Trivia and In-Jokes: 2:21PM is the time I wrote it, but I wrote it at AM. The entourage of humans, aliens and tin dogs is paraphrasing Sarah Jane Smith's line from "School Reunion". Zooming around space and time, saving planets, fighting monsters, and being…well, pretty sort of marvelous is the Fifth Doctor's line from "Time Crash". I just left out the "let's be honest" part. Saturn is the only planet with rings was an actual question from a science book my sister had in her youth. She'd put "false" and got the question wrong and my dad fought the school system due to the book being inaccurate. A lot of the dialogue and stuff from the party was taken from V's Best Friends Forever and Then Some. What else could be done? 12:27PM was the time I wrote it, 'cept at AM. The clock AL found I found online on eBay. :)

Chapter Six: Closer Than Ever

Wednesday
October 19, 1983
2:21PM

It really was amazing how Lisa, Doc and Marty had bonded over the past few months. She'd also met Marty's girlfriend Jennifer, who was the last to find out about Lisa's origins only because she'd come over before Einstein's fur had grown back and needed to have the incident explained. Lisa didn't mind as long as her secret was kept. It felt good to be around this small group of humans that could accept her for what she was. It was almost like old times with her best friend.

It was nights that she thought of him the most when her dreams would take over. Every night since they'd been separated she'd dream about him. She'd dreamt about him the first night she spent over at Doc's. They'd been up all night working on some special, secret project (a project that he seemed to be able to block from her, interestingly) and she'd fallen asleep at the desk she'd been sitting at. Doc had lifted her and carried her to the bed, taking the cot for himself.

The dream caused her to wake up crying. The dream that was a memory of better times when she and her best friend and his entourage of humans, aliens and tin dogs would go zooming around space and time, saving planets, fighting monsters, and being…well, pretty sort of marvelous.

Doc had heard her that night. He went to her side and, hesitantly at first, held her in his arms while she cried. It was another strange thing…being in Doc's arms felt so right. She'd pulled him close, burying her face in his chest and let it all out of her system.

Afterward, she'd explained everything. Doc had listened patiently, understanding the need for companionship, and asked her to stay there in the garage with him. That way, neither of them would have to spend nights alone.

The feelings she got from hanging around Doc were unlike any she'd felt before. She grew closer to the scientist every day and found herself caring for him. The feelings weren't romantic…they were more than that. It was like…as if…

As if they were family, something Lisa hadn't had for centuries.

It was a good feeling.

That afternoon in October, Marty and Jennifer had come by after school for homework help as they always did. They were studying the planets of the solar system and doing some review questions.

" 'True or False'," read Marty. " 'Saturn is the only planet with rings'."

"False," said Lisa as the other three looked at her. "Oh, wait, this is 1983. They haven't found the others yet. Well, Uranus', but not Jupiter or Neptune's."

"What?"

"All the gas giants in Earth's solar system have rings, not just Saturn. Jupiter's rings were found in 1979 but won't be thoroughly investigated 'til the '90s. And Neptune's rings won't be discovered until 1989."

Jennifer was flipping through the science book. "This says that Saturn's the only planet with rings, though."

"It must be out of date," said Doc. "Lisa's right about Uranus. Its rings were discovered in 1977."

"Hey, maybe we could get extra credit for proving the book is wrong," said Marty with a grin.

"Just don't mention Jupiter or Neptune." Lisa said with a grin of her own.

The teens went back to their homework while Doc was soldering some circuit boards for his secret project and Lisa was sitting with Einstein – who'd finally somewhat ceased sticking to her like glue but still enjoyed being near her – on the cot reading one of Doc's books, Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Einstein was eyeing Doc with a curious look. "Ask him," he woofed to Lisa, "why he hasn't told you guys about his birthday on Saturday."

"What?!" she exclaimed, startling the humans. "Doc! Why didn't you tell us your birthday was on Saturday?!"

"What?" said Marty. "Yeah, Doc! What gives?"

"Who told you…oh." The scientist shrugged. "I didn't feel it was necessary. It's just a day like any other except that you complete the one-year aging cycle. It's nothing to get excited about."

"Doc!" Marty said. "A birthday is everything to get excited about!"

"Don't you do anything?" asked Jennifer.

"I might treat myself to some cake or something, but other than that no. It's not like it's a national holiday or anything."

Lisa wanted to protest but a projected thought from Marty made her stop. The teen said, "Okay, Doc. Fine. If you don't want to make a big deal about it, then we won't. Right, girls?"

Catching Marty's wink, Jennifer said, "Sure."

Marty apparently had a plan.

Later that day Doc had to run to the hardware store and that was when Marty, Jennifer and Lisa got together, whispering conspiratorially.

"I say we throw Doc a party," said Marty. "Even though he's saying different, I'd bet he like one."

"That's a great idea!" said Jennifer. "But who would we invite? Not my dad…he'd flip!"

"Yeah…not my parents or the band, either. I mean, they're okay with Doc, but they still think he's kinda…you know."

Lisa seethed automatically, her wingtips turning red, but she bit back anything she was going to say. "I guess it'd just be us, then."

"Yeah, us, presents and a cake." Marty said.

"What do you think he'd like for a gift?" asked Jennifer.

"Probably something to do with time," said Lisa, glancing around to all the clocks in the room.

"Yeah, no kidding," said Jennifer. "But I don't want us to all get him the same gift."

"I'm gonna get him a new sax," said Marty. "His old one's all muddy-sounding."

"Jennifer, how about I get him a clock and you do a watch?" asked Lisa. "That way we won't have a chance of him getting a duplicate."

