Turn Again
by Kathryn A
Written for the Hirothon crossover challenge.
| Universe: | Doctor Who/Heroes |
| Category: | AU Crossover |
| Words: | 850 |
| Spoilers (Doctor Who): | "The Christmas Invasion", "The Sound of Drums", "The Last of the Time Lords" |
| Spoilers (Heroes): | general knowledge of Hiro |
"I could bring down your government with a single word."
Harriet Jones shook her head slightly. "You're the most remarkable man I've ever met, but I don't think you're quite capable of that."
"No, you're right," the Doctor bit out, "not a single word. Just six."
Her chin came up. "I don't think so."
His anger was still high. "Six words."
"Stop it!" she said.
"Six."
The Doctor walked up to the Prime Minister's aide, Alex, took off his earset, and said to him, quietly, "Don't you think she looks tired?"
Alex looked puzzled, and stared at the Prime Minister. The Doctor knew that that would be enough. Sow the seeds of doubt in the minds of her most trusted people, add their uncertainty to the fear he'd already planted in her heart, and she was doomed.
The Doctor stalked away, back in the direction of Jackie's flat. Rose, Jackie and Mickey joined him.
He could hear Harriet Jones behind him, calling out.
"Doctor! Doctor, what did you -- what was that -- what did he say? What did you say, Doctor? Doctor!"
Stillness. The Doctor was still so caught up in his anger that he'd already taken a few strides when he realized that the others were no longer moving.
Then another voice broke the silence. "I did it!"
The Doctor whirled. Jackie and Rose and Mickey were still as statues. Nothing was moving except himself, and a short Japanese man in worn and grimy khaki clothing, with the hilt of a sword poking up behind his back.
"Doc-tor?" he said. "You should not be moving."
The Doctor stepped up to the man, towered over him. "I shouldn't be moving? Everything should be moving! What have you done?"
"I freeze time," the man said. "Looking for you. Dangerous. Take care."
"You froze time? That's not possible!" the Doctor protested.
"I have power," the man said. "Am hero, use power for good." The man bowed. "I am Hiro Nakamura, and you are Doctor. I have message for you."
The Doctor blinked. "You have a message for me."
Hiro nodded. "Save Harriet Jones, save the world."
"What?" The Doctor gestured to where the Prime Minister was standing, back in the clear space where they and the TARDIS had materialized. "She's perfectly fine," he lied.
"She fine now," Hiro said, "but she become ill, lose position."
"How do you know that?"
"I come from future," Hiro said. "Terrible, terrible future. New Prime Minister, Harold Saxon, evil man. He invite aliens, kill President, kill many, so many, enslave world."
Did you think you could change history and there would be no consequences, Doctor? "No!" the Doctor protested. "Why should I believe you?"
"You must!" Hiro said, wide-eyed. "World depends on it!"
Stop stalling, Doctor, you know he's right. Then something else occurred to him. "Wait a minute -- how did you know to come to me, right here, right now? How did you recognise me? Is the message from me? No, that couldn't be it, I'm not stupid enough to do something like that, the paradoxes involved would bend the universe."
"I know you from television. Harry Saxon, he hate you, capture you, do terrible things --"
"Why would Harry Saxon hate me? I've never even met the man!"
"I do not know," Hiro said. "Maybe you not meet him yet."
"Good point."
"I spend almost one year tracking back, look where things start to go wrong. I find archives of Harriet Jones, previous Prime Minister. On television, she ask for your help. Next day, she become ill. I think, you are doctor, maybe you can cure her?"
The Doctor blinked. "Maybe I can, at that," he said. "Maybe I can." He squeezed Hiro's shoulder. "Thank you."
"You will help?"
"I'll help. I'm the Doctor." He smiled.
Hiro bowed, and vanished. Time started flowing again.
The Doctor walked back towards the Prime Minister, just in time to hear her softly spoken words. "I'm sorry."
"Well, well, wonders never cease," he said, stepping out of the shadows, "a politician apologizing."
"Doctor," she said wearily.
"Prime Minister," he said, putting a friendly arm over her shoulder. "We all make mistakes," he said, brightly. "Even me, sometimes. Remember Dick Whittington? 'Turn again Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London'? And what would have happened if he hadn't listened, eh? Turn again, Harriet Jones, thrice Prime Minister of England. Doesn't have the same kind of ring to it, though."
"Doctor, what are you talking about?"
"I said, 'Don't you think she looks tired?'" he said quietly, facing her. "But I was mistaken."
He rummaged around in the pockets of his dressing gown, and pulled out an apple. "Ah!" he said. He turned and tossed the fruit to Alex, who caught it with bemusement. "An apple a day keeps the Doctor away. She hasn't been having enough fruit. Do a good job of looking after her, and she'll be re-elected."
"I'll do my best," Alex said, mystified by the Doctor's actions.
"Good, good," the Doctor said. "All that anyone can be expected to do. Watch her, she's gonna be brilliant." He gave a huge grin. "Merry Christmas."
Thanks to Judith for suggestions and Nico for the title and beta-reading.