How to Save the Universe

Who is she? The Life of the Party

WHOOM...WHOOM...WHOOM

A tall blue Police box slowly appeared out of thin air. A tall lean man in a brown suit steps out of the box nonchalantly, leaving the door open behind him, and leans casually against the side of the box. After a few seconds he calls inside:

"Come on Al, you look fine!"

A woman's voice from inside responds echoing slightly as if coming from inside a large metal room.

"I do not!"

The man turns and leans inside the doorway, obviously staring at someone inside.

"I don't see what the problem is. You look great."

The woman's irritated voice snapped and ranted at the amused on-looker at the door.

"You. Are. On. Crack. Either you have no fashion sense whatsoever or you're taking pity on me, and neither excuse is a very good one. And, by the way, why do you need so much women's clothing? And makeup? I'm starting to think you kidnap women, steal their clothes and dump them naked in the Victorian era."

"Funnily enough I have done that, but it was man, and I dumped him in the Elizabethan era, not the Victorian." The strange man replied.

"That does not help my situation! I need shoes."

"I gave you shoes!"

"You gave me tennis shoes."

"They're not tennis shoes. They're the best shoes in the Universe and they're excellent for running."

"They're converse. And I'm not going to be running I'm going to be dancing! And they don't even match! I half expected to find Narnia in a closet that big and there wasn't even a pair of matching shoes!"

"Oh come on! I thought you wanted to go to dancing? Can you only dance in certain types of shoes or something? Or are you do really care about what people think of you that much?"

"...Well, no...but..."

"Then what's the problem?"

A deep sigh comes from inside the box, and one bright teal high top converse shoe steps out, and is quickly followed by another converse shoe, this one purple.

Alaina twirled around for the Doctor. She wore a cerulean t-shirt type dress and a purple-knit hat to make the mismatched ensemble look as if it was all done on purpose. She wore a new pair of blue leather fingerless gloves, her guitar pick necklace, and a small gold and silver brooch above her heart. Tiny electric guitars twisted and turned, dangling from her ears as she smiled at the Doctor.

The Doctor smiled and grabbed her hand, "Allons-y!"

Alaina laughed as she was dragged along, "You're accent is atrocious!"

Neither noticed the shadowy figure watching them from a nearby archway on the street they had materialized on...

The room positively sparkled. The wine glasses, the champagne, the chandeliers--even the women refracted and bent the warm light, sending it around the room to dance around the guests. The room was filled with people dripping sophistication and class.

Alaina began to squirm with self-consciousness. These people look like snobs... Why would the Doctor bring me here?

The Doctor was standing on tip-toes to see over bald heads, and weaving through the crowd looking for someone.

"This doesn't look like your type of party, Doc, what are we doing here?"

"Oh it'll pick up after the bands start to play, for once, we're actually early," The Doctor shot her a quick grin, and continued scanning the crowd, "Ah! There he is! Jack! Oy! FRUITCAKE!!!" The Doctor craned his neck and shouted over the chatter of the crowd.

Alaina's mouth popped open slightly at the sound of his name, and a small grin followed after. You've got to be kidding me. Is it really him? I really get to meet Captain Jack? Suppressing her grin and fan-like upsurges of joy and disbelief, Alaina looked in the direction of the Doctor's gaze.

A handsome man, who looked just as out of place as Alaina in a long blue old fashioned coat, turned around from his conversation at the sound of his name and smiled a wide toothy grin at the sight of the Doctor.

"Doctor!! Just a minute!" He called back. Jack turned back to his companion, a beautiful woman who could've passed for a super-model, and smiled apologetically. The woman pouted a little bit but smiled again as Jack whispered into her ear. She giggled and smacked his arm playfully.

Captain Jack grinned smugly and sauntered over to the Doctor.

"Well if it isn't the high and mighty Time Lord himself! Where have you been?" Exclaimed Jack as the Doctor and he hugged warmly.

The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets and looked around nonchalantly giving a small sniff of importance and announcing in as care-free manner as possible, "Oh, you know, running from the hungry offspring of an alien race while saving Earth from an untimely demise. The Usual."

