Author's Note:
This is a Doctor Who fan fiction story set in modern times, in an alternate reality storyline as well as timeline. This encompasses a more homespun UNIT (as it was in the 70's). There are no preconceived notions involving a large number of the characters. So what you read is what and who they are in my story. This story involves the Fourth Doctor, who in my storyline is not only a scientist but is also a skilled physician. Sarah has no previous knowledge of the Doctor prior to my story, though she is still a freelance journalist. The Doctor has a lab at UNIT, as in the original series but he is no longer referred to as an unpaid scientific advisor. The TV episodes happened in my story but not necessarily in the order, or with the exact Doctor that was shown on television. Needless to say, The Sarah Jane Adventures won't play a part in my story. Also, please forgive any blunders I may make in my references to England. I live in the United States and am only drawing on my imagination and a small amount of research taken from the internet. My story deals with some disturbing subjects and images, not too graphic, but you have been warned! That being said, enjoy!
Chapter One
Sarah sighed, this story as well as her investigation had been anything but normal. To begin with, there were random disappearances with no connecting clues of any kind. None of the people knew each other nor were they connected through any socio-economic status in the community. It seemed that everyone was at risk. Whoever or whatever was behind this, they were not discriminating. Any age, any sex, any race, any religion, the rich and the poor, all were at risk. The disappearances happened at day and night, so most Londoners were afraid to leave their homes. Not that they were any safer there, as some were taken from inside their homes. The only connecting factor if you can call it one, was that they had been taken from a one hundred mile radius around central London.
The police were working on it of course. Scotland Yard had even been called in. Nevertheless, with no clues, they had nothing to examine. Being a journalist for several years now, she had developed a few contacts of her own. However, nobody knew anything. Like the police, she had come to a dead end and was about to give up. That was, until two this morning when she received a call on her cell phone from one of her seedier contacts. A little, weasel of a man that called himself Digger.
Digger was all but hysterical when she answered her phone. He wanted, no he demanded, to meet her in an alleyway behind an abandoned furniture factory in a part of town she would be reluctant to go to in the daylight, much less at two in the morning. He claimed to have witnessed a disappearance. That was all it took. She was hooked. He said for the price of a bus ticket he would wait for her and tell her everything he saw.
As Sarah checked herself in the rear view mirror, she took in her appearance. She brushed her thick, shoulder length brunette hair into something a bit more presentable. She decided to forgo the act of putting on makeup. If she were caught, she doubted her makeup or lack thereof would deflect anyone. In a dark alley, her five foot, four and a half inch petite frame wouldn't scare anyone. So as a last minute thought, she grabbed her mace spray from the glove box and tossed it in her purse with her tape recorder, pad and pen.
She set her seat upright in her vintage black MG Midget and she was off. She hoped Digger wasn't expecting to go very far with the amount in her wallet, her thirty pounds life savings had been earmarked for food for the rest of the month. If this clue turned into the big story she hoped it would, she would once again be among those that had a roof over their heads. She needed this break, not only for her own personal sake, but also to put an end to whatever was going on before anyone else was lost. She arrived at the end of the alley and parked. The alley was not just dark, it was pitch black. She reached into her glove box to retrieve her flashlight. If nothing else, she could use it as a club if necessary.
She sneezed, again and again. She hated being sick, she didn't have the patience for it. She shivered as much from the cold as from a dread of the unknown. She realized that this could go either way. The break she was looking for or, well, she wouldn't let herself think about that now. She would analyze that later when she had the luxury of time and she was safely enclosed in a borrowed office space typing all this into an expose'. She sneezed again, her eyes were running and she felt just plain old sick. If someone did try to harm her she would give them the cold of a lifetime, she thought and almost laughed. Boy would they be sorry! A strange mixture of fear and adrenaline coursed through her and took possession of her.
Every step she took echoed through the alleyway. This was like the horror films she secretly loved. Moreover, this was about the time she would scream at the helpless girl on the screen, "Get out! Don't go in! Are you insane?" She always assumed that the movies and real life were so very different. But, she thought to herself, you know what they say about the word assume?
In an attempt to make herself feel better as well as to help her to see, she turned on her flashlight. She sneezed yet again. Yea, no one would hear her approaching, she thought sarcastically.
"Let's see if your information is worth all of this Digger?" she said aloud. She saw movement next to a dumpster ahead and stopped. "Digger?" she called softly. "Digger?" she called a little louder. Then he stepped out. Dirty, disheveled and clearly in a panic, there stood Digger in all his glory.
He motioned with his hand for her to stay put. He started walking toward her. As he did, she saw movement behind him. She turned off her light and backed up against the building on her left.
Suddenly, the entire alleyway was bathed in a blinding white light. It was so blinding that Sarah became disoriented. Was it the light she thought, or was it that constant low humming sound? She could hear the sound of approaching vehicles of some sort combined with a wheezing, groaning sound that seemed very close to her. Then she felt a pair of hands grab her around her waist and she felt as if she were moving, then nothing.
As suddenly as it had appeared, the light and Digger had disappeared. This was all lost on Sarah as she had collapsed into unconsciousness. The alleyway was suddenly flooded with soldiers as well as an assortment of military vehicles.
A tall man with short, black hair, cut very short started giving orders. "Benton, let's close this area off. You know the routine by now. Well Doctor, did you retrieve anything this time?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact I did." answered the tall, curly brown haired Time Lord. He stepped out of the shadows. He held in his arms the body of a young woman. "She was on the fringe of the Averian's transmat activation field. As I stepped out of the Tardis, I saw her and pulled her back. I'm afraid the other gentleman wasn't as lucky."
"We should get her back to UNIT's Sick Bay." the Brigadier said to the Doctor.
"Does anyone know who she is? This doesn't seem like the part of town or the time of day someone would be taking a leisurely stroll." said the Doctor after placing the girl on a stretcher two of the men brought over.
"How do you know that Doctor?" the Brigadier asked with a smirk on his face knowing the Doctor would go into his usual full explanation of showing everyone that he missed nothing when it came to spotting clues.
"I'm not an expert on Earth fashion," the Doctor paused and adjusted his abnormally long scarf before continuing, "but wasn't she rather excessively dressed to be, what is it you call it here? A lady of the evening, a call girl…"
"All right Doctor."
"A prostitute, a paid escort, a…"
"All right Doctor, that's enough, I know what you mean." the Brigadier said. Honestly he thought, there are times when he could be infuriating. "Benton!" he called loudly.
Instantly Sergeant Benton was by his side holding what appeared to be a black woman's handbag. "Yes Brigadier." he responded.
"Is there anything you want to tell us? Where did you find that?" the Brigadier asked, seeing the object in the Sergeant's hands.
"No Sir, I don't." he said with his head down, hiding a smirk. "We found it near the place where the Doctor found the young lady Sir. But there's something else you should know Sir." he said with a change in his demeanor, dreading telling his superior the rest of what he knew.
"All right, out with it. What else can go wrong tonight? Tell me the rest." said the Brigadier. This was supposed to be the last night of this madness. The Doctor said he was sure he could track the Averians and put an end to the disappearances by deactivating and hopefully permanently disabling their transmat activator. He told himself it wasn't the girl's fault. But perhaps if the Doctor were a little more focused on getting to the activator and a little less on saving the girl, this would have been over. But who was he kidding, he would have attempted to save the young woman too.
