The Doctor didn't look up from his occupation when the Major leaned against the door frame, his attention almost completely focused on the much more important …..organising he was doing.

Don was content to watch for the moment, waiting until the Doctor looked up at him to speak: "Was it worth it?"

The look that immediately dropped down over Smith's face was one that clearly expressed his amazement that one person could be so obtuse. "Of course it was – do you think that I would have wasted my time on something that wasn't?" He glared at the Major and shoved his box back beneath his bed.

West didn't reply, but simply repeated his question.

Smith hesitated for an incalcuable second before standing and pushing past West in annoyance, muttering about meddlesome Majors.

West let him pass, not moving. "Are you sure you want to go out there? You might get stranded somewhere and not have a good excuse when you're caught." He turned around to look at the older man.

Smith spun back around to face him, but Don could see that light of fear and panic dawning in the back of his eyes. It was meant to be mistaken for the light of indignation – but it was too familiar to him: it wasn't the fear of a man that hid behind a little boy after trying to sell him; it was the fear of a man about to lose everything dear to him.

"what do you mean to insinuate?"

The Major straightened up and took a step towards the Doctor. "Nothing untrue."

Smith opened and shut his mouth several times in shock or anger and finally settled for wheeling and stalking away.

"You know, one would think that you of all people would know better than to eat untested alien foods."

"One cannot possible be eternally perfect – I am sorry to disillusion you. Even I may make mistakes."

He continued contemplatively, as if there had been no introduction. "You'd also think that even you would learn after the twentieth consecutive repeated mistake which situations are going to lead steeply to everyone's – especially your's – death. Unless you like being dependent on us..."

Smith didn't answer. "You needn't follow me, Major – I don't need to be watched. If I was, one could hardly expect you to do it."

West ignored the jibe. "You could do with being watched – we might even be able to get the resources we need to return home. We might finally find that our harvest and foraging yield much more than we've found."

If he was a cat, the Doctor would have bristled. "I steal nothing from the Robinsons – I have as much a desire as all to return to earth, to see you safely to earth." He grit his teeth for a moment. "Go away – I'm busy."

"Was it worth it?" He stepped forward, smiling slightly when the Doctor predictably fell back before him. "What was your price? What was your reward? You aren't unintelligent, Doctor – you love to remind us of that. So then what made you do it? Was it worth it?"

Smith didn't answer, almost unable to speak.

"There wasn't even anything wrong, was there. Never was. You were just too much of a coward to face what you had done – the consequences of your choice."

Smith shook his head sharply, still speechless. The indignation had drained from his face, leaving only fear and sorrow.

"Maybe if you were a man, then you wouldn't be here." West shrugged and drew the pistol he had brought with him. "But you're just a murderous coward who only cares for himself."

The Doctor was frozen. Seeing no hesitation in the Major, he straightened abruptly. He adopted a sharp military carriage rather than the cowering Doctor's stance that looked undecided between running away screaming and collapsing from shock. The fear had also dropped from his face, leaving only resignation and sorrow now. "I never aspired to become a coward, Major West. No more than does any man."

Don just stared at him, the pistol never wavering.

He sighed. "Please, carry my apologies to Mrs. Robinson."

"That's it? Just her?"

"What else would you have me do? The Professor has sentenced me and the children will simply remember that the villain of the story has gone." His smirk was faint and more rueful than was his wont. "And I would not ask you, Major – we both know what the answer would be." He nodded sharply and then lifted his chin, closing his eyes. "The coward has tasted enough death – the valiant is ready to meet his only death."

The Major stared at him, at the resignation and the strength of the older man. There was a quiet click and he lowered the pistol to his side again.

"Then you admit your guilt?"

"What else can I do?" He snapped, his eyes opening again and glaring at his supposed executioner. "Do not toy with me – it does not fit your character."

"I wasn't sent, Smith."

"What difference does-"

He smiled slightly as comprehension dawned on the Doctor's face, and then dove forward to catch the man as the blood drained out of his face and his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Really, Smith?" He carefully lowered the man completely to the floor, protecting his head. "You make it through everything else – but it's the news that you'll live that incapacitates you?" He shook his head, smiling. "It was worth it for me, Smith – it was worth it for me."

AN: full scene of Rankest Coward. 3-13-2016 ...should I also add that I've not finished the first series yet of the show?