A Reporter And A TARDIS- A Smallville/Doctor Who Crossover (1/13)
Series Title: A Reporter And A TARDIS
Episode Title: The Sky Is Falling!
Rating: PG
Pairings: Ten/Chloe; Chloe/Clark; hints of Ten/Rose, Chloe/Jimmy, and Clark/Lana
Spoilers: Spoilers through Descent and Voyage Of The Damned.
Disclaimer: If I owned Smallville or Doctor Who, Clark and Ten would be fighting over Chloe every other week.
Summary: While driving to the Kent farm, Chloe sees something blue fall out of the sky. She decides to investigate... and is started by what she finds.
Notes: My first official crossover. Written for the nerdiest girl on my friendslist, superheroine. This series is meant to take place post Descent for SV, and meant to be AU for the rest of the season, though some events/situations from Apocalypse and Arctic will eventually appear. As for DW, this series is meant to take place between Voyage Of The Damned and Partners In Crime. Be warned that this first episode may include a slight fan-wank... don't shoot me for it, please. lol And um... watch your ears. :p
For the series index for A Reporter And A TARDIS, CLICK HERE. Feedback is loved! <3
It had been exactly 45 hours and 26 minutes since he'd left the Titanic.
He knew that before he even opened his eyes.
As he moved out of his bed, and into some clothes, the silence that filled the dark, empty sanctuary of the TARDIS was almost overwhelming. He felt as though he'd been alone for five million years, and yet it had only been not quite two days since he was last around another living being.
He sit on the side of his bed, slipping on his shoes, tying them, as he contemplated where his next destination would be.
He could always just stop somewhere and wait around a bit, hoping someone new and adventurous would pop up and step in as his next companion. But honestly, he wasn't even sure he wanted that. He'd lost far too many companions in far too little time, or so it seemed.
He sighed, and exited his room, heading straight for the TARDIS's console.
As he started to set the coordinates, to a random date and time off the top of his head, he heard a rumble from somewhere deep within the TARDIS.
"What?" he mumbled, brow furrowing. "What in Rassilion's name is this?"
Suddenly, sparks were flying, and then a small explosion burst from the console.
"What?!?" He shouted, eyes going wide, as he felt the TARDIS begin to spiral out of control.
In an instant, he recalled one other time something like this had happened. And when it had, it had later resulted in the loss of the most precious thing in his life.
It was then that he began to panic.
***
The day seemed to be just like any other in Smallville.
Chloe was headed to the Kent farm in her little Toyota Yaris, after feeling a sudden urge to visit her alien best friend.
Life lately had been difficult for both of them, with Lana's condition, Kara missing, and Brainiac on the loose. It was even more difficult for Chloe, because she'd just lost her dream job. After working at the Daily Planet for over two years, that dream had just been snatched away from her in an instant. It was the price she had to pay for being on Lex's list of "enemies", so to speak.
She sighed as she thought about it, shaking her head.
As she continued to drive down the old road, less than a block away from a little cornfield, she thought she heard a noise. It wasn't your typical, run-of-the-mill noise. It was the strangest thing she'd ever heard.
Her eyes shifted upward for just a moment, and soon widened, as the sight before her caused her to slam on her brakes.
There, streaking across the sky, was something blue. It might have been rectangular in shape, but she couldn't clearly tell yet.
She watched as it descended toward the cornfield, and heard a loud noise as it apparently crashed.
She waited only a couple minutes before driving on, toward the cornfield.
Her brain told her it wasn't the smartest idea, but her gut and her heart told her that she had to find out what had just landed in that cornfield. A part of her wondered if it was another alien... She really hoped it wasn't a Kryptonian, because it seemed all of them but Clark and Kara were out-of-their-mind evil.
She stopped the car at the side of the road, parked it, and turned off the engine.
She slowly, silently got out of the car, and crept into the cornfield, keeping her eyes peeled.
Only a few feet in, toward the center of the field, she saw it.
"It" was an old 1950's-style blue London Police Box.
She raised an eyebrow. "What in the hell...?"
Suddenly, the doors flew open, and out stepped a man.
