it was a navy-blue color, and the sign at the very top of the box said POLICE CALL BOX. I frowned and read the warning next to the door about emergency calling. When did policemen have boxes? Then again... when did this box reside next to the bus stop that took me to the city? I had come here hundreds of times with my friends to go "out on the town," plus it took me to the airport to go home in little ol' Cambridge, Massachusetts... I would have noticed the "Police Box," or at the very least noticed its construction.

Still frowning, I knocked on the front door of the Police Box. It didn't open, and no one answered. I put my hands on my hips and looked at the door in puzzlement. What in hell could it be?

My phone rang, loud and annoyingly, playing Headlock by Imogen Heap in an obnoxious manner. I didn't feel like picking it up, but I did anyway.

"Emmy! Hey Emmy, mom wants to know if you're coming home immediately after exams, or if you're going to sit in for the summer session, or if you're going to hang out with your friends for a week before coming home," my older sister Carlie gasped into the phone. For a thirty-nine year old woman, you'd think she'd be less perky.

"And why did she ask you to ask me?" I replied in annoyance, still standing in front of the Police Box and squinting at it. I always noticed things like this. Maybe I missed the tiny things, yeah, but this was huge.

"Because she asked all four of us- me and Julia and Maria and Anna- to call you and I got to you first," Carlie explained cheerfully.

I rolled my eyes. So like my mother, to have my older sisters check up on me. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet. I'm not taking summer classes, but I might hang out with my friends for a while, yeah. Let her know this. Oh, Carlie? Do you know what a Police Box is?" I asked, frowning up at the offending object.

"It's this thing from Britain- they used them before Cell Phones for people to call the police or for the police to use as mini-stations. Why?" Carlie asked in reply.

I paused, looking up at the outdated object, "No... no reason. Talk to you later," and I hung up the phone. I knocked on the box again, shaking my head in bewilderment.

I took a picture of the Police Box with my cell phone, and walked into my dorm room just down the street. My roommate Sarah wasn't there, so I had no one to talk to about the mysterious box. Realizing that I only had twenty-four hours to study for my exam, I grabbed a pile of textbooks and reference books and my laptop and sprinted out of my dorm room, headed for the library. I wasn't really looking where I was going, just carrying the giant leaning tower of Pisa like some sort of High School Freshman, trying to remember the exact number of blocks to the science library where I could actually think. I passed the offending blue box once more, and managed to keep the mystery from distracting me.

And then I crashed into someone. I knew this would happen- I'm such a klutz- but I didn't expect it to happen so soon. My books went flying everywhere and my butt crash-landed with the hard concrete ground. I looked up, rubbing the back of my head in pain, and saw a man with wild brown hair and wearing a skinny brown suit sitting across from me on the pavement. He had on white sneakers that didn't go with the whole business-man look. I liked the rebelliousness of it, though.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," I gasped, standing up and reaching out for his hand to help him up, "I had so many books I couldn't see where I was going, and I have to study for my Environmental Ecology exam, you understand, right? Are you a professor, or..." I was rambling on as I grabbed his hand and helped him to his feet, nervous and embarrassed beyond belief.

"I'm not a professor, no," the man shook his head, "But it's all right, here, let me help you get your books and papers," he offered. He had a British accent, with just the slightest hint of Scottish. I felt my eyes widen. I loved meeting people from different places.

"Then who are you, sir?" I asked cheerfully, "And what brings you to U Chi-Town?"

"I'm the Doctor. And... U Chi-Town?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me. I shrugged with a small smile.

"University of Chicago, but it's so much more fun to say. And... Doctor of what? Medicine?" I asked.

"Of Everything, really, and I'm quite busy today... sorry to delay you, seems you're busy too," the Doctor laughed.

"When you have Professor Santos, you're never allowed to rest," I sighed, rolling my eyes and packing together all my belongings.

The Doctor started, looking at me in puzzlement, "Professor Santos, did you say?"

"Yep. He's like the devil, only worse. Or... like those Dalek things that came out of the sky a year ago. With all those planets!" I nodded eagerly, "Yep, exactly like a Dalek. Except he 'exterminates your grade,'" I laughed happily.

The Doctor frowned for a moment, "It's been a year since then?"

"Where have you been?" I chortled.

"Long story so, you have Professor Santos, eh? Have you noticed him experiencing any weird behavior, or acting as though he was... oh never mind," the Doctor sighed, "What's your name, then?"

