There was only one reason Dr. Theodore Ashbury was waiting in the car on a very busy day at the law office; and that was because his very close friend, River Song, had insisted
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Will stopped in the foyer at the two large knocks. He blinked, looking down at the screen in his hands. He didn't have any appointments lined up for the day - neither did Magnus. Impromptu visits? Those were never any good. Sometimes they were, just usually not. Especially in this job.
One of the large double doors opened as Will swung it, looking out to see who was standing there. Alright, she was a babe. He would admit it. Nice crop of curly blond hair, white jacket and jeans, stood like she had a lot of weight on her shoulders. More than weight - a responsibility. Actually she stood a lot like Magnus did.
She hadn't expected him to answer, and truth be told, she'd hoped he wouldn't. She smiled thinly at him. "I'm Dr. River Song. An associate of the Doctor's--don't bother trying to remember if he told you about me, because he hasn't. I'm here to talk to Dr. Magnus." The blonde looked over her shoulder at Theodore. The thing that tipped her off the most was the tie in place of the bowtie, and she was sure that Will--as a profiler--would understand that something was clearly wrong, given most of his mannerisms weren't quite there, and, well.
He was staying in the car.
She turned her attention back to him. "He requested to see her."
He glanced over at the car that was behind her. Dr. River Song. He wasn't familiar with her, but he and the Doctor rarely talked as it was. She knew Magnus, or of her at least, so that meant at least Magnus knew what the hell was going on. Maybe.
And conveniently left him in the dark. Again.
The first tip off was that the Doctor was in a car. Fidgeting, but still in a car, not bounding up to the Sanctuary and nearly mowing him over to find Magnus. Then of course was the tie, not the bowtie, and a suit. Not an overly fancy one, but an office suit instead of the entire Dr. Henry Jones Jr look.
His eyes met River's as soon as she turned to look back at her.
She nodded, before pressing a button on her car alarm. (She really did prefer a Vortex manipulator.) Theodore quickly looked up, getting out before she locked the vehicle, starting inside. She told him to stick close, firmly, giving him a Look that sent him ducking his head a bit sheepishly. He did tend to get lost. Although the first few steps into the foyer did nothing for River, Theodore let out a low whistle and did a few spins, quickly putting his glasses on his face to see everything in better detail.
"Oh, it's magnificent." He breathed, while River took hold of his wrist, making sure he didn't float off.
Even as a human, he still retained that childlike wonder. More of it, really, now that the old in his eyes had disappeared overnight. Over quite a few nights; four months was quite a long time. She really hoped he'd been smart enough to give Helen some notice that he'd be gone.
Will turned away from the doors instantly and pulled out the radio. "Hey, Magnus. We've got someone here to see you."
"Take them to my office. I'll be there momentarily."
Ah, right. She was probably in the lab finishing up test results from one of their newest residents. Things had been quiet in the Sanctuary - well quieter - with the Doctor being M.I.A. for four months. Then he showed up with this Dr. River Song, and was completely awed by everything he had already seen? Something didn't add up.
At the end of the hall was the elevator and he stepped inside, holding the doors open for River and the Doctor. He glanced at the man. He held himself differently, almost like he didn't have a burden in the world. That was the major tip off. He glanced at River before pressing up on the elevator key.
"So..." Will started and looked over at them again, specifically the Doctor.
"He's not who you think he is," she quipped, and then smiled when she looked over at Will. "but you already knew that, didn't you?"
Oh, River hadn't met Will formally before. On the times when the Doctor brought her here for her expertise, to help Helen or otherwise, they'd just passed in the halls. She busied herself with not seeming too approachable when she was in much too over her head. This, however, she could handle; and she had had to, until the time was just right. It was a good thing, too, that she was able to keep up a good facade.
Theodore glanced between Will and River before clearing his throat and leaning over. "Guess I look like someone else. I'm Theodore Ashbury." He gave him a bright smile. "Don't have a clue as to why River's brought me here, but I guess I'm going to find out, right?" He looked over at the blonde, who just quirked an eyebrow at him. "Spoilers."
"Dr. Will Zimmerman." Will said, nodding over to Theodore. Right. Theodore. He looked exactly like the Doctor, had the same cadence in his speech, but wasn't the Doctor. Maybe he didn't want to know.
Unfortunately for Dr. Song, this would be the firs time from Will's perspective that they had met. Magnus had mentioned meeting someone close to the Doctor in their adventure in Greenland four months ago. He was guessing it was this woman. Given how close she stood next to 'Theodore' like she was protecting him? It'd fit.
This was a staff meeting nightmare waiting to happen. Wasn't it?
The doors open and Will nodded to them, stepping outside into the hallway and making his way to Magnus's office. He moved over to her desk and looked at the two, gesturing for them to sit on the couch. "Take a seat. It'll be a few minutes."
