Allons-y!

IN THE BEGINNING

"You know, I've really got a thing for blue eyes," he says as we casually walk down the sidewalk.

"Oh really?" I reply. I am hoping that the hidden meaning behind that is I've really got a thing for your eyes. They aren't completely blue, but they are blue enough and really quite interesting to look at. Although, I don't think he's ever really looked at my eyes.

"Oh yeah. My last companion had stunning blue eyes."

Well, so much for that. I'm not really surprised though; I mean, he is the Doctor. I look over at him as we continue our nighttime stroll, admiring the view. He has his hands tucked into the pockets of his brown pinstripe suit, his hair sticking up all over the place, and that goofy grin on his face as he takes in his surroundings. He was a sight for sore eyes, that's for sure. It had only been a week since I saw him last but it felt like years. I wanted to enjoy these few moments with him before I found out why he had returned and when he was leaving me again.

He must be able to read the unasked questions in my eyes because he stops underneath the orange glow of a street lamp and faces me with a sigh.

"It's ok," he says, pulling me into his arms and giving me a hug.

"I know," I say into his shoulder, hugging him back. I don't think I've ever hugged anyone that hard before. What has gotten into me, I wonder. Aloud I say, "I'm just going to miss you, that's all."

We pull apart and he takes a firm hold of my hands. He stares at my face for a long while in silence. Finally, I just can't stand it anymore.

"What?" I ask him, "what is it?"

"Well," he says with that irresistible smile on his face, "you could always come with me."

I just stare at him. There are so many things running through my mind in response to that statement that I just can't keep them all straight. Am I dreaming? I must be dreaming. This can't be real. But what if it is? Could I really go with him? Should I? But what about – well, everything. Could I really just leave it all behind?

He pulls me into another hug, resting his chin on the top of my head. I can hear the smile in his voice as he begins to tell me more.

"Now, it will be a bit dangerous of course. It always is with me. I'm a dangerous man you know. Got a busy life too, so there won't be any lazing about. In fact, there's going to be an awful lot of running. But it'll be fun. Danger and running are always a fun combination I think. And, of course, if you really aren't enjoying yourself, I can always bring you right back here to this very moment. Or at least fairly close to it."

His hands on my shoulders, he pulls away again to look at my face.

"Unless, of course, you're concerned about what people might say if you just took off with a mad man in a blue box."

Oh, that smile.

That's all it takes. I can't even form the words to say yes, but I don't need to; he reads it in my eyes. He takes my hand in his and we run off to the TARDIS, off to an exciting adventure filled with danger and running.

I never looked back.

PERPETUAL AUTUMN

I had been in the TARDIS before, but it still amazes me every time that it is so much bigger on the inside. The Doctor watches me take it all in, yet again, a huge grin on his face.

"What's with the big goofy grin."

"Oh, nothing," he says with a shrug, still smiling. "So, where do you want to go?"

"Uh...I hadn't really thought about it actually. I just assumed you had somewhere already in mind."

"Well, I generally like to provide my companions with a choice."

"Oh so I'm your companion now am I?" He nods. "Well in that case...surprise me."

He winks at me and begins to fiddle with the controls. I have just a moment to smile at him before he starts pointing me to different controls and the TARDIS starts up with its familiar hum.

************

"Where are we?" I ask once the TARDIS has settled back to earth...or wherever.

"Why don't you go out and see," he says with a smile. "Although, you might want to grab a jacket first. It's a bit nippy out there."

I hurry down to the closet in the lower levels of the TARDIS and begin searching through the variety of coats. It never ceases to amaze me how completely prepared the TARDIS always is; everything in the right size, colors, and style just for me. I gasp with pure joy as I come across the most amazingly perfect Burberry coat; a fitted peacoat that flares at the hip and hits mid-thigh in a gorgeous gray light-weight wool. Like I said, completely prepared this place. There's even a cute scarf and hat to wear with it.

So all bundled up, per the Doctor's orders, I head out the doors of the TARDIS. The most breathtaking sight greets me; towering trees as far as the eye can see, every single one of them covered in red, orange, yellow leaves. In between the trees there are cobblestone paths, just wide enough for two to walk together. The whole place is bathed in warm golden light, the air crisp with a hint of winter, and a slight breeze stirs the stray leaves on the ground. I stand in awe as the Doctor locks up the TARDIS behind me.

