Chapter 13
Monday morning dawned, Spike and Buffy were up early as he wanted an early start into London. He’d paid for the ‘congestion charge’ on-line so he could drive in the centre of London, and dropped Buffy off by a taxi rank so she could go to the Dorchester Hotel to meet Willow, while he drove himself to the film studios, that was in the opposite direction.
Willow told Buffy how she’d been awake half the night, and just started to feel sleepy at 5.30am!
“It’ll pass – I thought, well according to my plan, there’s a lot of shops I’d like to look at in Oxford Street, I thought we’d try there first, then go have some lunch somewhere” Buffy said.
After looking in half a dozen shops, they went for a coffee in a large shopping mall. Willow told Buffy all the news she’d had, Xandy was getting on famously with the animals, they’d ‘taken’ to him and he loved his new job. Faith and Harmony were over their aches, pains and strains of getting into shape rehearsing for the show they were about to star in, and Ford’s gamer show, had been rated one of the top teenage shows on TV. Showing initiative, he’d had one or two ideas of his own for the show, like getting the kids to write in with ‘cheats’ for finding secret levels for games, or how to get unlimited ‘lives’ or special weapons, and they were ‘awarded’ with a Gamer’s Golden Joystick Award. He also got the programmers onto the show, to tell the kids what inspired them to write the games, how they got their ideas etc – it made for a more interesting programme rather than just listing new games out and how to play them. Every week a kid from the audience was picked to try out a new game, and play against a ‘celebrity’. This had been another of ford’s suggestions and the producers loved the idea.
“Oh, and Joany said, not to worry, she’s got it written in all her contracts that she can’t work the days from the 19-27th of June, so she can be here and that”
“Oh good, she’ll be like my mom I suppose, her and your mom!” Buffy said smiling.
“My mom can’t wait to come over here – I showed her Carrisbrooke on the internet, and she said it’ll be like being in one of those English classic TV programmes like Brideshead or a Bronte sister’s novel!” Willow said grinning.
“I bet your dad will be bored stiff!”
“No, he’s been to London before, but when I told him the estate had its own golf course and fishing river, he looked pleased. Mom said he can either bring his golf clubs OR fishing tackle, not both!
“What do you think he’ll bring?”
“Oh his clubs, definitely, I told him he can hire fishing tackle” Willow said.
“Right then, Buffy said, finishing her coffee, ready to tackle a few more shops? – Actually, there’s two in here I’d like to look at, one is on the third floor, it’s called ‘Something Different’, and the other is on the first floor, it’s called Danceland, but they do ball-gown’s and stuff” Buffy said. They left the food-court and went to the elevators.
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“…………We see your doctor as a bit more ‘Wild’ if you like, a Maverick, a Doctor who will go out on a limb, even if there’s only the slightest chance of things working, he’ll take it, no matter what the danger, he’ll put the TAXI through the wringer and expect her to come through”
Spike nodded and said,
“Great, I wanted to play him a bit wild, I’ve been watching the last three doctors, we’ve had one who does things by the book, one who was more into science and exploration, and the last one - I don’t know, maybe that’s how he was told to play it, but I thought he was a bit of a wimp!” Spike said
“Exactly, so when the doctor meta-morphs into you this time, I want you to have a gung-ho attitude, come out all guns blazing so to speak – okay – well do a quick run-through and then start, okay?” Spike nodded.
“Mr Giles, would you follow me please, I’m Forest, head of wardrobe”
“Be right with you”
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“Oh Buffy, they’ll be perfect!” Willow said. They were in Danceland, and Buffy had walked to the ballet section of the shop, and found some little ballerina tutu’s, peach, with little handkerchief points, with ballet slippers to match
“They will, won’t they – I’ll go get an assistant, see what sizes they’ve got”
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“I’m sorry madam, we only have it in the 16 and the 24 inch chest, but not an 18, I can ring our other branches to see if they can help”
“If you can get me one, I’ll take the 16 inch chest one too” Buffy said
The assistant showed them where they could sit while she made some telephone calls. Ten minutes later she came back and said,
“I’ve phoned out three branches in the London area, and nobody has a 20 in the peach, but our shop in Barker’s in Praed Street has a 16 and an 18 in lemon or powder blue”
“Hmm…what do you think Will, the teenies Poppy and Lily in lemon, and you and Lotty in peach?”
“Sounds fine to me, but shall we have another look around first, then get back to them – just in case?” Willow suggested
“Yes, we’ll do that, I’ll phone you before you close tomorrow, would that be alright?” Buffy asked, and the woman assured them it was.
“Tell me more about these teeny tiny flower girls then!” Willow asked
“Well, you know I said we went to a wedding when I stayed here last time, one of Spike’s old school friends, Christopher Hugo-Daly, known as Kit, well the girl he married is called Annabel, known as Bel, they’re her sister’s two little girls she had them at her wedding and they were beyond cute, – I think I’ve got some pictures of them somewhere, anyway I asked and she said yes, they could be my bridesmaids too” Willow nodded
“Where next?”
“Um hold on, where’s the street-finder map…er…underground – come on we need to go from Oxford Circus…eastbound, two stops to Holborn, then change and go southbound, one stop to Covent Garden”
“Ooh, this is exciting!” Willow said, and both grinning they set off.