"Emily Rockford," I looked at him in puzzlement, "And Professor Santos always looks weird, acts weird, you know. He's incredibly anti-social and doesn't like to talk to or touch anyone. He creeps me out," I shook a little, "He looks at me like I'm cake."

The Doctor frowned at me, "Like you're cake?"

"Like I'm something delicious to eat, yeah. Mind you, he's so fat I think I look more like greasy French fries, yeah?" I chuckled.

"Don't insult chips," the Doctor snapped. I looked at him for a moment, rolled my eyes, and shifted my books in my arms.

"Kay, fine, I won't insult 'chips.' Why do you care, anyway?" I asked.

"There's been some abnormal extraterrestrial activity in the area, and I came to investigate and... but you have to study for your exams, yes? I can continue on my own," the Doctor sighed and began to edge away from me.

"But if I can help you with him..." I offered. The Doctor looked at me, shaking his head.

"I prefer to work alone," he explained, walking off in the distance. I followed him anyway, shifting my books in my arms to a more comfortable position.

"But if you need help with Professor Santos, I could really..." I offered. He turned around and looked at me through cold eyes.

"I have learned many, many things, Emily Rockford. One thing that I really, really, really need to remember is that I have to work alone. Trust me, Emily, this is for your own safety," the Doctor instructed, looking at me straight in the eye and walking away.

I frowned at him and went back to my dorm room to study. I had had such a strange day. I fell asleep dreaming of a man with spiky brown hair, a British accent, and a skinny brown suit. I really needed a hobby.

The next day was my final, and I actually felt somewhat prepared (sort of.) I walked down to the classroom, humming to myself with the excitement of completing my Junior Year in college. One more year and then I'd be free, free to go and work and live and get my PhD in Biology and learn and see the world and escape my family... but as I passed on the street, the same route I always took, I saw that dang Police Box again, in a new location- next to my favorite tree.

I still had an hour before my final, so I stealthily crept over to the Police Box and knocked on the door. But instead of greeting me with silence, the door creaked open and revealed... a golden glow. I frowned and went inside, and was shocked into silence.

The inside of the Police Box was huge. I mean, huge, it was bigger on the inside, it was filled with gold wires and strange coral branches and a giant consol in the middle with a teal-glowing pole thing with cylinders inside. I looked around in shock, my mind whirring.

And then the good ol' Doctor came out from a hallway, muttering to himself. He looked up and saw me, his eyes widening in shock.

"Well... erm... how'd you get in, then?" he asked, finally after a long silence.

"You... you left the door open," I explained, pointing behind me.

"Oh," and we stared at each other in endlessly awkward silence.

"I usually don't do that. Anyway, so sorry that you had to be bothered by this..." but I cut the Doctor off before he could talk his way out of staying with me again.

"How'd you cram a whole dimension in here?" I asked bluntly. He stopped prattling on and stared at me in shock.

"How'd you figure it out?" he demanded almost angrily.

"Not hard to figure out. It's kind of bigger on the inside, and being a science major I can deduce this crap. So. Whole world in here. How?" I inquired.

"It's... complicated. This is called the TARDIS, and it's grown and this is all... too complicated for me to be telling you when you're just going to be leaving my life, all right?" he groaned.

I looked at him in amusement, "You seem so convinced that I'm leaving."

"Why wouldn't you? I'm just a madman with a box," the Doctor raised his hands up in annoyance.

"But you're interesting. Much more interesting than anything I've encountered... ever," I sighed.

"You people! Always with the interesting and the adventures and the excitement when I try to tell you that it's dangerous and you don't want to come and then you get lost and die or I have to take away your memories and then I feel like the world has ended! Every single time!" the Doctor ran a hand angrily through his hair and turned away from me.

"Sorry. But at the least can I help you with Santos?" I offered, folding my arms across my chest and frowning.

"Why do you want to?" the Doctor snapped.

"Call it not wanting to take an exam. Call it being curious about everything. Call it a need to experience something that isn't mundane. Call it wanting to help. Call it... call it whatever you want," I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. So, what have you noticed about Santos?" the Doctor asked.

"He... he likes to... he's just gross," I explained, "He eats like a pig and he's fat and he refuses to touch people and sometimes he... he talks to students privately after class and they just... just disappear," I whispered.

