Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It starts on a Saturday morning in Stark/Avenger’s tower, when Bruce wakes up at 6 instead of the more acceptable 9AM. There is no going back, so he makes his way quietly from bedroom to kitchen. Then, cereal -in bowl- in hand, to the couch. After about five different tries with a much more confusing than it looked remote, he managed to turn the television on. He also managed NOT to become a giant rage monster when he finally noticed Clint sitting on the couch beside him.

“Jesus!” Bruce hisses, “Do you have a death wish or something?” Clint simply nods, face impassive.

“You woke me up.”

“Sorry.” Bruce whispers in return. Although he’s fairly certain that Clint doesn’t sleep. Not like regular people do anyway. Since someone has (Surprisingly) left the television on mute, there is a slightly awkward silence until Bruce finally figures out the volume button. Almost instantaneously an electronic theme song starts.

Natasha appears before the opening sequence is over. Bruce has no idea how she heard them, or why she looks so excited, but there she is. Clint is not surprised at all. She’s in her pajamas, or what the physicist assumes are her pajamas: Sweat pants, a t-shirt, hair a mess, no makeup.

“We’re watching Doctor Who?” Natasha poses, like it’s a question. Like she didn’t appear out of nowhere at the first sound of the theme with the tiniest smile and plop between the other two with the slightest squeal. “Of course.” Clint answers, with just as many undertones. Bruce smirks. They watch The Empty Child and then The Doctor Dances. Natasha leans a bit toward Clint the entire time, and Bruce catches an extra smirk when the Doctor shouts. “Everybody lives!” It is agreed that Doctor Who is the best show to watch on Saturdays.

Chapter Text

The next time anyone has time to sit through an entire episode of Doctor Who, it’s a Tuesday. At 11:36 pm, Natasha sneaks onto the couch in front of the television and flicks it on, volume on low.

She lets the intro play out before she calls her visitor out. “Are you going to stand there all night or are you going to sit down?” She mumbles. The shape behind her shifts and in a moment Tony is sitting on the couch too.

“When did you become a fan of Doctor Who?” Natasha asks as The Unicorn and the Wasp starts up. Tony pulls an I-Don’t-know-what-you’re-talking-about-but-really-I-sorta-do face. He knows he’s at least HEARD of Doctor Who before. “No, I was just getting something for a project and saw you. I didn’t even know you watched television. I took you more for a book type. What even is this?”

“This is one of the greatest things to have ever existed. So shut up and watch. Or leave.”

Tony is quiet for all of 2 minutes. Enough time for him to learn that The Doctor (is that his title? Who would choose that title?) And Donna (Who was scarily close to Pepper sometimes. Weird.) Were not a couple, and were at a party in the past, with OH GOD IS THAT AGATHA CHRISTI?! “Is that Agatha Christi!” Tony exclaims, pointing. Natasha smacks his arm (which hurts like a BITCH.) but she also nods.

Tony is quiet for another 3 minutes. In those minutes he learns that the Doctor is not what he looks like, (What was that stuff he held up? It fooled everyone but there was nothing there. Psychic paper? He’s have to look into that.) Agatha was not either, (Really she was too cavalier about that DEAD BODY IN THE LIBRARY) and Donna does NOT like being called PLUCKY.

“Is this a regular thing for these people? Dead bodies? I mean obviously this Doctor’s seen a few, but the people are- OW!” Tony’s commentary is cut short by a quick swat to his arm. When he looks at Natasha though, he catches a small smirk. (So she DOES have a sense of humor. FINALLY.) He is quiet long enough to hear Donna and The Doctor talk about Noddy, whatever that meant.

The interviews are punctuated with small, witty, comments.

“Wow, ‘walking’, okay.”

“Easy there my lady, it’s still early.”

“Flashback-CEPTION!”

“Do these people ever do what they SAY their doing?”

