I Didn't Mean It (Doctor Who)

Ch.3: A Beautitul Little Fool

Quick A/N: I was 12 when I originally wrote this chapter and I'm ashamed to say I knew nothing about it's original setting, which was that of Les Miserables. So I apologize to those who had to read that extremely ignorant draft. But, for the newcomers, I completely rewrote this chapter with a setting that I do know: New York in the 1920s. So sorry again! But hopefully it's slightly less cringey now.

~oOo~

Recap: "This is the TARDIS. T, A, R, D, I, S. it stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. It can take you to anywhere in the universe...and did I mention it travels in time?" Doctor explained, skipping around the console and flicking switches as if his life depended on it.

I didn't question it after seeing what this machine could do. I couldn't help but grin. His happiness was infectious.

"So, all of space and time, any place or point in the universe, where do you want to go first?" Doctor smiled.

~oOo~

"How am I supposed to decide that?!" I said, overwhelmed. I searched frantically through my mind for a dream of somewhere I had always wanted to go, but I couldn't remember any. All of space and time, and I couldn't think of where I wanted to go.

I paced, a smile playing on my lips as I said, "Surprise me."

Doctor's grin grew larger as he thought, fiddling with a few controls on the console.

"You like books, correct?" He asked randomly. I nodded vigorously. "What's your favorite book?"

I thought for a moment before saying excitedly, "The Great Gatsby."

He grinned mischieviously and began to crank a lever, making the TARDIS wheeze to life. I wondered if I should be excited or scared as the TARDIS began to shake violently once again. I groaned, gripping onto the rails surrounding the console. But it seemed as if as soon as we had taking off, we had already landed, a heavy clonk sounding throughout the machine.

Doctor creaked open the doors, peering out like a child checking for monsters under his bed. He flung them open all the way, and I prepared myself for whatever kind of magic lay outside. I slowly walked over to the door and poked my head out.

I gasped and stumbled backwards into the newfound safety of the TARDIS as I noticed the steady stream of people flooding past just outside the door.

I squinted to look past them, just barely glimpsing the torch of the Statue of Liberty peeking from between the skyscrapers looming outside the doors of the time machine.

"You took us to New York City?" I asked, unimpressed, "You realize that I live there, right?"

"Hey! Why don't you take a closer look before you judge!" The Doctor huffed, scrunching up his nose offendedly.

I glanced around us, taking in the scene again. My heart skipped a beat as I took note of the clothes the people walking past were wearing. A bland array of gray and brown trench coats, top hats, and fur coats made my heart skip a beat with excitement.

I cautiously hopped out of the TARDIS, ignoring the grumbles of the people pushing past me as I stopped to stand in the middle of the sidewalk. Vintage cars lined the sidewalks and putted down the busy streets, the smell of gasoline and cigarettes heavy in the air. Old-fashioned skyscrapers loomed ahead of us coated head to toe in billboards advertising toothpaste, soap, dentures, anything you could possibly think of. I looked with amazement at the place where the Empire State Building should've been, realizing that it hadn't even been built yet.