He looked no more than thirty to Chloe, and wore a pin-striped brown suit and sneakers. The outfit was unusual, but somehow looked good on him. His chestnut brown hair was spiked, so high, it seemed to defy gravity. Even from a distance, his chocolate-brown eyes seemed inquisitive and questioning from behind his little black-rimmed glasses. He was tall and thin, or long and lean, as Chloe thought suited him better. She wouldn't exactly say he'd normally be her type, her "type" were sexy, shy football-playing farmboys, but there was something about this man... something that made her nervous and excited all at once. She knew, instinctually, that there was more about him than met the eye, and she was suddenly determined to find out just what it was.
The man started to walk around the blue box, eying it.
"Hmm..." he muttered, and Chloe watched as he took something that almost resembled a pen out of his pocket. He pressed something on the side of the little gadget, and it made a strange noise, not like the one she'd heard before, but just as strange. A light seemed to come from it, and he muttered to himself again.
The man circled the blue box again, slowly, and when he got close to the doors again, she heard him speak up, rather loudly, in a British accent.
"You can come out now."
Chloe blinked. Was he talking to her? He had to be... no one else was there! But how did he even know she was behind him?
She poked her head around, and as she stepped toward him, she asked. "How'd you know I was hiding?"
"Oh, I could sense you." he said, without looking up. "And I could kind of smell you, too... What in the bloody blazes is that parfume you're wearing?"
Her brows furrowed, and she lifted the collar of her shirt, sniffing it. "What? Is it strong? It's some... rose-scented thing..."
His head raised, and she saw a sudden bit of sadness in his face. "Rose... roses..." he murmured, and then shook his head, as if trying to forget it. "Yeah, it's a bit strong, sweetheart." With that, he finally turned to look at her.
As his eyes met hers, his actions seemed to still for a moment. He almost seemed like he was mesmerized, as he took the sight of her in, and Chloe felt her cheeks begin to burn. Was he checking her out? It sure did feel like it.
He slowly cleared his throat. "How's about a proper introduction, then?" He smiled, and when he spoke again, it was with enthusiasm. "I'm the Doctor!"
Chloe raised an eyebrow. "The Doctor? Doctor who?"
He chuckled. "Precisely!" She gave him a weird look, and watched as he hovered around the blue box again. "So, what's your name, then?"
"Chloe..." she said, tilting her head. "Chloe Sullivan."
He glanced up again. "Pleased to meet you, Chloe Sullivan!" He tapped on the side of the blue box. "So, what do you do, Chloe?"
"What?" She looked confused for only half a second, and then snapped back to reality. "Oh, I'm a reporter... or, well, I used to be one." She frowned. "I... kinda lost my job a couple weeks ago."
He frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. I have a friend who's a reporter. Lovely woman. Remarkably bright... as I'm sure you are."
Chloe nodded. "So... what do you do... Doctor?"
He grinned again. "I travel. I'm a traveler."
Chloe nearly wanted to roll her eyes. Great. Another one of those.
She bit her lip for a long moment, then spoke. "So... don't think I'm being rude or anything, but... you're an alien, right?"
His eyes met hers again, and he didn't look offended in any way. "Yes, I am. Time Lord. From the planet Gallifrey. What gave me away?"
"Well, you apparently came out of this... thing, and... it did come crashing out of the sky." She indicated the blue box. "Funny-looking spaceship..."
"Oh, it's not a spaceship."
"Then what is it?"
"TARDIS. It's my TARDIS." he said, matter-of-factly.
Her carefully arched brow rose yet again. "Your whatis?"
"TARDIS... Time and Relative Dimensions in Space." The Doctor sighed. "Essentially, I suppose you humans might call it a time machine or something of that sort."
Chloe's eyes shot wide. "A time machine? You travel through time?"
"And space." The Doctor added. "I travel just about everywhere in this thing."
"And what brings you to the meteor capital of the world?" she asked.
"Kinda fell here by accident... something happened to the TARDIS... I think it's broken down again." He sighed again. "I'm not entirely sure how to fix it. The last time I had a problem with it, I had to breathe ten years of my life into it..."
