Lost In Time: A Doctor Who Fanfiction

Chapter 29 - Smith and Jones, Part 1

Lyssa leaned back against her pillow and crossed her arms with a huff. She gave the Doctor her most withering glare, but he remained resolutely unwithered - and still laughing at her from his chair next to her hospital bed. He contained his mirth with an effort, struggling to cover it up with a sympathetic expression that didn't make her feel all that comforted.

"But why did it have to be me?" she pouted, ignoring the fact that this was the third time they'd had this conversation. "You're a better actor than I am - and you can alter your vital signs to make it look like you're sick! Not to mention, what if their tests pick up the time energy, or whatever?"

"Yes, I can alter my vitals to an extent if I absolutely needed to," he mused, both of them keeping their voices pitched low enough as to not disturb the actual patient in the curtained bed a few yards away. "But fairy-girl..." he trailed off, and she narrowed her eyes, certain he was about to say something she wasn't going to like. "Out of the two of us, you're the only one who is one: not going to set off every alarm the second they check your heartbeat, and two: actually sick."

Ugh. Logic.

She sniffled at him miserably, hoping it would make him regret everything. "Okay, fine. Maybe. Still doesn't mean they can't do a blood test and notice all the... not-human-y bits."

He waved a hand in the air. "21st century medical equipment is too primitive to detect any of the currently minute differences in your biology, I checked before we came. You still register as fully human to all but the most advanced technology which doesn't even exist at this point in time. I would not," he had the nerve to point out reasonably. "Wouldn't even need to actually test my blood to notice the orange tint to it."

She glanced away, uncomfortable at the reminder that she was no longer fully human. "I guess," she muttered, picking uncomfortably at her blankets.

He eyed her. "Lyssa..." he leaned forward in his chair, reaching out to grip her hand with his. "You're still human, even with the energy running through you, you know that right?" he told her softly, gently squeezing her hand when she dropped her eyes from his. "A few changes to your DNA don't change who you are as a person, don't change your humanity. Your wonderful, constant humanity. Don't define yourself by your race. Define yourself by your deeds."

"That's... valid," she acknowledged reluctantly. It's not like she judged non-humans - or species that were a mix of the two - for not being fully human. It was just... difficult... accepting that a fact you've always held about yourself was no longer quite true. Like finding out that the sky isn't actually blue, that snow isn't cold. "I'm not that sick, though," she switched topics, more than ready to be done with the current one. "Definitely not worth a hospital visit."

He raised an eyebrow, letting her know he saw what she was doing but going along with it. "Normally I'd agree with you. You're ill, but not that ill. Hospitals are busy enough without the addition of those who could just go to a clinic. But we needed a way in, and it couldn't hurt to get a second opinion on you, even if their technology is vastly inferior."

She rolled her eyes fondly. "Yeah, yeah. More like this way you have an excuse to make me sit down and stay, since I wouldn't on the TARDIS?"

He had the grace to look slightly sheepish. In the past month since Canary Wharf, things had vastly improved for them both... only for the Doctor to start hovering all over again the second she sneezed.

And then she'd registered a mild fever the same day the Doctor had noticed some odd energy readings coming from the Royal Hope Hospital. Since she'd refused to bundle up and lay down in bed for the next three weeks as he'd first suggested, he'd leapt at the chance for her to play patient as their cover for the hospital.