Home, the long way round [1]

Chapter 13 - The Lodger

The TARDIS materialized in a small park across the road from groups of terraced houses as then the Doctor poked his head out, followed by Maddie. "No, Amy, it's definitely not the fifth moon of Cindie Colesta. I think I can see a Ryman's." Then there is an explosion, throwing the Doctor and Maddie to the ground, on top of each other, and the TARDIS dematerialized.

"Oh, god." Maddie groaned as she got off the Doctor.

The Doctor got up as he shouted. "Amy! Amy!"

Maddie looked where the TARDIS just stood. "Oh, Amy." Then she looked at the Doctor. "What happened?"

"I have no idea." The Doctor replied to her as they looked where the TARDIS just stood with Amy inside of it.

~00~

The Doctor rings the bell by the door and waited impatiently as Maddie stood beside him, they had found a note from Amy that they were now stood for to the house. They found it weird that Amy had written a note, it didn't happen yet, it was still in their future. It also means that Amy will do it in the future for their past selves. The Doctor have an earpiece with is a Bluetooth device, then the door opened and the man blurted out. "I love you."

"Well, that's good, because we are your new lodgers." The Doctor glanced at Maddie. "Do you know, this is going to be easier than I expected." Then The Doctor took the fluffy pink keys from Craig. Maddie just smiled at the man.

"But I only put the advert up today." The man said confused. "I didn't put my address."

"Well, aren't you lucky we came along?" The Doctor looked at him. "More lucky than you know. Less of a young professional, more of an ancient amateur, but frankly I'm an absolute dream."

"Hang on a minute, mate." The man told him. "I don't know if I want you staying. And give me back those keys. You can't have those." The Doctor give back the keys.

"Yes, quite right. Have some rent." The Doctor hands the man a paper take-away bag with lots of twenty pound notes in it. "That's probably quite a lot, isn't it? Looks like a lot. Is it a lot? I can never tell." Then they go into the hallway. The lights upstairs are flickering. "Don't spend it all on sweets, unless you like sweets. I like sweets. Oooh." The Doctor gave the man a couple of air kisses between each cheek as then Maddie shook hands with him. "That's how we greet each other nowadays, isn't it? I'm the Doctor and this is Maddie." He introduced themselves. "Well, they call me the Doctor. I don't know why. I call me the Doctor, too. Still don't know why."

"Craig Owens." The man/ Craig looked confused. "The Doctor?"

"Yep." The Doctor nodded to him.

Maddie looked upstairs. "Who lives upstairs?"

"Just some bloke." Craig replied to her.

"What's he look like?" The Doctor asked to him.

"Normal. He's very quiet." Then there was a loud crash. "Usually. Sorry, who are you again?" Craig asked as the Doctor pulled Maddie along him to the living room. "Hello? Excuse me?"

The Doctor ignored him, he looked at the ceiling. "Ah. I suppose that's dry rot?"

"Or damp. Or mildew." Craig suggested.

"It can be." Maddie muttered, looking up.

"Or none of the above." The Doctor muttered.

"I'll get someone to fix it." Craig told them.

"No, I'll fix it." The Doctor looked at Craig. "I'm good at fixing rot. Call me the Rotmeister." Maddie face palmed. "No, I'm the Doctor, don't call me the Rotmeister. This is the most beautiful parlor I have ever seen. You're obviously a man of impeccable taste. We can stay, Craig, can't we? Say we can."