OK Doc p.6
They rematerialized in the yard behind the livery stable.
No sooner had they stepped out of the Tardis, noting the early morning slant to the sun, and the crisp clean smell of the morning air, than Wyatt Earp entered the yard.
“What was...?” He stopped when he saw them. “What are you folk doing back here? Livery stable isn’t open yet.”
The Doctor patted the side of the Tardis. “We were just looking at this, wondering if it was for sale.”
The deputy looked at the blue box. “I thought Jim got rid of that thing months ago.” He shook his head. “Never mind. Jim’ll be by in an hour or so, I expect he’s at breakfast.”
“Breakfast!” Rose perked up, interrupting him. She turned to the Doctor eagerly.
“Rose,” the Doctor said, “we haven’t got time for...”
“Doctor, all I’ve had all day is half a bottle of Sarsaparilla and a blade of grass. I’m hungry!”
Hearing the incipient Jackie in her whine, the Doctor relented. “All right! All right! Breakfast first.”
“Great!” She turned to the Deputy. “Where’s a good place to eat around here?”
“That’ll be Clancey’s. It’s down the street and around the corner from the saloon. “Come on, it’s easier if I just show you. Jim’ll probably be there. You can ask him about that crate.”
He waved the two of them through the gate and stayed a second to secure it behind him. “So, are you the Doctor Reggie was telling me about, who plans to look into what’s killing our kids?” The man had a tight jawed look to him as he led them down the street. Rose was reminded that he’d buried his baby only yesterday.
“That’s me. And this is Rose.” Earp tipped his hat to her and Rose twinkled back at him, lifting a small smile under his mustache.
“So how can I help?” Earp asked, leading them past the saloon and around the corner. He bumped into a man coming the other way. He steadied him then, when he got a good look who it was, he clapped him affectionately on the shoulder. “Virgil. You just coming off shift?”
The man, an older, slightly heavier version of Wyatt nodded and rubbed his eyes. “I hate night duty. Who’s this?”
Virgil stepped back and introduced them, “Doctor... Sorry I didn’t catch your name.”
“Doctor’s fine.” The Doctor said, hands tucked into his pockets, looking enigmatic.
Wyatt Earp nodded, there were plenty of men in the west who preferred to keep themselves to themselves. “Doctor, Miss Rose, this is my brother, Marshal Virgil Earp.”
The Marshal tipped his hat to Rose and nodded to the Doctor. He fell into step with them as Wyatt headed down the side alley. “How’s Mattie doing?” Virgil softly asked his brother as they led the two strangers down the side street.
Wyatt shook his head. “Not good, she refuses to get out of bed...”
Rose blocked out the rest of the private conversation. And noticed something else. Music on the wind, soft, discordant, irritating music that raised her hackles and made her feel angry. She wished she’d grabbed some earplugs from the Tardis.
“Doctor?”
“I hear it.” He looked around, expecting trouble.
A shotgun blast ripped into the brick wall beside them. “Down, Rose!” Faster than she could later recall, he whirled her around and she found herself lying facedown in the lee of the building across the alley, the Doctor lying over her, shielding her with his body as gunshots fired around them.
She heard a curse, a grunt and a scream, the sound of a falling body, and the sound of more gunshots and the pounding of footsteps leading away.
“Are you all right?” the Doctor asked in her ear. She turned her head, pushed her hatbrim aside, and saw his face right beside her, two days growth of beard making him look even more cowboyish close up.
“Are you?”
"Yeah.” He jumped up, eyes scanning the alleyway, there was no one in sight, the sounds of excitement had moved off down the street. He helped her up. She dusted herself off.
“It’s a good thing you made me wear that bulletproof vest,” she said. “Oh!” They both noticed the body at the same time, they rushed to it together and the Doctor knelt down. It was Virgil Earp, lying just inside the entrance to the alley, his back covered with blood.
Wyatt Earp came pounding back into the alley, cursing. “It was the Clanton’s again! I found this by the window across the street.” He held up a hat, shaking it vengefully. Then noticed his brother. “Virgil!” He ran over and slid to his knees beside his brother. He reached out to turn him over but the Doctor stopped him.
“Wait.”
Wyatt stared wild eyed at the blood pumping out of his brother’s back.
“We need something to brace his back with,” the Doctor said with forceful calm.
Wyatt visibly pulled himself together. “Right.” He turned to the crowd and started organizing them.
What they came back with was a door. Rose helped the men slide Virgil onto the slab of wood, then went on before them, clearing a path through the spectators. Reggie stepped out of the doors of the saloon and waved them in.
Rose looked at the small, round tables and immediately went to the bar, swiping all the glasses to the far end with a sweep of her arm. Reggie cleared off the mugs and bottles at the other end.
The men trooped in and heaved Virgil, door and all, onto the bartop.
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