Street Lamps (Doctor x Reader) pt.1

It was quiet. That was the first thing that truly caught your attention. The silence seemed to permeate the entire world while only the air made any effort to create movement,simultaneously blowing your scarf around like a rag doll. There were very few horns echoing in the distance, no sound of motors running that could be heard. It was simply silent. You breathe in the crisp and chilling English winter air as your hands push farther into the pockets of your far too thin jacket. You weren’t good at this type of winter scene.

You had come from the states. Texas had been warm even during the normally frigid months of December and January. The worst the weather had ever reached was a cool forty degrees and on days such as that, everyone would be bundled up with scarfs, jackets, and gloves as if it was below zero. This sort of weather was enough to make you almost regret the decision to move.

Course, despite the weather being enough to make Jack Frost shiver, there were hundreds of things that were amazing about this city. For so long you had admired the land across the sea. This was your dream place, essentially, to live. Why? Well, honestly, you were never quite sure. The appeal of England was simply hard to deny.

It was hard to leave your family to come here. A whole ocean separated you now and only long distance phone calls could really get you connected to those you left behind… but the sadness was not enough to pull you away from this place. The people were amazing, though a bit more forward than you were used to. The atmosphere was one of a large city and yet it kept a strict hold of its small community feel. You liked how energetic everyone was about what they love. Instead of the small suburbs like you grew up in, you were placed into a community that offered everything you could ever hope to find and more.

It was a nice feeling.

And it wasn’t hard to work here, either. You had gone to college back in Texas, gotten your degree in English and Cinematography. Film had always been something you enjoyed and writing...well, you loved creating something from nothing. Everything you could imagine was at your fingertips when you sat down with a laptop and an open word document. There was no stopping you from building universes and changing lives, if only fictional ones.

This place inspired you to imagine. With its beauty and its people, London was one of the first places you truly felt could be a home for your heart.

While, however, the city itself was normally alive with noise, it was eerily still today. A few stray leaves blew past your feet as you walked quickly back to the apartment you currently called home. The rustle of wind as your walked was the only other sound than your own breathing and the noise of your shoes hitting the pavement underneath you.

There was hardly anyone out, which seemed odd to you in it of itself. It wasn’t that late. The sun had only set about an hour ago and there should at least be cars driving up and down this area to get to other places. It was a semi-busy road for the most part… but there was no headlights shining through the dark at all.

Still, you knew well enough how to keep yourself safe if something happened and what was the chance that anything would happen anyway? You shrug it off as you continue to walk, glancing down at the notepad in your hand. Despite the atmosphere around you, the city and the friends you have made, you still find that your ideas for stories are limited. Why that was, honestly, you weren’t sure.

The sound that punctuated the noise suddenly made you glance up and look behind you. It wasn’t anything necessarily bad but the scrap of animal claws on the ground sounded like a stray dog running somewhere in the dark. You would see from time to time animals digging around in empty trashcans and other than feeling sympathy for them, it never really mattered all that much.

But there was definitely the noises of quite a few animals behind you. Shuffling and low growls issuing from off in the distance, just audible enough for you to hear as you glance behind your back yet again. The street lights didn’t shine on any kind of animal within the distance and there was nothing your eyes could pick up in regard to movement. Still, those were definitely snarls that you were hearing and they sounded pretty animalistic.

The only logical thing was to walk faster. Your apartment was several more blocks out and normally, you didn’t mind the walk itself. It gave you time to think and until you could afford a car, walking simply seemed the best solution to your problems. Who could afford to hail a cab anyway with the kind of salary you make?

You turned the corner of yet another street and the noises continued to follow you. You had definitely begun to prefer the silence that had been around before rather than the creepy suspicion you were being followed. It was just a dog though, it couldn’t be that bad. At least it wasn’t an actual person following you.

It would have been all right for you had not the one growl became two and the two, four. Four soon turned into enough that you glanced back again with growing concern. The was no animal behind you that you could see but you certainly heard them. What was this, a pack of dogs or… what? If there was anything there, why couldn't you see them?

So while you weren’t necessarily scared, you did begin to jog rather than walk. Better be safe than sorry, right?

