- c h a p t e r   t h i r t e e n -

"Doctor?" Melody said, staring down her leg to the brace that was slowly helping her ankle get back to normal. "You never told us where we were going."

"Oh, I didn't?" the Doctor exclaimed. "It completely slipped my mind. I apologize."

"A lot of things seem to slip your mind," Connor noted. "Not that I should be saying anything about that," he added. "I seem to forget everything."

"Not everything," Melody added in, her voice soft and sweet. The Doctor could tell that it was going to be a long time before this wide eyed sort of attraction between the two of them faded away. It was going to be long stares between Connor and Melody for months on end, with a few breathy words between. Then, of course, there would be kissing. Humans just loved kissing.

"I do forget a lot, though," Connor continued. "Anyways! Back on topic...Doctor, where and when are we headed to this time around?"

The Time Lord took his hands off of the TARDIS controls in order to rub them together in preparation. "We're going to see Pablo Picasso," the Doctor announced. "He's a good old friend of mine, and I think you'll love him."

"The Pablo Picasso?" Melody said, her eyes widening.

"No, the other one," the Doctor joked. "Yes, of course! The Pablo Picasso!"

"Oh, this is going to be wonderful," Connor responded. "This is going to be absolutely wonderful." A smile grew onto his face, one that seemed as if it could never falter or disappear. He was tempted to pluck Melody right off the ground and give her a kiss in happiness, but he decided to just keep himself still for the moment. She was still trying to heal her injury, after all.

"That didn't actually answer the question," Melody noted. "Connor asked when and where we were going, and you responded with a who."

"Technicalities," the Doctor said, brushing it off.

"Technicalities that are fundemental in you getting us to the right artist without crashing," Melody countered.

The Doctor gave a slight laugh before giving in. "We're going to France. 1911, as long as the TARDIS decides to be precise on the year."

"We're going back to France?" Connor said. That smile that had seemed to be permanently stuck onto his face now faded considerably.

"Well, yes, sorry," the Doctor apologized. "I don't decide where Picasso lives his entire life, you know."

"I wasn't saying that you did," Connor sighed. "It's just that...France!"

"We don't have to dress up as much this time around," Melody chirped. "I mean, I did like wearing that bustle, but not that corset..."

"But France!" Connor protested.

"What, do you not like France?" the Doctor said, raising an eyebrow. "I always thought France was rather brilliant. Always changing, always evolving just a smidge faster than everywhere else. Most cities are like that, I think."

"That's a nice way to think of it, I suppose," Connor said, giving in slightly. "I mean, I'm doing this to see Picasso, not the Eiffel Tower."

"Which will be up this time around," Melody said. "I can't help but wonder if Picasso-the Pablo Picasso-was inspired at all by the Eiffel Tower. It kind of looks like his artwork...sort of..."

"Ah, finally something I know that Miss Melody Birch does not!" the Doctor announced.

"I'm sure there's plenty you know that I don't, Mister Several Millenia Old."

"That's Doctor Several Millenia Old to you," the Doctor replied. "But anyways, Picasso never lived in Paris. He lived in France, yes, but not Paris."

"Oh," Melody murmured. But almost immediately, her thoughts reverted back to what had been in her mind previous. "The Pablo Picasso!" she breathed.

"I feel like that's all you've been saying for the past few minutes," Connor replied. When Melody gave him a look at this, not understanding that he meant it as a joke, he leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. Almost the very millisecond he brought his lips down, her frown flipped up into a soft smile.

He pulled away and then sat down next to her. "So, you know about what Picasso has done?"

"Yeah, I know Picasso's work," Melody said, allowing herself to let out a slight laugh before readjusting the position of her ankle. "I remember we were supposed to make little projects off his work when we were in art class. I was terrible at it, my mind just couldn't form the shapes in the right way and all."

"I wish I could've gone to your school," Connor said.

"My elementary school," Melody added in. "We didn't have anything like it in middle or high school."

"I'm sorry, what?" Connor replied. These were all foreign concepts for him.

The Doctor was very loosely able to interpret what was going on between the two of them. "Primary and secondary school," he explained to Connor. "It's a different sort of thing in America."

"Yes, yes, make the American feel left out," she sighed, rolling her eyes.

Before the Doctor could make one of his signature reassuring comments, the TARDIS began to wheeze as it began to land.

