A/N: Thank you to everyone who's followed the story thus far. I really hope you're enjoying it and please don't forget to leave a review/favorite/follow for updates!
Trade
The Doctor emerged from his bedroom and down the spiral staircase to find Lilliana sitting on the couch next to the TARDIS controls. She sat with her knees to her chest, her arms wrapped around her legs and staring intently at the pulsing emerald glow that filled the room. He came around the sofa, expecting her to respond to his presence, but she didn't. It was as if she didn't see him.
"Lilliana?"
She continued staring at the glow, and he could barely make out her lips moving, like she was whispering to herself. He stepped closer to her, easing himself on the small couch next to her, but he still couldn't make out what she was saying.
"Lilliana?" he asked softly. "Are you alright?"
She finally turned to him, startled, and jumped a bit. Her eyes fixed on him, wide and scared, like she was caught doing something she shouldn't be doing.
"Oi, it's only me," he said raising his hands defensively. As if it'd be anyone else. "Why aren't you in bed? Don't you like your room?"
"Oh, no it's not that," she said trying to calm her racing heart. "It's great, I'm settled in. I just, don't sleep much."
"Why not?"
She didn't answer him, instead turned her attention forward again. The Doctor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"So, what were you doing out here?" he asked.
"I was listening to the TARDIS."
The Doctor blinked widely. "What?"
She looked back at him. "I can hear the TARDIS."
His eyes grew wider. "WHAT?"
She blinked rapidly at his reaction. "Uh, yeah. Is that bad?"
"No! Not at all! Just surprising," he said looking from her to the TARDIS controls and back at her. "Out of curiosity, what do you hear?"
"I hear singing, or…some kind of music. I can't understand it though. I just know it's about Time. It's ancient and ever changing. I tried talking to it and it talked back. Well, not words more like feelings. Through those feelings the TARDIS told me stories."
The Doctor stared at her in awe. "What kind of stories?"
"Stories about you. Stories about how you remember your home." She smiled softly, her eyes gentle and sad. "Gallifrey sounds beautiful."
His mouth was dry and he swallowed to clear the lump in his throat. "Yes…yes it was. Oh Lilliana, dear Lilliana," he sighed. "It's just not fair."
She tilted her head to the side slightly. "What isn't?"
"The TARDIS is betraying me, and telling you stories; stories that I should be telling you. You'll end up knowing all about me in a span of hours and I'll not have known a single thing about you."
"Oh don't say that. I didn't ask or was told anything personal. Just what was already common knowledge. I wouldn't delve into anything personal. That's for you to tell me if you want."
"So tell me, why aren't you sleeping? That's something common knowledge about you right?"
"No, it's not," she said stiffening. "It's personal."
"Ah," he said with a slow nod, with a hint of disappointment. "Well I guess it's fair. Unless I tell you something in return perhaps?"
Lilliana's brows furrowed together. "Why are you so intent on knowing why I don't sleep? Or knowing anything about me for that matter? I'm not important, nothing special, and not fascinating to be asked questions."
"Oi now you listen Lilliana, and you listen good," he said sternly. "In all my years I've never EVER met someone that wasn't important. Still haven't," he said before smiling at her.
She stared at him, her eyes almost looking as though she would cry. She swallowed the tears away, and the shaken look was gone, replaced with a strong mask. He patted his hands on his knees before getting up. Before he could take a step, he felt a grip on his sleeve tug him back. He looked down, and saw her holding onto him, in a silent plea…one that she didn't know what to do with.
"Nightmares," she finally said. "I don't sleep because I have nightmares."
The Doctor sat back down and she released her hold on his jacket sleeve. "Nightmares of what?"
"They're of memories. Memories of moments I can't live again, and ones that I wish I could forget. They keep me awake, and torture me, and I can't get rid of them. They're always the same. They may turn out slightly different, but each time with the same oucome."
"What outcome?" he asked softly.
"They leave me in tears…" she whispered.
"Now now, there's no reason for that anymore, yeah?" he said cheerfully. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her, rubbing his hand up and down vigorously on her shoulder to reassure her. "Oi come on now! Think of where you are!"
