London Nights & Absent Lights

((Closed for Matt and myself))

"You don't have anywhere to be, they said.  She can make all the pastries for tomorrow, they said.  Oh, you don't need to be paid overtime, they said.  Damn people are lucky I need this job."  Mal muttered in complaint as she rolled dough and made different buns, rolls, and cookies for the café. After it was in the oven she paced into the main room where the tables and chairs were located.  The place was quite peaceful during the closed hours and staring outside to the streets of London... okay that was usually creepy.

Like that time late at night the angels came for her.  Usually that statement was nice but no.. these angels moved when your back was turned and basically planned on screwing up your life.  There was another time she was almost strangled to death.  'Almost' being the key word since some man with an identity crisis saved her.  There were several more times... like when she stole vodka in a bar and almost got murdered by Krillitanes, or when she broke into her own apartment because she forgot her key and was arrested for breaking and entering... well the list could go on.  Long story short, London nights were scary.

Speaking of scary, Mal was left all alone.  She was just thankful she could hide out in her shop for a few hours while the goods were baking to perfection.  Just to be on the safe side she walked over and checked the door.  Locked.  Good.  Paranoia was setting it and if there was one thing Mal could tell you it was that paranoia sucked... big time.

He felt out of odds. He strolled the dark street, London eerily quiet. He looks at his hand, his makeshift screwdriver bright in the dark street. As he nears what seems like some sort of small shop, his lips stretch into a wide smile. a weevil,, sniffing around the dumpster area. It seemed to be examining the door, snout pulled back into a snarl as it gnaws on the lock. Eleven slinks towards the entrance, pointing his screwdriver at the lock... only to come face to face with he assumed was the shop girl.

What was that noise?  It sounded like scratching and growling.  Oh man, Mal was right.  London streets were a bad place to be at this hour.  Something bad or weird always seemed to come up and magnetise itself to Mal.  Bad luck clung to to her like hot gum to a shoe. There was no way to shake it, was there?  Her nerves began to stir which caused that familiar sense of disturbance in her stomach and palpitation of her heart.  The brown-haired girl was about ready to scurry into the kitchen when a man stood just on the other side of the door.. staring at her.  

Mal thought about doing several things such as screaming, telling him to go away, just stare blankly back and pretend to be a statue.  She did the latter but only because the odd tool in his hand caught her eye.  It wasn't a flash light that was for sure.  The end was glowing green.  Odd.  There was a red bow tie on the guy which immediately made her think of Theta's blue one.  Was this Theta?  She finally looked at the man's face and was quite shocked to see it was one of the Doctor's incarnations.  At least it was one she could recognize.  This was the first version of the Doctor she met... when the Zygon's invaded Earth and destroyed her old home and workplace.  

Shaking her head, Mal tentatively reached out and unlocked the door.  She pulled it open a tick and breathed in a bewildered voice, "What's it this time, Doc?"

Eleven smiles as he tips his head in greeting.

"Well hello! I was in the neighborhood, saw you were here and decided on a pasty!"

He fixes his bow tie, smiling and as he opens his mouth to continue his rambling, a loud growl is heard outside. With his smile still in place, he motions towards the shop.

"Now how 'bout that cake? Or just letting me in would be excellent!"

"We're closed..." Mal began to say. Any incarnation of the Doctor was trouble but this one in particular was childish and just plain reckless. The growl made her freeze. So her hears didn't trick her and she was sure the Doctor wasn't making that odd sound. Well that was enough for her to open the door, grab the front of his shirt, and pull the man inside. She slammed the door closed and locked it before turning to stare at the Doctor with wide eyes. "Doc... what the hell's out there? Ugh, and you brought it to me. How thoughtful."

"Don't be so daft! If anything your always luring me places aren't you? A jammy dodger for a weevil? Completely inconsiderate. Now, where are the escape routes and why have I got to work with hm?", he looks around the room, going behind the counter and lifting things. He runs his tongue along what appears to be a kitchen scale, the. Sets it down with the roll of his eyes.

"I'm not the one with a magic box who tends to kidnap people inside of it.  If I didn't know any better I'd say you're a pervert, Doc."  Mal thought back to the time she almost ended up kissing him and started to laugh nervously in an attempt to cover up her blush.  Right, now to get rid of the creepy alien hanging around her café.  "Jammy dodger?  You mean the jelly sandwich thing?  Yeah, we don't make those.  I've got rolls in the oven though.  What's out there?  Sounds more like a carnivore than a pastrivore."  She snorted at her horrible attempt at some comedy as she followed the Doctor around the kitchen.  "Please don't make a mess, seriously, I'll be here all night cleaning if you do."