After briefly leaving the Brigadier and Benton, making sure the young woman was safely on her way back to UNIT's Sick Bay, he returned to the pair. Benton was looking extremely uncomfortable. Maybe they had information on the girl he saved from the Averians. "So, what's new gentlemen?"
"Well other than the fact that the Averians took yet another person, this time right in front of our eyes, there's nothing new Doctor. Just another perfect day here on Earth at three in the morning." said the Brigadier, then let out a sigh. "What happened 'this' time Doctor?" the Brigadier asked with a short temper. The Prime Minister would not be happy about yet another failed attempt to stop the Averians.
"To put it quite simply Brigadier, the Averians are able to get inside the heads of anyone that falls under the influence of the beam, as you witnessed here tonight. They feed on the fear of those that cannot fight against them. They are able to turn one of the strongest emotions that you Earthlings have, fear, into a pure adrenaline rush. They use it to become intoxicated. To get 'high', so to speak. Their planet's destruction killed most of them, but the Time Lords were aware that a lone ship had escaped the planet's explosion. The Time Lords were in the process of tracking them when they showed up here. Luckily for you, I happened also to be here." the Doctor said beaming them a huge smile at the end of his explanation.
"You'll have to excuse me Doctor if I don't share your enthusiasm. Fifty people have been taken in the last seven days. The Prime Minister is breathing down my neck for some sort of resolution. You said there was only one ship that survived Doctor. Can't you just find the ship and destroy it?" the Brigadier asked. It seemed a simple, clear cut way to resolve this whole mess to him.
"My dear Brigadier, the answer is not to always 'blow up' things you don't understand. They are the last of their race. To them, they are simply maintaining a way of life, granted an addicted life, but nonetheless they are trying to maintain a way of life as it was on their home world. Unfortunately for them, as with all addictions, the addiction is now their number one priority."
"I know I'll regret asking this, but how did they 'acquire' the emotion of fear on their home planet?" inquired the Brigadier.
"They acquired their 'fix' by various unscrupulous means which eventually led to the destruction of their planet. The Averians' planet, Sebratious was home to not only the Averians but also their neighboring race, the Dellations. Apparently, from what the Time Lords could gather the Dellations were escaping from their own planet that was destroyed by a race of space pirates. The pirates looted their planet for anything of value and then blew it up." explained the Doctor.
"The nearest planet was Sebratious, and the Dellations were welcomed with open arms. That night at a dinner given in their honor, there was a horrible freak accident. A violent electrical storm began without warning. The Averians were accustomed to this, but the Dellations were not. The Dellations became terrified. The Averians discovered that they were able to telepathically experience the intense feeling of fear, but to them it translated into an exciting rush that lasted several hours. This 'one unfortunate night' began the imprisonment of the Dellations and the hunts that followed. The Dellations were forced into breeding and slavery. That is until they plotted and planned to destroy the Averians, as well as Sebratious. They wanted to keep the Averians from doing this to another race that might accidentally end up there."
"As slaves, the Dellations worked in every menial job that was available. A few were lucky enough to be trained to work at the nuclear power plant. This plant powered almost everything on the planet. Neither race were susceptible to any ill effects caused by the nuclear power. Since the nuclear power was sent to every home and business, they realized that if they could remove the safety stops that were in place and gain control of the nuclear reactors, it would be like lighting the fuse to a bomb that had a thousand fuses. They were able to carry out their plan. All perished except for the one Averian ship that was on a reconnaissance mission when the planet was destroyed." continued the Doctor.
"I imagine when the Averians found the Earth, they must have thought they hit the jackpot, so to speak. So much fear to be had, and with their disruptors, the bodies were instantly incinerated. No evidence to clean up. And without my detector, they could be anyone, say for instance Sergeant Benton here." the Doctor looked at Benton and the purse he was holding and smiled. "They are a race of shape shifters. I am working on a device that can detect them within a five mile radius. I have contacted Gallifrey, and the Time Lords are trying to find an uninhabited planet to suit their needs. I just need to communicate this information to them. Brigadier, I understand that they need to be dealt with quickly, and we will, now that we know who they are and what they want. However as a Time Lord, I cannot destroy an entire race of beings, even them. Nevertheless, believe me we will stop them. You have my word." the Doctor promised.
"When will this device you're working on be completed Doctor?" Sergeant Benton asked.
"It's almost complete now. It is what you might call 'charging' even as we speak. It should not only recognize them but also disrupt their beam as well as get their attention, don't you think Sergeant? I love your purse Benton, is it new?" said the Doctor with his famously brilliant smile.
Before Benton could reply, the Brigadier had decided he had better get any bad news out in the open before his phone conference with the Prime Minister. "What was it you didn't want to tell me Sergeant?"
"I know the identity of the young lady Sir, and so do you." said Benton.
"All right Benton, who is it?" the Brigadier asked.
"Remember that journalist that snuck inside the base camp when the dinosaurs were appearing and disappearing?" Benton asked.
"Don't remind me. In order to buy her secrecy about the goings on at UNIT, I had to promise to get her photos of the dinosaurs for the article she was writing. Why did you ask about h…? No! Don't tell me it's her?" the Brigadier asked.
"I'm afraid so Sir. Sarah Jane Smith. Have you heard anything about her condition from the base Sir?" Benton asked. He was hoping this would wrap up soon so that he would have a chance to check, and perhaps talk to the young, attractive journalist. "Sir, her car is back there, we ran the plates to check. Should we bring it back to UNIT?" Benton inquired.
"No, I haven't heard anything and yes, have her car brought back. All right, let's wrap this up. Load up the trucks and let Scotland Yard know when we're clear." Scotland Yard had been acting as barricades of sorts to keep the area clear of civilians so that UNIT could have full access to the affected area. That was going over like a bull in a china shop. He could still hear the chief inspector from Scotland Yard tell him that they weren't the traffic police. He didn't know how much longer the PM would let them assist UNIT. The Brigadier turned to the Doctor, but he was already gone. He headed for his truck to return to UNIT.
The Doctor could not wait to meet this 'Sarah Jane Smith'. Anyone who could exasperate the Brigadier on that level must be fascinating. He returned to the Tardis to check on the progress of the Averian detection and disrupting device and reset the coordinates for his lab at UNIT. Moreover, as long as he was there, he could check up on, and meet this Sarah Jane Smith.
Upon returning to UNIT, the Brigadier headed straight to the Sick Bay to check on Miss. Smith. He was ready to put her under arrest and keep her in the Brig, right here inside UNIT if necessary, to keep her quiet. Not only for his sake, but also for the public in general's safety. Since all this had started, the citizens of London and the surrounding area were as close to a panic as he had ever seen. He couldn't blame them. He knew the Prime Minister would reduce him to the rank of janitor, if he picked up tomorrow's paper and read that a government 'special forces' agency had not only witnessed but stood by helplessly while yet another one of London's citizens were taken.
As he approached the door to the Sick Bay, Sergeant Benton was calling his name.
"Sir, the Prime Minister is on the phone. He used your 'private line' Sir. Would you like me to tell him you haven't returned yet Sir?" asked Sergeant Benton while standing at attention.
"No Benton, I'll take the call. There's no sense in putting this off. I will be in my office Benton. Please have the new physician on duty in the Sick Bay, Dr. Sullivan inform me of Miss. Smith's condition. Above all, do not allow her to leave this base. Is that understood Sergeant? In addition, have the Doctor give me an ETA on that Averian detector. That will be all Benton, dismissed." the Brigadier said as he turned and walked away.