The panic actually set in when the shuffling noises turned into the sound of full out running animals towards you. Your chest felt heavy as you actually bolted forward, continuing through the dark London streets, looking for someplace to escape into but the only thing that was around here was apartments and other types of homes. Most of the windows were dark and there would be no sanctuary for you there.

So you run. Maybe the animals were energized by the fact that you had actually begun to try to get away from them because the sound of snarls began to grow too violent barking. The noises were getting closer too and that moment was when you start panic turned to fear. But you run. You hardly even notice when your notebook falls out of your hand and it didn't matters to you. Your life was more precious than a stupid notebook. There was the sound of snapping teeth directly behind you and you could feel the brush of something against the bottom of your thigh, right above your knee. You don’t’ even have time to scream. Letting out that noise would mean breaking concentration on getting way.

This wasn’t a horror movie. This was real… and oddly enough, this was never an option that came to your mind when you thought of ways you might be attacked. A mugger, sure... but a pack of animals that you couldn’t even see? Not quite what you pictured.

You glance once more behind your shoulder, just once, and yet, despite the noise, there was nothing you could see. Nothing but darkness and shadows and noise.  Your breath caught in your throat and you stumble slightly, tripping over your own two feet and falling to the ground. Almost immediately you feel something dig into the back of your calf. The pain didn’t register right away as you scrambled back to your feet, hands scrapping against the ground underneath you to keep you running. But as you move forward, each step with your right leg sends flared shock waves through your system. It hurt, damn it. The thing freaking bit you. But if you didn’t run… if you didn’t keep running, you were not going to be able to avoid the next bit or the next slash of claws. So you let the adrenaline keep you running.

You aren’t even close to home, however. You weren’t going to make it.

You were going to trip again and you were going to get eaten by invisible dogs.The logical part of you knew that even if you did make it home, by the time you stopped and got the door open on your apartment building, the things would be on you. Right, a perfect way to die. It was inevitable. There was no way you could keep going like this.

Your breath was short and ragged from the running and you were not going to be able to keep up this sprint. You had long ago lost all thoughts except to run and the only thing that there was left to worry about was keeping this pace. You couldn’t do it though; you knew you couldn't.

But just as you were expecting the darkness to come at you and take you over, it ended completely. Hand wrapped around you and pulled you into someplace bright. You couldn’t keep your balance and the ground was ultimately where you ended up. The sound of a door shutting followed not even a second later. What th-

“Sorry, sorry! Are you alright?” A voice came from beside you. It was warm, certainly British, and full of concern. However, it was also not a voice you had ever heard before. You were pretty good at knowing the voices of your friends and this… this wasn’t anyone familiar. Or maybe it was and the shock was getting to you. But it was certainly nervous.

You glance to the side, eyes fixing on a face that was a bit to close for normal conversation but you didn’t really acknowledge that at this point. It was a man who was sitting beside you, crouched on the balls of his feet and peering at you with a rather odd expression. He seemed both excited, happy, and anxious on your behalf.

Were you alright? That’s a good question. There was a set of doors in front of you and they seemed to rattle every now then. There was whining from behind them and the occasional growl but there were doors between you and that thing. Wherever you were, at least there were doors between them. How did you get here though? One minute you were running, the next... here. It didn't quite make sense.

“I’m… fine,” You breathed out quickly, letting yourself catch your breath as your chest screamed for air. You hadn’t realized you had been holding your breath up until that point. You were safe. That was enough to know for the moment.

Your leg, however, was calling for your attention. With a visible wince, you glance down at the back of your calf, turning your body slightly from where you were sitting to see the lines of blood red that soaked through your jeans. The material was torn and when you moved to push it to the side, you had to force yourself not to groan. “Damn it…” You whisper quietly to yourself, moving the material to way to view the slashed puncture wound. “Apparently not so fine.”

“They got you well, didn't they? I think I have some stuff that can help that if I haven’t misplaced it. I’ve never actually had to use this before. First time for anything I suppose,” The man said, standing up and walking to somewhere behind you. You didn’t bother tracking where he went, you were to busy closing your eyes and gritting your teeth. It had been real, hadn’t it? That had been real. The shuffling at the door showed that it was but even then, it was hard for you to believe.

