I Like Smoke and Lightning...

[Rebbeca S. Tarks]

"What's wrong? Do you not recognize me?" It took a minute before she realized the Doctor was very early in his time line, "Oooohhh...that's it. You're but a...a...young...human...thing...CHILD! Yes a young child!" Sexy sighed and looked at him, "I wonder, do you kiss as good as your older self?" Without hesitating, she grabbed him by the cheeks and kissed him full on the lips. After a moment Sexy pulled back and smirked, "You haven't lost your touch...or...gained it...I'm not sure...OH! Spoilers! Sorry! I dunno, would kissing you be a spoiler? And why am I stuck as a blue box?" As she asked the last question, Sexy walked around the Tardis, gently kicking it a bit, running her hands over it. At one point, she licked it.

[Seren Ash]

The psychic feedback made her feel glorious, she could feel him. She could taste him, she could smell him. She felt everything he was, and everything she was. It was one massive swirling vortext of pleasure. A gasp leaving her as she pressed closer to him. She was groaning, the pleasure building in her as she squirmed in delight against him. She wanted to wrap her hands in his hair, and she did. Her head was swimming and she didn't care. She was getting lost in the pleasure, and was absolutely loving the sensations rushing through her.

His words wrapped through her mind, tears leaping to her eyes as she felt the pleasure burst through her heart at his words. She was vaguely aware that her head was tilted back now, and she was pressed up against the console of the TARDIS. She wanted more from him, but her mind was snapped back to reality as he stumbled for words. Libby stared at the odd woman, her lips parted and swollen from the kiss that Thete had given her. She took in a long breath, it rushed out as she shuddered from head to foot.

Libby watched the woman as she spoke again, her eyes widening. Somethings started connecting in her head, as she pressed her palm to her lips. She was shocked though as the woman kissed Thete. Rage rose up in the young woman as she resisted the urge to punch the woman. She blinked rapidly her eyes widening as she watched the woman leave the TARDIS quickly to walk around it and lick it. "The Chameleon Circuit, its broken sort of. Da says it's his fault in some ways..." She said as she answered automatically, then she stopped to look at Thete.

Her hand went back to his hair, as she pressed his forehead to him. Thete, I think she's from the future... She murmured as she frowned softly. She called you 'My Thief' and keeps referring to this TARDIS as 'I'. I think perhaps... she might be the TARDIS... sort of.

[The First Doctor]

Thete pulled himself away from the mad woman, scrubbing at his mouth with the back of his hand, shock and outrage visible on his face.

(And, deep in his mind, a single traitor line of subconscious thought that had found the moment of contact with her thrilling. The part of a Time Lord's consciousness that existed in eternity, for whom past and future were one and the same. That part knew her, even if Thete did not.)

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You haven't lost your touch...or...gained it...I'm not sure...OH! Spoilers! Sorry! I dunno, would kissing you be a spoiler? And why am I stuck as a blue box?" As she asked the last question, Sexy walked around the Tardis, gently kicking it a bit, running her hands over it. At one point, she licked it.

He caught Libby's hand and gently pulled her away from the console, trying to position himself between the woman he loved and the mad woman who claimed to be from the future. Ridiculous! You can't travel through Gallifrey's time! The thoughts were barely formed, more impressions than anything. But why do I feel like I know her, from somewhere?

He could feel Libby's rage, rapidly transmuting to shock and confusion as the mad woman began to examine - and lick - the console. "The Chameleon Circuit, its broken sort of. Da says it's his fault in some ways..." she said.

Then she slid her hand along the back of his head - something he felt he would have enjoyed much more, if there wasn't a crazy person in the TARDIS with them - and turned him to face her. She rested her forehead against his, her thoughts flowing rapidly.

Thete, I think she's from the future... She called you 'My Thief' and keeps referring to this TARDIS as 'I'. I think perhaps... she might be the TARDIS... sort of.

His response was complex, as telepathic communication tends to be. The primary channel said That's impossible. The Blinovitch limitation alone rules it out, and how could a TARDIS be a Time Lord? I think she's just crazy. Simultaneously, a secondary channel said That makes sense, in a way. But how?, while a tertiary channel emanating directly from his subconscious simply said Yes.

"Regardless," he whispered aloud, "If she's from the future, let's leave her to the future. And if she's crazy, let's leave her to the museum guards. And either way, let's get away from her."

He faced the crazy maybe-TARDIS woman. "Well, it's been a real pleasure to meet you... TARDIS," he said with a smile. "But, if I'm not your thief yet, then anything you say or do would be a... spoiler."

He forced a grin, and bowed. "So, we will take our leave for the moment. And we'll look forward to... stealing you in future days."

Carefully, not taking his eyes from the crazy lady (from his TARDIS), he held Libby's hand and backed towards the door.

