SPN/DW fic: Common Ground
Title: Common Ground
Author: drabblewriter
Fandom: Supernatural/Doctor Who
Wordcount: ~800
Rating: G
Pairing(s): pre-Sam/Ten
Prompt(s): coffee shop for schmoop_bingo
Summary: A strange feeling leads to Doctor to find Sam Winchester in a coffee shop.
Note the First: This fic takes place pre-series for Supernatural (early in Sam's sophomore year at Stanford) and after the end of Season Three for Doctor Who (shortly after the Year That Never Was).
Note the Second: This is the first part of a planned Sam/Ten collection for schmoop_bingo , so stay tuned for more.
The Doctor isn’t a fan of coffee. In fact, to him the stuff tastes like muddy sludge in a cup. No, he much prefers a strong British tea to nearly every other beverage. (Except, of course, that fantastic pink wine from Raxis IV, though his store ran out ages ago and it’s hard to restock when the entire planet has mysteriously disappeared.)
So, it’s certainly not the java that brings him to the door of the tiny coffeehouse in Palo Alto, California, circa November 2002. He’s not entirely certain why he’s there, to be honest, except that something feels strange about the place, just a bit off. It’s what prompted him to drag the TARDIS out of the Vortex and park her around the corner, the thing that piqued his curiosity. And it is not a wild hope for something that will set him on a new adventure to distract him from his memories of the last year.
Pushing those thoughts away, the Doctor swings open the door, steps inside, and scans the small main room. His eyes are immediately drawn to him - a tall young man in the back left corner, floppy brown hair hanging in his eyes, sipping a drink and poring over a thick book. The way he can sense the timelines curling around this man leave no doubt in the Doctor’s mind that he is the source of the feeling.
Now, more than ever, the Time Lord wants to know this man, unravel his past and future and find out what makes him so important in the scheme of things. Without a second thought, he goes about doing just that.
A half dozen strides bring him across the room, and he drops into the seat across from his quarry with a cheerful, “Hullo!”
The man looks up from his book, hazel eyes surveying the Doctor for a moment before seeming to deem him harmless enough, and answers, “Hi…can I help you?”
“Nah, just looking for conversation.” The Time Lord crosses his arms nonchalantly on the table. “What’re you reading?”
“Psychology,” the man answers, still looking slightly baffled at the attention as he tips the book to let the title show.
“Fascinating study, psychology. Brilliant. You’re a student, then?”
“Isn’t everyone around here?” For the first time, the man across from him smiles. His eye sparkle and lovely dimples appear on his cheeks. The Doctor doesn’t know why he notices these things. The timelines pulse softly around him like a siren song.
“True, that.” There is a rather large institute of learning somewhere nearby if he remembers correctly. “So, mind telling me your name?”
“It’s Sam,” the man says as he closes his book and sets it to the side, turning to more fully focus on his companion.
“Sam…?”
“Winchester. And yours?” Instead of merely being polite, Sam now looks genuinely interested in his response. The Time Lord finds that he likes it.
“Call me the Doctor.” He sticks out a hand and Sam moves to shake it, raising one eyebrow curiously.
“‘The Doctor’? Doctor what?”
The Time Lord grins; this part never gets old. “Just the Doctor.”
“Okay…so you’re in medicine then?”
He shrugs. “I do a little of this and a little of that. Traveling mostly.”
“Yeah?” Sam’s eyes are bright and happy again. “I’ve done a lot of that myself.”
“Really. What’s the farthest you’ve been?” The Doctor can’t keep back a smile, knowing that Sam can never win this little competition. The man has no idea what he’s up against.
“Probably southern Canada. Nowhere really exotic, but I’ve been all over the States. What about you?”
The Doctor’s smile widens into a full-on grin. “Oh, I’ve been here and there. All over, really. Seen a lot of stuff.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
“I can show you.” The Doctor stands. “Come with me.”
“Come with you…where?” Sam asks, caution on his face again.
“It’s a surprise,” the Time Lord says, giving him a wink. “It’ll be fun.”
Sam looks at him warily, as if trying to decide the likelihood of the Doctor dragging him into a back alley somewhere and murdering him.
“C’mon, you can trust me,” the Time Lord coaxes, bouncing on the balls of his feet a little. “It’s just around the corner.”
“I don’t know. I’m really supposed to be studying. I have an exam in the morning…”
“You’ll have a plenty of time for studying later,” the Doctor insists. He widens his eyes and sticks his lip out in his best begging face. “Pretty please?” He holds out a hand.
“Oh, all right,” Sam laughs finally. “As long as it doesn’t take too long.” He slips his book into his backpack and takes a final swig of his coffee before standing up.
Smiling, he takes the Doctor’s hand.