The Always More (Doctor Who Fanfiction)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three
Irene

"What are you... what are you doing here?" It's the only question I can think of to say in our circumstances. He opens his mouth twice, like he kept deciding not to say whatever was on the tip of his tongue.

"Saving the world. Very helpful if you wouldn't get in the way. I can reverse the teleport feed..." he rushed over and pulled a pannel as long add my forearm off the wall, revealing a mess of wires and flashing lights.

"Argh. The feed is locked one way, and the teleport's fried." He looks at me, concerned. "Looks like you'll be staying here."

"Staying here? What do you mean, staying here? I'm never leaving?"

"No, just more of a temporary, my TARDIS is currently in stasis, and if I can't stop this shop from attacking the surface we're going to die, sort of staying." He looked like he was trying very hard to explain it to me, but I'm still not getting it.

"Attacking? What do you mean attacking the surface? Who's attacking?"

Mr. Smith uses a metal and green glowing stick-like object to turn on a screen that's built into a slanted metal table against the wall. "Ohh, you troublemaker," he chuckles. "Big dark blot in the sky, couldn't resist, could you? Chase it all the way here." He ruffles my hair as he walks towards the stairs down to the metal hallways. I blink, and follow after him. It's not like I've got any choice in the matter.

"Wait! Where are you going? Tell me what's going on!"

He stops, and crouches down, putting his hands on my shoulders. I stare down at him, confused. "Irene. Have you ever... ever thought there must be more to the universe than your skewed little view in small town Arizona?"

I feel like I should be offended at that, but I don't want to chase away the possibility of some actual answers, so I just fold my arms indignantly. "Yeah, sure. I mean, there's always more."

"Well, the always more, that's where I live. You're looking around at the always more. That's what's going on. Nothing good, nothing bad, unless you count the entirety of the human race possibly being wiped out. Just more."

After a very long moment, I say quietly, "You aren't the librarian, are you?"

"I could be," he reasons, shrugging. He stands up and turns away. "Now. Let's go."

I follow him down at least seven hallways, each branching off from the last. Humming that resembled that of an air conditioner followed us around like a parasite, the everpresent noise somehow giving the feel of life to the hallways. Something that told me we weren't the only ones here. "Do you even know where we're going?" I ask.

"Somewhere," he answers. I stop walking, and look behind us.

"Somewhere," I say, exasperated. He claps his hands.

"Definitely. Come on, keep moving. Chop chop."

I jogged to catch up to him. "So. Are you British?" I ask. I have to walk faster than normal to keep up with him. "You sound British."

"Do I? You sound American."

"I am American, I've lived in Arizona my whole life. That's not what I asked."