❝ god i really do wish i'd met you this way first ❞
☽ .* ･ ｡ﾟ
THE CARRIAGE BUCKLED along the route as the new duo made conversation with the family giving them a ride. Not having a chance to bring this up with the Doctor the situation Katie only struck up conversation with the family to pass the time in the meanwhile. "So, the Titanic. Bet you're really bragging about it to all your friend."
"Lucky we even got the tickets," Mr. Daniels mentioned as they sat amongst the family now, "Be a pleasure to embark on the ship. It's a great honor."
"Oh I'm sure it is," The Doctor managed out and gave them a wide grin.
His wife motioned to the pair with interest and a wide-grin. "What brings you two here anyways these days? Just grabbing some chips for a quick date."
At the sound of this Katie laughed under her breath to voice a response before the Doctor stepped in with a small smile. "First date actually, thought I was doing good myself until I couldn't catch a ride," He explained knowingly as she shot him a glance to have his grin turn up a bit wider, "Should grab ourselves some chips, have ourselves a quick walk, and be on our way."
The wife sighed in content for a moment, looking out of the carriage. "Ah those were the days— We're off too after tonight. Ship should be docked first thing in the morning." She turned to the pair with a soft smile and gasped suddenly over the idea. "Why don't you join us for dinner instead? Our chefs having prepared a lovely meal. If it's not intruding dear...What were your names again?"
"I'm the Doctor and this here is Katie Hart. In terms of dinner—"
"My friend and I would love to join you, thank you for the invitation that is so thoughtful of you," Katie interrupted to say, the carriage stopping in time to have the family nod in agreement and gather the rest of their things in the back.
The Doctor looked to her in annoyance, only having her roll her eyes at his attempts to be cross with her. "I'm not interfering with this, I know what you're trying to do Hart."
Katie let out a breath in disbelief at this. "You can't seriously just let them get on that ship now can you? It's a family; a wife, a husband, their kids?" She shook her head. "Maybe they were supposed to meet us."
"Oh, so you believe in destiny then?" He shook his head in annoyance. "I really do know how to pick them don't I? Considering you're my future I can avoid having met you entirely can't I."
Not buying this she dismissed the threat. "If you did that I'd be gone by now wouldn't I?" Katie gave him a cheeky grin as he let out a breath in defeat. "Face it pretty boy you always love the banter. May have a different face but you're the same Doctor."
He grinned to her at the comment. "So I'm Mister Clever and a pretty boy? Aren't you charming."
"You're pretty and you're clever and you're sometimes an idiot. Would you rather me call you that too?"
"Depends." She shoved him to have him start laughing along with her. "I'm still not telling them."
Pulling them out of the carriage and helping her down despite their continuing conversation, Katie continued to look to him expectantly to see her point through. "Look at me all you want; I won't change my mind."
"If you don't try to get them to not go then I will, doesn't really matter to me," Katie told him, looking overhead to the chandelier at the entrance of the house. The marvel of the three story building lay before her however the dispute with her friend currently preoccupied the majority of her thoughts.
"People like this always take the next best venue anyways." The Doctor laughed beside her and she furrowed her brows confused. "Wasn't trying to be funny."
He shook his head. "It just occurred to me how incredibly stubborn you are and I am not looking forward to having to deal that," The Doctor explained and she couldn't help myself to laugh alongside him.
"God I really do wish I'd met you this way first."
The Daniels children circled up the staircase of the large house and Katie looked ahead to Mrs. Daniels helping to set the table of for them, telling the pair they could make their way to the backyard to catch the sunset. The two did so, leaning on the bannister overlooking the sea just a few miles away. Katie sighed under her breath, looking down to the trench coat that was still wrapped around her solemnly. "Anything else about my future I need to know?"
"You know I can't tell you that? It'd be all— all timey-wimey."
"What's timey-wimey?" He covered his face and groaned in distaste. "Do I really explain things like that?"
"Most of the time you do, yeah," Katie said to have him shake his head and laugh at the known fact. The wind continued bellowing in Southampton, the sun barely visible on the horizon now. She brought the coat closer as they continued their conversation. Her mind wandered to her friend, where they stood, why he was the way he was. Everything about the Doctor continued to take up space in her thoughts. "You never talk about it still, whatever happened to have you become this man constantly running towards trouble wherever he goes."
"Maybe I meant to eventually."
Katie couldn't help to laugh over this knowing full well this was a lie. "You and I both know that's not true," She told him, "As stubborn as I am, I couldn't get you to talk about anything. Don't mind the secrets anymore actually. Figured if you wanted to tell me you would eventually. Two of us have a habit of that."
The Doctor stayed silent, bowing his head to look below them instead of towards the horizon. "I don't pick just anyone, Katie Hart." He turned over to her with a small grin and she looked back to him to do the same. The doors opened up again, having the two of them turn back to see the Daniels family making their way out to the backyard as well with an earlier version of the camera. Katie chuckled under her breath at the sight. "Not the kind of camera you're used to? Looks quite fine to me."
"Oh shut up." Seeing the happy family before us I looked back up to the Doctor expectantly. "You're going to tell them not to go, right?"
He kept to himself for a few moments and began to walk over to them, turning a head to her. "Was going to tell them regardless. Just wanted to keep bugging you about it."
☽ .* ･ ｡ﾟ
SHUTTING THE DOORS of the TARDIS, Katie could still feel the ocean breeze bellowing outside as she stood there with a smile. "Being in a family photo doesn't ever do any harm right?" She asked, turning over to her friend.
"Nah, definitely not," The Doctor responded and went back to his controls. She looked up to the spiral columns of the TARDIS, moving past the console to seat herself at a seat in one of the chairs. He turned to Katie, leaning against the controls for a moment at the idea that came to mind. "You know I can take you back home at the time I left you no matter how long we're gone?"
Katie couldn't help to smile at his behavior. "You and I both know very well that's not always a guarantee," She told him and he rolled his eyes at this to pull down the lever to send her back to the airport. This time he hav her extra time to spare which she was thankful for. "Go on shoot me another bit of sass before I'm gone. Last chance for some time."
He shook his head, folding his arms to watch her off. "You're fantastic, Katie. Shame the two of us can't have more time together."
Katie nodded in agreement and went over to him standing there for a moment longer, appreciating the look he had. "Still think that's not always set in stone, pretty boy." He laughed along with her and she leaned up to hug him tightly. "Thanks for the date."
The two parted and she made her way out the doors, turning back to catch another look at him. The Doctor leaned onto the console to give her a wave, until she looked down to his trench coat for a second. Realizing what it was her Doctor had done she began to take it off and hand it over to him. Looking on confused he pushed the object back to her. "I gave it to you for a reason don't you think?"
"I think you and I both know it's because you knew you'd be getting it back," Katie said, having him nod with a smile to take the trench coat from her arms.
He sighed deeply for them to exchange one last embrace. "Looking forward to traveling with you, Katie Hart."
Katie nodded, grinning over to him from the thought as she tightened her hood. "And you'll have all of time and space to do it. See you around my lonesome Traveler." Shutting the doors behind her, she adjusted the hold she had on her bags as she made her way towards the terminal of the packed airport. Turning back she watched as the TARDIS dematerialized before her to send me laughing at the sight, feeling at peace with herself again.