[Rebbeca S. Tarks]

"Oh no, I've made you angry. Why is it whenever we meet I always mess things up?" she asked, a tear rolling down her cheek. She then touched said tear and looked at it, "Do I have a leak?" As Sexy watched as they backed up and just sat down on a bench. She always managed to screw things up, though she realized it or not was entirely different. "Thete, I think she's from the future... She called you 'My Thief' and keeps referring to this TARDIS as 'I'. I think perhaps... she might be the TARDIS... sort of. That's what you said isn't it. Psychic channeling connection. And you replied That's impossible. The Blinovitch limitation alone rules it out, and how could a TARDIS be a Time Lord? I think she's just crazy. Simultaneously, a secondary channel said That makes sense, in a way. But how? To answer your question, I can't. Spoilers. But, let me just say your future self is SO much more fun. And I think the Blinovitch limitation is a guideline more than anything. Nothing is impossible if you put your mine to it. And I am not a Time Lord, I am your Tardis. If you need proof, listen," Sexy said before opening her mouth and breathing as the Tardis would. The mechanical wooshing was almost impossible for a human to recreate.

[Seren Ash]

Libby rolled her eyes and stared at Thete with a rather bored look. My parents make these things, and their family has for a long time. Don't you think that I know what I am talking about. She teased as she squeezed his hand. She was leaning against him a little, she was nervous as all hell as of the moment. A shiver raced through her as she tilted her head to the side. Her lips quirking into an interesting smile. She laughed softly, chuckling lightly as she watched the events going on.

Libby was actually enjoying the presence of the woman, that was TARDIS in a body. It's not illogical you know. It's quite possibly for the essence of a TARDIS to be put in a new depositry. Though it would have a deterioration rate that was rather high. She said as she tilted her head towards him. She was watching the events and the woman that was talking to them. She was actually amused at the situation, then she saw the pulsing key in Thete's hand.

"Look..." She said as she pressed her fingers over his hand, and the key. A soft laugh left her and then she stopped as she stared straight at the woman. A gasp leaving her as she listened to the woman. "That would definitely be a TARDIS."

[The First Doctor]

My parents make these things, and their family has for a long time. Don't you think that I know what I am talking about. She teased as she squeezed his hand. It's not illogical you know. It's quite possibly for the essence of a TARDIS to be put in a new depositry. Though it would have a deterioration rate that was rather high.

That brought Thete up short. "Really? It can be done?" He looked at Libby curiously, then at the seeming madwoman. "I've always been told that they're too complex to be stored in a conventional brain, even in one as complex as a Time Lord's." He shrugged. "But I'll take your word for it." He smiled. "Arpexian."

"Oh no, I've made you angry. Why is it whenever we meet I always mess things up?" she asked, a tear rolling down her cheek. She then touched said tear and looked at it, "Do I have a leak?"

The seeming madwoman sat down, then repeated word for word everything he had thought to Libby. "But how?" she said, responding to Thete's unspoken question. "To answer your question, I can't. Spoilers. But, let me just say your future self is SO much more fun. And I think the Blinovitch limitation is a guideline more than anything. Nothing is impossible if you put your mine to it. And I am not a Time Lord, I am your Tardis. If you need proof, listen." And she made a roaring sound, the noise of a TARDIS time rotor coming to life.

"Look..." She said as she pressed her fingers over his hand and the key, which pulsed in time to the roaring sound. "That would definitely be a TARDIS."

He was dumbfounded. And then he knew what he had to do. "Will you excuse me, Libby? For a moment?"

Releasing her hand, he approached the weeping TARDIS-woman. "I... that is... I'm... sorry." Awkwardly, he sat down next to her. "This is just a, well, a surprise." A somewhat unwanted surprise, he thought, the taste and feel of Libby still fresh.

No it wasn't, a second part of his mind interjected. Stubbornly, he ignored that part.

"Look," he said, taking her hand. "You're obviously from my future - I haven't stolen you yet, right? But look," he held up the key. Her key. "I will, we will, someday. And it will be amazing."

It will be, he realized, looking around. Suddenly, he found himself wishing that someday was right now. But he wasn't ready. Not yet.

"It'll be the three of us, to start with anyway, seeing the universe." Whatever doubts he had were gone now. "And I don't know why you'll have a body then, but I can't wait to find out."

He stood up, tugging her to her feet. "But, you said it yourself. I'm not your thief. Not yet." He looked serious, and a little sad. "And you're a TARDIS. You can see Time even more clearly than we can. You know that if you stay, you risk changing everything. I might never become your thief."

He looked at Libby, feeling suddenly shy, then forced himself to continue. "So even though I want you to stay. Even though I want to steal you right now, take the three of us to see the Medusa Cascade and then keep going and never look back... I have to ask you to leave. And you know you have to."