Sergeant Benton walked the remaining last few feet to the Sick Bay and placed his hand on the door when his cell phone rang. "Benton." he answered.
"Sergeant Benton this is Captain Yates. We were leaving the site of the last abduction when it was brought to my attention that Miss. Smith's vehicle is still here. Should we leave it here or tow it back to UNIT Sir?"
"Tow it back to UNIT Mike, per the Brigadier's orders, sorry I forgot to tell you. Park it next to the Doctor's car. I wouldn't leave my bicycle in that part of town. I'm sure she'll appreciate your help Mike." said Sergeant Benton.
"I just wanted to check with you before we left it. I know how the Brigadier feels about the press, especially 'that' member of the press. I don't think he's gotten over her giving us the slip when all that dinosaur business was going on." explained Captain Yates.
"Yes, you're right. He hasn't forgotten. Thanks for the call Mike." Sergeant Benton replied. He ended the call and hooked his phone back on his belt. As he reached for the door of the Sick Bay again he heard the Doctor calling to him from behind.
"Sergeant, Sergeant Benton!" called the Doctor. He was walking toward him with his long gray tweed coat draped over one arm and adjusting the seemingly never ending multicolored knit scarf around his neck with the other arm.
"Yes Doctor." replied Benton.
"Have you seen Miss. Smith yet?" asked the Doctor.
"No, I was just about to check on her now." said Benton.
"Would you mind terribly if I saw her first? I would like to ask her a few questions about why she was there at that particular time, before the Brigadier jumps in and makes matters worse by trying to intimidate her. She 'is' the only person to ever survive their summons. If I can find out how they pull you in, maybe I can deflect their efforts." asked the Doctor.
"Yes, of course Doctor. I have some paperwork to catch up on anyway. Oh, by the way, the Brigadier wanted an ETA on those Averian detectors." said Benton.
"Tell the Brigadier I just dropped off the plans as well as the prototype to the Engineering Section. They said they should have several dozen built by eight in the morning." said the Doctor.
"I'll tell him Doctor. The Brigadier has left orders that Miss. Smith is not to leave the base. Her car is being towed here. Maybe you could tell her so she won't worry. It looked as if she were living in it." said Sergeant Benton, turning to go.
"Why would she be living in it Benton?" asked the Doctor, stopping the Sergeant with a look of concern as well as confusion on his face. He couldn't believe a young woman would be living on her own, in as unsafe a situation as living in an automobile. Where is her family, he wondered.
"Journalists usually only get paid by piecework, that is unless they have a regular column. Don't tell the Brigadier, but I hope she gets a good article out of this so that she can get a loft. Winter's here, you know?"
"Your secret is safe with me. Maybe, just maybe, I can offer her another way to write the article and still have a steady job on the side. Leave it with me Benton. I'll give her the message, thank you." The Doctor turned away and opened the door to the Sick Bay.
The door opened and a young man with short brown hair stepped forward blocking the Doctor's way into the section. One look told the Doctor that this was a 'strictly by the rules' kind of physician. He had heard of him, but they had never been formally introduced before now. He wouldn't be surprised if he asked him for a hall pass.
"Yes, can I help you?" the physician asked.
"Hello, we haven't met, at least not yet. Or have we? You know how it is. Always coming or going, forward in time, backward in time. It gets rather confusing. Don't you think so? You can call me the Doctor. By the way, how is Miss. Smith? He tried to sidestep the young man, but he was matching the Doctor step for step.
"I'm sorry, I'm rather new here, so excuse me for not being aware of your place here at UNIT, but who are you and what do you do?" stated the immaculately dressed physician.
"Perhaps you should see a physician yourself, your memory is terrible. I have just told you who I am. I am the Doctor. And what might your name be?" stated the Doctor haughtily.
"I am Dr. Harry Sullivan. I am in charge of UNIT's Sick Bay. Is there something I can do for you? If not, I have a patient to attend to." he replied, trying to let the Doctor know that he was in charge.
"Your 'patient' is why I'm here Dr. Sullivan. So if you don't mind, just point me in the right direction. Or would you prefer that I go through your Sick Bay, room by room till I locate her?" replied the Doctor. Honestly, these 'by the rules' types really exasperated him.
"I'm sorry, what was your name again, oh right, Doctor. Do you hold a doctorate in medicine or is it a degree of some other type?" he asked, trying to intimidate the Doctor.
"I have degrees in medicine as well as a great number of things, most of which I doubt you would or possibly 'could' understand, so if you don't mind I'd like to see Miss. Smith." replied the Doctor who was now definitely aggravated.
Just as he was about to tell Dr. Sullivan where he could put his 'one' degree, they were interrupted by two MPs who were very large and very serious looking. "Dr. Sullivan, we were ordered by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart to guard the female prisoner." said one of the guards, which was followed by salutes.
"Yes gentlemen, by all means, protect us from that scary ninety pound girl. Do you really think this is necessary?" said the Doctor, trying to make them see how ridiculous this all was. Armed guards no less, what would they do if she tried to leave? Shoot her? This was getting ridiculous!
"We have our orders Sir." stated one of the guards.
"She's right this way." said Harry. The group walked down the corridor until they reached the last room on the right. The group came to a halt and the guards assumed their positions flanking the door. When Harry turned his back on the Doctor, the Doctor used the opportunity to slip into the room.
As Harry tried to open the door, he realized the Doctor had locked it from inside. He never even saw him slip inside. He could not believe the Brigadier would let someone this 'unconventional' run 'loose' and unattended throughout the base. Well if he thought he would get away with this, he had another thing coming. He left the guards to call the Brigadier.
The Brigadier was sitting in his office after yet another go round with the Prime Minister. He was about ten seconds away from telling them that they would get results soon. Not because the finest minds in the world were working on the problem, but because an alien, a Time Lord to be precise, was working on the problem even as we speak. However, he knew that someday he would need his pension, and all but a select few would ever believe that he had employed an alien to work at UNIT anyway. Therefore, he decided that he would just let him vent and he would say nothing. Nothing about aliens, and certainly nothing about having a member of the press staying in the Sick Bay at UNIT. But thanks to the note Benton had slipped him while he was on the phone, he did have the good news that the prototypes for the Averian detection and disruption devices would be ready soon.
"Sir, Dr. Sullivan is on the phone for you." said Benton as soon as the Brigadier had ended the call.
"He must have some news about our guest." replied the Brigadier.
"No Sir, he's calling to complain about the Doctor's presence. Apparently the Doctor showed up and refused to leave and now he's locked himself inside Miss. Smith's room." explained the Sergeant.
"I'm not up to this right now Benton. Tell Dr. Sullivan that the Doctor has my permission to see Miss. Smith. In addition Benton, please go to the Sick Bay and try to convince the Doctor to unlock the door if he's not out soon. Tell Dr. Sullivan I will check with him later. That will be all Benton."
"Yes Sir." said Benton and followed with a salute.
The Doctor walked slowly to the bed. She seemed so small and so pale. He hoped she said yes to the offer to be his assistant. It seemed like the perfect fit. He needed an assistant that, well…could work outside of the usual means and she needed a job that would give her time to pursue her career in journalism. The Brigadier had sent every candidate he could find to fill the post of his assistant, but for one reason or another, none had been the right fit. This was going to work. He didn't know why or how he knew, but he knew it. He was sure the Brigadier would initially throw a fit, but eventually he would accept it.
