Chapter 90 - Acts and Antics

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Lyssa walked silently through the crowds of people, her hand resting lightly in the gloved hands of Dr. Smith. Trying to maintain an air of unconcerned relaxation, she supposed it was probably spoiled by the way her eyes kept darting everywhere across the room, trying to find any signs of someone with green under their ears. It was harder than she would have preferred, as people of all different colors - both skin and clothes - were constantly moving around the room. 

"I don't believe you'll need to worry about finding our foe out here," Dr. Smith informed her in a low voice close to her ear, making her jump. "Sorry," he added, giving her a gentle smile. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I merely meant to remind you that he's likely to be on the dance floor, trying to blend in and make himself appear harmless, so that he may be as close to his target as he can be."

"Right," she realized, cheeks heating up slightly. "Because that's the smart thing to do, rather than waiting around and trying to get through the crowds at the last minute. Sorry, I'm dumb," she muttered, shaking her head at herself.

"You're being cautious," he corrected her. "I think that's wise, particularly in a situation like this, where there is potential for great harm to be done."

"Especially if the Emperor-elect dies," she agreed in a low voice, feeling the itching sensation at the back of her mind growing stronger as they grew closer to the dance floor. Did that mean it was getting closer to being broken, or were they just getting closer to the time that was fixed? She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to dismiss the growing feeling when it wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know. "So... how do you know the Doctor?" she asked curiously, glancing up at him. 

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I could rather ask you the same question," he said in amusement, intrigue evident in his own eyes. 

She grinned. "I asked first, though," she pointed out. "Did you travel with him, or something?"

"Or something," he said enigmatically. "I believe it was some time ago for him, however, while it is rather current for me."

"Huh." She frowned in thought. "So... you're not a companion, then? Did you just meet him on an adventure or something? He does that a lot."

"He does, doesn't he?" His eyes twinkled in amusement. "May I assume that not much seems to have changed from my time to yours?"

"That depends," Lyssa said slowly, "on whether or not your Doctor is as bad a driver as mine."

Both his eyebrows shot up that time. "A bad driver?"

She nodded, sending him a conspiratorial look and holding back a laugh. "He'll tell you it's all on purpose, but he doesn't always end up where he planned. Or when he'd planned," she added as an afterthought. "Not that it's necessarily a bad thing," she said hastily when she saw him frown, not wanting him to think poorly of her Doctor. "We end up helping people who need it a lot of the time. It's just... not always what we had originally planned. Like tonight, for instance."

Dr. Smith hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose he is rather like the Doctor I know, then. Is he..." He hesitated, sending her what she could only describe as an almost cautious glance before continuing. "Is he kind?"

"Kind?" She thought of the way how he always tried to help people, no matter how much it cost him in the end, the protection and friendship he offered all his companions, the gentleness he showed her; and smiled. "Of course he's kind. Traveling with him, I've met lots of people, good and bad. And he's a good man... one of the best men I know, actually. And he makes me a better person, too, just by knowing him."

His hand trembled slightly beneath her, but he avoided her gaze when she glanced at him. "Good. That's... that's very good," he said in a low voice that didn't sound entirely steady. "I'm glad." She was about to ask him if he was all right, but right then they crossed onto the dance floor and he drew in a deep breath, any hints that something was wrong vanishing as if they'd never existed. "Shall we dance, then?" he asked, turning to her and lifting their joined hands in the air in invitation.

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