Those things… they hadn’t been dogs. You would have at least seen them if they had been there. You would have seen something. There were street lights you were sure you ran through but there had been nothing but darkness around you. In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that your leg felt like it had been cut up with knives, you might not believe it still. The adrenaline had kept you running, pushed the pain away, but now it was coming up full force. The pain served as a reminder that what just happened was real.

The man was back in a moment with what appeared to be a first aid kit in his hand. Not the kind you would imagine, however. It looked old, the box seemed to be from hundreds of years ago and when you glanced up at his face, he gave a sheepish smile. “Best I could do. Now, let me see that leg of yours. Is this the only place they got you?” He looked actually impressed as he moved forward to peer at your leg curiously.  When you nod, he gives you a glancing look of admiration and you somehow feel somehow as if praise from him was worth far more than any compliment from someone else. Why you felt that, you weren't sure.

“Not many people can outrun a Vashta Veradena, how did you even manage it?” He seemed to be talking to himself so you don’t answer. Instead you wrap your arms around your stomach and close your eyes. Whatever the man was saying, you tried not to pay attention to it. Neither did you focus on the fact that there were fingers slipping into the hole in your jeans and ripping them open enough for the wound to be cleaned. You hold back from flinching away as cold yet careful fingers rub something over each mark.

“You managed to outrun them and the wounds aren’t even very deep…” The stranger said this again and since you didn’t open your eyes, you weren’t sure if you were being spoken to or if he was talking to himself yet again. The thing he put on your leg stung but the cold against your skin felt vaguely nice. A moment or two later there was gauze being tapped over the bite marks. “I’m actually being a doctor now. The irony of it. “ He gave a laugh as he sat back on his heels and looked at you.

You finally get your tongue back enough to ask him what had been pressing on your mind. “What were those things?” He obviously knew because he had named them. Whatever it was, you needed to know what you had been running from.

“Vashta Veradena. They are being made of shadows that take the form of dogs. Similar to things called the Vashta Nerada but they hold a grudge more. You couldn’t see them because they were actually just darkness in darkness.” He said this casually, still leaning over you and this time, glancing at your face with a curiosity that you didn’t understand. As if those things out there didn’t scare him but you… you fascinated him.

“Right. Shadow dogs. Gotcha,” You mutter under your breath, not quite believing him but somehow knowing that what just happened and what he explained fit together perfectly. But your brain immediately served to remind you that shadow dogs don’t exist. That is simply something you would write in a story of yours, not in real life. But it had happened. That had happened. It wasn’t a story, it wasn’t something you had imagined so while logically you might not believe him, you are forced to accept it.

You nod slowly and he is still watching you. You feel almost as if he is reading your thoughts and noticing your slow change from disbelief to honest acceptance. It only seemed to make his eyebrows raise slightly and his lips to purse.

“What, no questions? No ‘How could you know that’? No ‘Why were those things after me’?” He asked after a moment, running a hand through his hair as he gives you a smile. His hair was odd, slightly spiked as it curled upward and dark brown. You aren't sure why you notice it specifically but it fit his face.

You hold up a finger and give him a slight smile in return which seems to settle him slightly. “I’m trying not to panic on you. Give me a moment.” You stare as the door rocks one more time and it is clear that whatever is out there isn’t getting through. Your moment is over all to quickly as you push yourself up onto your feet, wincing as you do so. The man had jumped to his feet immediately, trying to help you, but by the time his hands reach to help, you could simply wave a dismissing hand at him.

The first thing you do when you stand up is turn around. The room was large in it of itself but that wasn’t what caught your attention. This place… this wasn’t natural. A console of some kind sat in the middle of the room up a set of grate stairs. There were pillars of that looked like trees reaching from the floor to a slopped ceiling and the walls had rounded glowing circles of decreasing sizes from the floor to the ceiling. Not natural at all nor was it like any place you had ever scene before.