The Doctor was brought out of his reverie by a sound. A murmur came from Sarah's body to let the world know she was regaining consciousness and hopefully feeling well. For the first time the Doctor noticed that her breathing was heavy. Did Dr. Sullivan notice this, or was he too busy trying to run Sick Bay with an iron hand? The Doctor walked to the end of the bed and checked Sarah's chart. The only thing mentioned other than the fact that she was unconscious when she was brought in was that he gave her a broad spectrum antibiotic. He replaced the chart and returned to the head of the bed.
She slowly opened her eyes. He thought she had the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen. But she was so very pale. Under her eyes were dark circles. As her eyes were fluttering open, he took her hand in his, gently touching her wrist while he checked her pulse. It was fast. He then checked her head, it wasn't just warm, but hot. There it was, a fever. And if he were right, which he usually was, it was a very high fever. He looked into her eyes and said soothingly, "Lay still, I'll be right back. Don't move." he told her. As he looked back, he could see the confusion in her eyes.
As he unlocked the door Sergeant Benton walked in. "Ah, there you are Doctor. How's Miss. Smith?" he inquired.
"Sick, stay with her, I'll be right back!" said the Doctor as he ran out the door.
Before Benton had time to walk to the bed, Dr. Sullivan had entered the room. "So, Miss. Smith you're awake. How do you feel?" he said as he placed a digital thermometer in her ear.
"Where am I? My head feels all fuzzy, I can't think." replied Sarah in a quiet, weak voice.
"You're in UNIT's Sick Bay. You were found at the site of another disappearance. Why were you there? Who were you meeting? What do you know about the disappearances?" Harry fired questions at her.
"I, I don't know. I can't…my head hurts. I want to go home." Sarah said, frightened. She was afraid, she couldn't remember what had happened to her. She felt so cold and why was it so dark? She wanted to go home, but she wasn't even sure where that was right now. Who are these people? Where did the man go that was holding her hand? She felt safe with him. She could feel panic rising. She didn't have the strength to try to calm herself. Suddenly the room started spinning and she was unconscious again.
There was only one way to cut through the red tape and make certain that she was properly cared for, and that would require orders from the Brigadier. The Doctor was barreling through the door from Sick Bay and nearly knocked the Brigadier down. "Ah Brigadier, perfect timing. Come this way, someone needs to tie your Chief Medical Officer to a tree and give him a bone. Does he always take it upon himself to interrogate his patients?" the Doctor asked, as he kept walking not really expecting an answer. His only thought was of Sullivan's questioning of his patient that he'd managed to hear as he headed for the Brigadier.
Dr. Sullivan and Sergeant Benton turned around when they heard the Brigadier and the Doctor coming. Sergeant Benton gave Harry a disproving look and backed away from him. There was going to be hell to pay, just as he knew there would be, and he wanted to make sure that everyone knew he had no part of it.
"Just as I told you Brigadier, I knew he would keep hammering at her when she wasn't up to it. Why couldn't you just let her rest until she was able to talk to you?" argued the Doctor.
"It's imperative that we find out what she knows immediately. She has to tell us now before it somehow 'slips' her mind. You know how the press are." Harry said trying to rationalize his actions.
The Doctor stepped forward and picked up the thermometer where it had been discarded on the nightstand. He placed it in Sarah's right ear and took a reading, then showed the Brigadier. The thermometer read 103.9°. "I really don't think she can fake a fever, do you Brigadier?" asked the Doctor.
"She had a fever when she came in. I have already given her an antibiotic, a broad spectrum antibiotic. If she's no better by morning, then I'll give her a stronger one." defended Harry.
"If I'm right, she doesn't have till morning. Brigadier if you want to save her life you have to let me treat her. I'll know in fifteen minutes after I scan her in the Tardis' Infirmary exactly what's wrong with her. Please Brigadier, let me help her!" pleaded the Doctor. "Brigadier she can't tell us anything, if indeed she does know anything," the Doctor said looking over at Dr. Sullivan with scorn, "unless she's conscious. Regardless she's ill, doesn't she deserve our help? Or do we just shove her in a corner and ignore her?" The Doctor threw up his hands and looked at the Brigadier for an answer.
"I object to all of this. 'I' am in charge of this Sick Bay. If you take her out of here, I will not be held responsible. Let's just wait and see how she is in the morning, and after that 'I' can choose a method of treatment. And what in the devil is a Tardis?" Harry said to the Brigadier.
"Take her Doctor. Do you need any help?" asked the Brigadier. He didn't want to see the girl die, and he knew the Doctor would do everything in his power to save her. Sarah Jane Smith was annoying but she didn't deserve to die because of it. She looked so small and helpless lying on that bed. He also couldn't deny the Doctor, he had helped them so many times in the past. Somehow, he would have to explain all this to Harry Sullivan. He believed Harry was a good man, but he would have to be a little more on top of things and pick up the pace if he wanted to stay at UNIT. He would talk to him later about matching wits with the Doctor. It was truly a losing battle. And of course there was the talk he would have to have with Sullivan about the Doctor being an alien. He blew out a breath in exasperation. It was looking like tomorrow would be another long day. He dismissed the guards and left the Sick Bay, deciding he would grab a few hours sleep on the couch in his office.
The Doctor wrapped Sarah's shivering form up in a blanket, carefully picking her up and carried her to the Tardis. Benton ran ahead of them opening the doors. When they reached the Tardis, Benton removed the Doctor's key from his vest pocket and opened the door to admit them. He offered to help but the Doctor thanked him and declined.
Leaving the Doctor's lab Sergeant Benton thought about the talk that he knew the Brigadier would have with Dr. Sullivan later. He wished he could be a fly on the wall when the Brigadier tells him the Doctor is a Time Lord. I bet he'll want to check the Brigadier into the Sick Bay after that. He remembered what a hard time he had accepting that the Doctor was an alien. Benton decided to get back to work, reports to write and folders to file, he thought as he walked back to his desk.
All of the Tardis' mystery was lost on Sarah, she remained unconscious on her first trip through the Tardis. Her breathing had become labored and it seemed to the Doctor that her temperature had risen even higher. They reached the Tardis' Infirmary and the Doctor gently laid her on the Bio-Scanner. He slipped behind the control panel and entered the coding for humans and began the scan.
Starting at her head the scanner slowly scanned the length of her body. The first pass would scan her skeleton showing any and all breaks. The second pass would scan her organs, tissue matter and her brain.
After the second pass, Sarah started to stir. The Doctor grabbed a Gallifreyan portable medical scanner and checked her temperature. It wasn't good, her temperature was now at 104.3° and her skin showed signs of dehydration. He ran to his supply cabinet and grabbed a bag of glucose and several other supplies he thought he might need. He pulled her left arm from under the blanket and held her hand while rubbing an alcohol soaked gauze over her hand. He then tapped her skin gently with his forefinger before carefully sliding the needle under her skin. She moaned and he gently taped it down. He opened up the bag's line allowing it to flow and injected an antibiotic that was a few years ahead, well…a few hundred years at the very least, in Earth's timeline. He knew she had pneumonia without looking at the scans, but just to make sure nothing else needed treatment, he tucked her arm back under the blanket and added another before walking over to read the scans.
