Pain In the Neck
By Sonic Jules
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Disclaimer: Doctor Who and the characters of said show do not belong to me, no matter how hard I've wished for it. No infringement meant to the owners and associates, nor BBC. :o)
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A/N: As always, my humble thanks to Catharticone, who has helped, encouraged, and given me a prompt within this story to bring it to life.
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Chapter One:
Running Amok
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Really, there should be some sort of pylons marking their paths, keeping them safe. Sure, she'd emphasized their destinations with two words - Bad Wolf - but she couldn't be bothered to set up a few well placed 'danger ahead' warnings? Rose snorted.
She had watched the Doctor chase the young beast away from the village, holding his sonic screwdriver in the air like the torch he'd carried in the 2012 Olympics, its slight sonic waves scaring the animal, causing it to turn tail and run.
And of course she'd run after the Time Lord, as he'd surely place the blame on her if they got separated, saying that she'd been the one to stray. It was best not lose sight of him. Until she tripped. Then she wasn't so worried about him as she was for herself, tumbling down the rock embankment.
Fate had a strange way of working things out for them though, and as Rose brushed the dirt and twigs from her clothing, she watched as the boar-like animal ran past her, chased still by the Oncoming Storm, who just happened to notice her standing to his left.
"Short cut?" he huffed.
"Yep!" she replied, taking off after him once more, her fall forgotten.
Rose didn't know why he was still chasing the animal; the Doctor had already scared it away from the innocents within the village. But as they rounded a large group of boulders, understanding suddenly dawned on her.
The furry creature ran into a group of at least nine other of his kin, all much larger than he. It was obvious that his parents were there, surrounding their pup and checking him over. Rose grinned at their affection as she stilled beside the Doctor.
"How'd you know?" she inquired softly.
"Not my first trip here," the Doctor began, speaking equally low. "I realized he must've strayed from the pack. They don't usually travel individually, and he's much too young to be wandering alone."
"So that's why you kept chasin' 'im, to get 'im back home. Smart, you are," she smiled.
"You doubted me?" he queried with a grin.
"Never."
"Good. Very good!"
He looked around, noting the sun's position before turning back to Rose. "It'll be dark soon. We'd better head back and bid our farewells. Although the villagers are accustomed to the cold of night here, I don't think you'd be too comfortable. It actually gets a little too brisk even for my liking. Besides, don't want to overstay our welcome."
Rose nodded stiffly as they began walking, watching the Doctor as he kept looking back, making sure that the furry creatures were not following. She was just about to ask the Doctor the name of the animals when he suddenly tripped, falling head first into a mass of gnarly roots before Rose could even react.
"Doctor!"
Bending, then falling to her knees with a grimace beside him, Rose gently turned the Doctor over to assess his injuries. He was too still and too quiet, but other than that she saw no indications that he'd been hurt. Surely he'd bumped his head; it wasn't every day she was faced with an unconscious Time Lord. She began running her fingers through his hair, feeling for head trauma along his scalp. When Rose felt the little knot forming just above his forehead, he groaned.
"Doctor? Can you hear me?"
He blinked several times, then she was finally rewarded with his sparkling eyes looking clearly at hers.
"Hello," she spoke softly.
"Hello," he replied.
"How do you feel?" she asked, her cool fingers running gently up and down his left cheek
"With my hands," he replied with a grin.
Rose smiled, dropping her hand. If he could offer her a witty retort, she knew he would be fine.
"Really though, I'm all right," he said just before he stood up and smoothed down his coat.
"You hit your head."
"Yes, I sort of figured that one out, thanks," he said, rubbing his scalp slightly. He held a hand out to Rose. "No major damage, however."
She grasped the appendage and stood, quickly sucking in a breath with the effort.
"Rose?" he asked, concern within his voice.
"'M fine. Just a little stiff."
Rose felt the Doctor's eyes upon her as she straightened, and made sure not so much as to grimace under his watchful concern. She nodded at him, and they began walking.
Pressing a hand against her shoulder, Rose tried to suppress the groan that came forth from the Doctor's touch. She was only partially successful, however. The little, plaintive noise slipped out unbidden, drawing his attention.
"Rose?"
She stepped away from his touch, walking briskly forward. "It's nothin', really. Come on," she urged. "I don't wanna see how cold this place gets if you're worried about it."
OoO
They made it back just as darkness began descending over the sky. Rose understood the Doctor's comments about the drop in temperature, shivering almost uncontrollably. It felt as if a freezer door had been opened toward the village quite suddenly. They bid their farewells and headed into the TARDIS. If he thought her quickened strides were rigid, she was sure she could explain that it was simply due to the cold.
The Doctor closed the doors behind them then slipped on his specs as he walked up the ramp toward the control panel, propelling them smoothly into the Vortex.
He glanced over at her, his glasses halfway down his nose. "You all right?" he asked, arching an eyebrow inquisitively.
Forcing a smile, she replied. "Yeah, 'course."
But, brilliant Time Lord that he was, the Doctor was not so easily fooled. "Hmm. Doesn't look like it from here."
And then he was walking toward her, solicitous concern and curiosity clear upon his face. Rose felt her cheeks grow hot. But there was nowhere to run, no place to hide. It was time to face the music.
He glanced down, noting the fine sheen of perspiration on her creased forehead. "Rose?" he asked, arching an eyebrow inquisitively. "I saw you fall down the hill. Surely you're feeling at least a little uncomfortable."
"'S nothin' I can't handle. B'sides, I'm dirty and dusty. What I feel more than anything is dingy, and what I really need is a shower."
"I'd feel better if you'd let me check you over. In fact," he began pulling out his sonic screwdriver, "I insist."
Not waiting for her reply or her permission, the Doctor began scanning her with the instrument from her scalp to her torso, suddenly bending down in front of her to scan all the way down to her shoes. He then stood, looking at the device as it blinked in odd patterns, seemingly understanding all it indicated.
When he clicked the sonic device off, his eyes were looking her over with concern.
"Well?" she asked bravely.
"No obvious signs of concussion, trauma, broken bones, and no large areas of internal hemorrhaging."
"Told ya so."
"But, it cannot detect hairline fractures or small tears in ligaments and a few other things. So there are still possibilities. And, it did show that you have several deep contusions, two of which are on your back. Must've been terribly uncomfortable, walking back to the village along all that rough terrain."
"It was all right. I just need a long, hot shower, like I said. That'll take away the stiffness."
"Rose, I really need to get you into the Infirmary and check you over properly. Then you can have your shower."
"Promise?"
"Yes."
"All right then. Let's get this over with, yeah?" She huffed dramatically, rubbing her neck absently before heading down the corridor, the Doctor following close behind.
OoO