A/N - Oh, what happens next??? You all still reading?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Susan reached out and wrapped an arm around Alan's waist for support. The smile on his face quickly evaporated when he saw her eyes. 'What's wrong?'
'Too much activity, too fast. I need...' she cut off her sentence as she looked around. 'TARDIS, now.'
Sarah was at her other side in an instant, 'Come on Sue, let's get you back to bed, you've really overdone it.'
Sarah glanced over at the Doctor and he nodded. 'She needs the stability the TARDIS can give her. Get her inside, quickly.'
Harry turned to Luke, and then to Sarah. 'Sarah, stay with Sue. Luke and I will take your car and meet you back at your house.'
She looked back at the smoldering remains of his property. 'We need to figure out your situation too.'
'We will, don't worry. Sue's more important right now.'
Sarah and Alan quickly helped Susan inside the TARDIS. The Doctor watched them, then turned back to Harry. 'I'm so sorry about your house, Harry, but I am very glad you made it out alive. I would hate to think of the alternative.'
Harry smiled, but his eyes didn't leave the TARDIS doors. 'Me too, Doctor, me too.'
The Doctor continued. 'And thank you Brigadier. I'm glad to see Kreix taken care of, once and for all. I may have to pay a visit to the Gentaris home world though and wrap up some loose ends.'
'What are you thinking, Doctor?'
'Doesn't matter.' He looked back towards the TARDIS again. 'I'd better go make sure Sue is stablised.'
He started to walk towards the TARDIS, but Harry called after him. 'Doctor?'
'Yes?'
'Meet you at Sarah Jane's? I think there's a discussion we still need to have.'
Without a word, the Doctor nodded and entered the TARDIS, closing the door behind him. Harry, Luke and Sir Alistair watched as the TARDIS dematerialised.
Harry sighed deeply. 'I will be very glad when today is over.' He glanced back at his house, 'Although, it will never be the same, will it?'
Sir Alistair reached out and put a hand on Harry's shoulder supportively. 'Harry, our house has plenty of spare rooms now that the kids are grown and gone. Liz and I would be more than happy to have you stay with us until you can find another place.'
'Are you sure?'
'Positive. No argument.'
'Thank you, Sir, I would appreciate it.'
'Think nothing of it.' Sir Alistair looked around. 'I think I can safely leave these young lads to clean this up. You two better get back to Sarah Jane's and take care of Susan. And I'd better get home to Liz before she sends a patrol out after me for doing this.'
'Never one to incur the Wrath of Liz?'
Sir Alistair chuckled. 'The only thing more dangerous than an alien invasion is my wife when she's upset.'
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Sarah walked back into the console room and looked over to where the Doctor was staring fixatedly at the console itself. 'Sue's asleep again. Alan stayed with her.'
'Good, good. I've set us to float in the vortex for a while. I'll still have us back at your house before Harry and Luke get there. I should've done this first. Sue really overdid it with the Gentaris. I told her she needed to rest, but she's stubborn and didn't listen.'
'She gets that honestly enough.'
The Doctor finally looked up, his dark eyes almost black. His voice was soft. 'I almost lost you today, Sarah.'
She shook her head. 'No you didn't.'
'I thought you were dead.'
She walked over to stand beside him. 'You didn't know we got out?'
'I had no idea Sue had even been able to reach you.'
'Oh, Doctor, I'm so sorry.' She reached out and put a hand on his arm. 'If I could've let you know, I would have.'
The Doctor finally turned to face her, and then quickly wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. 'I've a great mind to lock you up in the TARDIS where I know you'll be safe.'
She laughed as he continued to hold her. 'I'd like to see you try.'
'I can see I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on you, Sarah Jane Smith.'
'You sound like you have something in mind.'
'Yes.' He took her by the hand and led her from the console room. 'Put your mental barriers up, my Sarah Jane. I need to show you how worried I was about you.'
She looked up at him, surprised. 'Now?'
They stopped in the corridor as the Doctor turned to her, taking her face in his hands. 'Yes, now.' He leaned down and kissed her hungrily. After a moment, he pulled back to allow her to breathe, but continued to hold her tightly to him, kissing her forehead lightly.
Sarah ran her hands along the front of his shirt and smoothed down his tie. She kept her eyes closed and then reached up to trace the line of his jaw with her fingers, enjoying the feel of his skin.
The Doctor quickly turned and opened the nearest door, willing it to be the room he was looking for. He glanced back and smiled, then pulled Sarah into the room with him, closing the door after them. Pulling her back towards him, he began to trail kisses down towards the base of her neck.