The Doctor frowned, "Okay, well, that would explain it. Let's go, come on," the Doctor sighed. We ran out of the blue box- TARDIS, whatever- together and down the streets of the Quad, causing stares by my fellow students. I loved to run, though, and this particular run was exhilarating. I lead the way as we twisted and turned through the student walkways, the alleyways, and even across a busy street or two. The Doctor looked annoyed, even, as I paused to throw a plastic bottle from the ground into a recycling bin.

"Oi! Time and a place!" he groaned. I rolled my eyes.

"Tell that to the planet. Come on, then, we have an hour before my exam- lord knows he won't be there ahead of time," I shrugged.

"Fine then," the Doctor shrugged, "Have it your way."

We continued running, before I finally ran into someone I knew- unfortunately.

"Well, well, look at that. Emily Rockford, running through the Quad like some sort of first year," Karen Nelson laughed spitefully, stopping the Doctor and me in our tracks. She was wearing her usual trampy outfit- a black mini skirt, stiletto heels, and a tank top- and had obscene amounts of make up on and her beach blonde hair curled and in a ponytail.

"Well, well, look at that. Karen Nelson, walking through the Quad like some sort of Barbie doll," I spat angrily, "What do you want?"

"Look, I know you just wish you looked as good as me," Karen flipped her hair, "But next time you run into me, just apologize."

"I didn't run into you," I sighed, "I simply ran in the way of your path and stopped and you couldn't bother looking up from your nails to notice that I was standing here, and you walked into me."

` "I can vouch," the Doctor agreed behind me, "She had stopped. And we're in a bit of a hurry."

"Oh, but what could you have to do in a rush with her?" Karen put on her flirting mode, walking up to him with a saunter in her step, "I mean, she's lame and into science and won't satisfy a man, after all."

"Erm…" the Doctor raised an eyebrow, "I only just met her, a; b I don't, ah, want her to quote-on-quote 'satisfy' me; c I love science, thank you very much; and d, we really have to be somewhere, right now…"

"Ugh," she spat, "You're one of them."

"Yeah, okay, Karen, we get it, now I'll bitch-fight with you later, got to go!" I sighed, moving past her and sprinting down the streets. The Doctor followed me, frowning.

"Who was she? Why does she hate you so much?" he asked curiously.

"Ugh," I sighed, "She's my roommate from last year. I yelled at her all the time for bringing guys home and sleeping with them and then dumping them the next day, and she couldn't take the criticism."

"Ah," the Doctor nodded as we continued to run, "I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault," I shrugged, "Come on, then, let's go."

We entered the classroom, but of course Professor Santos wasn't there. I sighed and turned back to the Doctor.

"Sorry, Doc," I sighed, "Not here yet."

"It's fine. I'm hungry, anyway. What do you have for breakfast around here? I fancy a banana at the moment. And did you just call me Doc?" he rambled.

"Well, yeah," I shrugged, "It's a bit odd, you know, that you're just called 'The Doctor.' Too formal for me. I need to give you a nickname."

He laughed a little, "Well, I'll be out of your hair soon enough."

"You keep saying that," I grinned, "But come on, there's a café just down the street."

We walked back down the street and entered the Bookstore, walking over to the café part and entering the line.

"Ah! Bananas! Brilliant!" the Doctor laughed, grabbing a few, "Good thing I have some US dollars on me."

"Why wouldn't you?" I asked curiously, grabbing pop tarts and coffee.

"Well, I never quite know where I'm going to end up, nowadays," he shrugged as he stood in front of the counter and bought his bananas and tea, "I just go where there's dangerous extraterrestrial activity."

"You hunt aliens?" I grinned, buying my own snack.

"Well… yeah," the Doctor sighed, shrugging, "Seeing as I am one."

"No," I gasped, looking over at him in shock as we sat down at a table, "You don't look like an alien. I've seen aliens, and they don't look like you."

"Well, that's because humans look like my species- the Time Lords," the Doctor shrugged.

"Time Lord? Wow. Next you'll be telling me that you can travel in time and space," I chuckled.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and looked at me curiously. I felt my mouth drop open and my eyes grow as wide as those of deep-sea squid.

"No," I whispered, "Is that what your blue box TARDIS thing does?"

He nodded, eating a banana happily. I laughed and drank my coffee, feeling ecstasy course through my veins. All of time and space! He had to take me with him… I hoped. I prayed. Something to end the futility of this existence.

"Well," I paused, "Why are you in Chi-town, again?"

"Professor Santos," the Doctor explained, "I picked up on the TARDIS strange alien readings in the area and I came to investigate. Also… the TARDIS brought me here," he frowned in puzzlement.