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Wardrobe had provided Spike with what was to be his ‘standard’ Dr How outfit, combat trousers in khaki, a black tee shirt and a brown leather flying jacket with sheepskin collar, circa the 1940’s.
“Scene 11, take one…close the gate….and roll-em – action!” The director shouted.
“Sorry…it’s just…my time to………go” the old doctor slumped to the floor, his assistant, Tina ran over to him and called out,
“NO – DOCTOR – you can’t leave me!” She pulled the old doctor onto his back, and the director called ‘cut’
“Okay Spike, you lie down how he was lying…and we’ll do the magic metamorphosis with some camera trickery”
“Action”
Spike lay there with his eyes shut, and was shook awake by the old doctors assistant, Tina.
“DOCTOR – DOCTOR – Oh my god, whats…whats happening – who are you?”
Spike opened his eyes, looked about him and sat up, looked at the girl, and stood up.
“Who are you, where is the doctor, what have you done with him?”
“I’m How, not who, I’m the doctor. The old doctor, his time was up – we’re reincarnated straight away. Right, let me see…hmm, classic London Cab, ahh, this is a TAXI, Time and Xploration Initiative machine…haven’t seen one of these babies in years…okay, let’s crank her up, see what she can do!...Er, haven’t seen a Sonic ignition key around here, have you?”
Tina said,
“The doctor, the ‘Old’ doctor always kept it in…here, I’ll show you”
“Thanks – by the way, where are we, and what’s the date?” Spike asked, looking at the controls and pressing a few buttons
“Where? Um, oh!” They got ‘thrown’ from side to side and the doctor just about managed to hold on,
But poor Tina wasn’t so fortune, and banged her head on the consul, and was knocked out. The Doctor flicked a few switches, pressed a few buttons on the consul and a shaft of green light glowed in the centre of the room. The rattling and shaking stopped, and Spike looked at the calendar.
“Hmm, London, Earth 1984 April 14th huh…er, are you alright pet?” Spike noticed ‘Tina’ coming round.
She got up groggily
“Where – where am I – who are you…I…OW! My head hurts!”
“Does April the 14th, 1984 mean anything to you Pet?”
“Hmm – yeah, course it does, it’s today, me mum’s birthday, need to get a taxi to her house, gonna be a big party”
Spike looked out of the window, saw that the TAXI was parked on a corner of a road called Newman’s Way.
“Newmans Way by any chance?”
“Er, yeah, ‘ere, ‘ow did you know that – what is this thing anyway?”
“This is the TAXI, pet”
“Funniest bloomin’ taxi I’ve ever seen” Spike went over to the door and opened it, Tina saw that she was indeed at her destination
“How much do I owe you?” she asked.
“This one’s on me pet…go carefully” Tina stepped out and looked at the black cab and frowned, she then walked on muttering to herself,
“Weirdest bloomin’ taxi I’ve ever seen…oh gawd, I’ve forgotten me mums present!” She turned to see the taxi no longer there – but she didn’t hear it drive off…
Back inside the TAXI machine Spike dashed around pushing buttons and generally getting his bearings.
“Come on old girl, we can go faster than this!” Spike cranked up the speed and the TAXI began to shake violently again.
“Okay, okay…I get the message…going to have to tweak your power conduits my love…perhaps re-route some power from life-support to the engine thrusters…who needs to breathe, breathing’s overated anyway. Computer re-route auxillery power form life-support to main thrusters engines, 50%!”
“Power re-routed” The computer answered in metallic tones.
Spike pressed a few more buttons and the TAXI responded as he slid the accelerator forward…
“There you go old girl, knew you’d got it in you…now where are we off to? Spike watched as the calendar went wild, whizzing around, to stop at 3049…Omnius 4, Gamma Quadtrant.
The TAXI landed and Spike looked out of the window. Remembering his scripted lines, Spike said
“Looks a bit bleak out there…computer!”
“Yes Doctor?”
“Is the air breathable?”
“Planet Omnius 4, an Earth-like planet in the Gamma Quadrant. Atmosphere contains hydrogen, oxygen and other compounds. Breathable. The ambient temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit”
“Thank you computer” Spike opened the door.
“And cut!” Thanks every one. Scene 22, ready to roll in 2 everybody” The director called
“That was great Spike - we’ll finish filming the end while we have the cab here – I hope you’re not expecting an early night tonight!”
“No, actually, I wasn’t!”
“Good, we’ll be out at Shackleton’s Marshes tomorrow to film, I hope this weather stays” Spike looked off set to a thin, mean drizzly grey day, and he suddenly wasn’t really looking forward to tomorrow at all now…he hated being out in the cold wet rain!
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“See the problem is, I wanted you in all the same colour really, but I can’t visulise you in either lemon or powder blue” Buffy said to Willow.
“Me neither really I suppose” Willow agreed, and then she said,
“But we haven’t got to get them now, today have we – I mean there must be hundreds of other places we could try?”
Buffy was foot-sore and tired, Willow was jet lagged, and it was only just 1.20pm!”
“Let’s go get something to eat, I’m starving!” Willow said, and they made their way back to the Underground station.
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