Vignette 10: Jamie McCrimmon, the Sixth Doctor, and Peri Brown. Part 2 of 4 of a mini arc, takes place during "The Two Doctors."
For Jamie, the ensuing hours after Peri's Doctor awoke, announcing that he knew exactly where his Doctor was, had been among the most trying of his life. They had come so close to rescuing his Doctor—so close! They had seen each other—talked to each other—the both of them relieved just to see each other alive.
And then everything had descended into madness. Shockeye had turned up with Peri, and Dastari and Chessene had carted off Jamie's Doctor somewhere. By the time Peri's Doctor had rescued her, and they and Jamie had caught up with Jamie's Doctor again, it was too late—Dastari had turned Jamie's Doctor into a hybrid creature—part Gallifreyan, part Androgum. And now his Doctor was heading into Seville with Shockeye.
"He has to be pretending," Jamie said, desperate to reassure himself as he, Peri, and Peri's Doctor chased after them. "He's trying to make Shockeye think he's acting like one of those beasties so he can make his escape!"
"Jamie…" Peri's Doctor said. "He's… I'm… not pretending. The effects… I'm feeling them, too."
Jamie felt a knot form in his stomach.
"But… you're sure it's reversible, right?" Peri asked.
"Dastari did say something about a second stabilizing operation," her Doctor said. "If we can find him—me—before Dastari does, it should be."
"I should ne'er have left him," Jamie said, silently cursing himself. "And I ne'er will again."
"Admirable sentiments," Peri's Doctor said. "You're just as loyal as I remember you. But if Dastari gets there first and performs that second operation…"
"I'll ne'er leave him," Jamie repeated, firmly.
"Jamie, you don't understand," the Doctor said. "That is Androgum DNA that has been blended with our own; your life could be in danger—both of your lives! You saw what Shockeye had been ready to do to Peri!"
He glanced at her before looking back to Jamie; the American girl suppressed a slight shudder at the memory.
"Ye would ne'er do a thing like that—nae my Doctor, and nae ye," Jamie said.
"Our very nature is being changed; there is no telling what we will or will not do!" the Doctor replied. "Now you both listen to me. If Dastari gets to my other self first, I want you two to get back to the TARDIS as quickly as you can; use the emergency protocol, and she'll take you both home."
Peri looked shocked, but Jamie scowled.
"There's still a part of him that's the same," the Scot said. "It's like Peri said about ye—ye're still him. Even though they've turned him into a beastie, he'll nae attack me, because he's still him."
Peri's Doctor sighed in exasperation.
"You never did listen to me, did you?"
"You ne'er did expect me to leave ye, eh?"
"I'm staying, too," Peri declared.
The Doctor stared at her before looking back to Jamie.
"Now see what you're doing?" he said. "You're a bad influence on her! She used to be at least slightly sensible before you started putting ideas in her head!"
Peri rolled her eyes, and Jamie frowned.
"I know what ye're trying to do," he said. "Ye're trying to make us upset so ye can push us away in the hopes that we'll leave. I can't speak for Peri, but I can tell ye that won't work on me."
"Well, I can speak for myself, and I'm staying," the American declared.
Jamie looked away, focusing on the task ahead. He had to find his Doctor before Dastari did. Because even though he would still stay by his side if the transformation became permanent, he couldn't deny that he preferred things the way they were.
Regardless of what happened, one thing was clear—the Doctor needed him now more than ever. And he would most certainly be there for him.
Meanwhile, Peri's Doctor just glanced at the Scot as the three of them continued to run. It had been so long ago for him, and, due to the converging timestreams of him and his past self, his memories were a bit foggy. And part of him had been wondering why his past self had been so willing to put up with such a headstrong, tenacious companion for years and years.
He didn't wonder anymore.