I Need a Doctor!

Why, TARDIS?!

It was two days after the "incident" between the Doctor and I. He didn't seem fazed by it, but I kept tip-toeing around it. Every time we got close to each other, I would make some excuse and walk far enough away to see what he was doing but not be within a certain radius of him. I'm not sure why I was so awkward about it all. I was the one who had kissed him.

Maybe I was afraid of rejection?

No, that wouldn't make sense since I wasn't attracted to him.

Or was I?

No! It's the Doctor! Why would I be attracted to him? I mean, sure, he has great hair, and he's so intelligent, and his hair, and he's caring, and compassionate, and his hair, and his eyes seem to look both into and through you at the same time, as if he's looking at the universe and how it's connected to you...

Plus his hair.

Oh dear.

I was attracted to the Doctor. And not just because he saved me (again) or because he's attractive (I mean, look at that hair!). It was because he was an honest-to-God, perfect, brilliant, madman in a blue box.

So to answer my question, yes, it was because I was afraid of rejection.

But could you blame me?

I looked up, the sound of a shattering cup breaking my train of thought. The Doctor was holding a handle of a coffee mug, but no mug was attached. Inspecting the scene from my semi-distant proximity, I could tell he had been setting down the mug on the console and put a tad too much energy into it. 

He stared at the broken mug, and lifted the handle up to his face, a bewildered expression present on his features. "Odd," he mumbled. "I could have sworn it said 'un-breakable' on the box."

"Ha, that's where they getcha!" My attempt at humor went unnoticed by the Doctor. I cleared my throat. "Uh, I should um, get a towel... Yeah."

"No... No, I'll get it."

He had been like this since the kiss. Shaking, spacey. Maybe it had upset him a bit. I swallowed, remembering Jack's words about Rose. Had I brought up old memories? I hope not. The Doctor came back in, a towel and broom in either hand. He let out a wavering breath and began sweeping up the ceramics. I tugged the sleeve of my shirt and began to (almost) silently shuffle my way around him.

He sighed and stopped sweeping, placing his hands on the console. "Sophia."

Uh-oh.

"We need to talk."

I gulped. "Yeah. I-I know."

He turned to face my but didn't make eye contact. leaning against the console, he began, "Wh... What happened, when I came back, it was-"

"Yeah."

"And it brought back memories."

I looked down. "Yeah."

"And I just really want us to be able to have a simple, platonic relationship."

"Yeah," I half whispered.

I could feel him looking up at me. "Sophia, every time I get attached to one of my companions, I lose them. And it's horrible, and it's painful, and it's always unfair."

"Yeah..."

"For God's sake, could you stop replying to everything I say with 'yeah'?!" He bellowed.

I paused, unsure of how to answer. "Ye- alright."

He let out a deep breath and pulled his hand over his face, slowly shaking his head back and forth. "Sorry. I didn't mean it. It's just... You've put me in a very difficult place right now, y'know?"

I nodded.

"Sophia, I don't want to go through that pain, and more importantly, I don't want you to go through that pain."

Here it came.

"So, you have to forgive me, but..."

The Rejection speech.

"I may have to put you through that pain."

And now I had been- wait, what? "I-I'm sorry, but... What?"

He gave a weak smile, hand resting under his chin. "That is, if you'll have me." So many things rushed through my mind as I tried to reply, but all of them would come out wrong if I tried. His face fell at my silence. "Now, I understand if you don't want to live with that risk, but it is always a possibility no mat-"

"Yes."

His face brightened. "You-You really mean it?"

I grinned like a fool and nodded vigorously. Quickly regaining my composure, I tightened my mouth and tried to sound professional. "Seeing as the risk is equally high in both situations and I would rather not like to go back to my old life, I agree to your offer."

He stood up and stepped forward. Placing one hand on my cheek, he smiled and began to lean in.

At that moment, the TARDIS shook and rumbled, ending in a crooked position leaving both the Doctor and I on the floor.

Leave it to the TARDIS to ruin a perfectly good moment.