"Oh well nice to know you'll compensate me with a roll."

He smiles, then arches a brow, noticing her blush. He elects to ignore it, like he does most things, and another scratch and growl echoes from the back of the shop. He eyes her with twinkling eyes as he keeps his voice as authoritive as possible.

"Now do you happen to have a steak or two about? If I can lure him... Erm, or her, a safe distance away, well, this'll do the rest."

He holds up his sonic, then looks her over. His hands go to his hips and he arches a brow.

"What are you doing here this late? Do you like just getting in the way? Is it the good looks, or perhaps the bow tie?"

He strikes, what he thinks are, model poses as a howl comes from the back.

"Dude, this is a coffee shop not a butcher shop.  If we had steak I would suspect my boss was Doctor Lecter.. and then I would suggest staying away from the meat.  But I do know throwing steak at things usually scares them off.  Did it to a bunch of Krillitanes once.  Okay, that wasn't what scared them but I was really convinced at the time- er, never mind."  Mal cleared her throat and started to move around to the oven, peaking in to see how far along the rolls were.  Though they were rising they weren't quite finished yet.

Mal looked over at the Doctor as he held up the screwdriver and her eyes widened at what he was hinting towards.  "Wh-wha?  N-no, dude... no.  I wouldn't be here if it was my choice, for the record.  But to wiggle my way out of being fired I have to be an obedient slave to my boss."  With a pause, Mal pursed her lips as she appraised the Doctor, "Hm, well the bow tie is a good look, I'm not gonna lie.  But please, save me the second hand embarrassment and don't pose." She snorted and swallowed nervously as the scratching went on and on.

"Oh, well forgot how honest you can be!"

The howl turns to a high pitched whine, and then Everything is quiet. With a twist of his wrist the sonic whirs and his brow arches as he spins in place to face her. He's directly in front of her, personal space a lost concept as he shifts his eyes.

"Usually quiet is good, quiet is great even! Now, with a weevil... He could have left but-"

The pantry emits a loud clanging sound as he smiles.

"You know our luck combined could doom a planet. Now, grab any kind of aerosol, aim for the eyes, and whatever happens, make sure it doesn't go near your lovely, in one piece neck."

He holds his hand out, smiling over his shoulder. This made his blood sing, and having some with him... Like he was being brought to life all over again.

"I figured may as well be honest if you-" Mal didn't finish her sentence.  She instead went quiet as she listened for any sounds.  Why had it whined like that?  Shortly after, the Doctor had spun right inside her personal bubble.  She tensed up so much she felt like a tightly coiled spring.  She didn't even dare breathe until it escaped as a yelp when there was a clatter inside the building.  Oh great, fantastic, magnificent, rad even.  Mal transformed those sarcastic words into cusses blaring in her head as the Doctor gave her such heart felt instructions.  

"You're nuts!  I have to watch what I say though, because apparently crazies have feelings too, eh?  Funny how you gave me the same advice for the Zygon invasion. 'Oh everything will be fine... just don't let them near you'."  Mal was shaking as she shouted at him, moving away and rummaging through the cleaning closet with desperation.  Sadly, the café did not buy those pressured cans of bacteria killing bliss... so she figured a squirt bottle of Mr. Clean would have to do.  

Mal came back over, standing at the Doctor's back as she peered around him in search of.. well whatever this weevil was.  She felt a bit guilty for using him as a human- or alien- shield but she knew he always wiggled out of bad situations like this while Mal seemed to plummet face first into them.

"Oh such a nag! It was good advice then and it's good advice now! You get a neck, I get a neck, for once everybody lives! Now hush, I'm trying to be clever and it's hard when your putting me off with your anxiety attack."

He snaps his fingers, jumping in place before wriggling his fingers, hand still out. He had a plan, and as usual it wasn't the best thought out piece of time lord prowess but it was a plan and in his defense he didn't have much to work with. He motions for her to hide, but speaks steadily, although his hand seems spastic.

"I need the spray. Weevils are nasty things, so I'm going for the eyes first. Once I can blind him, he'll be distracted enough for me to sever his mental link using the Sonic. Their like a vicious form of Ood, but the fun part is I have to sever the link in a way that won't kill him or make him go insane."

He claps his hands, grin widening. He continues, the creature's rummaging in the background.

"Once the link is gone he might become more docile... but if he doesn't, well... Everything will be fine, just don't let him near you. Got it?"