"Beauty, isn't she," he says.

"Yeah," I sigh. "What is this place?"

"Zemne. It's one of Uteff's moons," he sidles up next to me, his hands in the pockets of his suit under his brown trench coat. "A place in perpetual autumn, where the leaves are always falling and the colors just dazzle the senses. Do you like it?"

"Like it?" I say looking at him, my eyes wide. "I love it! Autumn is my favorite time of year."

He leans in and says with a smirk, "I know." Then, he strolls off down the path.

"Well, come on," he says without looking back.

I feel my face break into a huge smile and run to catch up with him. There's just something about this season that takes hold of me and I just lose all self control; I turn into a gleeful child, skipping under the trees and jumping through piles of golden leaves. Before long I was lost in my own little world, dancing along the path and giggling like a little girl. When I stop to catch my breath I look back at the Doctor; he's standing there looking at me with that amazing smile of his lighting up his face.

"What's with the face?" I ask with a smile of my own.

"Oh nothing," he replies, glancing at the surrounding trees with a twinkle in his eye. "Just admiring the view."

THE CRAKED DOME

I finally exhaust myself after a good twenty minutes skipping along the path and dive bombing giant piles of leaves that are conveniently located under every tree. I can feel the rosy spots of heat on my face as I turn into the cool breeze.

The Doctor takes his sweet time catching up to me and, side by side, we wander aimlessly beneath a giant canopy of orange and gold. Before long we come into a clearing with a circle of evenly space trees. Hanging from a sturdy branch on each tree is a swing; a wooden plank seat covered with a soft cushion attached to weathered, braided ropes that stretch high into the branches.

The gleeful child in me breaks out again and I sprint toward the nearest swing. Before long, I am swinging high above the ground just barely able to see over the tops of the trees. The Doctor takes a seat on the swing next to mine and gently rocks back and forth with his eyes closed and a blissful smile on his face.

************

The time seems to flow so slowly and peacefully. I feel so calm and relaxed for the first time in months as I stop kicking my legs and let the swing slow itself. When it's low enough to not be terrifying, I jump off; it feels like I'm flying as I glide through the air to land with a soft “fwump” in the leafy grass. I roll over onto my back and stretch out in the grass, breathing deeply. I stare at the sky for a moment and notice something sparkling falling toward my face. As it comes closer, I recognize the shape but...it can't be. When it lands on my nose, the cold shock confirms my suspicions.

“Doctor,” I call out as I stand in the middle of the clearing. “I think it might be snowing.”

His eyes flicker open at my words and he stretches his long limbs before standing and walking towards me.

“Not possible,” he says as he moves. “There is only one season here. It never rains, it never snows. It's just autumn. No snow.”

He stops by my side as he finishes speaking. I turn my face to the wind again and meet a brisk wind that smells of snow. As the wind continues to blow, snowflakes begin to collect on it and travel into the Doctor's hair. I give him a knowing look as he brushes the flakes off.

“Oh no. Oh no, no no no no no.” He looks in the direction of the offending weather then back at the snow that is beginning to build up on our coats and heads.

“So...” I say impatiently.

“I suppose we better investigate this peculiar weather pattern,” he replies, clearly still distracted by the anomaly.

We move swiftly now through the forest, not bothering to follow any set path or trail. As we go deeper into the trees the air gets colder and the ground becomes dusted with snow. The snow deepens and the Doctor begins to run, pulling me along behind him by the hand.

Suddenly, the trees end and we find ourselves in a huge clearing buried under a foot of snow with more falling from the overcast sky. The Doctor cautiously moves to the center of the clearing where the snow is deepest and falling heaviest. I follow in the trail he creates shivering as my feet get soaked by the snow.

As we approach the center, I can hear a faint tinkling sound. The Doctor holds up his hand to halt my movement and crouches down with his ear close to the snow. After a moment, he reaches into the mound of snow and pulls out a cracked snow globe.

It is impossible to see inside the globe because there is a tornado of blinding white snow spiraling angrily and pounding against the glass dome.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Something very, very bad.”