"Ah, we're landing!" the Doctor said, looking up and around in fascination as if he hadn't experienced this time and time before.

"Back in France," Connor added in. Melody looked to him as he got up, hoping that he would help her to her feet. Sure enough, he put his hand out and she graciously took it, trying not to put too much weight into standing up. She had knocked him down before, after all.

"Ready to go, then?" the Doctor said.

"Of course," Melody said. With Connor's arm around her both to for support and for affection, she was going to be able to get around perfectly well. "Let's head out then, shall we?"

The Doctor threw open the doors of the TARDIS, letting the sunlight rush into the time machine. The three all blinked a bit, their eyes having to get used to the sudden brightness compared to the dim interior. But as soon as their vision adjusted, they were very pleased with what was out in front of them.

"I still remember my way back to Pablo's studio," the Doctor announced. "Just follow me!"

His two companions gave a laugh and then did as he said. All together they strolled through these less famous streets of France, although they were still quite pretty. Melody was tempted to stop and gaze as she had done so much in the past, but she knew this was Connor's trip. He deserved to get to his destination without her interfering.

After quite a fair bit of walking, the trio stopped right in front of a door. The Doctor extended out his arm to knock, and then brought it back after the task was done. They waited for the artist to make his way to them and open up the door. The Time Lord was crossing his fingers, hoping that he had chosen the correct door.

"I'm nervous," Connor admitted.

"Nervous?" the Doctor said. "No reason to be nervous." He clapped his arm down and around his companion as Melody watched from the side. She gave a slight eyeroll at this, but there was no denying the smile that was written across her face.

"Well, it's just that I'm meeting an idol of sorts, and that makes me feel nervous."

"How do you think I felt when I was meeting Lotte Dupuis?" Melody giggled. "She was my idol. Still is my idol, you know."

"Ah, here he is!" the Doctor said. The door opened up to reveal a fairly short man who wore a smile on his face the way an average person would wear shoes on their feet.

"It's the Doctor, is it not?" Pablo said, his natural smile expanding.

"Ah, yes, Pablo!" the Doctor laughed. "I'm back again, with a few new companions this time around."

"Marvelous!" Pablo replied. As he clapped his hands together and his face filled with joy, it became very apparent why the Doctor got along so well with this man. They were actually quite similar in their movements and speech. "Come in, come in."

"Oh, wow," Connor breathed. "This is the kind of place I want to live in." With paint scattered everywhere along with brushes and palettes, it was a sort of artistic heaven.

Melody couldn't help but gain the smile that seemed to have infected everyone in the room. But she soon had to break out from Connor's arm and sit down, her ankle starting to bother her again. He realized what was going on and then sat down next to her.

The Doctor and Pablo Picasso had stayed towards the door as they continued their conversation. The Time Lord had introduced his companions, but then the conversation had taken quite a different turn.

"I still haven't forgiven you for trying to change my painting style," Pablo said.

"And I haven't forgiven you for chasing my companion around the table," the Doctor countered.

Melody's eyes flicked between the two. They had been getting along quite well just a few seconds away. Had something happen that she had completely missed? After watching the two grown men for another several moments, she turned her gaze back to Connor. She knew he would give her a clear answer to the best of his ability.

"Do you know what's going on?" she hissed underneath her breath, covering up her mouth with her hand.

"They're just joking around with one another," Connor responded. "I think, anyways. I mean, I'm pretty sure what they're talking about has actually happened...anyways...but the Doctor wouldn't have taken us to someone who didn't get along with him, yeah?"

"Connor, he took us to a prison with some of the most dangerous aliens in the universe," Melody replied.

"Oh," Connor said. "I guess you're right. I don't know why I'm so surprised," he continued. He made a few steps closer to where Melody was sitting and then perched himself next to her. As she put her gaze back on Pablo Picasso and the Doctor, he placed his arm around her shoulders. It wasn't more than a few seconds before she leaned over and huddled in closer.

"How much longer do you think they'll be?" Melody murmured.

"I dunno," Connor said. "But it looks like Pablo is coming over here right now."

"Melody is your name, yes?" Pablo said, looking towards the blonde girl. She turned her gaze to Connor for a moment, and then nodded.