She looked up at him and smiled softly, her eyes warm, the hard mask she had put on slipping away. "I know. I'm here on this wonderful ship sailing the cosmos with the most fascinating man I've ever met."
"I am pretty good aren't I?" he asked with a cheeky grin.
She laughed, a soft beautiful sound, and poked his ribs. "Yeah you are."
"Right! Fair's fair. Ask me something now."
"Who's Rose?" the question came suddenly and without thought.
"Where…did you get that name?" he asked cautiously.
"It's just a name I picked up. The Tardis didn't say anything. I just got her feeling off of the walls. Like an imprint and it's strong."
The Doctor took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. Of all the questions she had to ask first, it had to be this. He ran a hand through his hair before answering, "She was a friend, a dear, dear friend."
"Where is she?"
"Gone," he said lowering his head and staring at his folded hands. "I lost her."
"You mean she's…?" Lilliana let the question hang, not wanting to finish the sentence.
"Oh no, she's alive and well. She's living out a normal life with her Mum and Dad."
"That's good though, isn't it? That's not losing her; you can see her whenever you want." Lilliana leaned down a bit to peer up into the Doctor's dark eyes. When she got no response she bit her bottom lip. "You can't, can you?"
"No. She's living in a parallel universe now. She was trapped there when trying to help me seal away the Daleks into the void. Her Dad came just before she fell through and took her to the parallel universe just as the gates between our dimensions closed."
"Truly lost…," she said sadly. "I'm so sorry Doctor."
"As am I."
Lilliana took hold of his folded hands with one of her own. He turned to her and saw the softest expression in her rain eyes. "She was more than a friend to you, wasn't she Doctor?"
The Doctor was silent for a moment and shook his head. "What makes you say that?"
"Because a broken heart can recognize the aching beat of another."
He stared at her in choked silence, almost feeling as if he'd break down in tears. He closed his eyes, and he lived those few final moments with his dear Rose all over again on the beach of Bad Wolf Bay. His twin hearts ached as he heard her final words laced with sorrowful tears.
"I love you."
Lilliana's hand clenched on the Doctor's, and he opened his eyes to see her eyes closed and tears running down her cheeks.
"Hey now," he said gently, cupping her face and wiping her tears with his thumb. "Why are you crying?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. It just sort of happened. I couldn't control it."
"Control what?"
"I could see your last memory of her, and I can feel your feelings. I'm sorry it just happened. I don't know what it is, but I can just connect with your mind too easily." She shook a bit and took her hand away from his, leaning away from his touch on her face. "I'm so sorry please forgive me," she said, her voice trembling in fear. "It's not right for me to be in your mind, and I always make it a priority not to pry or peer into other's thoughts. It's rude and just…not right." Her eyes pleaded as she spoke. "Please believe me I didn't do it on purpose it just happened I couldn't control it! It's just…your mind just resonates so easily with mine. I've never had that kind of link before. I don't know I just…I'm sorry I promise it won't happen again!"
"It's alright," he said trying to reassure her, though in truth it was a little unnerving to him that she could see into him so easily. Who was this girl with such a powerful gift to see into a Time Lord's thoughts without effort? "Maybe it wasn't just you Lilliana."
"W-What do you mean?"
"I'm sure the TARDIS has told you what I am."
"A Time Lord."
"Yes, that's right. I'm not without psychic connections either, though I use them differently than you. Still, perhaps two minds with similar psychic frequencies can share information without effort. That, and there may be another factor that merits thought."
"What's that?"
"Well it's as you said. A broken heart can recognize the aching beat of another."
"So, it's not entirely my fault?"
"I never blamed you for any of it. If it just happened as you say without either of us realizing, then you're not really invading are you? Now! There will be other opportunities to discover what makes our minds click, but let's leave that for another night! We've got places to see people to meet and danger to run away from!" He got up filled with renewed energy and started pulling leavers and pressing buttons as he spun around the control panel. "Oh lots and lots of running! That's always my favorite!"