He holds out his hand still, looking her in the eyes. The growl sounds irritated, more vicious than usual, almost impatient. He turns, looking at the shuddering door before him, smile dropping.

"Oh that's not good, that's extremely very not good."

"A nag?! Watch it, buster, I'm the one with the Mr. Clean."  She tried for threatening but her tone only sound annoyed and a tad offended.  Mal was not having an anxiety attack.  Given she felt some anxiety but it wasn't at the 'attack' stage.  With a heavy sigh she plopped the cleaning device into the Doctor's hands when prompted.  She almost felt disappointed when she wasn't given the chance to squirt the Doc, his reaction would probably be worth the anger.  But this was no situation to fool around in, that part was noted when the weevil's growls became very hostile.  

Mal was nodding in understanding as the Doctor went on about the weevil.  Docile was good... docile was always good.  Mal liked docile things.  She squeaked when the door began shuddering until finally the weevil broke in.  Yup, that caused Mal to scream and she reached over and into the sink, grabbing onto the first handle she could grasp and smacked the pot over the weevils head.  Normally she wasn't violent but anyone could become so if they were frightened for their life.  

The weevil dropped to the ground, dazed but not out and Mal dropped the pot with a loud clatter before backing up and pressing herself to the wall.  Her hands were out in front of her, the expression on her face clearly stating how done she was with this situation.  "I-I'm sorry... I panicked."

Eleven chokes on his cry of disbelief as she batters the creature. It promptly falls on its face, near his feet. He looks at her in confusion before he's tugged down by his trouser sleeve and a pair of razor sharp teeth come into view. Gangly hands hold the creature at bay as he huffs and puffs, realizing his horrible plan now seemed like the best solution in the universe. He grunts as his hands start giving way, shouting at Mal as best he could.

"Hit him between the neck and shoulders! His psyche will crumble in an instant and we can contain him from there! Best use a rolling pin, you only get one shot! Argh!!"

The teeth manage to rip his tie off, the creature now angrier than before. Apparently getting hit on the back of the head and then cheated out of eating will do that to a weevil. The Doctor wriggles about, trying and failing to dislodge the alien. He decides to try and reassure it.

"I'll take you home! You can eat all you want there but let me help you!"

The creature pushes forward and his cries of frustration rise.

Mal was frozen for a minute, eyes wide as she watched the Doctor struggle with the weevil.  That thing was terrifying.  But he needed her help, was even telling her how she could.  The will to be useful pushed Mal on as she quickly sprang towards the counter and snatched the rolling pin she had been using earlier in the evening.  

Mal positioned herself behind the weevil and held the pin over her head as she targeted the alien between it's neck and shoulders.  "I'm very sorry!"  She told the weevil before wacking it in the correct spot.  Had she done it?  Whoa!  Usually bad luck would kick in and make her miss terribly.  Mal's eye-hand coordination was rubbish so the fact she nailed it dead on was no less than a miracle.  She figured it had something to do with the Doctor being in trouble of dying.  Well, regenerating... but new face, new personality, new person.  At least that's how she saw it.  Same person with different personalities.  Okay, now she was making it sound like a mental disorder.

Mal shook her head and swallowed heavily. "You a'right?  S-sorry.. I tend to make a mess of things."  She looked at her feet as she rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

Eleven gulps down air as the weevil promptly passes out ontop of him. He shoves the creature over, a hiss living his lips as he squeezes the wound on his arm. It didn't hurt, not at all, but the thought of having to repair himself and in front of company made him a bit upset. He tugs his sonic out of his pocket, pointing it at his wrist and changing settings. The whir and shrill sound goes off and he can feel the skin meld back together. That'd hold for now, he just had to make sure to do further repairs in the future. Eleven pushes his fringe back, the floppy locks rebelliously spring back into his eyes as he shuffles to his feet.

"We'll done Mal, I could kiss you! Aren't you a gorgeous thing! I haven't had that much fun since The Vampires in Venice! And they had quite the set of teeth!"

He smiles, weevil at his feet and sonic in hand. He quickly scans the alien, his smile slowly turning into a grimace.

"Mal... How long have you worked here... And how many times has this happened since then?"

Mal watched with widened eyes as she dropped her arms to the side, the rolling pin held limply in her hand.  Her hazel eyes intently watched as his sonic screwdriver whirred to life and healed his wounds.  "Whoa... how..?"  She shook her head, figuring his answer would just confuse her anyway.