"Ah, yes," Pablo said. "I've been in need of a new model and I think that you will do just the trick."

"Me?" Melody questioned. "But I've only just got here, you don't even know my name and-"

"I know you're a friend of the Doctor," Pablo answered. "And I also know that you're beautiful."

"Oh," Melody replied, flattered. A faint blush came onto her face. "Thank you, thank you very much."

Almost immediately, Connor felt himself getting protective over his new girlfriend. This was supposed to be his special journey back in time, but now it was getting ruined.

"I think I can at least get a sketch done," Pablo said. "Come, Melody. Sit over here." As if Connor wasn't even there, he gestured for the girl to move. She obliged, limping on her way over due to her injury.

With a puffy sigh, Connor made his way over to the Doctor. The madman had stuck in the corner to watch what was going on with his companion and his artist friend.

Connor made his way over to the Doctor now, starting to fume.

"I changed my mind," Connor hissed, keeping his voice low. "I don't want to spend any more time with Picasso."

"Oh, why?" the Doctor protested, his voice nearly turning into a whine. "Pablo is just buckets full of fun. Why are you suddenly so upset?"

"Why do you think?" Connor said. "He's trying to steal my girlfriend."

"You just barely got in a relationship with her!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"But she's still my girlfriend," Connor countered.

The Doctor decided to change the subject away to ease Connor's"Clara would have loved this," the Doctor sighed. He fought to keep a smile on his face, but he ended up losing.

"Would have?" Melody noted. "Don't go using the past tense prematurely!" Pablo had stopped to watch his model's lips moving along before he went ahead to draw more. It was his way to catch the movement of the one he was painting, even though they were supposed to be sitting still.

"Past tense prematurely," Connor said, shaking his head. "Sometimes I wonder if you use these words just to confuse me."

"No," Melody replied. "I do it just to impress you, of course."

There was a period of silence that fell over the room as the three time travelers retreated into their own minds. Pablo was too busy sketching away to think about what was going on. But having this time ended up being quite productive.

"I have an idea," Connor said, his eyes lighting up. "I think I know how we can get Clara back!"

"It'll be a long trip back, you know," the Doctor said, wringing his wrists.

"We've got a time machine!" Melody protested. She let out a puffy laugh in disbelief.

"Yes, well," the Doctor said. "Traveling between Earth and foreign planets takes longer than traveling between foreign planets and Earth."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Connor said, trying to go over the Doctor's words over again in his head.

"Almost," the Doctor said. "But not quite. The time vortex is far too complicated to explain, it's starting to hurt my head trying to find a way to say it simply."

"Ah, well, I don't care if it's a long trip," Connor said. "I think it'll work. I'll tell you what my idea is when we get there."

The Time Lord appeared to be hesitating for a minute. He was being rather apprehensive about this even though he had been obsessed with finding these answers not very long ago. But he then popped up with a grin plastered on his lips. "Good enough for me," the Doctor said, giving a shrug. "Pablo, you don't mind if we run out, do you?"

"You always do," Pablo chuckled. "I'm not surprised at all. I believe I've got enough of my sketch done. You're free to go."

The Doctor shook his head slightly, his tongue wanting to say more but his legs ready to trip over themselves in order to run. Finally he realized he couldn't resist that urge to get going any longer.

"Melody, Connor?" he called out. "Are you ready to go?" Assuming that they would chime in with a resounding yes in a matter of seconds, he started making his way out. But when he didn't hear a response nor the sound of footsteps pattering after him, he turned around.

"Oi! What's taking the two of you so long?" As soon as he said it, however, the Doctor understood exactly what was going on. Sitting over by the side the two were sharing a kiss with one another. "Connor, Melody!" he called out again. They finally broke away from one another, but didn't start making their way to him before they had given him a look of temporary loathing.

"Goodbye, Pablo," Melody said, waving to the artists as she walked away. Connor and the Doctor followed and did the same. Now with nothing left to tie them down, they made their way off and back to the TARDIS.

The sooner they could save Clara Oswald, the better.

A/N Pablo Picasso, man! I just have the strangest ideas. But maybe somewhere out there we've got a Picasso of Melody...heh. I'm very excited for what's coming up next. Sorry if anything seems like it's all over the place, but I promise that I've got a good solid plan coming up soon! Vote and comment if you enjoy.