Companion of Death - A Doctor Who Fanfiction (Thasmin)

Interlude: Secrets and Lies

It just so happens that this interlude isn't on board the TARDIS. But the themes are all the same, and last chapter they didn't end up going anywhere.

I stepped out of the TARDIS behind Missy. I was avoiding my sister because I couldn't tell her why it would have been so catastrophic for me to go back to Earth. She had always been a curious thing, and she knew that it was more complicated than us being of another world. Ashildr was intelligent, and that had kept her alive for so long. But there were some things she could never know. Nobody could know.

"This isn't Paris," Missy stated.

I had not even noticed my surroundings as I had been so lost in thought. Now that I took them in, I saw that we had actually landed in a small town, much like Earth. The most glaring difference was the people's speech. It was not the Southern twang to which I was accustomed. It was not a Texan drawl similar to the one that crept into my New York accent. It sounded more like London or Cockney, but not quite. And both these people and Londoners would be offended by that comparison, which stems from my American ignorance.

(AN: It's Australian. Which so does not sound like a London accent, but Echo doesn't know how else to describe it.)

"Yeah, sorry about that!" the Doctor called out from behind us. "It's not Paris, it's, um... Lake's Entrance? Small town in Australia!"

"Why do you sound so excited about having gotten it wrong?" I grumbled. "I thought we decided we would fly it together. This is just proof that you should've listened."

"It's Australia!" the Doctor responded, sounding way too happy. "I've never been to Australia! Not often I get to go to new places. I'm two thousand years old; I've seen everything. But this? This is brilliant!"

"Have you been to Paris?" Yaz asked.

"Yup!" the Doctor said cheerfully. "Eighteenth century! I met Madame de Pompadour. Sn– " She cut herself off, shooting a look at Yaz.

(AN: I was going to have her say 'Snogged her, too!' but then I decided to have the Doctor learn from the awkwardness at Asgard when Yaz found out that she was married to River. The Doctor may not be so socially intelligent, but this is a maybe date and announcing that she snogged somebody else may not be a good idea.)

"What?" Yaz asked. "What were you going to say?"

"I saved her from clockwork droids who wanted to use her brain to fix their ship!" the Doctor stated.

If she was going to say what I thought she was going to say, that was a nice save. The Tecteun I knew had been oblivious to others' feelings. She always stuck her foot in her mouth. This version of the Doctor was better about reading social situations, it seemed.

"Oh, get your overly happy self away from us on that date with Yaz so we can enjoy some peace and quiet," I drawled.

They blushed. "It's not a date!" Yaz insisted.

"You said it could be," Ashildr pointed out.

The Doctor and Yaz beat a hasty retreat, if only to get away from the incessant teasing. Ashildr went her own way, giving me a look of annoyance. I knew what it meant. She knew that I was keeping something from her. But I couldn't tell her. It was for her safety and everybody else's: they couldn't know.

That left me alone with Missy, who had caught Ashildr's look and was also wondering what in the name of the River Saturn just happened. It was a time paradox of the highest degree. Martha called for help, and because the Doctor did not go to her aid, she did not need to call for help. And my involvement in the situation was confusing to her, as well. Missy was smart, and I feared that she would put the pieces together. I could not allow her to do that. It was too dangerous. I was too dangerous.