'And with that thought... I'm off to bed.'
'You? Bed?'
'I get tired sometimes. I might not need as much sleep as you lot do, but I likes a good snooze now and again.' He looked at her and grinned 'You fancy joining me?'
'This is for sleeping purposes, isn't it?'
'Yep. Promise. Sleeping only. Honest.' He stretched and yawned loudly to prove the point.
'I am a bit tired.' She nodded, stifling a yawn in answer to his.
'It's your body clock. Humans have great body clocks, you really do. I used to know someone that could 'program' themselves to wake up at a certain time. They would think it and then Bam! They'd be awake right on that time. Very strange. And very handy.' He grabbed her hand. 'C'mon then. Off to Bedfordshire we go!'
He led her through the corridors to his room, full of bits and things he was presently 'calibrating' or 'fixing', otherwise known as 'tinkering' or 'fiddling'. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and upon her return found the Doctor, tucked up in bed, bare-chested and with a very small brown teddy bear nestled at his side.
'Who's this then?' She asked.
'Who?'
'This...' She pointed towards the bear.
'This? This isn't a 'This'! This - This is Ursa Minor.' He pushed the teddy up a little to sit up. 'But you can call him Alf.'
He took the teddy's arm and waved its small paw at her. 'Pleased to meet you, love' he said in a deep growly and very cockney accent.
She decided to join in the game. 'Pleased to meet you too, Alf. What's a nice bear like you doing with an old timelord like him?'
'Oi! Less of the old, you - I'm in the prime of my lives, I'll have you know.' He lent down to whisper in Alf's ear. 'Don't you listen to her, Alf. She's pretty new to all this malarky. Not settled in as yet. And a bit rude as well.'
'Look who's talking about rude!'
The deep growly voice was back. 'He's always been nice to me. '
'Oh, he can be nice when he wants to be.' She smiled down at him and Alf. 'You look very cosy there, Alf.'
'Yus. I am. Care to join me? 'e's alright, love, honest.' He lifted Alf's paw, in a beckoning gesture.
'Will I be safe?'
'You'll be safe with me, love. Can't speak for 'im, mind. He can be a little devil when he wants to. Blooming caution, he is.'
She sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled at the sheet around Alf and the Doctor. 'I'm not sure, you know. You sound a bit gruff. And him... he bites.'
'I don't bite!' The Doctor sounded indignant. 'I may nip a little now and again. And anyway, I thought you liked my oral fixation...'
'Hush. I was speaking to Alf. I'm getting more sense out of him than I've got out of you in the last couple of months.'
The Doctor raised his eyebrows. 'Ooh, get her. And she talks about me having a gob.' He whispered in the bears ear again. 'Ignore her, Alf. She's getting far too big for her boots.'
'Alf knows I speak the truth, don't you Alf?'
'I'd rather not say, love.' Alf growled. 'Like I said, he can be a bit of a caution. I don't want to get on the wrong side of him.' He growled more thoughtfully. 'Although he doesn't mean to get all fussy and angry and manic at times, you know. He's a big old softy deep down. I mean, 'e carries me around. A little lump of fur and stuffing. He don't have to, but he does. He don't introduce me to everyone, you know. You must be honoured or special or sumfink, love.'
'I feel very honoured Alf and like I said, pleased to meet you.' She reached out and shook his little paw. 'And you're right. He's OK. He can get a bit out of hand, but he has his good points.' Now she bent to whisper into the bear's ear. 'He can be quite, quite brilliant, you know. And charming. He can be very charming and persuasive when he wants. I admit, I'm quite fond of him myself.' She eyed the Doctor. 'But don't tell him, will you? His head and ego are quite big enough, thank you very much.'
'Bears honour, love.' Alf growled. 'Yer secret is safe with me. Cross me kapok and hope me stitches burst. Although I don't fink I'd be speaking out of turn if I said that he's quite fond of you, in his way. He's told me you're one of his favourite humans, you is.'
'Really?'
'Oh, yus, love. He tells me everyfink, you know. But I don't think he'd mind you knowing. Not about that.' The bears nose was tapped by a little paw.
'He's not bad, is he?'
'Not my place to say, love.' Alf growled and she nodded.
'Well, I think he's not bad. Not at all.'
The Doctor sighed dramatically. 'Oh look, you two! I'm all for a good cosy chat as much as the next bloke, but I'm tired and all I can hear is you two yattering away.' The Doctor turned to Alf. 'And you... I hope you've not been giving all my secrets away.'
Alf stared back at him with black button eyes.
'See, now you've got nothing to say for yourself. Chat away for hours with her, but not a word to me.' He nudged the bear. 'Staying silent? I should think so as well.'
He eyed her.
'So you coming to bed or not?'
She stood up, toeing off her shoes whilst taking off her tee shirt. She then unbuttoned her jeans and slipped them off.
'Move over, then. Give a girl some room.'
The Doctor and Alf moved a little to the side and she slipped under the covers, turning to face them both.
'Do I get a cuddle, then?' The Doctor asked her.
'I thought you were sleepy.'
He grinned at her.
'I am. But a quick cuddle and goodnight kiss wouldn't go amiss now, would it?' He snuggled a bit closer and lowered his voice. 'Go on. You know you want to. '
She sighed, moved towards him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close as his arms looped around her, stroking her back and hair.
'Go to sleep, you.' She presses her mouth to his, kissing him lightly and pulling back to run her hand over his cheek. He tugged at her and pulled her back to his mouth, kissing her and then repeating the process each time she broke the kiss, until it became one long kiss and they are pressed against each other tightly, hands running over each others bodies.
Suddenly, she hears a muffled growl, and the Doctor pulls back from her. He reaches between them and fishes out Alf, a little squished and his fur a bit dishevelled.
'Crikey, sorry Alf! Forgot you were there!'
He held the little bear up to his face and smoothed his fur, making him presentable again.
'We may share a lot of things, old fella, but not this.' He turns away from her and sets the bear on top of some machinery sitting next to the bed. 'There you go. You might not be able to join in, but you can watch. I know you like that.'
He leans close to the bear and listens intently. 'What? No! You dirty old bear! I'm sure she won't do that! Could be fun, though I'll ask her, shall I?'
She hears a growly laugh before he turns back towards her, grinning his most winning smile.
'Alf wants me to ask if you... '
'Tell Alf he can ask me himself. Afterwards.'
He beams at her.
'Oh, I'm sure he will. Positive he will. He'll probably join us for a cuddle afterwards as well, if that's ok? He really is a very 'paws-on' kind of bear.'
'Just like his owner, then.'
'You're right there, love.' growled the Doctor in his best bear-like cockney, pulling the sheet over their heads. 'Yus, you're right there... '
