Walk The Earth: Doctor Who/Studio C [Book 2]

Wandering

Wandering

"Not all those who wander are lost;" -J. R. R. Tolkien, 'The Fellowship of the Ring'

Mark traveled with them for two days after they left Trenton. Once they reached Baltimore, however, he split from them, ready to make his own path around the world.

For the next month, Matt and Mallory headed mainly south before curving west. They had to skirt Washington, DC, which was one of the cities that was much worse for wear during the Master's reign, along with Boston and New York. Richmond, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina passed under their feet. By mid-April, they had just swept past Atlanta, Georgia, and were now swinging north toward Nashville, Tennessee.

Spring had officially sprung—in addition to their southwesterly movement, this meant they had transitioned from constant heavy jackets straight into short sleeves in about three days. No matter the cut or style, black was their color and practicality their fashion. Pockets were a necessity, and freedom of movement nonnegotiable.

"You're staring, my dear."

Mallory tried, and failed, to hide the blush that crept over her cheeks at the fact she had been caught. "Well, to be fair, you're..." She stopped abruptly, wondering if there was any way to finish that sentence without embarrassing herself further.

"I'm what?" Matt asked with a lift of his brow, as the scrape of metal on metal—his spoon against the bottom of the can of chili he'd called dinner—echoed in the clearing. They'd taken rest for a meal in a small, abandoned campground that was poor enough shape that no one seemed to have settled in it permanently, but it did for a quick stop.

"You're... well..." He was just going to make this difficult, wasn't he? "You're kind of worth staring at," she finally blurted, the words escaping her mouth in a rush.

His brows lifted higher, before a grin came to his face. "Mallory, are you saying you find me attractive?"

"I'm about to say you're insufferable when complimented."

His only response was a chuckle and an even wider grin.

It was ridiculously unfair, she couldn't help but think, the way he could ratchet her higher with a word, a touch, a look, while seeming to remain completely unaffected. It had been just over a month since they met up in New York, and considering the distance between most camps they'd stumbled upon, most of that month had been spent with only each other for company.

It wasn't that she resented his company—far from it, in fact. She was beyond glad he was there and dreaded to even think of the fact that she could have well been doing this alone. But he was starting to drive her a little mad—in both good and bad ways.

Matt, seemingly oblivious to her predicament, continued to chat with her. She took a few moments to entertain the thought of shutting him up with her lips. She'd be lying if it didn't sound like the best idea she'd had in a week.

After the first few days in Trenton, it became more clear they had a job to do, and it was a taxing one. When they walked as far as they could before collapsing onto the nearest flat surface and passing out, only to wake up and do it all over again, the simple fact was anything more than a peck on the cheek or a small goodnight kiss fell by the wayside.

And, true though those facts might be, she was starting to go a little insane. After all the years of avoiding an actual relationship, finally getting it together for one beautiful month, only to be separated for two and then coming back to... this... felt like a slap in the face.