Theodore--the Doctor--was definitely new, if the way he walked out of the elevator with an astonished expression was to any clue. River tried not to let an exasperated look get onto her face. She was used to the Doctor being a child. Theodore being a child was much more annoying.
"Sit," she pushed him down with a thrust to his shoulder, sitting down afterwards, her hands now on a small handheld gadget. As she reviewed, she spoke. "Then this is our first meeting, you've never heard of me before, and if I'm correct, six months after the incident in Greenland, but four months since you've heard of anything from the Doctor?"
River pushed some of the curls away from her face as she paused, looking up at Will. She needed the basics from him, specifics from Helen. It was possible that he had no clue about what was happening. She hoped Helen had more of a clue, but knowing how irresponsible the Doctor could be, in "keeping people safe", she was doubting it.
"About." Will nodded as he picked up the things on Magnus's desk. "Not that it's unusual. Before Greenland we went seven months without hearing from the guy. He doesn't do that whole 'send postcards' thing."
He really was doing his best not to look at Theodore in any kind of condescending way. There was a logical explanation for it. Hopefully.
Six months though. Greenland was last July, it was January now. They had already known the Doctor for two years. It was hard to imagine, given for him it was probably days to weeks that passed by. Will had seen the strain that it put on Magnus. Not the fact that he was gone, but the fact that it had been longer for her so she felt something more than him. Or at least, that was Will's take. He shouldn't have thought about it because he had ended up staring at Theodore again.
River had asked for tea; Theodore had asked for coffee. The blonde looked over at Will with a very pointed look. Keep under control, she tried to say through her gaze, before she turned to the man to her left.
"Tea for us both, it'd make it easier on them."
He sighed and leaned back, nodding. "Alright, then, tea. Haven't had that in a while. Feels like... yea--"
"Months." She corrected him, and shook her head sadly. "You'll understand in a bit, Theodore."
That look saved his skin, given how he nearly let his jaw drop. Coffee. This guy knew what coffee was? But he nodded.
"Right. I'll bring it up. Make yourselves at home."
Will slipped out of the office and dragged his hands down his face. What the hell was going on? If this was how the Twilight Zone worked, he was really glad he never had to be on that show. The elevator doors opened and Magnus stepped out, her own screen in her hand. She looked up at him with a smile, but it faded when she saw his expression.
Before she could say anything he raised a finger to his lips. Now he was really glad Henry forced him to learn ASL to help with Jack. It meant that River and Theodore couldn't over hear.
The Doctor is here.
Magnus's eyebrows raised and she tilted her head to the side. Even then, Will wouldn't have that expression.
He's different. Just a warning. Do you want some tea?Her expression dropped for a moment but then her shoulders squared and she nodded. Will slipped around her into the elevator. The doors closed. She looked from
( ... )
"Try to behave." River looked over at him, before shaking her head. "Though I know you won't understand, this is for your own benefit."
Theodore twiddled his thumbs in his lap, looking around and adjusting his glasses, and then his tie. "Guess so, though I really have no idea what you're talking about. But I'll trust you." He ran a hand through his hair, leaning back on the couch and looking off toward the side. River shook her head, turning the device off.
"Then try to understand what I'm explaining to Dr. Magnus." As she looked at 'the Doctor' again, she kept the pain restrained and off of her face. He was so different, but the same. She almost placed a hand on his shoulder, before letting it fall and turning her attention to a window. "You'll need to understand."
Helen walked into the office, wearing a black turtle neck and black slacks to go with it. Her hair was straight, as opposed to it's usual perm. "I apologize for keeping you waiting. I was finishing an examine of a new patient."
She stopped and folded her hands together. Dr. River Song. It was the first time she had seen her in person, as opposed to a memory, but she knew exactly who she was. Her posture changed almost instantly as she spared a glance at 'the Doctor.' Helen didn't even need to look at his attire to know something was wrong with him. She folded her hands together in front of her.
Her eyebrows raised. She knew her, already? Now, that didn't quite make sense, Will hadn't recognized her. And Will was her protege, he would know. Which meant she knew her from a source other than direct, face-to-face contact. She managed a smile. "To my knowledge, this is the first time we've met. I'm sorry it has to be on these terms." She glanced from the Doctor to Helen, deliberately, before she stood. Theodore blinked and watched her as she walked over, pulling out a small blue book and flipping through it until she found an envelope, with her name on the cover.
River held it out for her. "The Doctor was supposed to give you this before this entire thing started, but I'm afraid everything happened too quickly for him to bring it to you. Inside are detailed instructions on how to return his memories to him, instructions he insisted only you would understand."
"It is." Helen nodded and shifted her weight onto her back leg. She glanced at 'the Doctor' before looking back at River as she walked over. The blue book in her hands was worn and had seen some better days. But, given how River held it, it was certainly out of love.
