ashes ➝ Doctor Who²

XXIV

"Maybe she loves him."
- Tish, The Lazarus Project

The closeness of the two was starting to become suffocating. Having the Doctor tower over her bought back some feelings that she tried very hard to push away when he left.

"I'm guessing we're not hiding in here, the most obvious hiding place in the entire room."

"Yeah no, he knows we're here. But this is his masterpiece. I'm betting he won't destroy it, not even to get at us." She rolled her eyes as he tried to move his arms somewhere other than leaning over her.

"You've clearly never met a determined man." He looked at her confused and a little disheartened.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, I'm just going to confirm, we're trapped aren't we."

"That's a slight problem. But at least it's the only one."

"So you don't have a plan."

"Yes, the plan was to get inside here."

"Well I'm glad I could follow the first half. And then once we're in here Doctor, what were we going to do then? Make out?" Realistically she shouldn't have said that whilst looking at him. Because now that's all she's thinking about. Especially with his arms trapping her in the already confined space.

"Well, then I'd come up with another plan." Although her idea sounded much better he knew he couldn't admit to that.

"Please, take your time. I insist." As he was moving about, trying to get to his sonic. His arm slides down a little too far.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." He continued to struggle with his jacket, and Penelope rolled her eyes. Grabbing one side of his lapels she pulled him closer. She kept direct eye contact with him as she got the sonic for him. Holding it up in front of his face, she smiled coyly.

"Now, do you think you can get us out of here? Or do I have to do that for us as well." He would never admit to anyone how he thought about that entire interaction.

"No, I can.. get us out."

"You're not really inspiring confidence here. What are you going to do?"

"Improvise." He slides down to the floor and opens a panel, starting to mess with any wires he could find. Penelope then became very suddenly aware of the slit in the front of her dress. This wasn't really how she wanted their first interaction to go after all this time.

"I want to say that whatever he's become is alien. But I think I'd be wrong."

"Correct. For once it's strictly human in origin."

"Human. Of course it's human. How?"

"Probably from dormant genes in Lazarus's DNA. The energy field in this thing must have reactivated them. And it looks like they're becoming dominant."

"So that's what we could've become? Freaky."

"Yep. We're being attacked by some option that evolution rejected for you millions of years ago, but the potential is still there. Locked away in your genes, forgotten about until Lazarus unlocked it by mistake."

"The man's a walking, talking Pandora's Box."

"Exactly." She tried very hard to ignore the way he looked up at her. "You look good tonight Penelope."

Thankfully the staring match was broken by the sound of the machine turning on. Groaning, she tapped his back a little as he sped up with the wires. His arms were wrapped around her legs trying to reach it and she felt very enclosed.

"I told you this would happen."

"Yes, alright."

"Well I did."

"I was hoping it was going to take him a little bit longer to work that out. I can't quite reach the wires." Sighing, Penelope balanced herself against the two walls of the machine next to her and stood on one leg. Putting it over the Doctor's shoulder and refusing to look at him.

"You have room now, hurry up." Of course, the Doctor was totally focused on getting them out. And not at all aware of the fact that Penelope had to drape herself over him so that they could get out.

"Right. Yes. The wires."

He had a feeling they would never talk about this again, not that he would complain.

"What are you even doing that needs this much time?"

"I'm trying to set the capsule to reflect energy rather than receive it."

"What will that do? The opposite of what will happen to us in here, right?"

"Okay, when he transforms, he's three times his size. Cellular triplication. So he's spreading himself thin." The very concerning sounds of the machine powering up seemed to speed up. And from the demonstration earlier, she knows it isn't long until they're eating out of a tail as well.

Leaning over, becoming slightly claustrophobic, she gripped the Doctor's suit in her hand. Very aware of how she had basically thrown herself over him to get them out.

"Don't feel like altering my DNA today Doctor. Get a move on."

"Alright just one more wire."

"Why is it always just one more wire with you?"