But when the cyanide comes into play, he’s silent. He watches the entire exchange without a word. He smiles at the charades, and his eyes get wide as the Doctor heals himself. After the Doctor winks, Tony sits up straighter and wispers, “JARVIS pause.”

“Don’t tell me that scared you.” Natasha teases. Tony just turns to her, with confusion on his face. “Explain please?” He mumbles, gesturing to the T.V. And to his surprise, she does. Without even rubbing it in that he couldn’t figure out that the Doctor was an Alien (He’d thought he was just from the future). It only takes about three minutes of conversation for Tony to have a working understanding of Doctor Who. (And he was RIGHT about the psychic paper!) After his lesson, Tony settles back into the couch and says “Play.” With just a hint of excitement. The rest of the episode passes with a mix of witty comments, small smiles, quick smacks, and a few actual giggles from both sides. 

Later, when Tony and Natasha are preparing for the next mission, She catches his eye on the way to the jet. “Onwards?” Tony whispers, grinning. She doesn’t reply. But she does smile.

Chapter Text

Everyone is home when Natasha flicks the TV on next. It’s a Saturday, about a week after the “Onwards” Mission that ended better than expected but worse than it should have. Clint sits on her left, and Banner to her right and farther away. A few quick flicks of her fingers and soon the electronic theme is blaring through the television speakers again.

“OOOH! I’ve hear good things about this show.” Tony waltzes in and plops next to Bruce, but not before sliding a quick look at Natasha. She gives him the smallest of smiles and cranks the volume.

“What’s going on in here?” Steve asks, poking his head in. “It’s very, loud.”

Instantly Tony is up and dragging Steve towards the couch. “Come on Capcicle it’s TV time!” Steve’s face scrunches a bit in confusion, but he lets himself be led to the couch and sits on the other side of Tony, between him and Natasha.

“What are we watching?” Steve asks timidly as the credits wrap up. “Doctor Who!” The chorus replies, Clint and Tony even throwing in an excited hand gesture.

“What?”

“No, Who.” Natasha corrects. Steve directs his lost look at her, but she’s fixed on the screen. So Steve looks there instead. Luckily they’re watching The Eleventh Hour. In the first few moments most of his initial questions are answered, and he’s forming new ones. Like how that flashy blue tool works.

Tony Starts his witty commentary almost instantly with a quip about yogurt that makes everyone grin, even just a bit. “Finally someone points out the evil of beans!” Bruce shouts at the screen. Tony giggles. And so starts the comment war.

Bruce: “Poor Kitty!”

Tony “Don’t just fry something. FRY EVERYTHING!”

Bruce: “Are carrots evil too?”

Tony: “How could that concoction POSSIBLY BE GOOD FOR YOU?”

Bruce: “Have you met my aunt Martricia?”

“HOLY SHIT! EYE!”

That one comes from Steve, as the crack snaps open and the Atraxi look through it. Natasha hurriedly stops the show, and it is explained to Steve that the eye, and the crack in space, and the space/time ship aren’t really real.(Damn) On the upside he finally learns that the flashy blue thing is a ,fake, sonic screwdriver. Once all the basic bases are covered, Natasha starts the show again, and they watch the Doctor fall into the blue box. Steve is just starting to admit he likes the show when Thor walks in.

“Why is that man handcuffed to a wall?” is the first thing Thor asks.

“It’s a radiator, not a wall.” Clint corrects this time, making Natasha smirk. The rest of the couch just ignores him.

“NO, no don’t GO IN THE EXTRA ROOM! NO!” Tony commands the television, drawing a baffled look from Thor.

“You know she can’t hear you, right Stark?” Steve asks, and Bruce laughs. “Even I know that.”

“I am well aware of that, thank you.” Tony replies, crossing his arms defiantly.

“I don’t understand.” Thor says, looking from Tony to Bruce to Natasha with bewilderment. “Why is this room- AAAH!” There’s a mad scramble for the Remote, and for Thor, who is trying to summon Mjolnir and smash Prisoner Zero along with the TV. Steve finally stops him with a whack to the head with the popcorn bowl. Then he sits the Asgardian down and tries to explain that not EVERYTHING on television is true.