He read the second first. Just as he thought, pneumonia. Her lungs were full of fluid. Dr. Sullivan could have found that with a simple x-ray, he had a lot to apologize for. Her right kidney looked damaged, it was only he estimated about twenty five percent functioning. That was odd, how could that have happened? I bet that gives her trouble on occasion. Then he picked up the first scan, checking her bones. No…how could this be possible? Both of her legs were broken at some point in her young life and they appeared to have been improperly set. It's a miracle that she can walk, he thought. The same could be said about both her arms. Her left arm had at some point, had two breaks and her right arm was in a similar condition. Four broken ribs that were improperly set and two that appeared to have been properly set. Two fingers on each hand, ironically the same fingers on each hand were also at one time broken. "How is this possible, and who would do this to her?" he said aloud.
Sarah was moaning again. He put the scans down and went over to her. He put her right hand in between both of his. On examination of her fingers, the two that the scan showed having been broken, had a slight curve. He picked up her other hand and it was the same.
"No, please don't! Stop! Don't Momma! Daddy no! It hurts. Stop please. I won't tell anyone. I promise. No…, no…, no… ,no…, no…!"
The Doctor continued to hold her hand and make soothing sounds and she finally settled down. He waited fifteen minutes, then thirty minutes and still his temper continued to boil. What kind of people could do this to their own child? Hell, anybody's child. He prided himself on being able to find a peaceful solution to almost any situation. But not this. He knew if her parents were standing in front of him now, he would be hard pressed to find a reason not to kill them.
He walked over to the drug cart. He didn't want to hand her back over to Dr. Sullivan, but if he left her alone in the Tardis, he worried that she might get up and wander about the Tardis and get lost. The solution he arrived at was to give her some mild sedation. It would keep her still while he checked on the progress of the Averian detection and disruption devices, plus she needed the undisturbed sleep. He tucked in her blankets and checked her readings once more. As he was walking away he turned around and smiled at her from the doorway. "Don't worry Sarah, you've found a friend who won't let you down. Even though you don't know it yet."
The Doctor headed out of the Tardis and turned to lock the door. As he was removing the key he heard someone clearing their throat in his Lab. He spun around and left the small anteroom the Tardis was kept in to find the Brigadier sitting at a desk that was usually reserved for his assistant. Those that made it to the second day anyway, he thought with a small smile.
"Why Brigadier, you didn't have to wait up for me. I am completely all right. That girl didn't hurt me at all!" the Doctor gave a huge smile to the Brigadier.
"Yes Doctor, you've had your fun. Now, down to the particulars. First, I wanted to tell you that your Averian detectors are built and the men are awaiting training on their use. And secondly, how is Miss. Smith?"
"She has pneumonia as I suspected and I hate to leave her alone. But there's really nothing I can do for her right now. I want to talk to you about an idea I have later Alistair. But for now, I need to train your men on the detectors as well as the disruptor feature on the device. Once turned on, they will be linked to the Tardis' Console and the readings will lead us straight to their ship. Simple, don't you think Alistair?" he was once again smiling at the Brigadier as though that was simply that.
"Yes Doctor, so it would seem. I'll walk with you to see the men." said the Brigadier. He hoped it would be simple, though it rarely was, thought the Brigadier as he led the Doctor to the hanger. The Doctor seemed different, something was definitely bothering him. Behind the smile was a sadness. Had he not known the Doctor as well as he did, he wouldn't have noticed it. He wondered what the Doctor wanted to talk to him about. He could see the Doctor was getting restless, which only meant one thing. He wanted to wrap this up so that he could go off on another of his adventures. The people of Earth had no idea how much they owed the Doctor, but he did. So whatever the Doctor wanted, he would do his best to provide. After all, he considered the Doctor one of his closest friends.
Forty five minutes later the Doctor was heading back to the Tardis. He felt the training had gone well and now he needed to check the central console in the Tardis and make sure everything was still linked. The soldiers were all dispatched, each carried one of the devices. He could track each device. He set the coordinate override so that once an Averian was located by the detector, the Tardis would automatically materialize at the scene, hopefully in time to negotiate an end to this madness. In the meantime, he decided to go to the Infirmary and check on Sarah.
When had he started thinking of her as Sarah and not Miss. Smith? And when he thought of taking care of her, he smiled. He felt odd. No, maybe odd was the wrong word. Hopeful, yes that was it, hopeful. He was feeling something that he had only heard about. But before he could take the time to thoroughly examine these feelings, he needed to nurse her back to health.
From the doorway of the Infirmary he could see that she was sleeping and hadn't moved since he left her. He picked up the Medical Scanner and checked her vitals. Her temperature had dropped to 102.5° though her pulse was still faster than he would have liked. As he approached the bed of the scanner where she rested, he resisted the urge to wake her and talk to her. With any luck there would be plenty of time to get to know her later. And with the Brigadier's help, she would have a steady, paying job that would allow her to continue her career in journalism. He knew the Brigadier would go along with his plan as long as some ground rules were set.
Sarah was beginning to stir. She was trying to focus her eyes with little success. Not wanting to scare her, the Doctor cleared his throat to alert her of his presence. She stopped moving at once. The Doctor approached her left side and introduced himself. "Hello, my name is…well, everyone calls me the Doctor." he said giving her his best and biggest smile. "How do you feel? he asked.
"Confused. I'm not sure where I am." replied Sarah as she looked around taking in the view, or what little she could focus on. Everything seemed blurry and she was fighting to keep her eyes open and stay awake.
"You're at UNIT, I gather you know where that is." the Doctor replied, remembering what Benton had said.
"How did I get here?" asked Sarah.
"What's the last thing you remember Sarah? It is all right if I call you Sarah?" asked the Doctor with a compassionate smile.
"Yes, of course. The last thing I remember is meeting Digger, one of my contacts. But something interrupted us. There was a light and then a humming sound. It seemed to come from inside my head. Then nothing." she felt herself drifting away again. She tried to stay focused on this man called the Doctor. He seemed to genuinely care about her. She felt the blankets being tucked in around her and she felt safe. That was the last thought she had before she drifted off to sleep.
The Doctor smiled at her as sleep carried her away. So, his assumption had been correct. The Averians were playing a little tune that those who were close enough to their transmat beam would respond to. The Averian shape shifter would use energy to make a high pitched sound that would affect everyone in the immediate area. Once under the influence and helpless to stop themselves, they were directed to walk into a beam that ran from the Averian ship to the transmat pad. When the unlucky individual, now disoriented and paralyzed, would disrupt the flow of the beam, their mind would be freed. Free enough to realize what was happening. The sudden surge of adrenaline that would come next would cause a spike in their terror. The individual would know they were trapped and about to die, causing them more terror than they had probably ever felt in their entire life. Their terror would be converted to the drug of choice the Averians craved. As soon as the poor individual's terror level spiked, the beam stopped going from the human to the ship and reversed, sending energy from the ship to the human. Energy that would disrupt the chemical makeup of a human body so quickly that the individual would evaporate, simply cease to exist, leaving no body and no way to trace them. But they hadn't planned on running into a Time Lord.
He would not allow them to destroy the humans. He would do everything in his power to protect them. As he walked back to the console room he thought of one human in particular he would keep safe. He couldn't get her out of his mind. He had never felt this way before. He needed to stay focused on the current crisis, the Averians, he thought as he entered the console room.