She took the envelope from River and looked at her name. It was certainly his handwriting. He didn't show up for four months and then expected her to understand what was written inside. Helen gave a small understanding nod to River.
"You haven't introduced us yet." She said, gesturing to the man she had walked in with. Then she turned and walked to her desk, standing behind it and placing the letter down on top of the wood.
Theodore seemed to be more engrossed with a small stress ball he had found, before he jolted 'awake', and back to Earth. "Oh, what?"
"Dr. Theodore Ashbury, meet Dr. Helen Magnus," she said delicately. Theodore pitched forward and took her hand with a firm shake and a friendly, carefree smile on his face. Nothing in the world mattered other than the present, to him, nothing like the Doctor. River tried to keep the wrong out of her face; maybe this was what the Doctor felt when he looked at another companion, Jack Harkness.
"Helen, meet Theodore. Though I'm sure you'll find you know him fairly well."
"You do look rather familiar, like a forgotten memory. Is that what you meant, River?"
The blonde woman chuckled, closing her diary. "Something like that."
Theodore turned his green eyes to Helen. "Do you mind if I... hug you? I know, I know, very odd and strange and out of the blue, but it just feels right."
One of the large double doors opened as Will swung it, looking out to see who was standing there. Alright, she was a babe. He would admit it. Nice crop of curly blond hair, white jacket and jeans, stood like she had a lot of weight on her shoulders. More than weight - a responsibility. Actually she stood a lot like Magnus did.
"Hey." He said. "Can I help you?"
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She hadn't expected him to answer, and truth be told, she'd hoped he wouldn't. She smiled thinly at him. "I'm Dr. River Song. An associate of the Doctor's--don't bother trying to remember if he told you about me, because he hasn't. I'm here to talk to Dr. Magnus." The blonde looked over her shoulder at Theodore. The thing that tipped her off the most was the tie in place of the bowtie, and she was sure that Will--as a profiler--would understand that something was clearly wrong, given most of his mannerisms weren't quite there, and, well.
He was staying in the car.
She turned her attention back to him. "He requested to see her."
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And conveniently left him in the dark. Again.
The first tip off was that the Doctor was in a car. Fidgeting, but still in a car, not bounding up to the Sanctuary and nearly mowing him over to find Magnus. Then of course was the tie, not the bowtie, and a suit. Not an overly fancy one, but an office suit instead of the entire Dr. Henry Jones Jr look.
His eyes met River's as soon as she turned to look back at her.
"Come on in. I'll let her know you're here."
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"Oh, it's magnificent." He breathed, while River took hold of his wrist, making sure he didn't float off.
Even as a human, he still retained that childlike wonder. More of it, really, now that the old in his eyes had disappeared overnight. Over quite a few nights; four months was quite a long time. She really hoped he'd been smart enough to give Helen some notice that he'd be gone.
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"Take them to my office. I'll be there momentarily."
Ah, right. She was probably in the lab finishing up test results from one of their newest residents. Things had been quiet in the Sanctuary - well quieter - with the Doctor being M.I.A. for four months. Then he showed up with this Dr. River Song, and was completely awed by everything he had already seen? Something didn't add up.
At the end of the hall was the elevator and he stepped inside, holding the doors open for River and the Doctor. He glanced at the man. He held himself differently, almost like he didn't have a burden in the world. That was the major tip off. He glanced at River before pressing up on the elevator key.
"So..." Will started and looked over at them again, specifically the Doctor.
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Oh, River hadn't met Will formally before. On the times when the Doctor brought her here for her expertise, to help Helen or otherwise, they'd just passed in the halls. She busied herself with not seeming too approachable when she was in much too over her head. This, however, she could handle; and she had had to, until the time was just right. It was a good thing, too, that she was able to keep up a good facade.
Theodore glanced between Will and River before clearing his throat and leaning over. "Guess I look like someone else. I'm Theodore Ashbury." He gave him a bright smile. "Don't have a clue as to why River's brought me here, but I guess I'm going to find out, right?" He looked over at the blonde, who just quirked an eyebrow at him. "Spoilers."
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Unfortunately for Dr. Song, this would be the firs time from Will's perspective that they had met. Magnus had mentioned meeting someone close to the Doctor in their adventure in Greenland four months ago. He was guessing it was this woman. Given how close she stood next to 'Theodore' like she was protecting him? It'd fit.
This was a staff meeting nightmare waiting to happen. Wasn't it?
The doors open and Will nodded to them, stepping outside into the hallway and making his way to Magnus's office. He moved over to her desk and looked at the two, gesturing for them to sit on the couch. "Take a seat. It'll be a few minutes."
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"Sit," she pushed him down with a thrust to his shoulder, sitting down afterwards, her hands now on a small handheld gadget. As she reviewed, she spoke. "Then this is our first meeting, you've never heard of me before, and if I'm correct, six months after the incident in Greenland, but four months since you've heard of anything from the Doctor?"
