CHAPTER 1: SO IT BEGINS....
The Doctor stepped into the cozy coffee shop, the familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee and sweet pastries filling his senses. As he scanned the room, his eyes fell on a face he thought he'd never see again - his own.
Sitting at a small table in the corner was his tenth incarnation, sipping a latte and reading a newspaper. Beside him was the eleventh Doctor, looking up from his laptop as he caught sight of his predecessor.
The two Doctors exchanged a brief nod of acknowledgment, but their attention was soon drawn to the arrival of another figure - the Master. Dressed in a sharp suit and looking as devilishly charming as ever, he sauntered up to the barista and ordered a black coffee.
As the Master turned to find a seat, his eyes met the Doctor's. For a moment, they locked gazes, and the Doctor could see a glint of mischief in the Master's eyes. But before he could say anything, a voice called out from another table.
"Doctor!"
Turning, the Doctor saw an old acquaintance - Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, also known as the Sandman. He was seated with his friend Hob Gadling, the immortal man who had lived for centuries.
"Hello, Morpheus, Hob," the Doctor greeted them warmly, making his way over to their table.
As he settled into a chair, he couldn't help but wonder what other surprises this coffee shop might hold. But for now, he was content to catch up with old friends and enjoy a cup of coffee in good company.
CHAPTER 2: THE AWKWARD COFFEE...
The Doctor, the Sandman, and Hob Gadling sat at a small table in the corner of the coffee shop. They sipped their drinks and chatted about old times.
"So, Doctor, what brings you to this part of the universe?" asked Hob.
"Just a bit of sightseeing, really," replied the Doctor. "I thought I'd pop in and say hello to some old friends."
"Well, you certainly picked the right place for it," said the Sandman, swirling his coffee around in his cup. "This shop has a way of attracting all sorts of interesting people."
"I can see that," said the Doctor, glancing around at the other patrons. He caught sight of a few other versions of himself sitting at another table, deep in conversation with the Master.
"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing," said Hob, following the Doctor's gaze.
"I suppose it depends on the day," said the Sandman with a chuckle.
They fell into a comfortable silence, sipping their drinks and watching the world go by. The coffee shop was bustling with activity, but somehow their little corner remained quiet and peaceful.
"So, what have you two been up to since we last met?" asked the Doctor, breaking the silence.
"Oh, this and that," said Hob with a shrug. "I've been wandering the world, as always."
"And I've been busy with my duties in the Dreaming," said the Sandman.
"Sounds like you've both been busy," said the Doctor with a smile. "But it's good to see you again. It feels like it's been too long."
"It has," agreed Hob.
"Indeed," said the Sandman.
They finished their drinks and said their goodbyes, promising to meet up again soon. As the Doctor walked out of the coffee shop, he couldn't help but feel grateful for the little moments of peace and connection that he found in the midst of all his adventures.
CHAPTER 3: WHEN DALEKS ATTACK
The peaceful ambiance of the coffee shop was suddenly shattered by the piercing sound of daleks chanting, "Exterminate! Exterminate!" The Doctor's companions - the Sandman, Hob Gadling, the Master, and the other versions of himself - jumped to their feet in alarm as the daleks swarmed into the shop, their guns at the ready.
The Doctor instinctively knew that they had to act fast. He quickly ushered his friends towards the back door, hoping to lead them to safety. But just as they were about to make their escape, the door was blocked by a group of daleks, cutting off their only exit.
Trapped and outnumbered, the Doctor and his companions were forced to confront the daleks head-on. With no other options left, the Doctor reached into his coat and pulled out his trusty sonic screwdriver. As the daleks approached, he waved the screwdriver around, hoping to buy himself and his friends some time.
The Sandman and Hob Gadling jumped into the fray, using their own unique abilities to fight back against the daleks. The Master, however, had other plans. He slipped away from the group and, without warning, attacked the daleks from behind. He had always been a bit of a wildcard, and the Doctor knew that he couldn't rely on him for long.
The battle raged on, with the daleks relentlessly advancing on the Doctor and his companions. Just when all hope seemed lost, a brilliant flash of light filled the coffee shop, blinding everyone in the room. When their vision returned, the daleks were gone, vanished without a trace.
The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief as he looked around the coffee shop, taking in the destruction that had been wrought. The Sandman and Hob Gadling were battered but still standing, while the other versions of himself had scattered in the chaos. The Master was nowhere to be found, and the Doctor knew that he had probably slipped away in the confusion.