"It brought you here? All by itself?" I asked, laughing.

"Yes," he shrugged, "She does that a lot."

"She?" I raised an eyebrow.

"She," he nodded vehemently, "Definitely a she. Anyway, she brings me to places when there's a reason I need to be there, a major reason- the presence of another Time Lord, for example, or a danger to the local population that shouldn't be there, or something that would influence my life- and there seems to be a reason here, is all."

"Ah," I affirmed, before turning back to my coffee. My mind was whirring. I mean, it explained everything that Professor Santos would be an alien, but... still...

"Yo! Key to all of Time and Space!" the most welcome voice on campus (as opposed to Karen, the least welcome) called out. I looked up and laughed, a little hysterically, at the sight of Greg. He sat next to me and ruffled my hair.

"How's my favorite, dinosaur-obsessed brunette today?" he grinned, his white teeth flashing against his dark skin.

The Doctor looked at us, one eyebrow arched and his eyes in an intense and puzzled expression.

"Why'd you call her the key to all of time and space?" the Doctor asked in bewilderment, drumming his fingers against the table.

"I dunno," Greg looked at him in puzzlement, "I've always called her that. You never answered the question, Em."

"Doc interrupted me. And I'm fine- panicking about the Santos final," I tried to pass off this encounter as normalcy, as if I was just having breakfast with a friend.

"You know you're going to ace it, you're a flipping genius. You scare Valerie Hanes, and she got a perfect SAT score," Greg rolled his eyes, "Plus it's environmental ecology. You love all that green eco-friendly stuff. You're gonna save the world."

"Thanks for reassuring me with empty words," I sighed in exasperation, "Greg, this is the Doctor. He and I just met yesterday."

"Nice to meet you. What, are you trying to get a job at U Chi-Town?" Greg asked.

"Something like that," the Doctor still looked puzzled.

"With an accent like that, I'd think you'd get a job at some fancy place like Oxford or Cambridge or Edinburgh," Greg chuckled, "Just like you, Em, to snag a British dude."

I sighed, "It's not like that, Greg."

"Good thing, too. After Eric I'm about ready to say no more boyfriends for Emily," Greg leaned forward towards the Doctor, "Despite all of the abuse she suffered from him, she wouldn't break up with him! It was only after she figured out he was sleeping with this real slut, Karen..."

"Hey! Greg! Let's keep personal matters away from complete strangers! Who invited you over, anyway?" I slapped the back of his head gently. He laughed in his usual deep Southern tones.

"I see my favorite girl in Chicago, I come over to talk to her. Is that a crime?" Greg raised his hands up above his head. I rolled my eyes.

"One of these days, Greg, you're going to realize that I just see you as my best friend, and you'll finally go get a girlfriend," I smirked at him.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," Greg shrugged, "Anyways, after your final do you want to go hang out with Will? He says he's really got something on that equation."

"He's never going to de-bunk Einstein and you know it," I laughed as Greg stood up.

"He's closer than anyone else, but don't tell the physics staff, they'll go nuts," Greg chuckled, "Plus, haven't you always wanted to travel through time? See the dinosaurs and all that? And you're good at physics, as much as you deny it. You should help him."

"Right. I'll help Will disprove all of modern physics right after I'm done fixing global warming and defeating the next batch of aliens that comes out of the sky. Oh, add to the list passing Environmental Ecology. Adios!" I waved in a tone that implied finality.

Greg laughed as he left the cafe, "You can pass with your eyes closed, Em!"

I sighed and turned back to the Doctor, "Sorry 'bout that. He has been trying to get me to go out with him for two year... you okay?" He still had that same facial expression as before.

"Key of all of time and space... Yeah I'm fine. You have your final, and I have an Abzorbaloff to get rid of," the Doctor sighed, "Come on, then." We got up and walked out of the cafe.

"So how long have you known Greg? And why does he call you that?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh, I've known him since Freshman Year, we were on the same co-ed floor and he immediately started flirting with me, but I had a boyfriend at the time and just wanted to be friends. He was surprisingly okay with it and we've been best friends for years, though he keeps flirting with me on and off," I shrugged.

"And the whole time key thing?" the Doctor pushed.

"I dunno," I laughed, "It's just a nickname. It's cause I'm so good at history when everyone in my group is a science geek. Not to mention I love paleontology, it's what I want to do. Though I guess you think paleontologists are funny, since you can travel through time and space? Oh, don't mention that to Will, he'll beg you to tell him how to do it."