"Great idea."

Doc's return hushed any further conversations but the matter definitely wasn't dropped.

Saturday
October 22, 1983
12:27PM

Three days later, Lisa, Marty and Jennifer had sent Doc to the Burger King to get food and to get him out of the house while they set up for the party. Lisa knew that the restaurant would be crowded at this time of day so they had at least twenty minutes before he'd be back.

Pooling their money, the three of them had bought decorations, balloons, a couple of cards and a chocolate cake. Marty had made good on his claim to get Doc a sax, Jennifer had gotten him a nice watch and Lisa, remembering that Doc had told her he'd wanted to be a cowboy as a child, had found a clock with cowboy boots, a hat and a gun in a holster. The clock face also very slightly resembled the clock tower. They'd wrapped the presents and set them on one of Doc's folding tables.

"This is great, guys," said Lisa, using her telekinetics to affix streamers to the ceiling. "Doc's completely convinced we thought he was serious about forgetting his birthday."

"He's not too upset, is he?" asked Marty as he taped a couple of balloons to the table.

"Nah, just a little disappointed. He'll love this party."

"Good."

"In fact, he's on his way back now." Lisa could hear him coming.

"Quick, get back here," said Marty as the two girls hurried behind the table.

They waited with baited breath as Doc came inside juggling three paper bags of fast food and a carrying tray of the sodas. He was grumbling slightly as he entered. "You kids better appreciate – "

"SURPRISE!"

"Great Scott!" He almost dropped the food but Lisa caught it with TK just in time, levitating the bags and drinks to the table.

"Happy birthday!" they chorused, Marty adding, "Sorry about the orange and black decorations. All the stores had were Halloween stuff."

"We got our parents and Marty's band to sign cards," said Jennifer.

"And we got you to buy the food." Lisa finished, smiling. "We'll pay you back later."

Doc was, to say the least, completely stunned. "You…did all this…for me?"

"Yep," was the simple answer. "We couldn't let a friend's birthday go by unnoticed."

To their surprise they saw the start of tears forming in the scientist's eyes. Lisa went to his side, placing a hand on his arm. "We didn't upset you, did we? It's a party." Maybe she'd misunderstood what she'd sensed.

Doc took her hand and pulled the three of them into hugs. "No, you don't understand. This is the first birthday I've had since…it's been a long time. A very long time. Thank you so much."

They hugged him back. "Hey, no problem, Doc," said Marty. "C'mon, open your presents."

They made him sit down on an armchair and handed him the gifts one by one. He loved them all as well as the cards. They ate, they drank their sodas, they laughed and Marty and Doc played a duet with their guitar and saxophone. Lisa would have joined in with her pan flute but she didn't have it on her.

Later that night, after Marty and Jennifer had gone home, Lisa approached Doc with her hands behind her back. "So you really enjoyed the party?"

"I did indeed. You have no idea what it meant to me." He considered his words. "Then again, since you're telepathic, you almost certainly have every idea."

She laughed. "Yeah, true. Look, uh…I wanted to give you something else, but I didn't want to do it with Marty and Jennifer here." She handed him another card.

Puzzled, Doc took it. "Whyever not?"

"Because it's a little sappy and I'm a little embarrassed."

Intrigued, Doc opened the card. It was one of those blank ones and Lisa had written a few short paragraphs inside.

Dear Doc,

This card is to say thank you. I've traveled to so many places and to so many times but very rarely do I meet someone like you. You remind me a lot of my best friend and, believe me, that's a good thing.

I'm very glad I decided to swipe Einstein's Frisbee that day. I've grown to care about you in the few months we've been together. In fact, I think of you as if you're a member of my own family and that's something I haven't had for centuries.

I love you very much. I wish you a very happy birthday and many, many more.

Love,
Lisa

Doc closed the card and looked at her as she avoided his eyes, her wings flushed pink. He reached for her hand and brought her into his arms. "Thank you, Lisa," he said into her hair. "I care for you, too."

Lisa pecked his cheek right at the corner of his mouth and he reciprocated. She didn't expect what happened next. Within her mind she felt a soft pop! and she suddenly felt Doc's mind open up to her. Her left heart began to beat stronger.

Doc felt something, too. He blinked twice as the ticking of his clocks became louder to him. He covered his ears, squeezing his eyes shut. "Great Scott…they've never been that loud before…"

Lisa put her hands on his. "Doc, look at me." He raised his eyes up. "Focus on my voice and concentrate on only that. Focus, Doc."

It took him a minute but he finally did. She expected his next question. "What just happened? I've never been bothered by the clocks before."

"That was me," she said. "I guess…huh, I guess it works even if the feelings aren't romantic."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I…think we've become linked. It's something that happens when I love someone who loves me back, but this is the first time it's happened when the love isn't romantic love." Doc just frowned. "There's one way to test it…" she said, then switched to telepathy. Can you…you can. She'd noticed his eyes widen as she "spoke". Wow…

Am I capable of communicating this way as well?

I can already hear you, it's just now you'll be able to hear me, too, and I'll be able to hear what you send to me.

"Incredible…" Doc whispered, touching his hand to his chest. "What's that echo…this strange feeling?"

"My second heart," said Lisa. "You're hearing what I hear normally and the 'echo' is my second heart. Your heart and my left heart now beat in synch. That's what you feel. We'll be able to feel what the other does."

"Unbelievable…Lisa, you just keep surprising me."

She laughed. "Doc, sometimes, I even surprise myself."

The End