“It’s like JARVIS’s projections for Tony, they LOOK real but they aren’t.”

“It’s not that.” Thor says, “That monster reminds me of something from, home.” There is a small moment of silence which Clint breaks with his most lawyerly and politically correct voice. “Any resemblance to monsters, living dead or alien, is entirely coincidental and not the fault of the writers, actors, or creators of this show. “ Tony, Bruce, Steve, and even Natasha erupt into laughter. Thor still passes his confused face over everyone. It takes five full minutes for them to stop.

Chapter Text

After what is dubbed simply ‘the Incident’, it is decided that, when they are together at least, they should watch the show from the beginning. Until Tony learns that there are almost 50 years or Doctor Who to catch up on. After enough negotiation (i.e. whining) the team agrees to start with the new series.

This of course means a lecture in Who basics for those who haven’t seen the show before. It's twelve days before everyone is at the Tower long enough for them to even consider watching TV. Bruce volunteers to teach them  that afternoon. He tries to take his time, to be as thorough as he can without just telling them everything. He finds it increasingly difficult.

“If this Doctor is not a healer, why does he call himself one?” Thor asks before Bruce can explain Gallifrey. Steve nods in agreement. Tony hasn’t bothered to show up.

“It’s just his title. That’s what people call him.” He explains to the god. Thor does not look convinced.

Bruce gets through space travel with no problems. Somehow a machine that exists across all space is no big deal to someone who frequently travels by wormhole and a soldier from the 40’s. Time travel however, is a whole different story.

“So he can just go any time he wants and mess with things?” Steve interjects as Bruce tries to explain.

“Not really.” Bruce answers, fighting down the wave of annoyance that flashes up. “There are rules to it. There are some places that can’t be touched, and some things that just have to happen." He sees confusion pass over Steve's face and feels a bit guilty.  "It’ll make more sense when you watch the show.”

“I sure hope so.” Steve sighs. This time Thor nods in agreement.

After almost an hour of explanation, Bruce deems them ready to watch the show. He brings them into the TV room, where the rest of the team, including that little delinquent Tony, are already finishing up some movie.

“I think they’re prepped.” Bruce announces, flopping next to Tony on the couch. “Well, everyone but Mister Genius I’m-to-good-for-lessons over here.”

“Hey, I Googled after my first episode!” Tony defends, looking a little hurt.

“Yeah whatever.” Natasha quips. She pull the remote from somewhere to her left. Tony looks at the TV expectantly.

Natasha waits until everyone is sitting and ready: Herself at one end of the couch next to Steve and the popcorn, Clint between Steve and Tony, Bruce sandwiched between Tony and a random couch armrest, and Thor at the opposite end. Once they’re all settled, she starts from season 1, episode one. “Rose”

In the first five minutes of the show, Steve decides that he loves this doctor, Natasha decides that this episode is definitely not her favorite, Clint decides he likes Rose, Tony and Bruce decide they don’t like Rose and EVERYONE decides that they don’t like Mickey.

“HELLO!” Tony yells at the screen, “Did you not see the MOVING PLASTIC DOLLS?”

“Or the giant explosion?” Bruce adds.

“Seriously where were you when this crap was happening.” Clint chimes in.

“I don’t think he’s thought this through.” Steve agrees.

“I don’t understand. Moving plastic is not normal?” Thor weighed in. Steve gives him dubious look at first, then reconsiders.

“Not like that.” He finally replies.

The rest of the episode goes by almost quietly. Everyone laughs at the Doctor being choked. Tony yells at Rose for not expecting the search results. Bruce calls her out on not recognizing a plastic Mickey. Thor agrees with him. Everyone asks for popcorn while plastic Mickey and Rose have pizza. Everyone gets into the big end fight. There’s shouting, mostly from Thor, and someone throws popcorn at the screen when Rose leaves Mickey to travel with the Doctor.Natasha's fairly certian she hears Tony call Rose something rude and monosyllabic.