As the dust settled, the Doctor and his companions gathered together, sharing a sense of relief that they had survived yet another close call. They knew that it was only a matter of time before the daleks returned, but for now, they could rest easy, enjoying a well-earned cup of coffee amidst the ruins of the once-peaceful shop.
CHAPTER 4: WHEN CORINTHIANS ATTACK
As the Doctor and his companions were busy dealing with the Dalek invasion, the Sandman suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that feeling well, the feeling of someone from his past returning to haunt him.
He turned his head and saw a figure approaching them from across the room. It was a man in a long coat, with piercing eyes and a wicked grin. It was the Corinthian, one of his greatest enemies.
The Corinthian walked up to their table and pulled out a chair, uninvited. "Hello, old friend," he said, his voice dripping with venom. "Long time no see."
The Sandman clenched his fists under the table. He had hoped to never see the Corinthian again after their last encounter, but it seemed fate had other plans.
"What do you want?" the Sandman asked, his voice cold.
"I'm here for the same reason as always," the Corinthian replied. "To remind you that you can't escape your past."
The Sandman knew he was right. No matter how hard he tried to distance himself from his past deeds, they always seemed to catch up to him.
But he also knew that he couldn't let the Corinthian get the better of him. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a cloud of sand to envelop the Corinthian.
The Corinthian struggled and cursed as he was swallowed up by the sand, but eventually he was gone, trapped in the Sandman's realm of dreams.
The Doctor and his companions looked on in amazement as the Sandman dispelled the sand and sat back down at the table.
"Sorry about that," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Just an old enemy popping up to say hello."
The Doctor nodded, understanding all too well what it was like to have old enemies come back to haunt you.
"But let's not let that ruin our coffee break," Hob Gadling interjected, raising his cup in a toast. "To old friends and new adventures."
The group smiled and raised their cups, enjoying their coffee and the company of each other, knowing that whatever the universe may throw at them, they would face it together.
CHAPTER 5: WHEN BLACKBEARD ATTACKS
As Hob Gadling sat in the coffee shop with the Doctor and the Sandman, enjoying their conversation, he suddenly saw a figure he never expected to see again. It was a man he had met centuries ago, a pirate named Blackbeard, who he had thought was long dead.
Hob's first instinct was to leave the coffee shop, but before he could get up, Blackbeard spotted him and made his way over to their table.
"Hello, old friend," Blackbeard said, his voice thick with a Caribbean accent. "It's been a long time since we last met."
Hob's heart sank. He had hoped he would never have to see Blackbeard again. The pirate had been one of his closest friends in his early days as an immortal, but their relationship had soured over time. Blackbeard had become increasingly ruthless, and Hob could no longer condone his actions.
"What do you want, Blackbeard?" Hob asked warily.
Blackbeard smiled. "I heard you were in town, and I thought I'd come and say hello. We have a lot of catching up to do."
Hob knew that wasn't the real reason Blackbeard was there. He could see the hunger in the pirate's eyes, the greed for immortality that had consumed him.
"I'm not interested in catching up," Hob said firmly. "And I'm not interested in your way of life anymore."
Blackbeard's smile turned into a sneer. "Suit yourself, old man. But don't say I didn't warn you."
With that, he turned and strode out of the coffee shop, leaving Hob feeling shaken and vulnerable. He knew that Blackbeard would not give up easily, and that he would have to watch his back from now on.
CHAPTER 6: PEACE
As the coffee shop began to quiet down after the commotion with the Sandman's enemy, the Doctor and the Sandman turned to Hob Gadling. They could see the pain in his eyes, the weight of his immortality bearing down on him once again.
"You know, Hob," the Doctor said gently, "immortality may seem like a curse, but it can also be a gift. You have the chance to see and experience things that no one else can."
Hob sighed deeply, looking down at his coffee cup. "I know that, Doctor. But sometimes it just feels like a burden. I've seen so much, and yet I still feel like I haven't really lived."
The Sandman placed a hand on Hob's shoulder. "I understand how you feel, my friend. Immortality can be isolating, but it doesn't have to be. You have us, and we'll always be here for you."
Hob looked up, his eyes meeting the Sandman's. For a moment, it seemed as if he might cry. But then he straightened his back and took a deep breath. "You're right. I have you, and that's something. Thank you, both of you."
The Doctor and the Sandman smiled at him, and the three of them sat in companionable silence, sipping their coffee and watching the world go by outside the coffee shop window. For Hob, it was a small moment of peace in a long life full of wonder and pain. But it was enough, for now.
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