He smiled, sadly. "But I'll come and visit you. And someday... someday..." The smile grew broad. "You'll be fantastic." He laughed. "And you know what?" He paused, letting the question hang. "So will I."

[Rebbeca S. Tarks]

"Fine, spoil sport. Nice to meet you...Libby was it? Trust me, you'll be good for him. And thief..." She hesitated only a moment before tilting her head, "If you don't steal me, I shall come back and slap it into you. Wait...how will I know what it feels like and IF I actually slapped you?" Once more, out of the blue came the woman's strange exploration of human actions as she slapped the Doctor across the face, "Oh! It's like biting! There's a winner too! Now then. I shall see you in...whenever..."

[Seren Ash]

Libby hung back, a soft laugh was leaving her as she folded her arms over her stomach. She cocked her head to the side, and listened to the little exchange that was happening. She arched her brow a little, a small smile was spreading across her lips. She was more then happy to watch this little event. It had kept her occupied for now, but she was interested in their date continuing. As soon as he had finished speaking to the TARDIS, she was about to step towards him.

Then she stopped and gaped at her. "You just hit him!" She said as she gasped softly. Her hands flew up to her lips as she laughed and started gasping as she resisted the urge to roll across the floor. It was so amusing, this woman was so amazing. "We will travel in the future, TARDIS. Someday, we will meet you." She said with a soft smile.

Her eyes closed as she wrapped her fingers around Thete's fingers. "Come on, lets leave. It was nice to see you, but we can't risk changing the future." She said softly as she kissed the TARDIS' cheek. A small smile on her face. "Someday, I'll meet you again."

[The First Doctor]

"Fine, spoil sport. Nice to meet you...Libby was it? Trust me, you'll be good for him. And thief..." She hesitated only a moment before tilting her head, "If you don't steal me, I shall come back and slap it into you."

"Don't worry," he said with a smile. "I'll be back."

"Wait...how will I know what it feels like and IF I actually slapped you?" Once more, out of the blue came the woman's strange exploration of human actions as she slapped the Doctor across the face, "Oh! It's like biting! There's a winner too! Now then. I shall see you in...whenever..."

He spun with the force of the blow, his hand going reflexively to his cheek. "You hit me!" he said, shocked.

"You just hit him!" Libby echoed, laughing.

"It's not funny!" Thete protested with wounded dignity.

"We will travel in the future, TARDIS. Someday, we will meet you." She said with a soft smile.

"Yes," Thete said, wagging a finger at his TARDIS. "And we'll have to have talk about this hitting thing."

Libby took his hand gently, and tugged him towards the door. "Come on, lets leave. It was nice to see you, but we can't risk changing the future." She said softly as she kissed the TARDIS' cheek. A small smile on her face. "Someday, I'll meet you again."

"That is not appropriate behavior for a TARDIS," Thete insisted, following. And then he laughed. "I guess that make her perfect for me, doesn't it?"

Good humored laughter followed in his wake as the two of them exited the TARDIS.

[Rebbeca S. Tarks]

"Fine. Till we meet thief and Libby," Sexy said before she started to fade away. There was the mechanical whirring associated with every Tardis, and she was gone. Where to, only she knew, but hopefully the doctor would keep his promise and steal her.

[Seren Ash]

"But it is, Thete, it is funny!" She gasped and shook her head a little as she was shaking with the laughter. A small smile curled her lips, as Libby laced her fingers with his. She was feeling as happy as she ever would. Her cheeks were flaring with color, her eyes alight again as she walked out of the TARDIS with him. She was more then happy to wave goodbye to the machine, as they rushed from the museum now. "She is perfect for you." She whispered.

There was a shadow of doubt in her eyes, in her touch. She was scared, that she wouldn't travel with him. Her head tilted down, and then back up as she stared straight at him. "Let's go on that picnic." She said as she squeezed his hand and leaned in towards his face a little. She kissed his cheek softly, still feelign buzzed from their earlier contact. "You're my heart, Thete. The blood of my blood." She said with a soft smile falling across her features.

She turned then and walked calmly from the museum, with him in tow behind her. "Alright, so where are we going?"

[The First Doctor]

"She is perfect for you." She whispered.

He stopped for a second, staring at the cubical form of the old Type 40, listening to the music of the time rotor as the woman-TARDIS faded away.

Silence.

Stillness.

He put his hand on the surface of the 4-space interface. Silence, yes. Stillness, yes. But emptiness?

Never.

"Yeah," he agreed, reluctantly pulling his hand away. "Yeah, she is."

"I'll be back," he said. A whispered promise.

He followed her from the museum, heart heavy and strangely light at the same time.

