A Girl Named Willow *The Adventures of the Tenth Doctor/COMPLETE*

Chapter Thirteen

A single day in the Rotarian Empire was much, much longer than a day on Earth. A mere hour on Earth was extended into five more on the Rotarian Empire, at least, from the vague timings Willow had gathered.

She had finished picking and choosing what was to be put on the table, and it felt like hours and hours had passed. However, when she went on a balcony to look outside, the blazing red sun was still high up in the sky. 

Willow slammed her hand on the railing and heaved a big sigh. The Doctor still wasn't here, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was starting to doubt him. So much time had passed that she began to suspect he had been recaptured, then tortured, or worse, left for dead. She also had a small antagonizing fear that he had jumped in his Tardis and was gone. Truly, properly... gone.

Willow tossed her hair behind her shoulder as a bead of sweet ran down her temple. "He would never. Never in a million years," she told herself.

"Who would never?" Talcone said behind her. Willow whirled around with a startled expression on her face which she quickly wiped away. He was unbearably close to her back, so she swiftly inched to the right.

She put her hands to her chest to steady herself before smiling. "Talcone! Didn't see you there!"

Talcone raised his eyebrows and looked around. "Where's your little Doctor friend? Wasn't he to stay with you during the whole preparation? That's against tradition for him to have left you alone for so long." 

Willow moved her mouth but nothing seemed to come out. Her hands balled into fists back and forth until she almost felt like she was going to faint.

"Actually," a voice said from behind Talcone. "Here I am!"  

The Doctor appeared in the doorway with sweat all over his face. His spiked hair was plastered on his face from how damp it was. "Sorry, just had to make a quick bathroom break," he scooted past Talcone and patted Willow's shoulder. "See? I didn't go anywhere."

Talcone narrowed his eyes, but seemed to think nothing of it. "Very well, but we will need to head down to the courtyard to make choices for decorations soon." 

He left the room, looking behind his shoulder after every other step.

The two waited patiently until Talcone had completely exited the balcony while the Doctor's heavy breathing filled the silence.

Willow turned back to the railing and looked solemnly at the town below. She didn't want to appear to be too excited to see him. After all, he had left her for hours upon hours. "Where the hell were you?" 

"Took a quick trip to change something, that's all," the Doctor said sternly, his lips pulled into a thin line.

Willow looked at him, frowning with her big hazel eyes. The feeling was mutual. "I've been waiting. I thought you weren't gonna show."

They sat in silence and kept their eyes on each other. Both of them bore holes into the others' head, making the silence increasingly tense.
A light breeze ruffled the Doctor's hair, flinging itself back and forth like a swing. Willow looked at his hair move ridiculously until a big smile spread across her face, making the Doctor do the same. He laughed triumphantly as she flung her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. 

"I don't mean to sound vulnerable, but I really thought you had left," she murmured into his neck. "Like, you properly left."

The Doctor stiffened as she spoke. There was a slight waver in his actions, as if he was apologetic and uncertain. 

Sensing his hesitation, Willow pulled herself away from the hug.  

"What's wrong?" She allowed her hand to trail down his arm for reassurance.