“It’s getting late.” Clint says as the credits role. Bruce nods. “I’m going to stay up a bit." Natasha says, selecting “The End Of The World” from the menu. “You all can go if you want.”

No one goes to bed until 2AM.

Chapter Text

The Tower isn’t the best place for insomniacs at the best of times, and the night Thor brings his brother back is never, ever going to be an exception.

He doesn’t being him to the Tower per say, but Loki’s on-planet and that makes certain people, edgy. And when Tony, well he does a lot of things, but tonight he watches TV.

He’d almost gotten used to finding people already on his couch, watching TV at o’dark-thirty in the morning. But the person he finds this night is not any of the ones he has seen before. Not Natasha’s or Clint’s or Bruce’s, or any other combination of the usual suspects. It was long dark hair, and glasses, and boobs. And It was watching what he wanted to be watching.

“Do I know you?” He asked It, ever so subtly looking for a panic button or a weapon.

“No.” It answers. “I’m pretty new. You’re Tony.”

“I am.” He replies, managing to put both suspicion and pride in two words. “ And you’re?”

“Darcy Lewis, friend of a physicist, Taser of gods.” She twists around the couch to wave at him, and then turns back to her show. Which is his show too.

“You like this show?” He asks, sitting ever so carefully on the couch. They’re nearly on opposite sides of the couch. “More than anything.” Darcy confesses. “It’s kind of my guilty pleasure.” Tony, for once, doesn’t answer. For almost a whole minute he watches the show. It’s a new episode, with a companion he doesn’t recognize and a Doctor he’s never seen in a full episode. Then he finally caves.

“Why are you in my tower again?” She pauses the video with the remote, apparently no one has introduced her to JARVIS yet, and turns to him.

“I really don’t know.” She answers.

Tony Stark is rendered speechless once again, so she goes on.

“I’m Jane’s, uh Dr. Foster’s, lab assistant, and I was there when all that Norse shit went down the first time. And since Thor and his brother were gone, SHEILD brought her back from wheretheheckistan to replace Eric, -Selvig, with research. And today, when Thor came back . . . she told me you had space offered, and that she couldn’t bring me to where ever they were going. A car brought me here, an agent walked me in, and that’s about as far as their hospitality goes I guess.”

“And no one showed you around? Got you a room? Threw you out because I don’t know you or your boss?” Tony questions her quickly.

“No.” She says flatly. “No one seemed to be around. It was kinda late.”

“It’s nearly 4:00AM.” Tony points out.

“I am aware.” She concedes.

“Okay then.” Tony settles back on the couch, maybe scooting a little bit towards this Darcy person. “JARVIS, play.”

“So that’s how that works.” Darcy whispers, and Tony can’t help but smirk.

Chapter Text

The addition of Jane, and by extension Darcy, to the Tower has its consequences.  Some of them are good, like the way Darcy makes grilled cheese and tomato soup that is “Fit for the gods!” according to Thor. Or the fact that Jane is almost immediately dubbed a ‘science bro’, despite the fact that her lab is at SHEILD and not in the Tower. Nowhere, however, is the change more obvious than on Doctor Who night.

Firstly, Darcy calls them all into the TV room herself on a Thursday. Literally. And Tony is never going to let Bruce live down that particular personalized ringtone.  Secondly, the whole dynamic of the night changes.

“I cannot believe you guys have been watching this without me!” Darcy yells and they file in. Clint gives her a suspicious look.

“You’ve only been here for like a week.” He points out.

“Pssh. So?” Darcy scoffs. Tony grins.

There are snacks, which is not new, and there is an episode waiting to start, which is also not new. Bruce notices that there is a bowl of fresh blueberries, for some reason, which is a bit new, but not worth mentioning more than once.

