13
The Doctor ran, ran until his lungs hurt and his hearts beat a tremendous rhythm against his breast. The T.A.R.D.I.S seemed miles away though he was nearing the shore now. Just around the bend and he was there. He saw then the Blue Box that sat on the hillside a sign of hope to him and the only hope for Isabelle. What a fool he had been to believe he had planed it all so carefully he would go scout the ship on his own without telling her. He had found all the information he needed but at what cost. Time was running out who knew how long she would last and it was his fault he had assumed that they would not adjust to compensate for a different species but they had and he had fallen to the heavenly sound. Now his friend and companion was lying ill, maybe even dying as he ran to save her.
The T.A.R.D.I.S was coming closer now and he dared hope of making the trip back in time before the shock to her body set in then it may be to late. The sun was creeping down against the line of the horizon sending arrows of light to illuminate the T.A.R.D.I.S the blue surrounded by rays of yellow light. It looked for all intents and purposes like a ray of hope to his eyes. He almost laughed at the very notion.
As he ran to the T.A.R.D.I.S he ripped off his sopping jacket and tie loosening his shirt at the waist and was starting with the buttons of his now see through shirt as he reached the door. Entering he threw his jacket on the floor and stood stock still.
There on the floor were all of Isabelle's clothes as if she had thrown them aside in haste. He touched her top, which had landed at the conjunction of the coral beams, remembering her fussing over the colour not so long ago.
"Is the blue to bright, I really hate to go out looking like some sort of sign post. Roll up; roll up jumbo hot dogs only a pound." Her face contorted in a totally fake smile as she played the part of a sixteen year old waitress. The memory of her smile burned his brain as he touched the soft material. He tried to regain some focus on the task at hand.
He pulled all her clothes together. The Doctor folded them into one neat pile just like Isabelle would. Isabelle had spent hours in his wardrobe sorting out the clothes into some kind of order. Just so he could find them easily. He squashed the doubt that reared up inside him. He rushed through the maze of coral corridors increasing his pace as he went.
"Ah" he let out a sigh of relief as he found the medical room right at the back due to the fact he almost rarely fell ill. He did get Cronin flu once it took two months to really get over it and the boils that formed were something to behold. He grabbed at a long blue vial that hung between two constantly smoking beakers. One was a pale shade of blue the other a sick green colour that smelt strongly of cabbage. The royal blue liquid in the vial gently swayed as the Doctor carefully extracted it and placed a small cork in the top.
Running back through the T.A.R.D.I.S he grabbed several strange implements as he went. He exited and began the decent at a steadier pace. Moving with the agility of a gazelle till he was down the cliff face. Then he was sprinting again across the pebbles, up the steps and down the street. He would not lose her he'd just gotten to know her and she had become so vital to him. Her smile and laugh cheered him and she was so pushy never letting him be or letting him brood. Not even for Rose, or the others. She had always said
"No time to brood there's work to be done" He just couldn't lose another friend not yet. At least he thought sourly he could visit the other two, well three if you include Sarah Jane. He was approaching the Bed and Breakfast now watching as the oak doors got closer and closer. He burst through the doors like a storm and marched through the bustling people like a sword through light armour. He all but flew up the stairs into the room where Isabelle was lying. She lay so still that the Doctors breath caught in his lungs. She looked dead as though she had stopped breathing to the Doctors relief he noticed a very faint rise and fall of her chest as she breathed lightly.
When he had brought her in rounding on the nearest person he had demanded information about what had happened after he was taken. He had found out that Isabelle had been the depths of the bay for an hour and three quarters. All for him to get him back. Paul had told him all this after calming Kim down. The Doctor had practically yelled his questions at her. So while Kim was nursing Isabelle the best ways she could Paul had taken the Doctor to one side to explain to him what Isabelle had done.
Kim had followed him after his arrival with Isabelle both sopping wet and Isabelle unconscious, she had insisted on helping but now she wasn't so sure, having just been yelled at though she could understand why, she still felt hurt by the harsh tone the Doctor had used. For now though she was more concerned with Isabelle she had not awoken since she arrived and Kim was beginning to get scared that she wouldn't wake at all. With all of this she was glad that Paul had followed too.
According to Paul the change that had come over Isabelle had amazed them, Isabelle had been devastated, and then angry and then her face had shone with determination. She hadn't stopped; she had dived in from the highest point of the cliff, right in front of the T.A.R.D.I.S and it had almost killed her. In his own mind he though about how she must of felt, fear, anger and most of all pain but he was here now and he would look after her.
Kim was adding blankets now tucking her in tightly as if she was a child, she tested her temperature her it was still below 35oc and showed no sigh of increasing. Isabelle had some colour now but she was still unconscious. Her shivers had stopped for now but they kept restarting periodically.
The Doctor sat gently on the edge of the bed his face hard an unrevealing of the conflicting emotions he felt. He reached out to touch her but drew away at the last second. He thrust the extended hand deep into the inside pocket of his dry grey suit and pulled from it a large vial full of royal blue liquid. Then he touched her, gently he stroked Isabelle's face; she looked so fragile like porcelain. She'd always been so strong so very hardy and here she was after saving him.
She lay so still barely breathing while his hearts were shattering. Still Isabelle was fighting he could see in the set of her jaw. Even now she had a smile of triumph on her face. The sight warmed him always fighting even now, one thing she had going for her was her fighter's spirit keeping her alive even defiant against the illness that now wracked her body.
The Doctor opened her mouth just enough to tip the concoction down the throat. He stoked her neck to aid her swallowing. He waited, holding his breath and holding her hand. He lightly touched her forehead with two long fingers. She would be alright now he assured himself. All the time constructing a plan to end the current problem, he just hoped she would wake in time to see it.