Weeping Wolf

Chapter Nine: The Empty Child

Honestly, if you asked Rebecca how long she spent with the Doctor in the Tardis, she wouldn't have been able to give you an answer. Everything in Tardis feels so timeless, if it weren't for the fact that Rebecca needs to eat and sleep, she wouldn't even know when the 'days' begin and end. But even so, it wasn't long before those days began to bleed together, making it practically impossible for Rebecca to know how much time has truly passed.

But really, in the end, it doesn't matter how long Rebecca and the Doctor are in the Tardis.

The whole time during the first week after leaving Rose home with her mother, Jackie, the Doctor never once left Rebecca's side of the connection, embracing her mental self the whole while with all that he was worth, yet was still careful not to harm her as he does so. And Rebecca lets him, because she knows that this is how he is reassuring himself that she is still there, still connected to his mind and he hers. Granted she doesn't approve of the fact that he's not eating nor sleeping much. Rebecca knows the Doctor isn't doing any of that unless she makes him, what with him in her mind nonstop and all.

By the second week though, the Doctor was no longer circling within Rebecca's own mind, but instead, hovering at the very edge of her own consciousness. Along with the occasional brush against her mind's surface or the soft tug of the connection that is the tether of the two's own minds, connecting each other, so, as long as the other half allows it. But even though the Doctor is no longer circling Rebecca's mental space, doesn't stop him from brushing against her mind, or surrounding himself within it at night.

So, Rebecca has started the habit of whenever she feels the Doctor active and awake within her head space when the stubborn Time Lord is supposed to be sleeping. With the Tardis's help, Rebecca would find the Doctor and then proceeds to drag him from wherever he is and over to Library in order to try and get him to sleep. This method has worked at least a little less than half of the time.

Well, as far as Rebecca is aware of at least.

Unlike the connection Rebecca used to share with her pack, both the Doctor and Rebecca are able to hide things from one another as much as to their hearts content. Unfortunately, because of this, the Doctor is able to lie as much as he wants to her, and Rebecca wouldn't even know. For Rebecca has discovered that the Doctor lies often and quite easily, and, unfortunately, he is really good at it too. Especially when it comes to his own health. So, you can see why the shifter doesn't ask the Doctor outright if he had slept that night, she can never be absolutely sure that he's telling the truth.

Hell, the Doctor's cure to healing his own mental health, trauma, and other similar issues is by doing what the crazy Time Lord does best. Running away like a bat out of hell. It's almost hilarious, if not annoying and mildly concerning.

And the fact that the Doctor doesn't even try to take care of himself most of the time, in no way, makes Rebecca happy. In actuality, it makes her want to throttle him. Just a little anyways. But, alas, Rebecca refrains from doing so.

It doesn't help that the Doctor is unsurprisingly good at deflections and distraction, which unintentionally tests the shifter's self-restraint. Do you know how many times Rebecca just wanted to slap the Doctor silly in hopes of the action may help him in regaining this important thing called common sense, then force feeding him a large hearty meal cause Ancestors knows that the doctor doesn't eat as much as he probably, and then forcing him to sleep while keeping watch in order to chase any nightmares away as well as make sure that the stubborn as hell Time Lord stays asleep? (Yes, she has thought a lot about this, hush.) She has had the urge too many times that Rebecca has honestly lost count at this point.

Much to the Tardis's amusement.

There are many reasons, too many, for as of why Rebecca hasn't followed through with these urges yet. But, as stated earlier, the Doctor loves to test Rebecca's self-restraint, even when he doesn't mean to. Which leads, back in full circle, to Rebecca dragging him to the library with her in order to try and make sure he actually sleeps and gets some rest. Once again ignoring the Doctor's protest of needing less sleep.