River pushed some of the curls away from her face as she paused, looking up at Will. She needed the basics from him, specifics from Helen. It was possible that he had no clue about what was happening. She hoped Helen had more of a clue, but knowing how irresponsible the Doctor could be, in "keeping people safe", she was doubting it.
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He really was doing his best not to look at Theodore in any kind of condescending way. There was a logical explanation for it. Hopefully.
Six months though. Greenland was last July, it was January now. They had already known the Doctor for two years. It was hard to imagine, given for him it was probably days to weeks that passed by. Will had seen the strain that it put on Magnus. Not the fact that he was gone, but the fact that it had been longer for her so she felt something more than him. Or at least, that was Will's take. He shouldn't have thought about it because he had ended up staring at Theodore again.
Crap.
"Can I get you guys anything? Coffee, tea?"
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"Coffee."
River had asked for tea; Theodore had asked for coffee. The blonde looked over at Will with a very pointed look. Keep under control, she tried to say through her gaze, before she turned to the man to her left.
"Tea for us both, it'd make it easier on them."
He sighed and leaned back, nodding. "Alright, then, tea. Haven't had that in a while. Feels like... yea--"
"Months." She corrected him, and shook her head sadly. "You'll understand in a bit, Theodore."
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"Right. I'll bring it up. Make yourselves at home."
Will slipped out of the office and dragged his hands down his face. What the hell was going on? If this was how the Twilight Zone worked, he was really glad he never had to be on that show. The elevator doors opened and Magnus stepped out, her own screen in her hand. She looked up at him with a smile, but it faded when she saw his expression.
Before she could say anything he raised a finger to his lips. Now he was really glad Henry forced him to learn ASL to help with Jack. It meant that River and Theodore couldn't over hear.
The Doctor is here.
Magnus's eyebrows raised and she tilted her head to the side. Even then, Will wouldn't have that expression.
He's different. Just a warning. Do you want some tea?Her expression dropped for a moment but then her shoulders squared and she nodded. Will slipped around her into the elevator. The doors closed. She looked from ( ... )
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Theodore twiddled his thumbs in his lap, looking around and adjusting his glasses, and then his tie. "Guess so, though I really have no idea what you're talking about. But I'll trust you." He ran a hand through his hair, leaning back on the couch and looking off toward the side. River shook her head, turning the device off.
"Then try to understand what I'm explaining to Dr. Magnus." As she looked at 'the Doctor' again, she kept the pain restrained and off of her face. He was so different, but the same. She almost placed a hand on his shoulder, before letting it fall and turning her attention to a window. "You'll need to understand."
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She stopped and folded her hands together. Dr. River Song. It was the first time she had seen her in person, as opposed to a memory, but she knew exactly who she was. Her posture changed almost instantly as she spared a glance at 'the Doctor.' Helen didn't even need to look at his attire to know something was wrong with him. She folded her hands together in front of her.
"Hello, River."
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Her eyebrows raised. She knew her, already? Now, that didn't quite make sense, Will hadn't recognized her. And Will was her protege, he would know. Which meant she knew her from a source other than direct, face-to-face contact. She managed a smile. "To my knowledge, this is the first time we've met. I'm sorry it has to be on these terms." She glanced from the Doctor to Helen, deliberately, before she stood. Theodore blinked and watched her as she walked over, pulling out a small blue book and flipping through it until she found an envelope, with her name on the cover.
River held it out for her. "The Doctor was supposed to give you this before this entire thing started, but I'm afraid everything happened too quickly for him to bring it to you. Inside are detailed instructions on how to return his memories to him, instructions he insisted only you would understand."
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She took the envelope from River and looked at her name. It was certainly his handwriting. He didn't show up for four months and then expected her to understand what was written inside. Helen gave a small understanding nod to River.
"You haven't introduced us yet." She said, gesturing to the man she had walked in with. Then she turned and walked to her desk, standing behind it and placing the letter down on top of the wood.
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Theodore seemed to be more engrossed with a small stress ball he had found, before he jolted 'awake', and back to Earth. "Oh, what?"
"Dr. Theodore Ashbury, meet Dr. Helen Magnus," she said delicately. Theodore pitched forward and took her hand with a firm shake and a friendly, carefree smile on his face. Nothing in the world mattered other than the present, to him, nothing like the Doctor. River tried to keep the wrong out of her face; maybe this was what the Doctor felt when he looked at another companion, Jack Harkness.
"Helen, meet Theodore. Though I'm sure you'll find you know him fairly well."
"You do look rather familiar, like a forgotten memory. Is that what you meant, River?"
The blonde woman chuckled, closing her diary. "Something like that."
Theodore turned his green eyes to Helen. "Do you mind if I... hug you? I know, I know, very odd and strange and out of the blue, but it just feels right."
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