The Companion

The day ticked by quickly and we were able to close on time with only a few customers trickling in by the end of the afternoon. We all stayed to clean up and everything was done and put away in record time. What a team we made.

Harry popped his head in the back door just as the front of the shop was being locked up.

“Ready to go?” he said, making his way inside.

“Yeah, I reckon so,” I said walking into his outstretched arms.

“Would you like a ride, Doctor?” said Marie.

“No, I’ll be fine, just need the address,” he said cheerfully.

Harry passed it on in a rush of words, hurried along by the Doctor as he insisted he could remember it by heart. It was barely a second before he was gone out the back door in flash, tweed coat whipping around the corner and out of sight.

“Keen bean,” said Harry, giving me a look that expressed his bewilderment at the speed at which this exchange had happened.

“Hey, you heard him earlier, he barely gets invited places,” I said, crossing my arms.

“Oh are you defending him, now?” said Harry, chuckling at my stance.

“I just… think he deserves someone to stand up for him,” I said, because really it was true. The Doctor wasn’t half bad, in fact, he was rather endearing and carefree, something I wish I could still be.

“Ok, ok, I wasn’t taking shots or anything. I know he’s a good fella,” said Harry, holding up his hands in surrender.

“Yeah, well, don’t try anything else funny, will you?” I said, letting the defensive façade fall, and smiled knowing that Harry truly meant no harm in what he said. Anyway, I’m sure the Doctor wouldn’t even think anything of it.

Eventually Marie, Harry and I slowly made our way out to the back car park and as we walked out the door I quickly looked back at the cupboard to see it sitting there, normal as ever with no sign of any mysterious light. But I couldn’t help but notice the return of that feeling of apprehension ever so briefly before-

“Hey, something’s missing,” said Harry making me whip my head around so quickly that I clicked my neck.

“What, bub?” I said, rubbing my neck.

“There was a massive blue box over there when I came in,” said Harry pointing over to the very edge of the small car park. “It’s gone.”

“What are you talking about, Harry?” I said, giving his arm a little rub.

“I mean, there was a huge blue box, looked a bit like a phone box except it said Police on it and now it’s gone. How could it have moved that quickly?”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Quite sure,” he said firmly.

“It looks like strange things are a’ happening,” said Marie, wiggling her fingers like a magician in an effort to break the tension.

“Strange…” said Harry quietly, almost as if to himself. “But we should probably get going.”

With that he walked quickly towards the car with me in his wake while Marie got into her own vehicle and off we went to Niall’s house.

All the boys lived reasonably close to each other and to the store so it didn’t take too long to get there. As we walked up the drive I noticed that Harry still seemed a bit tense almost as if he had lockjaw.

“You all right there?” I asked, linking my arm around his.

“What? Oh yeah,” he said, shaking his head slightly.

I tried my best to comfort him without words as we reached the front door. Stepping up I knocked and we waited and, listening, we heard heavy footsteps running down the hall before the door was pulled open and we were greeted with the highly excited grin of Louis Tomlinson.

“Hello!!!” he said, jumping on top of both of us as we went in for a hug. Always good value, he was.

“You already had a few beers, have you, Louis?” Harry asked, chuckling.

“Just one, the night’s still young,” he said, pulling us in the door just as Marie came up behind us. We walked towards the lounge but didn’t miss Louis enthusiastically greeting Marie.

“Hey, the love birds have arrived!” said Liam from the couch, an Xbox controller in his hand and a paused game of FIFA on the screen.

“Hey,” I said, going in for a hug as Louis and Marie entered. “Where’s Niall?”

“Out on the barbeque being a man,” said Louis, flopping down on the couch to resume his FIFA game with Liam. Marie lowered herself into one of the chairs nearby.

“And what does that make you?” I asked, just as a loud curse came from outside.

“Argh shit, no!”

“A wiser man, clearly,” Louis replied.

“You’re horrible, you are,” I said, smirking before I ran out to check what had happened only to see Niall picking up some chops that had fallen on the ground.

“You need some help there, mate?” I asked bending down next to him.

“Na, I’ve got it. They just need a wash,” he said. “But hey, how are you, Kylie?”

“I’m good thanks,” I said, following him back inside. “Oh by the way, we’ve got a new employee at work and we invited him along tonight if that’s ok.”

“Yeah, no problem. What’s his name?”

“The Doctor.”

“The Doctor? As in his first name is ‘The’ and his last name’s ‘Doctor’?”

“Well… I, uh… it a long story. I actually don’t really know.”

“Filling Niall in on our extra company?” Harry asked, walking over to place an arm around my shoulders.

“Yeah,” I said and just at that moment the doorbell rang.

“That’ll be him,” I said, ducking out from under Harry’s arm and heading back into the hallway.

“Doctor!” I said as I opened the door. “I’m glad you found the place all right.”

“Ah it was simple enough, I’m good with directions. It was just a short hop anyway, but then, those can be a bit difficult sometimes,” he said.

“Oh, of course, umm do you wanna come in then?” I said stepping back to let him past me into the hall. He stepped inside, paused for a bit and looked around before giving a small nod and making his way partway down.

“Just through this door,” I said, pointing ahead of him but decided to lead him inside myself. “Boys, this is The Doctor. Doctor, the boys,” I announced to the room at large.

There was a general murmur of friendly welcome from all present.

“Hello!” said the Doctor quite cheerfully before making a circuit round the room to wring the boys’ hands in enthusiastic greeting.

Harry came to stand next to me, placing an arm around my shoulder and chuckling he said, “Always good value.”

“Oi, what did I say?” I replied, giving him a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

“What? I meant it nicely, in fact I approve of his politeness,” said Harry.

“Good,” I said, drawing out the word before letting out a little giggle.

“Do you reckon he drinks?”

“Harryyy.”

“It was just a thought.”

I watched as Niall offered the Doctor a beer and he took it in a glass saying it was his preference. He lowered himself down onto the couch next to Liam, who had just finished his game of FIFA with Louis, and began to make conversation in quite an enthusiastic manner. As he was talking, he went to take a gulp of the beer and with his cheeks puffed out I could tell he didn’t like it. I giggled as I watched him turn away from Liam to spit the beer back into the glass. He quickly wiped his mouth and turned back to say, “Sorry about that. I should’ve learnt by now… after all these years I’ve never really liked it.”

“Right umm well, I’ll be right back. Just going to get some crisps,” said Liam and I could tell he was trying not to laugh as he jumped up and walked over to Harry and I and said, “I feel we’re in for an interesting evening.”

Notes