She eyed him, a little incredulously. "You breathed life into it?"
He nodded. "Yes... The TARDIS is a living, breathing thing. Sort of."
"Sort of?"
"Yes... sort of. That's all you need to know."
"Well..." Chloe let out a nervous breath. "Maybe I can try to help you fix it?"
The Doctor grinned in reply. "Maybe? Why, of course! Come with me." He reached out for her hand, and, almost shakily, she took it.
He opened the door to the blue box, and as he led her inside, she was stunned. This definitely wasn't an ordinary little police box!
It was enormous on the inside, and she was sure she hadn't even seen all of it yet.
"My God... How do you fly this thing?" She looked around, eyes wide.
He smirked. "I can do anything. I'm a Time Lord."
"Do you live on this thing?"
"Mostly, yes."
"By yourself?"
The Doctor gave her a look. "You certainly ask a lot of questions, Miss Sullivan."
She laughed and shrugged. "I'm a reporter. What do you expect?"
"I expect you're a damn good one." He grinned. "And uh... sometimes, I'm by myself. And then sometimes, other people join me."
"Other time lords?" she asked, looking down, studying the console in the center of the room.
When she looked back up, he was frowning again. He looked sad... more than sad. He looked like he was in pain.
"No...I'm the last."
Her face fell, and she reached over to touch his arm. She understood. She knew Clark had long felt that pain, before Kara had showed up. And with Kara missing, he felt that way again now. "I'm sorry." She bit her lip. "What happened?"
"Long story... War. We lost. Planet blew up." He shrugged it off. "But... it's all right. I manage."
"Who do you travel with then?"
"Hmm... humans... mostly. I also once traveled with a robotic dog."
She laughed. "Well, that sounds interesting."
He nodded. "I built him."
She looked impressed. "Oh, really? You must be really smart, then."
He smirked again. "Oh, I am. I'm brilliant."
"Confident, too..." She observed, tilting her head. "If you're so brilliant, Mr. Smarty Pants, why can't you figure out how to fix your ship?"
He shot her a look. "Because I've not yet discovered what's wrong with it, Miss Nosy."
She laughed again. "Testy, are we?"
He rolled his eyes, and turned to look at the console. "I've checked everything, and nothing seems to be amiss... and yet there was a small explosion before I crashed. It's not what I believed it to be..." He started poking around a bit, and finally, his eyes went wide. "I think I've got it!" He paused, pulling out what looked like a spark plug. "A blown fuse... lovely." He glanced over at Chloe. "Do you know where I can get one of these?"
"Um... an auto parts store?" she suggested.
"And how far from here is an auto store?" he wondered, pushing his glasses up on his nose.
Chloe bit her lip again. God, that's adorable.
She cleared her throat. "Um... there's one in town, I think...We can go there in my car." She paused, for just a few seconds. "Do you have money?"
"Urm... let's see... I'm an alien who travels the universe in a funky little blue box..." He pretended to think, then shook his head. "No, no, I do not carry wads of bills with me, Miss Sullivan."
Chloe sighed and rolled her eyes. "How long have you been doing this?" she asked, turning to walk out of the TARDIS.
He followed. "Oh... well... I'm over 900... at least 850 years?"
She stopped and glanced over at him. "Really? You look pretty damn good to be Methuselah’s brother."
"Don't I?" More smirking from the dorky alien.
She laughed and shook her head. "You'd think after 800 plus years of traveling around in that thing, you'd remember to carry some cash with you."
He shrugged. "I've never had any use for it."
They silently made their way through the cornfield together, headed for Chloe's car.
Just before they reached it, he spoke again.
"What part of America is this?" he asked. "I know we're in America...your accent."
"This is Kansas..." She raised an eyebrow. "I have an accent? No one's ever told me I have an accent."
"Erm... welllll.... I meant to say that you don't have one..." he said. "A Brit accent, that is."
"You've only been to England?"
"Erm... well, no. I've been all over the galaxy. I've just been around... that area... the most."