At his comment Mal blushed but still managed to say, "If ya kissed me I couldn't complain."  But she turned away from him once it was out, feeling as if she was going to get herself in big trouble one day for making comments like that.  Oh, it wasn't like she went through with them, and no one hardly took her seriously.  Well, except for the Man-Doctor.  The one who was human but claimed to be the Doctor's tenth incarnation.  What did he call himself?  Ah, yes, the Metacrisis Doctor.  Yup, he was no less than impressed by Mal's implications.  She should probably keep her 'primitive desires' on the down low.

"I've worked here for just over a year.  You should know, I got this job after the Zygon invasion that turned out to be a fluke, remember?  Never mind that, sorry.  Yeah, this thing in particular has never happened but I've been witness to some odd things around here over these sixteen months.  It's almost like trouble follows my footsteps.  Creepy to think about actually..."

Eleven circles her, his sonic whirring to life as it reads her vital signs and what not. He flicks his wrist the screw driver extending and opening a bit further with the motion. His brows knit together before he looks at her and then back at the readings.

"Mal... How many peculiar things does it take for
You to get it?"

He scans her again, the results the same. It was almost as if she was a fixed point within his time stream. But why? What else could possibly be fixed in his already long life. He looks at the Weevil, and at the mess around them. And his eyes widen.

"Weevils don't venture to far from the nest and if they do, they certainly don't break into functioning, proper buildings to attack people, oh no! They love the hunt, they can't get enough so why is it Mal, why is it that we keep meeting like this hm?"

He's in her space once more, his breath on her face. He wants to skim his fingers over her face, touch her lips. He wants to read her mind. Instead he settles for leaning in and whispering, their faces inches apart.

"Are you my undoing or are you simply the beginning of another adeventure, hm? "

"To get what?" She asked dumbly as she moved her head to follow the Doctor's circular movements.  Why was he waving that damn device in her face?  Mal sighed and intertwined her hands together, bringing them up so they rested under her chin.  She really didn't get it and the way the Doctor had said it made her feel foolish for not understanding.

Clenching her teeth tight, she tilted her head and listened to his little quip on weevils.  Okay, they liked hunting things, didn't run far from their nest, and all that probably meant they don't wonder alone.  So either that weevil was extremely lost or they were about to get more company.  Did that mean there was a nest around here?  No wait, the Doctor said something else... they kept meeting 'like this'?  Like what?  In a coffee shop in the face of danger?  Well, the first time they met was in a coffee shop... okay, so not the point.  What did their meeting have to do with the weevil problem?

Mal was about to inquire a few things but the Doctor had invaded her space for a second time today.  Well, this time he was standing closer than before.  She tensed up more so than she felt she ever had in her lifetime.  This position was interesting to say the least.  And uncomfortable.  Her veins were pumping with nervous energy.  Uh oh, her brain was getting all foggy again.  Thoughts were... hard at the moment.  Usually she did something stupid in situations like these.  Calm down! Just calm the hell down, Mal! Seriously! Oh god... what is going on?! He's breathing on my face!

"Uh...." Was all Mal could push past her throat that seemed to clench up on her.  He had said something, what was it?  'Adventure' stuck out.. so did 'undoing'.  The need to breathe overwhelmed her so she brought up on index finger to poke it in the Doctor's chest, trying to kindly push him away so she could suck in some air. It was hard not being choked up when you had a bloke's face in your own. "Er.. I- that's, uhm- look.... I.... what?"  Clever, Mal, perfect.  You sure nailed that one!

He reaches out to cup her hands in his. The weevil was alone, it's nest probably a city away for all they new. It had acted all sorts of wrong and Eleven was once again in a coffee shop with this interesting girl. He backed his face away a bit, looking about the shop before his attention is set on her once more.

"Do you know what fixed points are? You've met me twice, and albeit I'm never hard to find when a city is in risk of an invasion, but I have a feeling you'll meet me, or at least different versions of me, until your part is completed. Mal... Your not a normal girl. Now breathe, I don't need you swaying, although that would be a welcome change, but please listen to me, look at my lips and just listen."

He'll study her, trying to make sure she has calmed down. He waits patiently. He was aware he was basically hitting her over the head with a bag of bricks, but he wasn't sure what else could possibly plague this girl so other than his conclusions.

Mal was thankful he pulled back a bit though the physical contact made her nervous.  She avoided it if she could.  Not that it wasn't nice but Mal was a paranoid person and thought people would be able to see right through her with just a touch.  Well actualy, she was worried her ability would act up and present itself to a person of awareness, much like the Doctor... but she was sure that was just her being paranoid.