"Wasn't planning on it, and I have no problem with paleontologists, per-say... just archaeologists, long story. Well, here we are! Don't be surprised if in the middle of your final there's a loud explosion," the Doctor shrugged, frowning slightly.

"Kay," I sighed, "Will I see you again?"

He looked at me for a very long time, probably debating in his head. Then he grinned despite himself.

"Oh why not. 'Sides, you're so stubborn you'll probably seek me out. We'll have lunch, provided I succeed in what I'm about to do," the Doctor chuckled. I grinned and walked inside the classroom.

And there he was. Professor Santos sat in the front of the classroom, a long dark mustache adorning his pudgy face, oily black hair on his head. He wore a cap and a suit that he claimed was all organic, though this claim was yet to be confirmed. I sat in my seat and tapped my foot impatiently on the floor, looking anxiously outside the window. What was the Doctor going to do, anyway?

"Well, class, if you'll excuse me, I would like to have a small word with each of you in turn during the final. You know, to talk about your performance in this class. The final will begin in a few minutes," Professor Santos straightened his tie, "Emily Rockford, would you be first? The environmental prodigy!" he chuckled happily. I gulped and stood up, the rest of the class watching me curiously. I usually didn't feel this scared.

I followed him inside his office in the back of the room, praying that the Doctor intended to act fast. Who knew what this... Abzorbaloff... thing did. I could assume it wasn't good.

Professor Santos stood in the back of his office, and I stood near the door in case I needed a getaway. The window was open.

"So, Emily, you have been quite an... influential pupil in my class. Such bright ideas for the future of our environment! So inspiring," Professor Santos chuckled, inching his way towards me. I knew that this wouldn't end well if I didn't defend myself or something. Why did I have to be first?

"Thanks, Professor," I answered calmly, casually sliding up next to the window. I looked down and saw the Doctor looking up, pointing a little glowing blue metal stick thing up at the windows. I met his eyes, so that he knew I was up here, before turning back to the alien... thing.

"And your performance in the class has been quite stellar, much better than your fellow classmates!" Santos chuckled, walking around to face me as I backed up to the edge of the wall, next to the window.

"Well, I mean, I have a real passion for the subject, Professor Santos," I explained in a loud voice, loud enough so the Doctor (I hoped) could hear. "I truly believe that all this planet needs is a Doctor," I said the last bit loudly, opening the window widely. I needed to jump out, I could see this immediately. Who knew what the creature would do to me.

"I agree completely! I applaud your efforts, Miss Rockford," Santos smiled, a little creepily. I felt like cake again. I swallowed as he held out his hand.

"It has been a pleasure working with you, Emily," he smiled, clearly intending for me to shake his hand. I didn't do so, staring at the hand like it was a poisonous snake. Instinct told me not to touch him.

"Surely you aren't so rude as to not shake your professor's hand?" he laughed, his smile fake and oily.

"I'm afraid I'm a major germaphobe, sir," I shrugged.

"Please, I insist, I am not sick," he chuckled, but his smile was waning.

"No, sir, I'm afraid I must decline. And surely, I need time to finish the final exam, yes?" I begged, trying to slide past him, but he blocked my path.

"I must insist that you shake my hand before you leave, Miss Rockford!" he wasn't smiling anymore, now thrusting his hand very close to my face.

"No!" I cried, before screaming, "DOCTOR!" and jumping out of the window just as the Abzorbaloff thing reached out to grab my face. I knew I would regret this as I screamed, falling towards the prickly bushes below. Oh, wait, there was air resistance and I had jumped out at an angle- my scientific mind was already calculating the force diagram that would send me straight into the concrete. Just perfect.

And then I landed in a pair of strong, albeit buckling, arms. I looked up at the Doctor in shock.

"Wow, Emily, I must say you make quite an entrance. And you aren't very subtle," the Doctor chuckled, though grunting. I slid out of his grip with a smile.

"He's a creep; can we save him from my classmates now?" I asked, "Thanks for saving my life, by the way."

"I was waiting for it the second you not-so-craftily called for me," he rolled his eyes, "Allons-y!"

"Huh?" I asked as we ran up into the building. I looked up and saw the Abzorbaloff looking out of the window in rage.

"You're a smart one, don't you know what that means? It's French," the Doctor asked gruffly as we ran up the steps.

