The Unexpected Hero

Journey to Some Where

*Rubie's POV*

I wandered the corridors of the Tardis, wishing the Doctor would have an interior designer come and improve the aesthetics of this place. Because his taste was abominable, not to mention the fact that everything was the same made it very difficult to navigate.

What was I going to do now? I wanted to apologise to the Master, having now realised my major overreaction. What an entertaining morning though! All those pictures of the supposedly bad ass Master all over instagram, with my favourite teddy bears and lippy all over his face! Hah!

Though, considering I had no way of contacting him, perhaps I should pull down those very entertaining pictures. No way was I deleting them from my phone though. Someday I'd look back and laugh at them, remembering that time I met the Master.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, flicked it on, whoa wait! Was that wifi? Very unoriginally named wifi, with an extremely easy to guess password? Well, Doctor, you're not as intelligent as I thought you were.

I clicked on the instagram app, logging in. Since when do I ever log out, anyway? Whatever. And so I deleted the remarkably hilarious photos of the Master, hoping that he would understand that this was my version of an apology.

"Oi! Attention all passengers! We are about to embark on an adventure, which you might like to participate in. It'll be very fun, and not dangerous. Promise! Cross my hearts!" Said the voice of the Doctor over what I assumed was sort of like an intercom system-thing.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Imma need a map though if you want me to get there in time," I muttered back.

I blinked, and then there was this sort of map thing in my head. I examined it quickly, then wandered off in the direction of the main control room.

"Speed up a bit, we haven't got all day!" came the frustrated voice of the Doctor, to which I gave him the finger, replying that I'd go at my own bloody pace thank you very much.

I emerged, blinking like a mole, into the unnecessary brightness of the main control room. "Does it really have to be so bright in here and so dark everywhere else?" I grumbled aloud.

"Yes!" The Doctor said energetically. "Otherwise it would be boring!"

"For who?" I asked in a flat tone.

"Me, silly. Now come on, we don't have all day!" he ran like the crazy mad man he was to the door,then spun around to stare at me and Lacey, "why aren't you keeping up? You know my rule-"

"No wandering off!" Lacey and I cut him off at the same time, our voices a mix of frustration.

"Spoilsports," the Doctor muttered under his breath. Then he turned and over dramatically flung open the doors of the Tardis.

A gasp escaped my lips. It couldn't be. Not here.

"Where are we?" I asked, awed.

"Appalapachia," the Doctor answered. "This time we aren't in quarantine though, thank goodness!"

I sighed.

"Can we go explore?" Lacey asked from behind me, her voice soft.

"That's the point, innit?" The Doctor asked. His question was rhetorical, though, so Lacey and I didn't bother answering him.

Then a huge grin broke out on my face and I ran out the doors, not caring if Lacey or the Doctor followed me. They could be getting it on in the pleasure gardens for all I cared!

I was super glad I had my camera on me, not that any of my instagram followers would ever believe me if I said I hadn't used a filter. Or even photoshop. Not that I could even use photoshop without help. I preferred the more old fashioned methods of photography and the elements of design.

I crouched down next to a hopefully benign flower to take a macro picture of it, crossing my fingers that it wouldn't suddenly spring to life and eat me all up.

Focus! you damn phone, focus! Bloody hell!

Oh, it actually turned out all right. Hah! Take that benign flower.

Then the flower petals opened up slowly, and I backed away slowly, terrified of what might emerge from within. A giant tongue, maybe? Teeth, even. Who knew? Probably not even the Doctor knew.

That was one heck of a petal-span! Is that even what you call it? Meh.

Whoa, wait?! Is that hair? Human hair, of the blond description? The petals drew back even further, if that was even possible, and a familiar looking human figure began to emerge.

Despite the familiarity, I continued backing away, not quite ready to talk to him yet. Not after this morning. What if he hated me, thought I was mad?

"Hello there, Rubie. So nice to see you. " A pause. "God that flower was cramped! Did you get any nice pictures, though?"

I was about to open my mouth and scream, when suddenly he was right there in front of me, clamping my mouth shut with his hand.

"Why don't we let the Doctor and Lacey have their alone time, hmm?"

I rolled my eyes. He took his hand away.

"Was that flower poisonous? I asked. "Because it seems to have done something to your head! Since when do you not hate the Doctor?"

"I never said I hated him. I just dislike what he's become. But maybe, just maybe, Lacey will be good for him. If I was around all the time I would just jeopardize that." he answered, his tone much too logical for my liking. What happened to my fun-loving Master?

"I still think you need your head checked," I said, temporarily forgetting my previous anger with him to place a hand on his cheek. His lips curved upwards.

"Forgetting something?" he asked, and I jumped back from his electric green eyes in shock. "Forgetting that you're supposed to hate me now?"

I blushed, and examined my shoes in embarrassment. Such fascinating shoes!

He chuckled. "It's ok, I don't hate you. It's understandable that you overreacted, and I forgive you," I looked up and saw the sincerity in his eyes.

"And I'm sorry. How long did it take you to get the lippy off?" I asked, honestly wanting to know. Desperately trying to hold back my laughter.

"Too long!" he answered, nothing but humor in his voice, no anger whatsoever.

Then we both laughed. "Come on, I wanna go take some more pictures before I have to go back," I said, grabbing his hand and dragging him after me. "I hope you remember the way back!"