For being such a skinny guy, he sure is freaking heavy, Rebecca thought as she helped the Doctor down the corrider of the Tardis. He was half asleep, with an arm thrown around her neck and she supported most of his weight as they slowed made their way to his bedroom.
It had been a rough evening. The power shortage had cut all the acceleration torque to the engine and the Doctor had to keep the converter going manually to ensure them from getting stuck in the middle of space and time. About three hours of that nonstop and he was absolutely dead on his feet. Rebecca had done all she could to help, but due to her limited knowledge of Tardis mechanics she feared she had not been as much help as she wanted to be. The least she could do was help him to bed though, now that the danger had passed. At least, that was her thought anyway as they stumbled together into his room.
She felt a brief thrill zip through her veins as they crossed the threshold. It was the first time she had ever been in here. The faint smell of crackling ozone and musk lightlty scented the air. The smell of the sky right before a storm. His smell. Her heart was pounding so hard she was half afraid the Doctor would hear it and wake up. They finally made it to the bed and she gently unwrapped his arm from her back and let him fall on top of the covers. She untied his tie, so he didn't strangle in his sleep, and while her hand was that close to him she found herself unable to resist running her fingers lightly through his already tousled hair. She marveled at the silkiness of it and couldn't help but imagine what it would feel like to kiss him. My clever Doctor, she thought fondly as she looked down at his peaceful form in slumber. Lonely you might have been, but not any more. Now you have Rose. And you have me. And we'll always stay with you.
She started to pull her hand back when he lazily grabbed her wrist, causing her breath to catch in her throat.
"Stay. Cuddles." he murmmered sleepily.
Her eyes widened. "Erm...what did you say, Doctor?" She was fairly certain she had misheard him. There was no way in the world he just said...
"Cuddles."
Yep. That was definitely what he said. She had no idea how to respond to this situation. Which in fact, didn't matter, because the Doctor decided for her.
He pulled her down into bed with him and pulled her up against him, until she was face to face with him. She didn't even have a chance to protest. Not that she would have. Not that she wanted to. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled into the hollow of her neck. She was grateful his eyes were still closed because she could feel her skin flushing a bright red with pleasure.
"I like cuddles," he murmmered again before falling the rest of the way to sleep.
She took the oppurtunity to bury her face in his hair. Bliss. She felt herself slowly relax, her body going loose in his arms as he held onto her tightly. As if he were adrift at sea and she was the only thing keeping him afloat. As she lay there peacefully, growing more and more sleepy, it didn't even seem strange to her that a nine hundred year old Time Lord would like to cuddle with one of his companions.
She smiled. It was a good night.