Lost In Time: A Doctor Who Fanfiction

Chapter 9 - A Cold Welcome

   
Lyssa's eyes widened, and she took an involuntary step back, cheeks starting to burn as she laughed a bit too shrilly to sound natural. "What? No, you didn't," she said hastily, wincing internally at her unnaturally high-pitched voice. "Where'd you get that idea?"

When he just looked at her, slightly skeptical, she got even more flustered. "All - all right, maybe it was my first kiss, but I just said that to try and keep you fighting, to distract you. I didn't think you'd actually remember it," she finished in a mumble, twisting her fingers nervously and avoiding his gaze. 

He frowned. "Well, I did. And I want you to know, I'm sorry. You were in danger, and when I heard you scream, I thought -" he stopped. 

"It's all right," she said hastily, desperate to be done with this conversation. "You - you were worried, it was just the heat of the moment, I-" she stopped, realizing what she had just said. "That was a terrible pun, I'm sorry." The Doctor allowed himself a small smile before she returned to the main track of the conversation. "Anyway, I get it, it was just an accident, no big deal."

"Yes, it is a big deal," he said firmly. "I took your first kiss, and I didn't even ask first. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

She shook her head, face still pink. "Doctor, I - I'm not angry. Like I said, I get it. No harm done. If you need me to say it, I forgive you. There. We're done. No more talking about it. Problem solved. Please," she whispered the last word under her breath.

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. "If you're sure..." he trailed off uncertainly.

She nodded vigorously. "Yep. I'm sure. Totally sure. Now, if you don't mind, I really want to take a shower and clean up before we go skating." She pinched part of her grimy pajama pants between her fingers with a grimace. "And change into better clothes that are actually clean."

He nodded, expression dropping from guilty apology to something unreadable. "Best get going, then. I know your hair will take a bit. Don't want to make Martha wait for you."

"You mean, make you wait any longer than you have to?" she teased, moving slowly to the hallway door.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lyssa, I'm never impatient. I can wait just as long as I want to," he scoffed. "It's even in the name - Time Lord."

"Right," she grinned, relieved the awkward tension that had filled the air between them was finally dissipating. "Nice to know I can take a long, hot shower, then. See you in, oh, an hour?" she teased. "Maybe two?" She bit back a snicker at the disgruntled look on his face and slipped into the hallway.

She paused, just outside, and glanced back, unsure why, only to draw in a sharp breath when she saw him. He'd dropped the cheery expression - likely as soon as he'd believed she was gone, both hands gripping the console with a force that left his knuckles white. He was bent over slightly, eyes shut tight and face closed off, all too clearly still castigating himself.

She bit her lip, wishing she'd never brought up the stupid kiss in the first place - she'd just been trying to distract him, but he was clearly blaming himself over something that really, wasn't that big of a deal in the first place. Awkward, yes. Something she wanted to come between their new friendship that she was already starting to value more and more every day?

Not in the slightest.

She glanced uncertainly down the hallway towards her room, then turned back to the Doctor, warring with herself. She didn't feel bad leaving her mother without a word, especially given that she hadn't even noticed Lyssa - or her stuff - missing for several days. Part of her wondered if her mother knew yet that her plane had gone down.