Fight or Flight ( Doctor Who Fanfiction )

Excerpt From the TARDIS

"Mars? Omara?"

I flew out of bed blearily, looking around.

Amelia swore, jumping back from the doorframe, which almost closed on her. She squeezed in and looked around.

"Jesus, is this really your room?"

"Yes," I said indignantly. "What's wrong with it?"

She looked around. My room was small and metallic, with one nearly-bare mattress on the ground and buzzing fluorescent light radiating from every corner of the ceiling.

"I can't decide between hospital and prison cell. You could have asked him for anything at all and you asked for this?" She lowered herself into a cross legged position beside me on the edge of the mattress, and looked around with a frown. "I don't like the thought of you alone in here."

"I'm fine," I laughed. "You worry too much."

"Omara, it's so bright. They've done studies about how prolonged exposure to this kind of lighting can heighten stress and aggression."

I raised my eyebrows. "Well, aren't you the little scholar."

"No, I just paid attention in class every now and then." She sighed, squinting comically. "Well, I won't be able to sleep in here."

"Um... I didn't know that was on the table."

"I don't know, my room feels off. I was having trouble sleeping."

"Yeah, so was I." I interrupted when she opened her mouth, "Don't start about the lights. I can't sleep in the dark anymore."

Another frown. "Why not?"

"My father had a strict lights-out policy in Siberia. He had a strict everything policy. Everything I did was controlled. Every moment of my day, every move I made..." I shivered. "That place was so quiet when the lights went out, so... empty. I laid in my bed every night feeling like it would never be over. I'd never get out."

"Shit," said Amy, folding her hands. "I'd sleep with the lights on too."

"Sorry to... dump that on you like that."

"Don't be. I want to hear more about the time you were away. I missed so much of your life."

"You've only missed the worst parts of it, believe me. It's really not that exciting." I hooked an arm around my knee laid my cheek on it, looking at her sideways. "So, you couldn't sleep."

"Yeah. Sorry, I guess I just could use some company."

"You're fine. I've been feeling weird too. Come on."

And I was on my feet, heading out the door.

"Um - where - "

"Come on," I repeated, beckoning her. "I know a spot."

I took her to the library, where the lights were soft and warm, and there were plush chairs and couches everywhere.

"You know a spot?" She chuckled, "I've been here a thousand times."

"I know." I grabbed the edge of a couch and dragged it over to face and join up with another one, making a bed-like structure, where I flopped down and and crooked a finger to her.

Amy hesitated. "What if he finds us?"

"We'll tell him to give you the right number of beds next time."

She laughed, and climbed into the makeshift bed I'd made. "Ugh, I can hear it now. 'But bunk beds are so cool!'"

We both giggled, and settled into our little makeshift bed, staring up at the vaulted ceiling, a thousand feet above us.