"I'm taking Chinese now and I took Spanish in High School," I explained, panting. I wasn't used to all this running.

"Ah, well in that case, let me rephrase. Vámonos!" he laughed. I laughed along with him as we reached the classroom. The classmates all looked up at us in shock as Professor Santos stumbled out of his office.

"But... you were in there... with him," one student, Rick (who wasn't very bright,) commented.

"The Doctor!" the Abzorbaloff gasped.

"Hello, then," he smiled, "Been absorbing college students, then? That's low, even for an Abzorbaloff."

"They are tasty, gullible meals," he argued, "Though you... you would be sucha meal!"

"Not today, Santos," and he pulled out his metal blue thing and pointed at the long cane the professor always carried. The cane snapped in half, and Professor Santos started screaming. The rest of the class watched with me as our professor melted into the floor, some students even screaming. I looked up at the Doctor in pure shock.

"And that," he paused, "Was the end of him. Come on class, no more final. I don't know what the school will say when they realize he just got up and disappeared. Ah well. Maybe you'll get credit anyway? I apologize for any inconvenience, but really, he was going to kill you all anyway. I did you a favor."

Rick and some of his friends laughed and left the room, high-fiving the Doctor who looked apprehensive at the gesture. I stood next to him, rolling my eyes at my classmates. My friends Kate and Piper smiled at me as they crowded out of the room. The Doctor and I followed when everyone was gone, though I retrieved my bag in the interim. We walked down to the library, where his blue-box-TARDIS thing was waiting.

"Well, Emily, I promised you lunch, and I'll see you then. Do you have any more finals?" he asked casually. I shook my head, feeling dejected. I hoped to travel or something; I guess he really didn't want any more companions or friends traveling with him.

"I'll see you at that cafe again at noon?" I asked, "Today, I mean."

He chuckled, "Yes, you will."

I spent the rest of the day watching Harry Potter (for therapeutic reasons) in my dorm room with Sarah, wondering why this had all decided to happen to me. It wasn't fair, really, but such was life. I had wished my whole life to have an adventure, I guess I didn't realize that it would last two days and be in my own university.

The lunch at noon was delicious, as I got more coffee and my favorite pasta bowl and he had... more bananas and tea. I saw a theme. The tea was something I could understand, since he had something to do with Britain... but bananas? I didn't think I'd ever understand.

We talked about nothing in particular; he seemed to be trying to avoid becoming attached to me. I sighed. I really wish I knew why I wasn't good enough to travel with him. He asked me about my major, my family, my friends, information about all of which I was happy to provide, but I could tell he wasn't listening, not really. And when I asked about his life, he brushed it off with a wave of his hand. I felt he just felt he owed me for helping him out with the Abzorbaloff thing.

As we left the cafe, I turned to him and smiled sadly, "I don't suppose I'll ever see you again?"

He shrugged, "Who knows. Probably not. But thank you, Emily Rockford. It's been a pleasure meeting you."

"Yeah," I laughed, giving him a small hug, "Can I ask you one question? That you'll answer?"

He returned the hug and pulled back, "Sure, what?"

"What happened to your other... assistants... that you won't let me come with you? I'm just curious," I shrugged. The Doctor's eyes flashed with sorrow and remembrance, and I immediately felt like an idiot for asking.

"They've all got someone else," he sighed, "Most are dead. A few are locked away in a parallel universe. One had to have her memory of me erased. And the others are all working to save planet Earth from aliens and are done traveling with me. It's emotionally, physically and mentally exhausting and they'd had enough."

"You're all alone?" I asked softly.

"Yes," he shrugged, "But it's better that way. Whenever someone close to me leaves me, both of my hearts break. For the sake of everyone I care about, it's better that I travel alone. Goodbye, Emily." He turned and walked away, towards the TARDIS. I sighed and went in the opposite direction.

I stopped in my tracks when I realized he said both of my hearts.

The rest of the day passed in a haze, with me just eating snacks and watching Harry Potter and going to bed early, though I didn't sleep. The events of the past two days just played over and over in my mind, an instant replay that I couldn't get over. Eventually, I turned over and fell asleep as the clock struck midnight.

After I had finally woken up the next morning, I put on my jogging shorts and my tank top and my sneakers. Sarah looked at me in puzzlement and I laced up my shoes and filled up a water bottle.

"What are you doing, Emily?" she asked, laughing.

