I Didn't Mean It (Doctor Who)

Ch.3: A Beautitul Little Fool

"We're in New York City...in the 1920s," I said breathlessly. Doctor grinned as he stepped out to join me.

"1922 to be exact. That's when your book took place, correct?" Doctor said, straightening his bow tie arrogantly. I knew he knew he was right, but I could also tell he liked to brag.

I took a breath of my inahler and replied, "Yes!"

My legs felt wobbly from beneath me, and I sidestepped to lean against the TARDIS for support, praying that I wouldn't embarrass myself again by passing out again from excitement.

The Doctor lifted my wrist and slid something into my palm, curling my fingers around it.

"What's this?" I asked, staring at it. It looked like a glowing key hanging from a string.

"It will help you remain unnoticed once you put it around your neck. Almost as if you're invisible. We can't risk changing history in any way by being here. As long as you don't do something extremely noticable while you're wearing it, nobody will see you," Doctor explained, slipping one over his neck. I did the same.

"Alright, now let's go!" I couldn't hold back my excitement as we slowly merged into the crowd and began to make our way down the sidewalk.

I stopped in my tracks as I saw something lurking in the shadows of an alleyway nearby. A vague outline of a girl stood out, facing towards me, staring at me with an unfaltering gaze. She looked thin, her face shadowed so that I couldn't see it clearly.

"Alice? Are you alright?" Doctor asked from behind me. I turned around, shaking my head to clear the sort of trance I had been in.

"Yeah...I just thought I saw..." I trailed off, turning back around to where the girl was, but now she had disappeared, "Nevermind.".

"Ah! We're here!" The Doctor said, guiding me off to the side.

I gazed around us in confusion as we approached the line of shops on the edge of the walkway.

"Uhh, where?" I asked, gesturing longingly to the city that awaited just in front of us.

"Well...seeing as we're in the 1920s, I thought we mind as we'll look the part, yeah?" Doctor said, wringing his hands as he glanced down at my ensemble.

I followed his gaze down to my baggy Pink Floyd T-shirt, ragged jeans, and Converse sneakers. A new form of excitement washed over me as I saw the vintage clothing displayed in the shop window.

I nodded, enthusiastically following the Doctor into the shop. A small bell on the door announced our arrival and it took me a second to remember the key around my neck, momentarily wondering why no one looked up or welcomed us.

I practically squealed at the assortment of dresses awaiting me. Leaving the Doctor's side without a glance, within seconds I was rushing to the dressing room with a handful of dresses, shoes, and accessories.

I came out adorned in a loose silk black dress, sleek black heels, a pearl necklace, gloves, and a matching 20s hat. I found the Doctor waiting for me just outside in the same clothes he was wearing previous. He was dressed so strangely already I realized a costume change wasn't even really necessary for him to blend in.