After a few more steadying breathes, Mal looked at the Doctor's face intently, "F-fixed point?  Nah, I don't have a clue.  A-and 'til what's complete?"  She began to shake her head as she swallowed down the rising concern.  "I've met other versions of you, Doc.  I-it's a.. frequent occurrence.  I-it actually has drawn my attention but I didn't think anything of it... 'cause I also run into Robin and Xel and Sonya in the most ridiculous of situations." She shook her head and shut her eyes tight.  Not a normal girl?  Well gee, that was something coming from him, wasn't it?  All Mal slaved to be was normal.. and safe.  But that thought led her to think about her latest encounter with the Doctor.  He was mocking her for her boring life and lack of risk taking.  Damn leather jacket wearing-

Mal opened her eyes again and focused on the Doctor's mouth.  Alright, may as well listen if he had something to say.  He always had something to say though it wasn't always handy bits of information.  Though if he was telling her to listen, this was something he felt he needed to say. She nodded silently before clearing her throat, hoping that was a good enough indication for him to continue.

He sees the hurt in her eyes, the same one he feels at times when he knows he isn't normal, that he will and could never fit in. Not even on Galifrey. He gives her a sorrowful look before taking his hands away and beginning to speak as calmly as possible with an unconscious weevil at your feet.

"Everything I have ever said to you before now is a null point. Yes, I emphasis normality, I'm a bit pompous at times and I even gave Rose a hard time on it but that's besides the point. Your not normal in my time stream, but that's as far as your abnormality goes. I don't want you thinking I've just gone and labeled you for the heck of it. What I want to know Mal, what I really what to know is, how're you so special? A girl in a shop, plain as can be, and then boom!"

He claps his hands together, the loud sound of skin against skin vibrating through the room.

"Weevil wants you for supper. How do point A and point B match up?"

His hands are outstretched, each going up and down in mock representation of a scale. He looks at each one respectively before looking back at her.

"Last time some plain, brilliant person kept appearing in my time stream I could regenerate. Lets just say now it isn't a good time... Actually never would be more of an accurate statement."

Mal bit her lip and struggled to remain calm though his clap caused her to flinch, "I could give you a hint.." She muttered when he asked what could possible draw something towards her. Mal blamed a few things: her increasingly bad luck, the fact she had been on several 'adventures' with the Doctor and his companions which tended to point unwanted attention in her direction, and the ability she had that aliens seemed to be attracted to. How did they even know of it? She didn't know one bit. But that wasn't the point, the point was they did, somehow, know.

"Wait... what? Well I assume regenerating is never a good thing because, as far as I know, it means you gotta die. I don't plan on killin' ya if that's what you're worried about." Mal used both her hands to rub it over her eyes as she thought about that single life she took. It was just one measly alien who had threatened the life of her friends but it still haunts her whenever her mind decided to bring it up. Nope, she would never be able to kill anyone again, and certainly not someone she was, admitting reluctantly, fond of.

"I don't understand why you're making me sound so... important, whether it's good or bad. I'm not, you know. I'm no one. I am, uh, just a shop girl."

"Exactly!"

Another clap, the weevil flinching before continuing its in unconsciousness. He peers at her through floppy fringe, back tracking to her words.

"What clue? What's different about you Mal? You can trust me, I'm the Doctor."

He says the last part as a last resort. He isn't sure if she blames him for most of what's happened in her life, although he wouldn't blame her if she did. He tends to take any friend he seems to make and create a monster inside them. The weevil wheezes, before going back to pulling shallow breathes.

Mal looked down at the weevil and shifted uncomfortably. Couldn't they put in the cleaning closet or under the cupboards or somewhere where the thing wouldn't be able to attack them if it woke up? She shook her head and could feel her palms begin to get sweaty. Oh man, was she actually going to do this? Well she didn't care who he was... she did owe him her life in most cases. The most prominent case when she met his tenth incarnation who saved her from the weeping angels. If he wanted to know then fine... though she did work her butt off to keep it hidden. It was unknowable how humans would react if they found out. Well actually she knew exactly how they'd react.

Clearing her throat, Mal finally sighed and snatched one of the Doctor's hands in both her hers. She couldn't bring herself to look at him but stated simply, "You're gonna put the weevil in the cleaning closet." With the command she pushed the thought through her body and into the Doctor via the physical contact. Almost immediately the Doctor could feel the pull to do exactly as she said.