Jack gave a delighted laugh as Alaina rolled her eyes and snorted "Men." Captain Jack's attention quickly focused on her, a mischievous glint in his eye as he looked her up and down.

"Ah! I must apologize for not introducing myself to such a pretty thing sooner! Captain Jack Harkness at your service."

"Alaina Brayden, at yours," She said, eyes crinkling in silent amusement.

"Well in that case, there is one thing you could do that would be of great service to me," Jack winked and slid an arm around Alaina's waist.

Alaina's laughter drifted across the room and ringed tauntingly in the ears of a shadowy figure by the fireplace.

"Oy! None of that! She's my date. Who am I going to dance with if you steal her away?" The Doctor slipped in between Jack and Alaina replacing his own arm where Jack's had been.

Alaina felt a blush creeping up and smiled nervously while (unsuccessfully) trying to order her body to stop. This is no time for blushing!! Stop it!!--Gah but he called me his date!--I sound like a school girl with a crush! SHUT UP! I do not!--Oh my god if this is what happens to me when he wraps his arm around my waist what am I going to do if we ever kiss? Don't even think about it, you'll faint on the spot.

Jack laughed, flashing a brilliant white smile at the Doctor and then slipped his arm around the Doctor's waist.

"Oh Doctor, you know three is definitely not a crowd for me, in fact, My room's right upstairs and it has an enormous bed--we could fit two more in if you want--"

"You're drunk." The Doctor said accusingly.

A sudden crashing sound interrupted the Doctor before he could finish his lecture. Is that...? Alaina thought silently and then her eyes widened in recognition.

"No way!" Her head snapped around toward the other side of the room where the sound was coming from--the sound she now realized, of drums banging out a familiar beat.

Alaina grinned so widely her face hurt, and her heart felt like it was bursting with joy, "I love this song!!" Before the Doctor or Jack could stop her, she disentangled herself from the two and raced through the crowd.

Weaving and ducking around waiters, elegant dinner guests and--was that a giant dog on two legs?? Alaina raced for the stage.

She couldn't believe her ears, her favorite song of any and all times--here of all places! But it was. Song 2 by Blur. I can't believe this!!!

An electric guitar joined in with the drums. Alaina's body automatically reacted to the beat and her head started bobbing up and down in classic 90's head banger style as the singer stepped up to the mike.

"Woohoo!" A deep thrumming bass guitar now joined in as well and Alaina could feel the air vibrating around her. It had been years--so many years since she last heard this song and she was surprised to find she was singing along as if she had just heard it five minutes ago.

"Woohoo!"

Alaina swayed and bobbed still banging her head to the music--and was surprised to see that the uppity snobs dripping in diamonds were doing the same!

"Woohoo!"

Alaina didn't think she could smile any wider and she continued to sing along with the band as the Doctor and Jack finally caught up with her. The Doctor flashed her a Cheshire grin full mischief and his eyes seemed to say "I told you so." Jack immediately started head banging like a pro, and the supermodel from before slipped in and they started grinding. But Alaina didn't care--she was completely swept along with the song.

"I got my head checked! By a jumbo jet... It wasn't eas-ay, but nothing i-is, no--" Alaina started jumping up and down in time with the rocking beat and the room followed her lead men and women, aliens and strange up right dogs jumped up and down their jewelry crashing up and down as they all banged their heads and the crystal chandeliers above shook ferociously with the vibrations.

"WOOHOO!" The entire crowd was singing along now--even the doctor who had ripped off his tie and was doing a very impressive air guitar solo next to Alaina.

"When I feel heavy metal!"

"WOOHOO!" The whole ballroom was shaking, chips of plaster and gilded paint fell from the cieling and the chandeliers swayed dangerously.

"And I'm pins and I'm needles!"

"WOOHOO!"

"Well I lie and I'm easy. All of the time I am never sure--Why I need you. Pleased to meet yooou!"

