Ficlet: DW: Visiting the Past (Eleven, Brig)
TITLE: Visiting the Past
CHARACTERS: Eleven, Brig, others mentioned
RATING: All
SUMMARY: For sleepismyfriend. After the events of Power of Three, the Doctor takes a side trip. Post Death of the Doctor for everyone else.
VISITING THE PAST
The Brigadier, Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart sat at his oversized dining table, an old-fashioned corded telephone to his ear. 'I agree, the time to make changes is now. Colonel Karim is probably lucky she doesn't have to face the consequences of her actions. Bringing in civilians and children and exposing them to such danger goes contrary to everything UNIT stands for.' He paused as the other person spoke. 'I'm just glad everyone's all right. I wouldn't want to have to explain to the Doctor that something had happened to Sarah Jane on UNIT's watch.' Another pause. 'Oh, well of course he was, that explains quite a lot.'
A young man walked into the room, a goofy smile on his face. 'Nice place you have here Alistair.' He realised the Brig was on the phone, and held up his hands. 'Oh, so sorry, please finish up.'
The Brig looked at the young man. 'And now he's here,' he said in the phone. 'I'll talk to you later. Are you coming for dinner on Sunday?' After the person's response, the Brig smiled. 'Excellent, I'll let Liz know and we'll see you then.'
He hung up the phone and folded his hands on the table. 'Doctor, I presume.'
'You're getting better at this,' the Doctor grinned as he straightened his bow tie and flopped down into the seat next to Alistair. He pointed at the phone. 'Changes to UNIT?'
'Well, we'll see how all that shakes out over time. Now, Doctor, what can I do for you?'
'What, can't I just visit an old friend? Say hello, that sort of thing?'
'Since when?'
'Since now?'
The Brig pointed at a decanter on a nearby table. 'Would you like a drink?'
The Doctor started to frown, knowing alcohol wasn't his favourite in this incarnation, then he looked across at the man in front of him. 'Why not?' he smiled, determined to make himself enjoy this time. He knew he was breaking the laws of time, but he also knew he didn't care. He'd done it before, and he'd do it again. No harm done like this.
The Brig stood up and went to pour them both a glass, then handed one to the Doctor. 'I am glad to hear that the rumours of your death were greatly exaggerated.'
'You know me, always kicking about the universe somewhere. Stopping invasions, righting wrongs, you know, the sort of thing we always did.'
'And which I'd like to do a little less of. I am supposed to be retired you know.' The Brig sat back down. 'It's about time I left the world-saving to the next generation, wouldn't you say, Doctor?'
'Speaking of the next generation, I met Kate today, well, today my time, about fifteen or twenty years from now your time, I suppose.'
The Brig held up a hand. 'I don't want to know. The less I know, the less I have to worry about screwing up the timelines.'
The Doctor only smiled and held up his drink to the Brig. 'To times past and times to come.' The Brig smiled and they both took a swig of their drinks.
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