Sitting down is a bit more complicated than before, as there is now officially a couple on the couch. Thor and Jane take the two seats at the far end of the couch. Warily, Clint sits next to them, but not too close. Darcy sits next to Clint, threatening to separate Jane and Thor if they don’t pay attention. Bruce sits next to her, trying not to laugh at the look Jane is giving her friend. Tony plops down next to Bruce before Natasha can, and Natasha gives Darcy a very carefully blank look before she sets herself down on the other side of the middle arm. Steve, politely, takes the other end of the couch.

Darcy, who was somehow able to figure out the remote that no one else could even find, starts the episode. And then she cringes.

“What’s up? Tony asks her, although his face lacks concern.

“This episode, that’s what.” Darcy whispers back. “It’s, not my favorite.”

“Why’s that?” Steve says, leaning forward to look at Darcy. Natasha quickly shushes him.

Bruce leans over and whispers “I understand completely.” into her ear. Darcy settles back into the couch and awaits the carnage.

Bruce and Tony snark their way through the first part of the first episode, pointing out all the stupid television show jokes. Steve turns an alarming shade of red when the good Captain mentions where he was hiding the gun. 

Bruce, Natasha, and Jane all give looks to Thor when he gasps at Rose’s ‘disintegration’.  The look on the gods face rivals the Doctors. Jane is clutching his hand. Darcy pointedly ignores them. When they find out where Rose is, there’s a sigh of relief from the far end of the couch.

When the Daleks are revealed, every heartbeat on the couch goes up. Even Natasha's.  And when the screen goes black, there are a few, very small, noises of disappointment.

“This cannot be the end!” Thor shouts. “The Doctor must save his Rose! The Daleks must be defeated! TELL ME THAT IS NOT THE END!”

“CHILL!” Darcy shouts, even over Thor, which is saying something. Girl has some lungs. “It’s not the end. Not by a long shot.” She sets her face, and starts the next episode.

Thor, and a few other, less expressive members of the couch, happily watch the Doctor save Rose. It’s when she’s tricked to safety, and she decides to go back , that the debate starts.

Tony, surprisingly, doesn’t start it. Steve does.

“Why would she want to go back there?! Especially after he worked so hard to keep her safe!” he barks, throwing his hands at the screen.  Darcy opens her mouth to reply, but Thor beats her to it.

“She wishes to assist the Doctor! She is a brave and courageous woman!” He retorts, souting just as loud. Bruce flinches, watching Rose convince her family to tear the TARDIS open. Steve makes to continue the argument, but one glance at Natasha shuts him up. He sits back, fuming. Until the Doctor’s actions in the Time war are mentioned.

Expressions move from interested and slightly sad to genuine conflict. Darcy can feel it, all around her. She knew they were trained for things like spy missions and invading countries. Not aliens, and not aliens who are faced with REPEATING GENOCIDE. It’s like a blanket, itchy and woolen, falls over all of them for a moment. She has to fight the urge to scratch her arms off. Thor, Steve and Tony, she notices, seem especially pained. Everyone seems uncomfortable, but they are the worst at hiding it.

When Rose returns, with all the power of time itself inside her, the mood changes. The itchy guilt blanket disappears, and now the couch is full of varying stages of admiration. When she raises Jack, Jane hears a very quiet ‘yes!’ from the other side of the room. And when she disperses the Daleks and the ‘Bad Wolf’, Thor actually applauds. When she falls in the TARDIS, more faces than his fall.

“She’s going to die?” he asks, as quietly as he can. Darcy holds up her hand and points at the screen. Just in time for the Big Damn Kiss.

Tony is decidedly unsettled by the non-arc-reactor-embedded-there way his chest is hurting. He tries to play it off, “When did this show get so emotional?”, but receives a swat from Natasha for his troubles.  

Darcy is misty eyed at “You were fantastic.” Bruce, kind and caring as he is, reaches out and holds her hand. Just for a moment, but it works.