She smiled as she tilted her head back to give him better access. As he kissed the sensitive area just below her ears, she grasped at his shirt as she felt her knees get weak. 'All right. Yes, now is good.'
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Susan stirred and reached up and held her head. 'My head hurts,' she mumbled without opening her eyes.
'I'm not surprised,' Alan whispered as he reached out and pulled her close to him. 'You really need to get your rest, and I'm here to make sure you do.'
She opened one eye and gave him a small smile. 'I bet you are.' She reached up and put her hand against the wall. 'We're floating in the vortex. This is good.'
'What's good about it?' Alan asked.
'It means there's no plan and no agenda.' She snuggled back down into Alan's embrace. 'I love moments like this, even as few and far between as they are.'
'Now that the Gentaris are taken care of, do you think we'll be able to get back to something resembling our lives?'
'Oh yes.' She took a deep breath. 'And if my parents can get things straightened out, then life will be good.'
'Meaning Sarah Jane and Harry or the Doctor?'
Susan laughed. 'Ah, well, that's the question, isn't it? Mum cares for Dad, but she still loves the Doctor. As long as she's happy, I'm happy, but I happen to know that any relationship with the Doctor is going to be difficult.' She closed her eyes and let her head rest on Alan's chest. 'They'll have to figure things out themselves. I'd rather concentrate on us now though.'
Alan gave her a gentle squeeze and leaned down and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. 'I can certainly agree with that.'
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Sarah woke up and still felt the Doctor's arms wrapped around her. She turned slightly, and glanced up at him, expecting him to wake up, but he didn't. Gently she extricated herself from the bed, wrapped herself in a robe from the closet and headed out of the room, but not before smiling as she took another long look at the Doctor's sleeping form.
Once she was in the hallway, she spoke softly, 'I need…' she reached up and put her hand along the wall. Feeling the response from the TARDIS, she smiled. 'Yes, that's it exactly.'
She made her way instinctively down through several of the corridors, knowing exactly where to turn. Finally, she stood in front of a closed door. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and smiled. 'The Zero Room. Excellent place for quiet introspection.' She walked in and closed the door behind her, patting it lightly. 'Thank you, this is perfect.'
Sarah walked across the room and positioned herself flat on the floor of the furniture-less room. Folding her hands across her stomach, she closed her eyes and began her measured breathing. After a few moments, she began to float up, coming to rest about three feet from the floor.
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Susan walked into the console room and was surprised to see the Doctor sitting in the jump seat just staring straight ahead. 'What's wrong?' she asked as she flopped into the seat beside him.
The Doctor continued to stare straight ahead. 'You could have told me.'
'And what, have you go in all Time Lord Victorious or something, no thank you. I had to let this play out my way.'
He turned to look at her. 'Susan.'
She matched his gaze. 'Doctor.'
'Do you know what it was like thinking that people I cared for had just died?'
She nodded slowly. 'Yes, that's why I couldn't tell you. I had no guarantee that Mum got Dad and Luke out in time. I just had to trust her, just like she had to trust me.'
He reached out and took her hand in his. 'You nearly died today, Sue. You're still feeling the ill effects of it, I can tell. You had no business confronting Kreix.'
'What would you have rather me done?'
'Let me do it for you.'
'You can't fight my battles for me, Doctor. Not this time. This was a situation that only I could deal with.'
'You and UNIT. The Brigadier showed up with the big guns.'
She shrugged. 'It's not like I called him. In fact, I don't even know how he knew about it. I guess Mum or Dad had to have called him. The important thing is that I don't have to worry about Kreix, but there will be more Gentaris wanting revenge. If what he says is true, I've probably just managed to anger the entire planet.'
The Doctor sighed. 'I actually am taking care of that. I've already reported the Gentaris to the Shadow Proclamation. I don't think you'll have to worry about them any more.'
Susan leaned into his shoulder. 'Thanks.' She closed her eyes for a moment. 'Mum getting some much needed R and R in the Zero Room?'
'Yep,' he answered, popping the P at the end of the word. 'She deserves some peace and quiet.'
'That she does.' Susan nodded and then promptly yawned. 'Speaking of getting some peace and quiet, I'd better head back myself. You gonna be all right?'
The Doctor nodded, then quickly wrapped an arm around Susan's shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. 'Of course I will. Now get out of here, you need your rest.'
She stood up and threw him a mock salute. 'Yes, sir.' Smiling, she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. 'Thank you, Doctor.' The Doctor only smiled in response and watched as she left the room.
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