Winnie Is Not Okay

1.11

"Can I get a hug?", Winnie asked when they entered the Tardis and the Doctor was en-route to the console.

The Doctor turned around and pushed a breath through his nose, pulling her into his chest where she began to sob. He rubbed her back.

"They hate me", she cried.

"Winifred", he sighed, holding the back of her head, "Humans are strange. Sometimes, they can't process their thoughts and feelings and so instead they hate. It's not fair, it's just- human, really."

"But I can't go in there when they all look at me like that", she pulled back and wiped her face, "When they say I broke my mum's heart. I didn't mean to break her heart. I didn't mean to lose my job and my degree and the hospital."

The Doctor frowned. She was right, she didn't mean to. And neither did he, but it was his fault and there was nothing he could do to fix it, "I'm sorry, Winifred. They will get over it, that's just the way they are."

Winnie nodded. She accepted the tissue he held up for her and wiped her eyes and nose.

"Now, come on, let's go look at aliens", he took her hand again, pulling her over to the console.

A couple more tears ran down her face as she laughed. She wiped those away quickly and put the tissue away. The Doctor smiled at her and offered his hand again. She took it and they strolled to the door. They had to squeeze out into the tiny storeroom.

"You know, the Tardis did say you're terrible at parking", Winnie chuckled.

"Shush", the Doctor hissed somewhat playfully and then got to work on the door lock.

The door opened to a meeting room for the army. People in green uniforms with red berets stopped their chattering, staring at them in silence. Then, they all pulled their guns on them, prompting the pair to raise their arms defensively. A woman screamed and their looks changed.

"Defence plan delta! Come on. Move! Move", the Doctor took Winnie's hand and pulled her along, the soldiers following suit.

They arrived in what seemed to be a mortuary where a young woman cowered in the corner. She must've been the one examining the alien. Now she had a wound on her head and whispered, "It's alive!"

"Spread out. Tell the perimeter it's a lockdown", the Doctor ordered the soldiers who immediately took off.

"My god. It's still alive", the examiner breathed out, "I swear it was dead. Winnie!"

How did she know her name? No time for that now, the Doctor decided and talked to her, "Coma, shock, hibernation, anything. What does it look like?", something clattered in the back and the Doctor turned, "It's still here."

Winnie kneeled down with the examiner, having a look at her wound, as the Doctor moved around the room to try and get a look. Behind a filing cabinet it peaked out. And it looked like a pig.

"Hello", the Doctor greeted it before it ran out on its hind legs. It was wearing a space suit, "Don't shoot!"

The Doctor ran after the pig as its squeaks were still heard in the room. Then, a gunshot was heard, and although they didn't hear the Doctor's words, they heard that he was scolding someone. So the pig was dead. Winnie helped the examiner up and cared for her wound, disinfecting and bandaging it.

"What are you doing here, Winnie?", she asked weakly.

"H- how do you know me?"

"Oh", she realised their meeting was still in her future and swallowed harshly, relieved when the Doctor showed up for an explanation.