As he checked the console, one of the indicators lit up. The Averians were attempting to go on the hunt again. There was no time to contact the Brigadier. The Tardis was already dematerializing, taking him to the scene of the Averian's transmat beam. He reached into his right coat pocket and pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver. He had already preset it to a nasty little energy beam that would sour the stomachs of the Averians. They didn't actually have stomachs per se, but those that were using their abilities to shape shift would get their first taste of his cooking. Hopefully, this would be enough to send them on their way and make them think twice before coming back to Earth.
He stepped from the Tardis and was met by one of the Averians in the human form of a male in his mid twenties.
"We suspected alien interference. If you continue to intervene we will be forced to…" started the Averian, trying to speak over the increasing sound of the detector in the Doctor's coat pocket.
The detector and disruptor was going crazy chirping and beeping. He had retrieved the original model from the engineering section and placed it in his pocket. "Please excuse me a moment, don't you hate it when things that are supposed to serve us go bad?" asked the Doctor while turning off the detector. With his other hand in his pocket, he was also turning on his Sonic Screwdriver to the preset setting that he hoped would give him momentary access to the Averian for a little one on one time in the Tardis. As he turned it on he noticed the Averian was touching a large triangular shaped clear jewel on his chest.
But instead of the Doctor reacting as all the others had reacted on the Earth, he had a device of his own. And unlike the Averian's device, the Doctor's worked. The Doctor pulled the Sonic Screwdriver from his pocket and quickly pointed it at the Averian, who immediately crumpled to the ground. The Doctor knew he would have to act quickly. Before the Averian had hit the ground, the Doctor was already moving forward and using a fireman's lift to lift him and carry him into the Tardis.
He lowered the Averian to the floor and returned to the console. He hit the button that shut the doors and activated the sequence that he had preprogrammed into the Tardis to take them to Hyperspace. In Hyperspace they were outside the space and time continuum. No weapons would fire while they were in hyperspace, so he knew the Averian had no choice but to listen to him.
Gazing down, the Averian was looking around in what could best be described as amazement. "Do you know what I am?" asked the Doctor.
"You are obviously not from this backward little planet. Regardless, you have no right interfering with our pleasure!" cried out the Averian.
"Ah, let's not be so formal. You may call me the Doctor. And I'm afraid it 'is' my business. I am a Time Lord. Having said that, I 'do' have the authority to tell you that you are not free to run around the universe and destroy other beings lives on a whim. Listen…what is your name?"
"My designation is Jakill, I am the leader of the remaining Averians. You have no right to hold me here, I demand that you return me to 'my' ship!" demanded Jakill.
"The planet Earth is not yours Jakill and neither are the humans. I have received word from the Time Lords that a planet that will fill your 'needs' of survival has been found. This planet is in its infancy and will be a wonderful world to build upon." said the Doctor.
"I demand you return me to my ship!" bellowed Jakill as he climbed to his feet.
"I'm sorry, that is no longer an alternative." said the Doctor patronizingly with patience, as you would talk to a mischievous child. "The Time Lords will transport your ship and your people to Mikoss Four. Do the right thing! Mikoss Four is a chance for a new beginning." the Doctor tried again.
Jakill bowed his head and then looked up into the Doctor's eyes. He was attempting to take over the Doctor by another trick he kept up his sleeve, mind control. However once again it wasn't working on the Doctor as it previously had on the humans.
"I'm afraid you're wasting your time. That won't work on me." said the Doctor with a smile on his face.
Just then a moaning sound started coming from the console. And the rotor in the center of the console started moving up and down. Someone or something was taking control of the Tardis. They were on the move. But to where? The Doctor turned, taking one quick glance at the controls. Everything seemed fine, other than the fact they were moving. Now, to try and get some sense into Jakill he thought as he turned around. Where was he?
"Jakill, Jakill, J...A...K...I...L...L?" the Doctor shouted. Then suddenly a terrible thought came into his mind. "Sarah! No! Sarah!" he said aloud in a panic.
The Tardis was large, no huge the Doctor thought. The chances of him negotiating the exact series of turns that would take him to the Tardis' Infirmary would be…who was he kidding? The way this day was turning out, that's exactly where Jakill was heading. He ran at full speed to the Infirmary.
As he came to the doorway to the Infirmary, he slowed down. If Jakill was inside he didn't want to go tearing through the door and possibly make the situation worse. He pressed his body against the wall, while peering around the corner into the Infirmary. He could hear a sound in the distance, now moving away.
He entered the doorway to the Infirmary. His eyes immediately went to the scanner where he had left Sarah. It was empty. Looking down, he saw drops of blood and the remains of the IV setup. From the amount of blood on the floor, the IV must have been torn from her arm. He followed the drops of blood, some smeared. They led out the rear doors of the Infirmary. The small carts and other portable equipment were scattered and broken on the floor. Sarah was definitely awake and struggling for her life with her captor.
He followed the sounds of struggling. They led to the swimming pool. He ran towards the door and literally ran into it. On each side of the door were two handles, made from a natural material found on Treadon 5 bent into a 'S' shape. Unfortunately this material was virtually unbreakable. As he tried to open the door, he could hear as well as feel something wedged through the handles on the other side. He could only imagine that Jakill had used one of the rods that held the weights that were stored in the exercise room, which was part of the pool complex.
He realized he could possibly climb through the ductwork leading from the hallway to the pool. He started to remove the cover to the ductwork when he heard a splash and a scream that was cut off as suddenly as it started. He ran back to the door and looked through the tiny window in the top of the door. Jakill had Sarah in the pool. He was trying to drown her. Jakill was feeding off Sarah's fear of drowning. He would force her under, and at the last moment pull her up and start again. He had to get in there.
He went back to the vent plate and was able to rip it from the wall, thanks to the sheer rush of adrenalin and fear for Sarah's life. He had to get to her in time. He quickly removed his scarf and coat and climbed inside the ductwork. He was through the ductwork and was kicking the plate from the wall at the other end of the ductwork in seconds. At a later analysis of the situation, he would realized he didn't even remember climbing through the ductwork. The next thing he knew he was landing on the floor of the pool complex.
Jakill was so caught up in the high that Sarah's fear was feeding, he didn't hear the Doctor jump in the pool. He was so caught up in the end result of the rush now, that he had completely forgotten about Sarah as well. His only current desire was to experience the buildup of emotions that had been transferred from Sarah to his brain.
The Doctor pushed passed Jakill and dived under the water to reach Sarah and pull her to the surface. He lifted her to the edge of the pool and climbed out. She wasn't breathing. He started CPR. After several attempts she still wasn't responding. He couldn't give up on her. He realized that it wasn't just to save Sarah as an individual human being, but saving her was also for his own selfish reasons. He was attached to her after less than 48 hours, in a way he didn't understand. All he knew was that he wanted her in his future. But in order to have her in his, she would need to 'have' a future of her own. "Come on Sarah, don't you give up! You're a fighter, I know you're a fighter!" he said thinking of the scans he'd taken of her earlier. He tried CPR again and again, but she still wasn't responding. She was losing the small window of time to come back, and be able to completely recover from this tragedy. He couldn't accept it. "Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!" he shouted louder than he had ever shouted before.
He glanced back to the pool, the cause of this horrible situation. Jakill would no longer be a problem. His addiction had led to his death. He had lost all control of himself, including the ability to react to situations around him. He had drowned and was floating on the surface of the water.