And then Christopher Eccleston becomes David Tennant. And now Steve and Thor have something else to argue about. 

Chapter Text

“He can’t be the Doctor! They look nothing alike.” Steve is staring at the television in disbelief.  “Someone please explain to me what’s going on?”

“SSSSHHHHH!” Darcy hisses from her place on the couch, snuggled up with a blanket and a box of candy canes.  The drums of the Doctor Who theme blare out of the speakers as David Tennant’s name spins across the screen.

Clint makes grabby hands from the other end of the couch. “Hey Darc Can I have a candy cane?”

“No.” Darcy shoves a piece of peppermint in her mouth. “Now be quiet.”

Thor looks confusedly at her. “I don’t understand-“

“Shush!” Surprisingly it’s Bruce who’s doing the shushing this time. “Just, watch.”

They watch Nine disappear into the new Doctor, Tennant. Tony keeps quiet for a record three minutes! Until the Doctor says “Rude and not ginger.” Then he bursts out laughing.

“Okay.” He finally admits after being repeatedly shushed. “I like this guy. Even if he isn’t ginger.”

There are, of course, lots and lots of snarky comments as the TARDIS crash lands and the Doctor falls asleep. And every time Harriet Jones points out that she is indeed the Prime Minister. Thor, in a surprising twist, is also commenting beyond the normal declarations of misunderstanding.

“Why is he not awake to save them?” He booms to the rest of the room as Mickey and Rose fight off Pilot Fish. “How can he sleep through THAT?!” He yells when the killer Christmas tree attacks. When the Doctor awakens at Roses request, Thor cheers like a madman.

As the Doctor starts to relapse into his mysterious regeneration coma, Tony starts giggling.

“Wow Jackie BE QUIET!” He snaps, right as the Doctor does. It makes him giggle more.

“I don’t know if it’s a good thing for him to have a connection to this Doctor.” Clint says, glancing over at Bruce. Bruce just smiles back.

“At least he doesn’t leave fruit everywhere.”

When they get into the TARDIS, everyone questions all the food Jackie’s decided to bring. As Rose confronts the Sycorax (“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT ARE YOU INSANE!?” This time Tony was shushed by, of all people, Thor.) Everyone is on the edge of their seat. The ones who’ve seen it before because they know what’s coming, the others because they don’t.  Tony looks worried, Steve looks sad, and Darcy looks like she’s going to leap forward and cling to the television for dear life.

When The Doctor opens the TARDIS door, everyone cheers.

“Hahaha! YES! I KNEW IT!” Tony crows, throwing his hand into the air. Bruce just claps. Clint lets out a whistle and Natasha gives a smile. Steve laughs in relief, and Darcy squeals and flops back into the couch. Thor lets out a roar and applauds as he sees the Doctor challenge the Sycorax leader, and breaks his fancy stick.

Everyone also gasps when he loses his hand, and cheers all the louder when he gets the new one. Although a few of the couches residents aren’t all together pleased.

“Who wrote that dialog?!” Clint laughs. Natasha swats him.

“Shut up it’s RTD!” Darcy whispers.

Steve starts throwing confused glances at people. “What’s an RTD?”

“We’ll tell you when you’re older Cap.” Bruce says with a wave. Steve’s expression moves from confused to worried.

When the Doctor uses an orange to let the Sycorax leader fall to his doom, there is stunned silence. The faces on the couch rang from impressed, to nervous nostalgia, to disturbed. They do not improve when Harriet Jones, Prime Minister, destroys the ship. Or when the Doctor decides to take her out of office with six small words.

“Do you think that would work with the President?” Tony starts asking excitedly over the Christmas dinner scene. “Or members of congress!?”

“I doubt it.” Natasha says coolly. “You aren’t the Doctor.”

“OH YEAH! Speaking of,” Darcy gives all of the new Whovians a questioning look. “What do you think of our new Doctor guys?”