She nodded. "I see... And why do you have a British accent? You're from another planet."
"Erm... welll... I... guess I like it." he said, shrugging yet again. "I don't know."
Chloe shook her head, and went on to the car. She opened the door, and got into the driver's seat.
The Doctor seemed to stall for a moment, and then got in on the passenger's side.
"This is a rather strange-looking auto..." he noted, reaching for his seatbelt.
"Why do you say that?" She snorted. "Because the steering wheel is on the other side of the car?"
"No... it's rather strange-looking on the outside."
"Well, as you can see, I like strange. Hence why I'm talking to you."
"HEY! I am not strange... I am... eccentric."
"Eccentric... right. Who ever heard of an eccentric alien?"
"Well... I am!" he exclaimed. "And.. I prefer... Time Lord."
As she started to turn the car around, she burst into laughter. "Oh my God... you sound like Clark."
"Clark?" The name rolled off his tongue, and Chloe had to admit, she loved the way it sounded. "Who's that?"
"Oh, it's my... best friend."
"And is this 'best friend' just a friend? Because he kind of sounds like more."
"Um... excuse me?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Since when is that your business?"
"I'm just asking, Chloe! My word." He shook his head. "Now who's testy?"
She sighed. "Alright, alright... so he's... not just my best friend. I... kinda used to be in love with him."
"Used to? What happened?"
She glared at him. "And NOW who's nosy?"
"Sorry..." He leaned back in his seat. "You're so sensitive about him... Surely, you still love him."
"Oh my God, we just met! You have no right to ask about my love life!"
"Sorry... I'm just curious. There anything wrong with that?"
She sighed. "No... since I was so nosy before. I'm sorry."
"So, what about this Clark bloke? How did I sound like him?" The Doctor asked.
She glanced over, for just a second, before looking back at the road. "Um... well..."
She couldn't tell him. It'd be wrong to tell him, even if he did have that one thing in common with Clark...
In that instant, The Doctor seemed to read her mind. Literally.
"Don't tell me... he's from another world, as well."
She blinked. "How did you... know that?"
"Eh... I suppose you could call it mind-reading." he said. "It was right there at the surface of your mind, and you were contemplating rather or not to tell me. My mind is open to you, because I'm curious about you, and I want to know more."
She nodded slowly. "I see... Well, that's one power I'm glad Clark doesn't have..."
"I'm sure." He took a breath. "So your friend... what planet is he from?"
"Krypton."
"Ah yes, I've heard of it. Lovely planet. Quite cold. I don't think my toes have ever been properly warm since. And their Icecapades were SPECTACULAR."
She raised an eyebrow. "You've been there?"
"Eh... for a bit, during your earth year of 1961." he shrugged. "My companion didn't like it much, so we left in a bit of a hurry."
Chloe nodded slowly in response, and The Doctor went on.
"Is he the last of his kind, too?" he wondered. "From my understanding, Krypton also blew up."
"No... Actually, his cousin survived."
"Oh... well, at least he's got some part of his family."
She sighed. "Uh, yeah... she's um... missing right now."
The Doctor frowned, glancing over at the young reporter. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry to hear that."
The rest of the ride to the auto parts store was relatively quiet.
When they got there, they both went in, and he picked out the spark plug he needed. She'd paid, just as she'd promised to, and then it was back out to her car.
On the way back to the TARDIS, he was, for the most part, pretty quiet, as he used the pen-looking lighted object to examine the spark plug. He'd said he was testing it to make sure it was "compatible", as he said.
Once they returned to the sight of the crash, he hopped out of the car like an overgrown bunny and made a beeline through the cornfield to his little blue box. She practically had to run to keep up with him.
She followed him back into the TARDIS, and stood by as she watched him start to work on putting the spark plug into its rightful place.
Suddenly, lights flooded the TARDIS, and the strange sound she'd heard before filled the air.
He broke into a huge grin and glanced over at her. "It worked!" he exclaimed. "I can't thank you enough." He paused, his brown eyes meeting her blue ones again, and then something serious filled his face. "Chloe..." He reached out, taking both her hands in his. "I have a very important question to ask you."