From Sarah's perspective, she was no longer struggling. Her muscles had long since forgot what they were struggling for. She was finally at peace. She was at the end of a long hallway. Ahead she could see a bright light. The light felt so good, so comforting and so warm. She had never felt anything so good and so utterly peaceful. But in the distance behind her, she could hear someone calling her name. The one calling her name sounded so terribly anguished. Who would care for her so deeply? There was no one that she knew of, including her parents. There was something about the voice, something that she needed, something that she wanted. In his voice was her future. She didn't know how she knew this, but she did. She needed to stop his pain. She turned away from the light and suddenly she was going at top speed through the hallway, wherever she was. Then she was suddenly there. With the voice, with him.
Sarah was struggling to breathe. She went from perfect clarity in the bright hallway to total disorientation in a fraction of a second. She felt her body being turned over and she was coughing up water. The voice was making soft, soothing sounds. She was exhausted and the sounds he was making calmed her, letting her know she was safe. She felt herself being picked up. She opened her tired green eyes and looked into his brilliant blue eyes. She saw so much love and concern there.
The Doctor looked into Sarah's eyes and thought that he could see her soul. She trusted him. He knew this without a spoken word on either of their parts. He hoped that she somehow knew he would never give up on her, never hurt her. But now they had time. Time for him to get to know her. Time for her to get to know him.
Sarah closed her eyes and was out again. But this time it was different. This time she would dream, a happy dream and not the usual nightmares. She was safe.
The Doctor carried Sarah through the Tardis' hallways back to the Infirmary, not to leave her, but to gather a few medical supplies. He laid Sarah on an exam table, quickly wrapping her in a blanket while he loaded a bag with supplies. He then picked up both Sarah and the medical bag and carried her to the console room. When he arrived at the console room, he found one of the members of the Gallifreyan High Council waiting for him. That was odd, he thought. In all the years he had traveled in the Tardis he had never once had either a takeoff or a landing that he didn't detect. It was part of the one on one connection he had with the Tardis, something most Time Lords took for granted and never gave much thought to. Which made this particularly odd. Must be the stress I've been under, he thought. Still. "Is there something I can do for you Councilor Batin?" the Doctor asked as he leaned against the wall with Sarah bundled in his arms, keeping his voice steady as if he were visited everyday by the High Council.
"No, but I believe there is something I can do for you." replied Batin taking in the Doctor's appearance. "Upon checking with the other Averians, I discovered that their leader was missing and possibly with you. But it appears I have arrived a bit late." Batin sighed and looked around the console room in barely disguised disgust before continuing, "Since you have an unconscious human in your arms, I can only assume things did not end well for the Averian. Am I correct?" asked Batin with a look of boredom on his face.
"The Averian is dead, at his own hands. He tried to kill this human and succeeded till I was able to revive her. So if you would be so kind as to retrieve the Averian then I can return this girl to her planet and get her the medical help she needs." the Doctor replied. He hoped he was giving the illusion of what the humans termed as 'a good game face', so that the Councilor couldn't see what he was feeling. The Time Lords are at best a rather cold race. They don't believe in getting personally involved with other races. And they certainly don't believe in the outward displays of emotion that he enjoyed. It was the main reason he took the job of mediator for the Time Lords. He could remain an active part of his race and still maintain a lifestyle that he enjoyed. He didn't believe that he was above 'all' the other races, simply because he was a Time Lord as the others did.
"All right Doctor, we'll take care of him." He spoke to a transmitter on his wrist and two of the Gallifreyan guards stepped into the Tardis.
"The Averian is in the pool. Do you need directions?" the Doctor asked smiling.
"No, the plans to this Type 40 Tardis has been downloaded to my transmitter." one of the guards replied emotionlessly.
The Doctor stepped to the side to give the guards access to the doorway. In just a few minutes the guards had returned with a dripping and very dead Jakill. The time that they took to retrieve the Averian's body had been an uncomfortable one for the Doctor. The Councilor had stood stiffly by and simply looked uninterested. It was well known among the other Time Lords that the Doctor was different. He had always stood out. He was known as a genius, but not a typical Time Lord. He had let feelings overcome his life. All Time Lords believed that feelings were something to suppress, not to embrace.
"Well Doctor, till we meet again." said Councilor Batin with what could almost be called relief. Relief that is if he were not a Time Lord, the Doctor thought with a smirk. The Councilor stopped and turned back to the Doctor adding, "Once we leave, your Tardis will return to your original starting point. That will be satisfactory, will it not Doctor?"
"Yes, it will." replied the Doctor confused. He'd never known Batin to do anything without a requisition form. Maybe he had judged him too hard in the past. Maybe, but he doubted it. "We'll have to get together again sometime when you can stay longer, maybe play a game of chess or perhaps even a set of tennis." the Doctor added. He knew he shouldn't goad the Time Lords, but this had been the end of a long and trying, yet at the same time, very remarkable day.
The Doctor looked down into Sarah's face after the Tardis door shut. She was resting peacefully. He looked to the console to find the central column lifting and falling, indicating that they were in transit to Earth. Earth, his home away from home. That was the way he thought of it before, and looking down in his arms now, he felt this way more than ever. He watched Sarah sleep and waited for the Tardis to arrive to take them home.
He stepped from the Tardis into the small storage room and entered his Lab at UNIT, to be met by the Brigadier. "Brigadier, you really didn't have to wait for my return. Or did you think I wasn't coming back? Really Brigadier, you must have more faith in me." smiled the Doctor, realizing he was starting to babble and not understanding why. The best he could equate it with, was being caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. He dropped the medical bag he packed and leaned against the Tardis door, still holding Sarah.
"No Doctor, I didn't think you wouldn't return. I knew you would have to return Miss. Smith. Plus you said you had something you wanted to discuss with me later. Indeed, it has become later. Now if you're looking for a place to deposit Miss. Smith, I'll call Dr. Sullivan and…" started the Brigadier.
"I refuse to turn her over to that buffoon!" the Doctor yelled and Sarah stirred. Immediately he lowered his voice and shushed Sarah back to sleep. When he looked up, the Brigadier was shaking his head.
"I see we'll have more to discuss than I originally thought." added the Brigadier. He thought the Doctor was taking more than just a casual interest in Miss. Smith. But the way the Doctor pursued his passions from one extreme to the other it was sometimes hard to tell. "All right Doctor, what do 'you' want to do?" When the Doctor lowered his head and frowned before answering, the Brigadier knew something bad must have happened. "What's wrong, what happened?" the Brigadier added before the Doctor could answer the first question.
"Let's say the Averian didn't come along peacefully and unfortunately Sarah was caught in the crossfire." started the Doctor.
"Is she all right?" asked the Brigadier, looking at Sarah anxiously.
"She needs some ongoing care. Brigadier, all I need is a room and a bed."
"Really Doctor, I really don't need the specifics of your per…" the Brigadier started while putting up his hands and backing up, hoping to lift the veil of sadness that seemed to be over the Doctor. Unfortunately, humor wasn't one of his strong points.
"What are you going on about? Really Brigadier, my intentions are innocent." the Doctor pleaded. "I simply want to make certain that she gets the proper medical care and I don't feel that's possible with your 'Dr. Sullivan'. He has no compassion, maybe that's why he ended up in the military, present company excluded of course Alistair." the Doctor surmised as he backpedaled.
"Well Doctor at any rate, I'm sure you would like to put her down. So let's find a room." said the Brigadier as he bent down to pick up the Doctor's bag. "I happen to know for a fact, that Dr. Sullivan is at the Mess Hall right now. So let's find a room in the Sick Bay."
