Lost In Time: A Doctor Who Fanfiction

Chapter 15 - Flatline, Part 1

Lyssa didn't have much time to worry as a swell of nausea arose. Curling her arms across her stomach and closing her eyes against the colors swirling in front of her, she leaned against the wall, hoping the cool metal would help ease the aching in her head. She heard what may have been footsteps approaching - although that may have just been the throbbing in her head - but couldn't be bothered to use the energy to open her eyes and check.

"Lyssa? When did - are you all right?" a male voice asked, one she didn't recognize.

She mumbled something that hopefully encompassed her situation and feelings in one go, but didn't look up.

"....Right." There was another pause. "I'm gonna assume that's a no, then. Doctor?" they raised their voice to call down the hallway. "Lyssa's here, and I think something's wrong." 

There was a sound of several pairs of clattering footsteps before a Scottish voice spoke close to her ear. "Lyssa? What's wrong?"

She reluctantly forced open her eyes, wincing at the piercingly bright light before it mercifully dimmed.  Crouched in front of her was the blurry image of the Doctor's Twelfth form, two more vague shapes behind him. "Doctor?" she asked in relief. "Am I in the TARDIS, then?"

"I'm here," he said softly. "We're in my TARDIS. What's wrong?" 

She swallowed down another wave of nausea. "It hurts. And I feel so sick. Why does it hurt so much?" she whispered. 

He frowned, running his eyes along her body, stopping when he saw her neck. "You're too early for it to be them, but your eyes..." he muttered, before inspiration seemed to strike. "Lyssa, where were you last, and how long had it been since you jumped?"

She tried to think past the throbbing in her head. "I don't... um... Eleven. After the Pandorica. We were there for a couple months. You said... after what happened, I might not be jumping for a while." 

He sat back and sighed in relief, closing his eyes briefly. "Never mind, then. I know what this is. Just take deep breaths, Lyssa. You should be feeling better soon."

Right then she would have settled for able to sit up straight, but she obediently closed her eyes and concentrated on taking deep breaths. After several unpleasant minutes, the nausea began to fade, and while she was still dizzy, she no longer had a piercing headache when she opened her eyes.

She hesitantly shifted to sit up straight, grateful when her stomach didn't protest the motion. She turned her attention to the Doctor, and frowned when he still looked blurry, albeit more clear than before. The people behind him were still nothing more than vague blobs of color.

"Do you feel better now?" the Doctor asked, watching her closely.

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. Everything looks a little blurry, but I don't feel sick anymore." She paused. "How come it hurt so much? I've never gotten sick after jumping before, and it never hurt like that either."

Her only answer was a grimace as he got to his feet with a groan, holding out a hand to help her up. She took it gratefully, releasing him when she was upright once more, but overestimated her ability to balance and stumbled forward into the man behind the Doctor.

"Must we always meet this way?" he said jokingly. "You keep stumbling into my arms." She blinked up at him in confusion. From what she could make out, he was a tall man, with dark hair that curled around the brown top hat he wore, and a brown leather jacket over a maroon paisley shirt with a matching tie. 

"Who are you?" she asked bluntly, before stopping. "Wait. That was rude. But who are you?" she asked again, frowning. He was still somewhat blurry, and the swirling design of his shirt was rather distracting. But she couldn't help but feel that he looked somewhat familiar.