DOCTOR WHO:
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TUNNEL
WRITTEN BY ZARIUS
(Contains spoilers for "Arachnids in the UK")
The TARDIS was in flight and The Doctor was ecstatic.
She had family on board.
Yazmin, Ryan and Graham had all opted to travel with her, all for their own different reasons, but united in their fascination and fixation in seeing the splendour of the universe.
"First stop, one of you gets to pick. Any time, any place, just don't ask for any space, I had a lot of bother with that one time. Charged Vacuum Envoidments, horrible stuff, a bit like an intergalactic hoover, just deposits the ship in a tidy little sack. Met a boy there, good lad. A star for mathematical excellence" The Doctor rambled excitedly.
Ryan was all smiles.
"Is all of this you every day? Happy and ready to dice with danger?" he asked.
"You've been around her for long enough to be a good judge of that already" Yaz pointed out.
"First stop, the needle point of the severlenis solar system, also known as the apple of the apexia. Rydelax IV. Doesn't have an atmosphere, but that's where we come in. We'll add life to an already lively sector of space. Lots of traffic, better buckle up"
"Alright, seat belts, like a proper car?" said Ryan, eager to jump into the adventure.
"Well, as soon as I work out where the seat belts are in this version of the console room" The Doctor admitted.
The Doctor danced around the console, pulling levers and leaving crumbs all over the console as she stuffed ready made biscuits into her mouth.
Her eye caught someone to the right of her, taking in the sights and sounds of the interior.
A part of this person had already seen much of the ship's interior; he simply wanted to give himself something to focus on in an attempt to drown out the chatter.
He wanted to hear but just one voice.
His saving Grace.
"Graham my dear, you've got all our days before and towards ahead of you in this thing start living them" she said.
The Doctor snuck up behind Graham and nudged him with her elbow.
"Hey, you feeling OK?" she said.
"I was just thinking a bit Doc, I feel like I'm lost in a tunnel, I wouldn't let it distract you" he said
"It's distracting you, and I can't quite keep it clear when I know someone else's mind is muddled" The Doctor revealed.
Graham gave her a solemn smirk, patting her on the shoulder.
"I've seen her you know...in that house of mine, she's still there, I feel it, waiting on me, wanting to hear about my days to come. Not much I can tell her except I'm sharing them with you"
"She'd be glad to hear that Graham, she'd be thrilled to see all of us together facing the universe, the adventure she can be a part of through all of us holding tight to her memory" The Doctor assured him.
"Yeah, but the days are coming where she'll fade Doc, I'll get so caught up in the rambles we'll have and she'll slip from me. What if I come to that house later down the line, I walk into that living room, and I don't see her sitting at that table wanting to hear everything?"
The Doctor smiled gently.
"Then she'll know you've made it through the other side of the tunnel"
She held his hands and gently escorted him over to a door at the back end of the room.
"Come on, I'll give you the guided tour of the rest of the ship, just you and me. Exclusive VIP access let these two stare at the console wondering where I make the biscuits, but between you and me, I'll show you where I keep the biscuit tin"
"Are you ever going to tell them?" said Graham jokingly.
"Never" said The Doctor, giving him a cheeky wink.
"Be sure" remarked Graham.