Another small “Right then” slips from your mouth as you blink and rub a hand over your mouth briefly. This is totally normal. You have no problems accepting this. None at all, no never.  You keep your calm as you glance at the man one more time who was looking sheepish again.

“I think I know the answer to one of those questions now,” You state without any doubt in your voice, glancing at him with a new mindset. This wasn’t natural. None of this was. There was no possible way you could go from running in the dark to standing inside this… this control room without something else being involved. Something odd, something alien and while you never really thought about things like this other than the subject of stories, you had no reason to doubt what you saw now.

“You do?” He asked curiously, glancing at you with a raised eyebrow yet again, his mouth turning up into a slightly smile as he moved to jump up the set of stair to stand by the console in the middle of the floor.

“You know about those things because you aren’t from here. You’re an alien.” You aren’t insane, you know that. You never thought those words were come out of your mouth but you were logical enough to abandon logic if necessary.

The man’s smile split into a grin as he looked at you and opened his arms wide. “Good guess, first to get it without any questions! Welcome to the T.A.R.D.I.S!” He sprung down from the console, not even bothering with the steps, and the tail of his brown trench coat flapped up slightly as he did so. “I’m the Doctor, pleased to meet you.” He gave a fake bow in front of you and you didn’t bother to wonder if this was normal behavior. You knew in that moment that it was. “And what should I call you?”

“______” You say after a moment, running a hand through your hair as you try to take a step forward and deciding that if you were going to move at all, it was best done with a limp.

“______, fantastic name. Brilliant.” He says almost immediately. You didn’t bother asking what kind of name Doctor was. It was strange, just like this man was, why out of everything would you ask about his name?

You don’t talk much at first as you inch forward, making your way up the stairs. It’s not like you are the quiet kind of person, it’s just a lot to take in and he seems to accept that. You actually can feel the fact that your mouth is open in a slight shocked expression. Stupid expressions, giving you away.

“I wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary. Just walking home… why would those things come after me?” You finally ask, glancing at the man who was fiddling with something on the console.

“Probably just because you were convenient,” He glanced up at you with a sad expression. “They don’t normally attack people without a motive and they are hardly ever on earth.” He seemed to be holding something back, something he was specifically avoiding saying and you cross your hands over your chest.

“What? What aren't you telling me?” He grimaced slightly before flipping a switch on the dash. You deserve to know though, don't you? The entire room began to make a groaning noise, echoing in your ears. “They were probably trying to find me. They figured the best way to get to me was through someone else.”

So it hadn’t been your fault that those things were there. You had simply been bait.

“Which was why you were surprised I was basically fine,” You summarize during the Doctor’s hesitation.

“I wouldn’t expect someone to just put together what’s happening enough to keep out of their reach for that long. I didn’t think I would have gotten here in time.” He nodded, running a hand through his own hair and letting out a quick breath of what might have been relief.  “How did you know that you needed to run?”

You shrug slightly. It didn’t make much sense. “Something didn’t feel right. I heard what I thought was dogs following me but I had a dog as a kid. When she snarled, it was usually in defense of herself. It was when she growled that something startled her. However, if she did both, you were in trouble.” The labrador had only once ever made noises like that on the day that their home had been broken into when you were a child. By the time Dad had grabbed a gun and run out, the dog had driven the man off. She had quite literally chased the man out of the house and into the street till the man had run off completely. “They were not trying to defend themselves and they weren’t startled so obviously there was reason to run.”

The logic seemed to be accepted with another smile and a nod. “Good, right, smart! Very quick on your feet. Hold onto something now.” You barely have time to register the fast spoken words and grab onto a railing next to you when the man pulls down a lever and the entire room begins to shake, tipping sideways and backwards. It’s like the entire place is moving and the groaning noise was near deafening. However, you couldn’t help but let out a laugh of surprise and the Doctor lets out a whoop of joy. He did this on purpose, obviously, and was enjoying every moment.

Your own laugh mix with his as the room settles back to normal. The man gives you a grin before running towards the door. “Come on then!” He moved forward and opened the door wide for you. Your initial thought was why the dogs weren’t entering right away and you stare at him in confusion as you move down the stairs slowly.

