Companion of Death - A Doctor Who Fanfiction (Thasmin)

Chapter 6: Return of the Autons

Now I finally feel like explaining why Ryan and Graham have been missing from this fanfic.

We returned to the TARDIS at the appointed time and Ashildr gave me an indecipherable look. I knew it was related to the secret that I was keeping from her. I shot her a look that said 'I'm sorry' but she shook her head, glaring at me. I fingered Clara's bullet necklace, remembering my promise to keep Ashildr safe.

The ringing of somebody's mobile phone cut into our silent conversation, and I was relieved. Ashildr and I would have this conversation later, and I would have time to think about what I couldn't say and what I shouldn't say and what I would say.

Yaz took out her phone and answered it, her face changing from surprised to sad and scared in mere moments. "Okay, we're coming," she said finally. She hung up and pocketed the phone before turning to face the Doctor. "That was Ryan," she stated. "He said Graham's taken a turn for the worse. The doctors don't think he has long to live."

"Are we paying them a visit?" the Doctor asked, her social awkwardness coming out.

"Doctor..." Yaz said lowly.

The Doctor nodded at the rest of us and we gathered around the console, ready to pilot the TARDIS wherever it was that Yaz and the Doctor wanted to go. We landed smoothly, without the whooshing and thud characteristic of the Doctor's piloting skills, near a Sheffield hospital.

Something about the hospital gave me the creeps, but I could not put my finger on what it was. Yaz led the way through the hallways, the Doctor just a step behind her, and I trailed at the back of the group behind Ashildr and Missy. I still felt bad for keeping secrets from them, but I knew that to tell them would be worse.

"What – Rory?!" the Doctor exclaimed, shocked. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "That's impossible."

(AN: I sincerely do not apologize for constantly bringing back old characters. And I never will.)

The person in question was a young male doctor in a white coat and scrubs. He made me uneasy for reasons unknown. My eyes kept flicking down to his wrist, which was utterly unremarkable.

The Doctor shook her head disbelievingly and kept walking. Finally, we came to a door, which Yaz pushed open. Inside the room I saw a gray-haired man on the bed, an IV in his arm, and a dark-skinned boy in the chair beside him. The Doctor and Yaz seemed to recognize them, but I did not, and emotional scenes with strangers ranked top of my list of things to avoid.

I slipped out, letting my gut lead me to the man we had passed in the hallway. After a few minutes of walking, I found myself outside the nurses' station a few floors down. To my surprise, Ashildr was there, too.

"There you are!" Missy called from behind me. Within seconds, she was at my side. "The Doctor sent me to find you. Why are you here?"

"That guy the Doctor recognized," I said. "He's here."

"So?" Missy asked.

"Something is off about him," I stated.

"I've been snooping," Ashildr added. "The sterilization processes aren't hot enough. It's a recent thing. The only thing that's changed? Dr Rory Williams was hired."

The doctor emerged from the nurses' station. My gaze dropped to his wrist again and his hand flicked open, revealing a sort of gun. My insides turned to ice and a ball of fire formed in my hand. I tried to hide it from Ashildr and Missy but the heat of it melted the man, exposing its existence to them. I clenched my fist and the flames died down, but it was too late. They had noticed.

"What was that?" Ashildr asked.

"Auton," I replied immediately, pretending I had understood my sister's question to be referring to the melted man, not the fireball. She gave me a look that said she knew what I was doing and would drop it while we were saving the world, but that she would demand answers as soon as we were safely back in the TARDIS.