By the time they reached the street, he was feeling more his old self. But he could see that something about the encounter bothered her. There was a shadow of doubt in her eyes, in her touch. He squeezed her hand tighter, and just let his emotions flow through - love (flavored with lust) for her, confusion about what had happened, and a deep joy that could not be expressed with words.

Her head tilted down, and then back up as she stared straight at him. "Let's go on that picnic." She said as she squeezed his hand and leaned in towards his face a little. She kissed his cheek softly, still feelign buzzed from their earlier contact. "You're my heart, Thete. The blood of my blood." She said with a soft smile falling across her features.

"Always, Libby," he said with the same soft smile. "Always."

She turned then and walked calmly from the museum, with him in tow behind her. "Alright, so where are we going?"

The soft smile became madcap. "Follow me," he said.

---

The rest of the walk lasted less than twenty minutes, ending at a smallis stone house on the edges of the Domains of Lungbarrow. It resembled nothing more than an English cottage.

"My family home," Thete said, opening the door. "Dad built it to remind mom of home, the way I understand it."

The interior was larger and more elaborate than the interior, although it still retained elements that would have been familiar to a native of that particular temporospatial region of Sol-3. A family room nestled around a fireplace (fueled by zero-point energy rather than wood). Pattern icons and holosculpts sat on the mantle. Some were of a man in outlandish clothing, often posing with a woman who appeared to be made out of fine porcelain. The majority were of one or two children, nearly identical in appearance, with sandy brown hair and blue eyes. In the early pictures, one wore a set of leg braces. As the ages progressed, it was clear that they were images of Thete and his twin brother.

Adjoining the family room was a large kitchen - functional, but apparently not used with great frequency. It was separated from a dining room by a bar and an island.

"I'll be right back down," he said with a grin, starting up the stairs. "I've got to get something. Make yourself at home."

He started up the stairs, stopped, and darted back down them. Catching her in the arms, he kissed her quick, then kissed her a little more thoroughly. "All right," he said after a quick third kiss. "Now I'll be right back."

With that he was up the stairs, two and three at a time.

[Seren Ash]

The walk didn't take too terribly long, she did it mostly in silence. She held his hand, and allowed herself to feel close to his. She was more then happy to wander with him like this. She was a little surprised as she entered the home that he had grown up in. She and Thete had always done their lessons at her home. She had never been here before. She tilted her head to the side, a smile on her face as she watched him.

She laughed softly as she watched him. She was definitely interested in seeing what he was going to go get. She was just about to sit down, the moment he rushed back over and grabbed her up. A gasp left her as he kissed her, she was barely getting her senses back when he kissed her again. Then again. She was breathless as he rushed from her and up the stairs. A giggle leaving her as she sat down and waited to see what he was going to do.

[The First Doctor]

Thete wasn't gone long.

He came back down the stairs at the same pace he'd gone up them, two and three steps at a time, as if he were filled with barely-contained energy. He had changed his clothing - the kimono was gone, replaced by a black t-shirt and grey slacks and a leather jacket and boots - and he had something slung over his back.

"Miss me?" he asked with a grin, kissing her yet again. Then he stepped back to admire her, shaking his head in disbelief. What does she see in me? he wondered, amazed.

"You're beautiful," he breathed. "Did I tell you that? Because I'm a fool if I didn't, and I don't know if I could ever tell you enough." Then that mischievous smile of his danced across his lips. "But that particular outfit, much as I really like it, isn't a good one for getting out to the picnic site I had in mind. So, I took the liberty of having the House scan you while I was changing..."

He slung the something off his back, and presented it to Libby. "...And had him run you off something that would be."

It was an outfit similar to his own, jacket and shirt and breeches and boots, all done in colors of mint and emerald. "He guessed at the colors, based on your dress. If you want something different, you can just tell him what, and toss that one back in the maker engine."

[Seren Ash]

Libby waited patiently for him to return, she was calm and rather collected in her chair. Looking towards the mantel and all the pictures there. She had remembered both of the brothers from when she was younger. She remembered them now, from the Initiation ceremony. She had spoken to them, tried to make friends. But then after she saw the Schism she couldn't remember much after that. She looked back as she heard him coming down the stairs.

She laughed softly as he kissed her, then she felt the breath rush from her as he stepped back. A giggle leaving her as he showed her the clothes. Her hands clapped together as she took the items from him happily. "It's perfect!" She responded as she stepped away from him. "I'm gonna go around the corner, you behave yourself." She said as she playfully tapped him on the nose. Though a part of her wished he wouldn't.

As she went around the corner, she quickly changed into the clothing. Making sure everything was fitting right, before she came back over towards him. Her dress was folded up neatly, and she smiled at him brightly. "I'll leave this here for now."