Bodies thrashed and jumped and banged and bounced into one another--despite the elegant surroundings and chocolate fountain in the corner-- a mosh pit was forming in front of the stage, and Alaina was loving every minute of it--no one was singing louder or grinning wider than Alaina Brayden.

No one noticed or seemed to care that the tiles were cracking and the ceiling was crumbling and necklaces were getting tangled. And no one noticed the champagne glasses stacked in a glistening pyramid finally falling over with a terrific crash (not that anyone could hear it over the excellent sound system.)

And no one noticed the lone figure at the back of the room half hidden by the large red velvet drapes either.

"I got my head done. When I was young. It's not my problem. It's not my prooooblleeeem--"

"WOOHOO!"

Alaina was elated, her heart was full and happy and her soul seemed to be jumping out of her body. She felt like laughing and dancing and running around in circles. Tonight is the best night of my life! Her heart seemed to lift a little more as she prepared to yell/sing those old familiar words again:

"When I feel heavy metal!"

"WOOHOO!"

"And I'm pins and I'm needles!"

"WOOHOO!" The waiters were even jumping up and down along the sides of the room, their champagne glasses full and mysteriously sticking to the tray.

"Well I lie and I'm ea-say! All of the time and I'm never sure! Why I need you! PLEASED TO MEET YOOOOU!"

The room was falling apart around them, the chandelier crashed behind the swarming mosh pit but no one payed any attention.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!"

The chocolate fountain tipped over and poured it's yummy goodness all over the floor, but again no one noticed.

"Yeah Yeah!" Alaina closed her eyes in ecstasy.

"Oh yeah-!" The song ended abruptly drums and guitars crashing to a halt and the whole room landed on the last note and the room gave a shuddering BOOM as they stopped jumping.

A silence feel as the electric whine from the amps faded away...

And then cheer roared from the crowd almost as loud as the boom before and Alaina laughed and turned to the Doctor, her blue-green eyes sparkling as she said, "Thank you!"

The band bowed and instead of flowers the once fashionable and honored guests threw cuff links and pearl necklaces and diamonds up onto the stage for them.

The Doctor laughed and Captain Jack came up behind them grinning, "These New York Sunerians may look like snobs but they sure do know how to throw a party huh?"

Alaina nodded enthusiastically, "I've never had so much fun in my life!!" her grin was infectious.

"Sunerians are true rock punks in their little purple hearts, but their parties never last long." Said the Doctor as he beamed down at Alaina. Her heart skipped a little as she looked into his eyes.

"Why?" She asked. But her question was answered before she even finished, as a loud WOOP WOOP came from outside and Alaina saw flashing yellow and green lights through the crystal windows. I'd recognize cop cars in any galaxy.

Alaina laughed, "So that's why!" Someone closer to the windows yelled "IT'S THE FUZZ!!!" The room was in motion instantly, people scrambled for the exits (high heeled shoes or no.) The Doctor and Jack were swept away from Alaina towards the other end of the room--"Meet us at the TARDIS!!" The Doctor yelled over the crowd as he was pushed and shoved.

Alaina quickly scrambled for the exit closest to her, a big red door that said "XIAT" on it, she assumed it was a fire exit and she was right. The door slammed open and the cold night air rushed over her as she saw she stood at the top of a tall rusted staircase. This thing is a death trap waiting to happen. She thought. She had no idea how right she was.

Alaina quickly ran down the steps making a ninety-degree turn as the stairs whipped around in a zig-zag down to the ground. She was grateful that she wasn't wearing heels as she had planned to. Not that I would ever tell Doctor that, and smiled.

But as she turned around the last corner, almost to the ground and away from those pesky cops she ran into someone.

The someone who had been watching her all night. The someone who had been waiting for her to be alone all night. The someone who had called the cops in order to separate her and the Doctor. The someone who had waited patiently at the bottom of these steps for her arrival with murder in his dark heart.

Alaina felt a wet cloth smash into her face, her nose shooting white pain to her brain as the harsh smell of chemicals drifted through the cloth. Alaina only had time to think Crap. Maybe this isn't going to be the best night of my life-- before she passed out.