Melody Malone and the Invisible Wife

[songofsong]

PROLOGUE

It was another dark and dangerous night on the streets of New York. Well, it was always one of those. And that was just the way I liked it.

After all, that was my profession. As a detective, those streets were what kept me alive, and for as long as the people of New York kept giving into their paranoia and fear, I would be in business. It seemed people would pay a high price to feel safe in their beds at night, and I too slept a little easier, knowing I had the villains caught and money in my pocket.

And what villains they were indeed. For I didn't deal with wanted criminals or the occasional ruffian the police failed to catch; my customers were of a more particular variety, and too were their problems. I could say it was because these particular clients paid me rather handsomely, or that I felt some kind of noble responsibility to keep New York safe - but none of that was true.

The reason I did it, was because I loved it.

Comments

[songofsong]

Melody considers him thoughtfully, trying to make sense of this. She's come across some strange things in her time, but never a man who kept forgetting. She'd wave it off as something medical, but it seems to be something more. Something she can't quite figure out.

"You don't remember anything from this morning?" she tries, tilting her head as she studies his face. "What about if I told you we had eggs for breakfast, does that trigger anything?"

[bowtimeandspace]

He pauses a moment, as if to think about it, but nothing comes back.

"No," he tells her. "It doesn't. Nor do these clothes I'm wearing, or the fact my hair is like this. I'm assuming I did it at some point, unless you got me dressed. But then that really is the sort of thing I think I'd remember, Melody."

[songofsong]

An eyebrow raises that immediately shuts that idea down. As the night before, it seems she's not quite as receptive to his suggestions as River would've been.

"I'm sure it is, honey," she says dryly, before she shakes her head. "I really don't know, Doctor. I can't see any reason why you'd be forgetting things like this. It's like you weren't even here."

[bowtimeandspace]

"Exactly, it's like I wasn't even here." He reaches up, pinches his brow and takes a long breath. It's frustrating, and makes no sense. Perhaps the only thing he can do to try and work it out is simply carry on.

"Fine," he says, "Fine. What were you trying to show me?"