She smiled back at him, and nodded slowly. "Yes?"
"Will you... join me in my travels?"
He said it so softly, so sincerely, it almost seemed like a marriage proposal. It was enough to make her blush, although very lightly.
"Doctor... I... I'd love to... but I can't."
He frowned. "But... why?"
She sighed. "Clark... I can't leave him."
"Who says you can't?"
"I just... can't. He... he needs me right now."
He frowned a bit, dropping her hands. "Oh, come on! He can't need you that bad." He went back to the TARDIS's console, and started playing around with different knobs and buttons. "Besides, it'll be fun! Can you imagine all the places we can go? We could go watch a chariot race in ancient Rome, or... have authentic Chinese food in China, or... I could even take you to try out one of those huge natural baths in ancient Greece." He turned back toward her, grinning again. "Come on, Chloe! Be selfish for once!"
She slowly, and rather sadly, shook her head. "As much as I want to... I just can't. It wouldn't be right. He's going through so much right now."
He nodded slowly. "Alright... have it your way, then. " He stepped forward. "The TARDIS engines have to charge up for about thirty or forty minutes... if you change your mind, you could always..."
She sighed again, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Doctor..." She leaned up, and politely kissed his cheek. "It was great meeting you, but... It can't be."
As she turned and started out, he spoke softly. "Lovely meeting you, too, Chloe Sullivan."
He went back to playing at the console, and once he knew she was away from the TARDIS, he smiled, rather smugly, to himself.
"She'll be back. They always come back."
***
Chloe's head was filled with random thoughts as she drove to the Kent farm.
The more and more she thought about it, the more she wanted to go, to travel with the Doctor. But she couldn't... could she? She couldn't abandon Clark in his time of need. She recalled the Doctor's words, and they seemed to echo in her mind.
"Come on, Chloe! Be selfish for once!"
She quickly shook the thought from her head as she pulled up in front of the house, and turned the engine off.
She got out of the car, and headed for the house, just walking right in like she normally did.
She found Clark in the kitchen, standing in the middle of it, eating what looked like a sandwich.
"Hey..." she started, and he turned to look at her. "How are you?"
He put the sandwich down on the counter and swallowed. "Oh, I'm... fine, I guess..."
"How's Lana? Any change... at all?" she wondered. "I haven't been able to go see her yet today."
Clark shook his head, looking down. "Nope... it feels like there never will be... unless I can find Brainiac."
She frowned. "I still haven't been able to pinpoint anything... It's like he and Kara just disappeared... no sign of Kara, either, I take it?" Another head-shake. Chloe sighed, and moved to take a seat at the table. "I'm sorry I can't do anything more to help..."
Clark looked up, and frowned. "Chloe... you have helped. Don't say anything like that. You've done everything you can." He almost sounded angry. "You can't stress yourself out about it. You... you could end up sick... or something."
She nodded. "I've been told I could probably use a bit of relaxation right now..." She bit her lip, lightly chewing at it. "Uh.... A friend's about to go on a trip... told me I should come along..."
"What'd you say?"
"I said no... That I didn't want to leave you while everything's haywire."
He took a deep breath. "Well... do you wanna go?"
She glanced over at him. "What?"
"Do you... wanna go?" he asked. "Because... if you did... I wouldn't stop you."
Her face softened a bit. "Clark..."
"You could... probably really stand to get away." he said. "With everything that's happened... I think it'd be good for you."
She bit her lip again. "Really?"
He nodded, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Yeah... if I... thought I could get away with it, I'd go away, too." He licked his lips. "Of course, I... if you left, I'd... miss you."
She gave him a small, sweet smile. "I'd miss you, too, Clark."
The Doctor's words seemed to come to mind again, and then a single thought occurred to her.
I've got no job, a pseudo-boyfriend who has the personality of cardboard, a best friend I'm completely in love with that sometimes doesn't even notice me... What am I waiting around here for? I could go off and fill my life with lots of fun, potential danger, and a really hot nerd in pinstripes.
