13 Novella 1

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The first thing you hear is the most beautiful sound in the world- the whooshing and deep thrumming of the Tardis.

If you could move you would want to watch it materialise as always, but your eyes are just too heavy.

You hear the door creak open and sense someone step out in light footsteps and freeze.

"What have you done to her?" The Doctor growls in a low and dangerous voice that somehow fills the room, echoing through your bones and making you shiver in fear.

"Where's The Doctor?" he hisses back, and through the thin slits of your eyes you can make out his hand resting on the lever. You whimper quietly and The Doctor breathes.

"I'm here, so let her go. Now. I'm not in a very good mood so I suggest you release her before I think of what I'm going to do with you." She says, eerily calm.

They are stuck in a standoff, glaring at each other, The Doctor not daring to approach you should he pull that lever again, him suspicious of who she really was.

Then you hear the sound of hurried footsteps from above, and someone flying from down the corridor, bursting into the chamber, very out of breath, her blonde ponytail swinging behind her.

"I heard screams, Alistair what the hell is going on, I told you not to hurt him!"

"I didn't." He replies, not taking his eyes of The Doctor. "You also said to do whatever to get him- her here"

A little fuzzily, you see shock across the young woman's face as she takes in your crumpled form.

"What the fuck" she growls and, in one swift movement, spins and kicks the man over the head, knocking him clean out.

"Doctor I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for any of this to happen, who is this girl? Do you know her? Oh god is she ok?" With that she approaches you and begins to yank on your restraints.

You flinch at the harsh movements, noticing The Doctor hasn't moved, apparently in shock. She shakes her head lightly and pulls out her sonic, pointing it at your restraints which immediately slacken.

Completely devoid of strength, you feel yourself tip forward as two pairs of strong arms catch you before you hit the floor.

"(Y/n) can you hear me?" Says The Doctor urgently and you nod slightly, leaning heavily on her shoulder.

"Come on I'll get you back in the Tardis" she says, arching to pick you up in her strong arms. You pull away, shaking your head to regain your vision.

"(Y/n) please I promise I won't hurt you, but we need to get inside now, I need to check you over" she pleades but you shake your head instead.

"Need to... do something... first... let me walk" you say dizzily with your remaining strength.

The Doctor looks at you anxiously, but slowly releases her hold and you attempt to straighten up.

You walk shakily over to the crumpled form of your torturer and bend down, taking a deep breath, and whisper in his ear.

"The Doctor will never be alone, but she will always be unarmed. She is a thousand times the person you took her for, and I hope one day you feel grateful to have even met her." You straighten up and make your way onto the Tardis without looking back.

The Doctor and the woman follow you in, not talking. The Time Lady approaches you warily but you shake your head again.

"Please... just get me out of here" you whisper, and she complies, pain riddled across her face as she starts up the machine.

You cling weakly to the golden shards and you get the impression the Tardis is trying hard to make the journey as gentle as possible, sensing your rapidly depleting strength.

The other blonde woman holds onto the same shard as you, shooting worried glances in your direction then gasping as you slide to the ground, the last of your strength having left you for good despite the Tardis's best efforts.

She catches your head before it hits the ground and you register unnatural heat as she shouts in panic over the thrumming of the engine.

"Doctor! She's out! Please help her!" She shouts desperately, and the last thing you see before your eyes close is the Doctor looking at you in panic and running over, coat billowing out behind her.

                           *         *          *

You are getting heartily sick of waking in the medical wing, and sigh as you feel the tug of a needle stuck in your arm. You sit up carefully and realise you are shaking still.

Raised voices come from the corridor beyond the medbay door but you can't make out what they're saying- however they do seem to be arguing.

Memories flood back in snapshots and you clutch your head to try and make them stop.

"Hey hey don't worry, you're safe now (Y/n)" someone's voice breaks.

It's The Doctor, apparently having noticed you wake with her heightened hearing and entered.

She pulls up a chair and sits, elbows resting on her knees, face in her hands. She looks up after a minute and you are shocked to see her eyes watering and a pained expression lining her aged face.

"I don't understand" you whisper.

She sighs, looking up at you with bloodshot eyes.

"This is all my fault, I'm so sorry (Y/n), when I saw the tape, just know I would have traded places with you in a heartbeat. Well two." She grins weakly, trying to protect you from her own pain.

"Doctor I promise I don't blame you, it's not your fault. Please believe me. I don't even really remember what happened" you lie quickly, her expression tugging at your heart strings. She smiles again, trying desperately to reassure you which you return with the same intentions.

"That... that will never happen again (Y/n). I swear." Her tone changes fiercely. You recoil slightly and her face relaxes apologetically.

"Who was that man? And the woman? Did she-" you remember her holding you when you were on the Tardis and your breathing quickens. "Oh my god Doctor quickly! She's here! She was on the Tardis!" You exclaim, scrambling to get up, and finding your body aching with leftover pain.

You wince as the time lady pushes you gently back down onto the bed.

"(Y/n) calm down! The man is gone, he'll never hurt you again, I promise. As for the woman, yes she is on board, but she had nothing to do with this." She says a little nervously.

You look at her, confused as to how she could be so trusting to a woman who was an associate of your torturer.

"Are you- are you sure? How do you know? Doctor who is she?" You ask.

"Okay (Y/n) don't panic, just relax. I know she had nothing to do with this... well... because I know her." She whispers, sounding guilty. You raise your eyebrows expectantly, waiting for more.

"You see, I know because-" she bites her lip and blinks "-because she's my daughter."