Lost In Time: A Doctor Who Fanfiction

Chapter 97 - Consequences

Lyssa raised an eyebrow, torn between amusement and embarrassment - definitely not feeling a warm, fluttery sensation in her stomach. "Maybe your companions, oh forgetful one?" she grinned, deciding on amusement. "Tall guy with a dress sense bordering on yours in terms of fashion and a short brunette?"

The Doctor waved a hand in the air nonchalantly. "They're important too, of course, but I don't need them. I don't have a history with them like I do with you."

Lyssa almost pointed out that the Ranger had explicitly confirmed that he and the Doctor did in fact have some sort of history - and then remembered the Ranger's warning that the Doctor would have to forget who he was. Frowning, she added figuring out what the Doctor remembered to the list of things to ask him about. 

"So how long is this actually going to take?" she asked instead, shifting away from the console. "I mean, if everywhere took this much damage," she nodded at the broken bits and pieces scattered around them, "then are we gonna have to go over the entire ship?"

The Doctor shook his head, moving to the console. "The console room took most of the damage. I'll repair what I can here, and then let her self-heal the rest. She'll take care of the other areas. It'll still be a couple hours, but... it could have been worse."

"It was a lot worse," Lyssa murmured quietly, remembering the sharp pain in her head that slowly increased as the ship came closer and closer to falling apart.

The Doctor sighed, face falling at the memory. "It was," he confirmed in the same tone. Then he took a deep breath, trying to pull up his usual nonchalance. "But the sooner I get started the sooner it's over." He paused, sending her a cautious glance from the corner of his eyes. "If you don't want to sit around for that long that's totally okay," he told her quietly, shoulders tensing ever so slightly as if expecting rejection. "I won't mind."

Lyssa rolled her eyes, crossing over to stand next to him again and deliberately leaning her weight against his side. "When are you gonna get it through your thick head that I want to be here?" she asked, not as annoyed as she sounded. She watched his shoulders relax and felt the rest of her annoyance fade as quickly as it had appeared, sympathy taking its place. "I feel safe around you," she told him, softening her voice. "And after the day I've just had - that we've just had - I'd rather feel safe than entertained. At least for now," she added with a muted grin. "We can go back to our regularly scheduled adventures and running for our lives tomorrow."

She felt rather than saw his contentment and acceptance as he leaned into her for a moment before standing straight and tall again, as if he'd drawn strength just from that brief moment of contact. 

"Well, then," he grinned down at her, something soft in his eyes. "How'd you like to help repair the TARDIS?"

xXx

As it turned out, much of repairing the TARDIS consisted of putting pieces into place and hammering or winding them until they stuck - and on at least one occasion, duct taping over them for that added bit of security.

There were also lots of occasions where she couldn't help, as either the knowledge required for the exact placement or the equipment itself went over her head - both figuratively and literally in the case of one particularly twisted piece that was at least a foot out of her reach, though not the Doctor's. 

That was all right though. She was content just to sit nearby and watch, and the Doctor seemed very happy explaining what he was doing to her - even if she did think he was making up at least half of the names on the spot. 

He didn't comment when she very carefully took her jacket off and set it off to the side, out of sight, wiping her - clean, not stained - hands off on her jeans. And she didn't comment when he simply stopped and stared at his shaking hands for a solid three minutes half an hour in, merely sat by him in quiet companionship until he took a deep breath and shook it off, returning to his work with steadier hands.