So yep, another chapter of dialogue, just cos I love writing for these two together. Stuff will happen next chapter, I promise! Also, sorry if I get Amy, Rory or Eleven wrong at all, as I am not so good with the recent series... I would also like to recommend at the point alumos10's story, 'The Oldest of Friends', which is a similar concept but with Ten. The writing is just superb.
So, please review. Y'know, cos no one did last time.
"So. Regeneration?"
Ian was lying down again, if only because it was more comfortable.
"Yeah. It's sort of a thing we Time Lords do when -"
"Time Lords?"
The Doctor actually stared at him. "Did I honestly not even tell you my race when I knew you? How on Earth did you put up with me?"
Ian laughed and sat up a little again. "With difficulty."
"Yes… Yes, well, I'm a Time Lord, the last Time Lord, and we can -"
"Last? What do you mean last? What about Susan?"
The Doctor looked away, biting his lip uncomfortably.
"Doctor?"
"So… so as I was saying, we Time Lords are able to regenerate, and it's a sort of renewing of the body, and so we get a different body each time."
Ian was still looking at the man with a hard expression. "Doctor. Tell me about Susan."
The Doctor flapped his hands helplessly at his sides, and then frowned. "I can't," he said, in a defeated sort of voice. "I can't tell you about things that happens in the future."
"What are you talking about? We've been to the future loads of times. The Susan I knew is in the future."
"Well this is different. As I was saying, Time Lords regenerate when their bodies get tired."
Ian raised his eyebrows. "That's rather irresponsible of you, isn't it, Doctor? Losing a body like that? Then again, I suppose it was awfully old."
"It was not!" cried The Doctor, indignantly. "I'm a lot older now, you know."
"What? Three years?"
The Doctor frowned. He sat down on the edge of the recliner Ian lay on. "Uh, Ian, I think there is something I need to explain to you."
"Oh yes?"
"Well, you see… right, first, I should explain that for a time traveller, there are three kinds of time. Personal Time, Relative Time, and Actual Time. It's been three years Actual Time since you last saw me, correct?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Well, for me, Relative Time, it's been a bit longer."
Ian frowned. "How much longer?"
"Well, uh, give or take a few days… 46 years."
"… And Personal Time?"
"Several thousand years."
Silence.
The Doctor coughed uncomfortably. "This is actually my Eleventh body."
"Eleven?" Ian sat up with such force that his head swam and The Doctor was forced to jump up.
"Hey, easy," he said, easing his early companion back down.
"Doctor, you can't go through bodies like their toffee. The first one lasted you long enough."
"Yes, yes. Look, just… just rest for a bit, alright?" His face showed earnest concern, and he smiled uneasily, but kindly.
Ian's mouth twitched into a smile too. "Alright, Doctor. How did this happen, anyway?" He indicated his head. "Daleks invade Earth again or something?"
The Doctor clapped his hands and spun on his heel, returning to the TARDIS console. "Anyway, if you're better, we should really be getting you home. Right, so -"
"Doctor?"
The Doctor turned guiltily around. "Well… um, see, since you knew me, the TARDIS has been improved."
"You mean you can actually control it now?" teased Ian.
"Yes. Well, sort of. Well, that's just it. I mean, I can choose a time and a location, but we're talking millions of light years. It's understandable I'd be a couple of parsecs off, right?"
Ian's eyes narrowed. "Doctor…" He frowned, but the upturned corners of his mouth betrayed him. "…Were you responsible for injuring me by any chance?"
"The, uh… the TARDIS fell on you."
Ian roared with laughter, so loudly that he imagined that Rory and Amy would hear him. "Wh-what?"
A wave of relief broke over the Doctor's face. "I was worried you'd be angry."
"Goodness Doctor, you have changed. What exactly do you mean, anyway? How did it fall on me?"
The Doctor became flustered, despite his friend's amusement. "Well, we were meant to land on the roof, but it was a bit off, and you were walking through the alley underneath, and it just sort of… clipped you…" He trailed off. Coughed. "It was quite a coincidence really… unless…" He frowned, thinking. After a moment, his eyes slowly widened, and he pointed a finger accusingly at Ian. "This was your fault!"
This elicited another laugh from Ian. "Me? I'm so sorry for walking home from the shop."
"No no no no, you don't understand, you threw the TARDIS off course, you and your residual TARDIS stuff."
"Well, no matter whose fault it was," said Ian, as his chuckles subsided. "I think I deserve compensation."
"Compensation?" The Doctor looked worried again.
Ian smiled, a little wistfully. "How about it, Doctor? One last adventure?"
The Doctor did not reply.
"Come on. I won't be young much longer. I've missed you and your lunatic box."
"The way I remember it, you couldn't wait to get home." He rubbed the back of his head distractedly. "The problem is Chesterton, the timelines. I mean, there's Barbara to consider."
"Blast, Barbara. She'll be worried about me. We're engaged, you know."
"Exactly." The Doctor sighed. "I was at the wedding. See, the problem comes from messing with the future, not getting you back in time. I can drop you off at the moment that you were taken. But what if something happens to you?"
He watched Ian's expression carefully. Ian did not respond for some time, he simply lay, his face set. Then, with a grimace, and before the Doctor could stop him, he swung his legs over the edge of the sofa and strode over. He was hit by dizziness, but he didn't react. It would ruin his argument.
He reached the Doctor and stood very close to him, looking down on him. The Doctor was still shorter.
"Now look here, Doctor." His voice was calm, low. "I travelled with you for nearly two years. I fought Daleks with you. I fought Zarbi and Moroks and Voords. I was an Aztec warrior, a Roman slave and gladiator, and a knight of the Crusades. I saved your life on more than one occasion, and Susan's, and Barbara's. I have been arrested and sentenced to death and shrunk and given a deadly disease and put on display in a museum and chased across time and space, all because of you. And I'll tell you another thing, Doctor, I survived. Now are you going to let me come or not?"
OH GOD I LOVE IAN SO MUCH.
