Gridlock - Doctor/Thirteen AU Version

[thedoctorwho]

[ooc: followed up from here]

"So, the future it is, then. How about a different planet as well?" he asks Thirteen, a bit of twinkle back in his eye.

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[numbered_doctor]

The question gets a bright smile from the Doctor's newest companion.

"A diferent planet? Really?"

[numbered_doctor]

It takes a moment, but eventually she can recall the self defence classes her father had enrolled her in when she was younger. She's not sure it'll work, but it's worth a shot, because she's quite certain if they get her away from the Doctor, she'll never see him again.

She rakes her shoe along the man's shin again, stomping hard on his foot before throwing her head back into his face. Once he's loosened his hold enough, she manages to duck out from under his arm, twisting her other free and placing another kick for god measure...just a bit higher than his shins this time.

Freed, she makes a dash for the Doctor.

[thedoctorwho]

The Doctor uses the confusion to pull out his sonic screwdriver and point it at the gun, looking for the frequency to cause it to jam, simultaneously pulling Thirteen behind him in case the woman fires.

It turns out that he needn't have bothered. "That's not even a real gun, is it?" he chides when he notices the sonic isn't picking up anything metallic.

"Like I'd know where to get a gun, or how to shoot it if I did," the woman says, hotly embarrassed.

"What are you going to do to us?" the man asks, voice straining through the pain.

"What did you mean, you need three?" the Doctor asks.

"For the motorway," the woman replies, tossing away the fake gun. "You have to have three people to get to the fast lane. We only want to get to Brooklyn. Just there, and then we'd have let your friend go, I promise. Look." She points to her neck, and the Doctor can just make out the word "Honesty" on the little patch stuck there.

He considers for a moment, and then turns to Thirteen. "What do you think? Fancy a quick trip out to Brooklyn,

[numbered_doctor]

Thirteen frowns, making a point to keep hold onto the Doctor, least the pair try anything else.

"They tried to kidnap me," she replies testily.

[thedoctorwho]

The woman's eyes just light up when the Doctor makes the offer, and then drop again when Remy responds. "We said we were sorry. It's just... I'm pregnant. Just found out last week. Scans say it's going to be a boy. And we just..."

"We want him to grow up someplace green, with fresh air and sunshine," the man finishes, mostly recovered from Thirteen's beating.

The Doctor shrugs. "Up to you, Remy. I'm game either way."

[numbered_doctor]

"You think apologizing is just going to erase-" Thirteen breaks off, taking a calming breath, then another. The Doctor can more than likely feel her fists clench and unclench as she grips his jacket in her hands.

"There'll be four if us going," she amends after a long moment of thought. "And get that stupid patch off of your neck," she snaps, the edge back to her voice. "You're pregnant, for fucks sake."

[thedoctorwho]

The woman pulls the patch off, a little guiltily, but can't hide the excitement at being able to access the fast lane after all. "We've got room for four," she says with frantic nodding. "Our car's this way

[numbered_doctor]

Thirteen peers out the windows as best as she can as the car moves, seating herself next to the Doctor as they all settle in.

"Traffic hasn't let up any, I see," she murmurs to him in a low tone.

[thedoctorwho]

"It's just until we reach the fast lane," Cheen promises. "Then over to the Brooklyn flyover. Then it'll take a little longer since it's just ordinary roads -- no fast lane. It's only ten miles."

Milo nods. "Should only take us... six years. Tops."

"Just in time for him to start school," Cheen giggles, rubbing her belly.

The Doctor leans forward. "I'm sorry, did you just say six years?"

[numbered_doctor]

"Six years?!?," Thirteen squeaks, startled. "You were going to kidnap me for Six years?"

[thedoctorwho]

Cheen looks down. "Well... yeah. Otherwise, our son would be almost grown before we even got to the flyover."

The Doctor gets out of his seat and goes to one of the windows. It takes him a moment to make anything out through the smoke, but then he sees it. The other cars. Thousands upon thousands of them, crammed into this space, for miles ahead and behind, and almost a mile straight down. All hovering in this enormous cloud of exhaust fumes, barely moving, barely doing anything at all. He motions Remy over. "You'll want to see this," he says, unbelieving.

[numbered_doctor]

She rises moving over towards the Doctor to see what he's looking at. The sights of the endless cars and exhaust causes her eyes to widen, and she scrambles back, shocked.

"Wh- that's not- Fuck!"

[thedoctorwho]

"How many cars are out there?" the Doctor wonders aloud.

"I don't think anyone knows," Cheen says. She pulls a couple of round cracker-like wafers from a dispenser, keeps one for herself, and passes the others back. "Hungry?"

[numbered_doctor]

Thirteen shakes her head, refusing the snack. Her stomach is still twisting and churning at the idea of being stuck in this vehicle for six years.

Shuffling back her her seat, she sits down hard.

"What...happens when we have to go back to our...vehicle?" she asks weakly. "Another six years?"

[thedoctorwho]

Milo and Cheen are quiet for a long few seconds. "Well..." Milo finally says, "it'll only be the two of you coming back, so you won't be able to use the fast lane. And the motorway's only one direction in a big loop under the city, so you'd have to do the whole loop to get back to Pharmacy Town."

It quickly becomes clear the two of them hadn't thought that part through.

"We really are sorry," Cheen says again. "Honest. But what would you want to go back for anyway? Brooklyn's tons better than dirty ol' Pharm Town. And you can keep this car if you want. Once we're there, we're never leaving again."

[numbered_doctor]

Thirteen just groans in response, leaning forward to rest her face in her hands.

"Great, just great."

Cheen shifts a little awkwardly in her seat, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Think of it this way," she offers tentatively. "Now you two will have plenty of time to start your own family."

That causes Thirteen to jerk upright with a startled squeak.

"What?!?"