“I Love him!” Tony all but dances in his seat. “This guy’s amazing!”

Steve smiles a bit sheepishly. “I like him too. Although, I miss the old one.”

Darcy nods diplomatically. “True, true.” Then she looks at her friend the demi-god. “What about you Thor?”

Thor looks very pensive, which is odd. He’s usually all for Doctor Who. Finally he mumbles something.

“I’m not sure I like him. He, reminds me of someone.”

Most of the room launches into reasons he should reconsider or reserve judgment and watch more episodes. Darcy just looks at him like she knows exactly what he means.

Chapter Text

Life got busy, when one was a superhero. Busier than even the average rush of kids and work and constant political crises. Sometimes a villain will transport you to another dimension for what feels like moments, and when you come back it turns out years have passed. Sometimes you end up spending years of your life on the run from the government. And sometimes you just get too wrapped up in finally getting your goddamn PhD to watch even your favorite shows. 
At least, that’s what happened to Darcy. Doctor Lewis, now, but still Darcy to her friends. When she got to see her friends. 
When she wasn’t running for her life, or studying magical anomalies, or meeting artificially created super-people. Or recovering from all of those things. It turned out being a scientist in an age of expanding universes was, complicated, to say the least. Exhausting, to be more specific. Her sleep schedule had never been so erratic. And she’d never been so behind on her shows. 
It was easy to give up on things like television when there was some kind of crisis going on. And surprisingly easy to forget about what shows she was following when no one debated character arcs or asked what she thought of the last plot twist. 
Most of the Avengers had disappeared after the Blip. She’d heard Dr. Banner was on some kind of retreat. Stark had moved out to the country with his family. Nobody really had the brainspace for Sci-fi anyway, when they were dealing with an actual apocalypse. 
Even after the Restoration, there was a lot more to do than watch TV. Funerals to plan and attend, new jobs to create and apply for, continued consequences from dumb things she’d shouted at super people nearly a decade ago. More exhausting work for less rewarding results. 

She wasn’t surprised to get an email from Jane, but the subject line did catch her eye. Have you caught up? The inside of the email didn’t elaborate much. Apparently Dr. Foster wanted to know what she was up to the following weekend. Darcy squinted at the screen. Sure, this was supposed to be a professional email, but when one of her oldest friends was being that sort of cryptic, something had to be up. Right? 
Dr. Lewis replied with her characteristic flippancy, asking her former colleague what she meant by caught up? And wasn’t she supposed to be off planet right now? She tried to make it look like a normal, friendly coworker question, just in case one of those multi-letter agencies was watching. 
Jane’s reply came in a text, and with a considerable increase in excitement. 

Dr.Jane: DID YOU SEETHE ANNOUNCEMENT!?!?! 
Me: What announcement? What happened? 
Me: Is this about the Spiderman thing? 
Dr.Jane: NO! They picked a new Doctor! AND RTD IS COMING BACK!!!! 
Me: What!?!?!?!
Dr.Jane: I KNOW!! They won’t change until next year, but I should be back by then. You better be catching up because I want to watch the new season with you! 

Darcy looked up from her phone. When was the last time she’d even sat down to watch Doctor Who? At least what, five years ago? She remembered being excited for the first female Doctor. Had she watched past that first episode? 

Me: I, might not have watched the last, uh . . . 
Me: Three seasons? Or more? 
Dr.Jane: DARCY!? You got me into this show!! 
Me: I know I know!! But, end of the world and stuff, ya know? 
Dr.Jane: Just, tell me you’ll watch it? Would it help if I promised to come back for the premier? 
Me: It would.
Me: Can I live-text you while I catch up? 
Dr.Jane: OF COURSE! 

Darcy smiled down at her phone. Some things were more resilient than aliens, or loss, or world changing scientific discoveries. Like science fiction. And great TV. Or at least, mediocre TV with an illustrious history and plenty of potential. And a really great theme song.