When you step out of the room, the first thing your eyes lock onto is your apartment building directly in front of you. The Doctor had taken you home. You were sure, however, that you had been nowhere near home when you had been snagged from the run. Turning around, your mouth opened to ask how that was possible when the sight before you surprised you entirely. It really shouldn’t have, knowing what you know now, but it did all the same. The Doctor was leaning on the doorframe of a police box, the area inside the door showing the large room you had just left. His expectant grin was in place as he watched your surprise and he seemed almost giddy with your reaction.

But at that moment, you were honestly just trying to process how the heck that was possible. You step forward and round the box, hand touching the wood material as you look behind it. It was definitely a police box, there was no doubt about that. It was small and fairly old but unlike the kind you would notice around the streets, the paint was not completely faded and there was not any type of graffiti on it. This was not just a police box. You return to the front of it, hand covering your open mouth as you stare at the box, the Doctor, and the inside of what he called the T.A.R.D.I.S.

“It really shouldn’t surprise me that it’s bigger on the inside. It really should not surprise me at all,” You state with a shake of your head and a small smile. You wave a hand in the Doctor’s direction. “Of course you would have a space ship. The theories can’t be completely untrue.” You laugh finally, pinching the bridge of your nose. It was almost too much to believe but all to amazing at the same time. “I got saved by an alien in a spaceship. Maybe I should write a story about that.”

The Doctor just continues to grin as you stand there taking it in until finally there is just silence between you and him. You were the first to break it. “I suppose I should say thank you then, for saving me.”

“You would have been fine without me, I think,” The Doctor responded, shrugging off the thanks “You were handling yourself pretty well up until I got there.”

“Not for long. One more trip and I would have been dog chow,” You say with frown. It would have been the end of you. You would have died. That kind of shock hadn’t hit you yet but you would deal with it later. “So thank you, really.”

You nod to yourself once, slowly, before looking back at your home. “I should…” You point back at the building behind you with a sad smile. You were already taking up to much of his time. The man had just rescued you, saved your life… but you also were keeping him here when he probably had better things to do. Alien things. He had taken you home for this reason, obviously. That was why you were here. He would want you to go.

But he looked sad the moment you spoke of going back to your apartment. His face fell from that curved crooked smile to something almost lonely.

“Right, I suppose you should,” He agreed though he was looking away from you now, off into the distance, and he seemed to have aged years with only those two words you had spoken.

“Doctor,” You say quietly, watching his eyes turn back to you again as you give him a grateful smile. “Thank you, again. I owe you one.”

He tried to smile and nod, though it didn't seem to reach his eyes, before he turned into the police box. Giving you one last glance over his shoulder, the door closed. You simply stood there for a moment or two, watching the police box, before you turned to walk up the steps of the apartment and open the door with the key you always kept in your pocket. The sound of groaning gears and wheezing made you glance over your shoulder as you open the door, watching as the police box began to disappear from your eyes. It faded to transparency and then completely disappeared as if it was never there at all.

Aliens. You shake your head slowly and move inside, limping slowly forward and moving towards the stairs. It took you a while to climb up to your actual apartment and to open that door. Your leg had begun to grow numb from whatever the Doctor had placed on it and all you felt was tired. As soon as you were in your home, you made your way to your bed. Shock did that to people, made them want to sleep it away and you were no exception.

Still, as you laid in bed, you couldn’t fall asleep. The lights were on and that might be part of the reason but you could hardly stand your bedroom being dark right now. Your brain tries to wrap around what happened to you today and sadly you fail miserably to even process half of it. All you can think, really think about is the sound of the T.A.R.D.I.S wheezing as it disappeared and those hands wrapping around you to pull you out of danger. Somehow, you wanted more than anything to see the Doctor’s smile again. You want to thank him one more time. You owe him for what he had done.

But instead, you fall asleep. Not on your bed as you would have hoped, but on a chair you pulled up to the window to stare up at the sky and while London hardly had the type of sky to see the stars, you could have sworn as you drift away you see just one hovering over the sky above your roof, watching over to make sure nothing was coming for you again.