The Orphan in the TARDIS

Chapter Fifteen

The Time Lord tugs his friend along behind him, looking vaguely worried, but trying not to show it. He fails miserably, but he does try. "What's with your face?" Sophie asks, bumping her shoulder against his.

"It changes, I know you know this." He freezes in his tracks turning, taking her face in his hands, "Did you hit your head when you hit the water? Do you have amnesia? What's something to test this? Do you know my name?"

Sophie reaches her arm up, caressing his cheek, "I've never known your name, you moron. Why do you look so scared, what's worrying you."

The Time Lord moves his hands to hold hers, keeping her right hand on his cheek, "I-They hurt you. You could've died. What would I do if you die."

She smiles, shaking her head, "Well, if I die now, how can you know future me?"

He smiles back at her, wrapping his arms around her, "You always know just what to say. Don't leave me, ever."

"C'mon, turniphead, the future of England rests in our hands." She shoves him forward, to the direction of the palace. After a few minutes of walking in their companionable silence, she turns back to look at her alien friend, slipping her arms into the tweed jacket she still has draped over her shoulders, "So, are we walking all the way to the palace?"

"Well, what do you expect us, with our bipedal legs, to do? Fly?"

"I mean, we could hail a cab...or steal a car, there are options, y'know."

His jaw drops, and the Time Lord looks at her, shocked, "Steal a car? Who would have even given you that idea?"

"Maybe the man who has stolen a fire truck, and an ambulance, and a car. Heck, he stole his TARDIS first."

"Okay, but who told you I was someone to model your life after? I'm a terrible influence."

"Well, there are worse influences. So, are we walking?"

"What's wrong with walking, eh?" he asks, stretching his legs out in front of him. "You should walk more."

She just grins up at her friend, wrapping her arms around his right arm, leaning her head on his shoulder, "Okay, fine. Tell me about Gallifrey, then."

He looks down at the top of his head, "I took you to Gallifrey when you were younger. What more could you possibly want to know?"

"I don't know. You tell me. It's a long walk, we've got plenty of time."

The Gallifreyan rolls his eyes, "Oh, alright. Just cause I love you."

***

The walk goes by faster than Sophie thought it would, maybe the Doctor regaling her with stories of his childhood making it seem to go by faster. As they get there, a tour group is gathering around the security checkpoint. The Time Lord pays them, and the security, no heed, breezing past them both.

Sophie watches the tour guide see them pass the checkpoint, her face immediately looking nervous. "Uh, Doc, I think we may be in a spot of trouble," she says, watching the tour guide wave over a guard.

The Time Lord doesn't receive the chance to retort, as the next thing he knows his face is in the concrete of the drive. The second guard grabs Sophie by her arm, as she had merely raised her hand. She knows the Doctor could easily overpower the palace guards, but chooses not too. "Oi! I'm allowed to be here! There's a whole protocol for me, been in place for a long time." The guards look at each other, raising the Gallifreyan to his feet. "Thank you," he grumbles, brushing his shirt off. A few moments later, he squares his shoulders, straightening his bow tie, "Now. Hello, I'm the Doctor, and I'm here to save your planet."

The guards glance at each other out of the corner of their eyes, "Alright, if you're the Doctor, who's your wife?"

"Queen Elizabeth the 1st, Marilyn Monroe, or River Song, which name are you wanting?"

The hand on Sophie's shoulder releases, and she slowly lowers her arms, "Sorry, sir," one of the guards says, "You can never be too careful, not when it comes to her Majesty."

"Not an issue, just doing your jobs." He turns, his hand finding the tweed of his coat wrapped around Sophie's shoulders. He begins to usher her up the drive, calling back over his shoulder, "Keep up the good work, gents."

"Why couldn't you have, I don't know, called ahead, given them a warning, something."

"Well, I didn't think about it, okay," he stammers waving his arms about.

"You mooncalf," she jokes with him.

"Okay, where in the name of Rassilon are you learning 17th century insults?" Sophie doesn't answer the question, instead reaching her hand up to boop his nose. The Doctor chuckles, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Where do you think the Venuciuian is? Somewhere inside the palace, or just the grounds?"

"If I had to wager a guess," he states, pointing a finger in the air, "I'd say inside. Far more flammable than the grounds."

"Right, yeah, guess that makes sense." She gazes off, her eyes boring into the palace in front of her. Suddenly, she twists her head, looking up at her best friend, "Doctor."

"Hmm?" he asks, his head turning slightly to look at her, "What is it, Lyn?"

"Doctor, I'm scared. And I know that sounds crazy, because I've been by your side while you fought off Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans. The scariest things in the universe, and I'm scared of a bunch of pyromaniac aliens. Call me a wuss, I'd understand."

"Sophia Jaclyn McCoy, I will never, never, call you a wuss," he tells her, his hands holding onto hers, crouching slightly to look her in the eyes. "You have every right to be scared, that just means you're human. Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans, they're predictable. You've never seen these aliens before, and it makes all the sense in the world for you to be scared. You're braver than most for admitting it." He quickly kisses her hairline, gripping her hand tightly with his, "If it gets to be too much, leave. I don't want to push you."

She smiles at him, gripping his hand tightly, as he leads her into the Palace.

Hello, sweeties. 

So, I wasn't planning on uploading another chapter this week, but I mean, RTD is back, and I'm so happy! Oh my Rassilon, I really wasn't expecting any of that, but I have never been as happy as I was when I read that. (I tell a lie, I have probably been happier than that once or twice) I'm super excited for 60th anniversary and beyond. Now all we need is a Doctor. (My vote is for a young kid, who acts like Carl from up. Like, the Doctor looks fifteen, but acts and dresses like Carl.) Anyway, hope you enjoy.