Her eyes met Clark's again. "You know... I think I'm gonna go." She moved to stand. "I'm gonna take that trip."
She could tell Clark was forcing a smile, but tried not to let her bother it too much. "Good. That's... good, then."
She stood, and walked over to him. "Are you sure you'll be okay? You can call my cell at any time, and I'll come back." She wasn't even sure the phone would still work, but she said the words anyway.
He nodded. "I'll be fine... Just don't stay away for a long time, okay?"
She nodded back, and grinned. She took a step forward, wrapping her arms around him, and hugged him, giving him a tight squeeze. "I'm gonna leave my Yaris here, okay? I trust you more than Lois, so try not to destroy it."
He chuckled. "Okay."
She leaned up on her tippy toes, and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for your approval... I'll see you, okay?"
He nodded again as she pulled away, and tucked her car keys into his hand. She gave him a little wave as she went out the back door.
She got her purse out of the car, and as she started to walk out of the yard, took out her phone. She pressed a single button, then pressed it to her ear.
"Lois? Pack two bags of my clothes, and meet me at the bus stop."
***
Chloe had been at the bus stop for only five minutes when Lois pulled up in her fancy little sports car, the car that her editor love toy had purchased for her before his death.
Lois got out, taking the suitcase and duffel bag out with her.
"So... you gonna tell me what's with the impromptu vacay?" she asked, handing the bags over to her younger cousin.
Chloe shrugged. "A friend offered... I decided to take him up on it."
The brunette raised an eyebrow. "'Him'? Is this guy Jimmy? 'Cause I can't say I've seen him around the apartment lately."
Chloe smiled, a little nervously. "Ah, no... new friend. He's... a doctor." She wasn't really lying... at least, she didn't think so.
Lois looked impressed. "Wow. A doctor. Way to go, Chlo." She crossed her arms over her chest. "So... how long you gonna be gone with this mysterious doctor?"
"Uh... two, three weeks, maybe. I'm not sure yet."
"Ah... well, I hope you enjoy yourself. I'm going to be at the Planet, piddling around with your little boyfriend, probably. Oh, joy."
Chloe didn't miss her cousin's sarcasm, and laughed. "I will..." She stepped forward and hugged her. "I'll see you in a couple weeks, then."
Lois gave her a squeeze and nodded. "All right, Cuz. Later."
The taller, older woman got back into her car, and zoomed off down the road.
As soon as she was out of sight, Chloe took off running, purse on her shoulder, suitcase and bag in hands.
Forty minutes had already passed. She wasn't sure if she'd even be able to catch the Doctor, but she was sure as hell going to try.
She ran all the way to the cornfield, almost an entire mile, frantic to make it in time.
Even from the road, she could still hear the engine of the TARDIS, making that strange, otherworldly sound.
She darted into the cornfield, and nearly fell, dropping her bags.
She picked them back up, and made her way through a few remaining stalks, until she could see the little blue box.
Her face fell when she noticed it seemed to be blinking, fading in and out.
"No..." she muttered. She ran up to it, hitting the door with her suitcase. "Doctor!" She called out is name, pleading, but apparently, he didn't hear her over the engines.
The TARDIS dematerialized, right before her eyes. It disappeared, completely, without another sound.
Chloe frowned, feeling tears well up in her eyes.
There went my chance. My only chance.
She sadly turned to walk away, her head down.
Before she made it even two feet, she could suddenly hear that strange, strange sound again.
The strange, strange sound of that strange, strange little blue box.
She spun on her heels, eyes wide, and watched as the TARDIS slowly, ever-so-slowly, rematerialized in front of her.
She blinked a few times, her heart racing, as one of the doors slowly open.
The Doctor peeked out, a huge grin on his face.
"Just kidding."
Chloe's entire face seemed to light up, and she ran toward him, containing a single squeal of excitement that was bubbling up inside of her.
She had a deep feeling that she was about to embark on the wildest ride of her life.
NEXT TIME...
Chloe and the Doctor travel back to 1997, to a little town called Sunnydale, where they witness a truly legendary event... and Chloe glimpses one of those who came before her.