"Lead the way Brigadier, lead the way." said the Doctor following his friend through his Lab and on through the base.
After a short while they reached the room, the same room Sarah had occupied before. The Brigadier said, "So Doctor, can I assume that Miss. Smith now knows of…well, your 'uniqueness' on this planet?"
"No, she doesn't." said the Doctor quietly with his head down.
"Then I have an idea. Dr. Sullivan is also not aware of your 'uniqueness' yet. Perhaps we should wait till they're both a bit more receptive to a meeting and tell them together." said the Brigadier. He wasn't looking forward to this little announcement, since he knew the too literal physician would need a lot of convincing. And he knew before it was over with, both would need to see the inside of the Tardis. And if that is necessary, it would be better to have the Doctor cooperative and on hand.
"I agree. That's a wonderful idea Brigadier!" said the Doctor as he fussed over Sarah, taking her vitals and checking her arm. Her arm that had once held an IV was now terribly bruised and the skin torn. The Doctor frowned and searched through his bag for some salve that would decrease the amount of tenderness in her arm.
"How did that happen?" asked the Brigadier, his voice alarmed and concern etched into his features. He was now beginning to think of Sarah as someone to be protected, instead of the nuisance he had previously thought her to be.
"Our 'alien visitor' thought she needed a private tour of the Tardis. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't quite ready to go." answered the Doctor while carefully applying the salve to her forearm.
"Doctor, the thing you want to talk to me about, is it concerning…?" the Brigadier said using his hand to indicate Sarah.
"Yes…" the Doctor started. He heard a noise and turned around as a woman dressed in a nursing uniform walked through the door.
"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" asked the middle aged woman. "I was told that I should report to this room and prepare for a young woman who might need my services. Should I wait outside?"
The Doctor looked at the Brigadier for an explanation.
"Doctor. I assumed that you would bring Miss. Smith back here, and that most likely even you would not have cured her pneumonia. Since she's soaking wet, I see that I made the correct assumption. I'm assuming you're not prepared to remove her clothes and redress her yourself are you?" asked the Brigadier with a knowing smile on his face.
"I'm impressed Alistair. The conclusion you came to must be a direct byproduct of your continual contact with me. You have indeed come to the correct conclusion." replied the Doctor as if surprised.
"Why don't you give the nurse orders on Miss. Smith's care and we can go to my office and finish our discussion?" asked the Brigadier anxious to get this on the table.
"Of course Brigadier. Miss…?" started the Doctor, still a little bit nervous about turning over Sarah's care to a stranger. Still the Brigadier was correct, there were certain intimate things that he wouldn't be able to do for Sarah…just yet.
"Hello, my name is Mrs. Granger. What would you like me to call you Doctor?" asked the nurse, unaware of the irony.
"You can call me Doctor, everyone else does." the Doctor replied with his best smile.
"All right Doctor, what are your orders concerning the young lady?" the nurse asked.
"I imagine first you need to get her out of her wet clothes and make sure her bed is dry. As for dry clothes…" the Doctor started, then scratching the back of his head while absently looking around and realizing he didn't have any of Sarah's clothes.
"It's not a problem Doctor. The Sick Bay has a supply of pajamas, we'll just have to roll up the arms and the legs. She'll be nice and warm." the nurse smiled and assured him.
The Doctor opened his bag and pulled out the antibiotics he had brought from the Tardis. "She is to have two cc's of this in an hour and then again in four hours. But I should be back well before then. Please take her temperature and other vitals every thirty minutes." Having said that, he went over to the bedside table and picked up the thermometer and took Sarah's temperature. It was 102.2°. He showed it to the nurse and she made a notation on the chart that she had started. If it goes up any higher, please find me." This is one of those times he wished he had one of those devices that the human population were so in love with, the cell phone. He saw out of the corner of his eye that the Brigadier was stepping forward.
"Here Doctor, take this." said the Brigadier as he handed the Doctor a cell phone. He handed another to the nurse. "All you have to do to contact each other is press the number one. Both phones have the other one's cell phone number programmed in on speed dial one. So both of you can keep in contact with each other. Yet another problem solved, eh Doctor?" the Brigadier asked, feeling very pleased with himself at having anticipated two of the Doctor's needs today.
"I can't begin to tell you how impressed I am with you today Alistair." replied the Doctor with a beaming smile on his face, honestly impressed with the forethought this required. Turning back to the nurse the Doctor continued, "Also, I don't want that man that calls himself a 'physician', Dr. Sullivan to touch her. Is that understood?" asked the Doctor while trying to remain calm. He remembered the last conversation he had with this so called physician. Wait till morning indeed! Her fever needed treating then, not later. You need to remain calm he told himself, you'll wake Sarah.
"Don't worry Nurse, I'll take full responsibility of informing Dr. Sullivan that he is to avoid this room. If there's nothing else Doctor, perhaps we should let Nurse Granger take over now." said the Brigadier in an attempt to get the Doctor clear of Sick Bay before he ran into Dr. Sullivan. But the Doctor was checking her vitals again. "Doctor…ahm, Doctor…ahm, Doctor!" This time he turned around.
"Yes Alistair?" replied the Doctor. He wanted to make sure her temperature hadn't risen any higher.
"Are you coming or should the nurse and I go get lunch?" asked the Brigadier hoping the goad would get him moving.
"I'm coming now. When will you warn, I mean tell Dr. Sullivan to stay away from my patient?" asked the Doctor, wishing he could see the look on Harry's face.
"I am planning on calling him as soon as we get to my office. If indeed that ever happens Doctor." said the Brigadier. This attachment, for lack of a better word, he was having with Miss. Smith started as slightly amusing, now it was getting aggravating. Did the Doctor think he had the entire day to waste standing around and waiting for him?
"So Brigadier, what do you know about this nurse?" asked the Doctor as soon as they left the room, while looking back toward Sarah's room.
"I know both Abigail and her family very well Doctor. I picked her especially for this task." replied the Brigadier.
He turned to go with the Brigadier when he saw Sergeant Benton passing at the end of the hallway. Benton looked their way and the Doctor waved for him to stop. "Could you wait right here for just a second or ten?" he said walking away from the Brigadier.
"Why of course Doctor. What else could I possibly have to do?" said the Brigadier sarcastically, as he threw his arms dejectedly into the air.
"Mr. Benton I have a huge favor to ask of you." said the Doctor.
"Why of course Doctor. What can I do?" said Benton with a smile. The Doctor had that mischievous look on his face. This should be good, thought Benton.
"I was wondering if you could recruit some of your fellow soldiers to fake a few accidents, illnesses and the like. Something to keep Dr. Sullivan out of Sick Bay and away from bothering Miss. Smith. The Brigadier has given her a room to recover in and I don't want his 'help' with her recovery. Could you do that for me Benton? I would be eternally in your debt." finished the Doctor with an innocent look on his face.
"I'll see what I can do, but I don't think it will be a problem. He's kind of already burned a few bridges, so to speak with some of the men. So I'm sure they'll be receptive to a little payback." replied Benton with a grin.
"You're a good man Benton. Can this stay between the two of us? I wouldn't want to get the Brigadier involved, if you know what I mean." conspired the Doctor with a grin.
"Of course Doctor. You better go, the Brig's started stomping his feet. Don't worry Doctor, I'll take care of it." said Sergeant Benton while slipping away. He didn't want the Brigadier on his back anymore than the Doctor did.