Watch Us Run |1| The Ascension | A Doctor Who/MCU Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty Six: Tooth and Claw

When Alex woke that morning, she was still curled up in the Doctor's embrace. He had his eyes closed, his hair ruffled up from sleep, and she couldn't help but smile at his stupid, adorable face. They'd been on so many adventures together now that she couldn't believe how she'd ever thought he wasn't the Doctor. Every time she looked at him, she knew the truth, that it was him. That for her, it had always been him.

"I love you," she whispered.

"Hmm?" He yawned sleepily, his eyes flickering open.

"Er, I said 'hello, you'," Alex lied, flushing.

A broad, happy smile spread across his face as he met her gaze. "Hello."

"Hello," she returned. He leaned closer, and for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her properly, but his lips pressed against her forehead. She closed her eyes, trying to hide the sting of disappointment. "So what's today?"

"Oh, I don't know," he shrugged, leaping to his feet. "How about the '70s?" His eyes lit up. "Yes, the '70s! Get dressed!" And with that he bounded to the door, disappearing towards the console room.

Alex sighed, flopping back down onto the bed. "You know, one day, I'm gonna tell him." She shook her head. "One day..."

***

"What do you think of this?" she asked later as she entered the console room. She was wearing a casual white halterneck summer dress, leaving her upper back bare. She'd tied a denim jacket around her waist as well, and had finished it up with black ankle boots for good measure. "Will it do?"

At the console, the Doctor and Rose turned to look at her. "In the late 1970s? You'd be better in a bin bag."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to him, you look wonderful."

Alex grinned. "I'd better."

"Hold on, listen to this." The Doctor hit a button on the console, and familiar music started to play. "Ian Dury and the Blockheads, number one in 1979."

Alex's eyes widened, smiling. "Oh, Christ, you're a punk!"

He started to sing along. "It's good to be a lunatic..."

"That's what you are," she continued. "A big old punk with a bit of rockabilly thrown in."

"Would you like to see him?"

Rose blinked. "How do you mean? In concert?"

"What else is a TARDIS for?" the Doctor pointed out. "I can take you to the Battle of Trafalgar, the first anti-gravity Olympics, Caesar crossing the Rubicon, or Ian Dury at the Top Rank, Sheffield, England, Earth, 21st November 1979. What do you think?"

"Sheffield it is," Rose laughed.

The Doctor threw the dematerialisation lever, and as the TARDIS landed with a thump, they all fell to the ground, laughing. After a moment, he leapt to his feet, helping them both up before slipping his trenchcoat, rambling on all the while. "1979! Hell of a year. China invades Vietnam, The Muppet Movie—love that film—Margaret Thatcher, Skylab falls to Earth, with a little help from me." He headed out of the TARDIS backwards. "Nearly took off my thumb, and I like my thumb, I need my thumb." He turned around, hearing the clicking of rifles. "I'm very attached to my thumb," he finished, frowning.

Alex raised an eyebrow as the Redcoats surrounded them, their rifles primed and ready to fire. "This isn't 1979, is it?"

"1879," the Doctor realised. "Same difference."

The Captain trotted forwards on a glossy black steed. "You will explain your presence and the nakedness of these girls."

Rose looked down at her dungarees, affronted, but the Doctor was more concerned by the voice than what it said. "Are we in Scotland?" he asked, in the sweetest accent Alex had ever heard.