"Going running. I realized yesterday that I'm really out of shape," I shrugged. It was true. I was panting after only a couple of minutes running with the Doctor.

"Ah, okay. Don't yell at me, but I feel like being lazy and going to the movies. Sorry," she grinned. I rolled my eyes.

"It's cool, Sarah. I'll probably do this for a few days, grow tired of it and continue atrophying my muscles like normal people. See you," I waved and walked out of the dorm room, out onto the quad. I set my watch, intending to run or at least power-walk for thirty minutes. I sighed and looked down at myself. College really hadn't been good to me, though I wasn't really fat, just curvy. A few too many curves had popped up that I didn't like, though, so I began running. I ran down the pathways of the quad, my iPod blaring in my ears, my arms pumping at my sides. My ponytail full of thick brown hair bounced against my neck as I closed my eyes.

I was at it for fifteen minutes when I felt a small poke in my bare arm. Expecting Greg's usual greeting of "Key to all of Time and Space!" or "My spunky brunette" or "Hello, aqua-eyes," I turned ready to offer my usual un-amused retort. Normal life had to continue just as it always did.

But I leapt back in shock when I saw the Doctor there, wearing his brown pin-stripe suit, and running alongside me in those white converse sneakers.

"Doctor!" I gasped, stopping in my tracks and taking out the ear-buds from my ears.

"Dare I ask why you're jogging this morning?" he asked casually, as if it was perfectly normal for him to be running alongside me, on the University of Chicago campus, in a suit. Maybe, for him, it was.

"Yesterday... all that running made me realize I'm really out of shape," I shrugged, slowing to a walk and taking a swig of my water, "So I decided to change some of my habits, is all. Why are you here?"

"Well, I realized yesterday that I was being awfully rude to you, and really, if it hadn't been for you I might never have gotten to the Abzorbaloff in time, and you and all of your classmates would probably have died, and it would have been all my fault, and really, going to lunch with you and not listening to you as you offer all this information about your life and your family while I refused to offer any information back, well, it was truly ungrateful of me. And I realize I must have come across as if I didn't want you to come with me, which isn't true; you're smart and you're kind and you're adventurous, all the qualities someone who comes with me needs to have, really, in the end. The problem is that I really don't feel like ruining someone else's life, and I really don't feel like losing someone else or getting close to someone else and losing them, because really, there's only so much one Time Lord can take, and you really must forgive me for being so hesitant and rude, but I wouldn't mind, really, if you came along with me this one time, just one trip, because that friend of yours said yesterday that you had always wanted to go traveling in time and such, and I feel like for someone to just say that without knowing who I am or where I go was rather prophetic, I mean, it was pretty much a giant signal telling me to take you on one trip, and really, I haven't been to see the dinosaurs in a while, and it would be a much better way to say thanks, so, whadoya say?" he rambled on and on as we ran down the path.

I laughed, "Slow down, Doc, you're going to run out of breath."

"Oh, I have a respiratory bypass system, I never really run out of breath," the Doctor shrugged nonchalantly.

"And two hearts, apparently," I offered as we pulled up to a busy street and I pressed the walk button.

"What, who told you... oh, I gave it away, didn't I? I said that both of my hearts break, or something of that sort? Blimey, I need to be more careful," the Doctor groaned, running a hand through his hair, making it spike up even more.

"Yeah," I laughed as the light turned and we jogged across the street.

"So, what do you say? One trip? To say thanks?" he asked, leading me over to where his TARDIS was parked, near my library (where I had been headed.)

I frowned, looking up at the blue box as though I were debating. He actually looked a bit put out, but I turned back to him and grinned.

"Of course, you dolt," I laughed, "If its okay with you."

"I offered, didn't I?" the Doctor rolled his eyes, "In you get, then," and he snapped the door open with his fingers. I looked at him in amusement and walked in slowly, marveling again at how it was bigger on the inside.

"Anywhere in time and space... and I know where I'm going," the Doctor sighed, "That makes a change."

I laughed as he closed the door behind him and went up to the control panel, which surrounded the cyan colored cylinder thing in the middle. The machine, the TARDIS, she, (whatever) hummed delicately.

"Allons-y!" he cried happily, pushing buttons and levers as I stood off to the side. I gave him a look, raising my eyebrows. He chuckled again.

"I mean, vámonos!" and he pushed a lever, and the TARDIS began to shake and rattle about.

And so began my adventures with the Doctor.

A/N: One of the longest chapters I have ever written, ever. Please review!