Bittersweet and strange ~ Doctor who [3]

The Pandorica Opens

France 1890

It's a raining night. In a bedroom, an unappreciated artist is having a breakdown by his new painting of Still Life with Twelve Sunflowers, dedicated to Andy. His doctor is in attendance.

"Vincent, can you hear me? Please"

"It's not enough he goes drinking all around the town. Now the whole neighborhood has to listen to his screaming" Vernet complains.

"He's very ill, Madame Vernet" the doctor tells her.

Madame Vernet looks at another painting, which we do not get to see, "Look at this, even worse than his usual rubbish. What's it supposed to be?"

**********

Cabinet War Rooms, London 1941

Bracewell brings the picture to Prime Minister Churchill, "It was found behind the wall, in an attic in France. It's genuine. It's a Van Gogh"

"Why bring it to me?"

"Because it's obviously a message, and you can see who it's for" Bracewell tells him.

"Can't say I understand it"

"You're not supposed to understand it, Prime Minister. You're supposed to deliver it"

**********

Stormcage Containment Facility, 5145

A guard answers a telephone, "Cell four two six. The Doctor? Do you mean Doctor Wolf?"

River goes to the bars of his cell, "Give me that. Seriously, just give it to me. I'm entitled to phone calls" the guard gives her the telephone, "Doctor?"

"No, and neither are you. Where is she?" Churchill asks him.

"You're phoning the time vortex. It doesn't always work. But the Tardis is smart. She's re-routed the call. Talk quickly. This connection will last less than a minute"

"Doctor Wolf. Are you finished with that?" the guard asks him, River returns the phone with a smile.

"You're new here, aren't you?"

"First day" the guard reveals.

"Then I'm very sorry" River pulls him to the bars and kisses him. Later, a group of armed guards run to the cell. The guard is inside, pointing his gun at something.

"Stay exactly where you are"

"He had the chapstick. The hallucinogenic chapstick. He tried to use it on me. Your tricks don't work in here, Doctor Wolf" he is pointing his gun at a stick drawing on the wall with the word bye! In a bubble.

**********

The Royal Collection 5145

Empty frames hang in the empty hallways. River finds the picture he is looking for and tears it out of its frame. He is halfway up a staircase when the lights come on. "This is the royal collection, and I'm the bloody queen. What are you doing here?" Liz asks him.

"It's about the Doctor, ma'am. You met her once, didn't you? I know she came here" River tells her.

"The Doctor?"

"She's in trouble. I need to find her" he tells her.

"Then why are you stealing a painting?"

"Look at it. I need to find the Doctor, and I need to show her this"