Chapter Twenty One
After about an hour, they reached Bad Wolf Bay.
"Now all we have to do is find a good spot and we'll begin our workout," he said.
As they walked, he looked over at the waves crashing onto the sand. He looked at Rose.
"Another thing we need to do is build up our endurance," he said. "So, how about this? Many cultures on Earth and other planets train their warriors by teaching them to endure extremes in temperature so they'll toughen up. I propose stripping naked, going in the water and letting the cold waves wash over us and slowly build up endurance that way. What'd you say?"
Rose looked at the crashing waves.
"For how long?"
"As long as we can bear it and hopefully, each time we do it, we'll be able to stay in a bit longer. If we're gonna fight the Valeyard, we need to have strong bodies as well as strong minds because he'll use torture in one form or another, trust me."
"And you're going in there with me or are you just gonna send me in and stand on the beach and laugh?"
Alan grinned.
"Well, the thought of making fun of you while you freeze your ass off is tempting, but I can't afford that luxury. I also have to build up this body and get it in shape and I need to go through endurance training just as much as you do."
They found a level area, laid the blanket out on the sand and put the rucksack down on top of it.
"So, what'll it be? You wanna start off with a few aikido moves or you wanna take a nice, soothing Norwegian bath?"
Rose looked at the water and sighed.
"Let's get it over with," she said. "Especially since I know you were just waiting for an excuse to see me without my kit."
"Yeah, but remember this whole training thing was your idea and if you want to be as good as the Doctor, you're gonna have to jump in to this with both feet."
They took their clothes off and laid them on the blanket.
"In future, we'll have to remember to bring the towels from the bathroom, but no matter, we can train naked like the Greeks did and the cold air on our bare flesh will add to our endurance training."
"And help you get off."
"That too," he said as she swatted his arm. "But for now, surf's up, my companion. Last one in the water snogs a Dalek!"
He took off towards the ocean with Rose following close behind him. He sprinted in without any hesitation, but the moment the ice cold water touched Rose's ankles, she let out a shriek and ran back out while Alan bent over laughing.
"Gee, that's not a very encouraging sign if you give up the moment a bit of cold water hits your legs," he called to her.
"It's bleedin' cold in there!"
"Yes, my love, that's the idea. I told you this was endurance training. It's easy to endure water when it's at room temperature, not get your scaredy-cat ass in here right now!"
"Eeeee, "Rose squealed, inching towards the water as Alan held his sides and laughed hysterically.
"Come on, I'm standing here ankle high in freezing cold water, I'd like to get this over with before my legs petrify and break off my body. Come on, bite the bullet and get in here."
Rose took a deep breath and ran towards Alan, squealing as the water sent chills up her spine. He grabbed her and laughed while she screamed and squealed.
"My God, you are the biggest baby I've ever seen!" he said, laughing. "And you wanna learn Venusian aikido? You won't even make it past lesson one with that attitude."
"Just shut up, so we can get this over with," Rose yelled.
She forced herself to walk out further into the water while Alan held her around the middle.
"Don't worry, amo'tiri, I won't let the big, bad water hurt you," he said, soothingly.
"Shut up, ya git!" she said as he laughed. "Oh God, this better be worth it in the end because I'm freezing my ass off already!"
"Well, I hope in the future, you learn to control yourself so you aren't thrashing in my arms and screaming in my ear. I would like to live out the rest of this life with my hearing intact and my body free of long fingernail scars."
They waded out until the water was halfway up their legs.
"And now, we sit."
"Oh God, no."
"Oh hell, yes!" Alan crowed. "Sit down and get yourself immersed in good ol' arctic water."
He laughed when Rose let out another squeal and they slowly lowered themselves into the water.
"Oh God, oh God, oh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" she screamed as Alan snorted out laughter.
They held onto each other and laughed as the water rippled around their bodies. Shivering uncontrollably, she wrapped her arms around Alan's neck and held on for dear life.
"Gah, could you let me breathe?" he gasped. "I don't have a respiratory bypass system like some people."
She loosened her hold slightly.
"Thank you," he said.
He shivered along with Rose as they icy water numbed their bodies.
"Can we get out now?" Rose said.
"What? We just got in here."
"I don't care!" she said as Alan laughed. "This is enough for today. I wanna get out."
"Ah, Rose, so inexperienced. You have so much to learn."
"Just shut up and go!"
Snickering, he and Rose stood up and ran out of the surf. Alan fell to his knees in the sand, howling with laughter, as Rose bolted towards the blanket, threw the rucksack off, flung herself down on the edge and rolled herself up in it.
"Aaaaah, Rose, Rose, Rose, that was the best laugh I've had since I was born," Alan said walking over to the quaking burrito. "Personally, I don't know why you're making such a fuss. My wedding tackle has practically retreated up into my body now."
"I'm cooooooold."
"Well, so am I, but I'm not bundled up, whining and moaning about a little chilly water on my body."
He sat down beside her and chuckled as he embraced his cocooned lover.
"So, bang goes the entire training course then?" he asked.
"No," Rose said in a shaky voice. "I will go through with this. I just need to get used to some things."
"Liiiiiike, learning how to sit in ice cold water until your tits freeze off?"
"Yes, like that."
He chuckled and kissed her cold, wet cheek.
"Have no fear, my quivering little snail; you'll get used to the cold water and a lot more besides when I get through with you."
"Good, I certainly hope so."
"So, are you going to come out of your shell, my turtle, and learn some aikido moves?"
"I vote we just snuggle up in here and lie on the beach the rest of the day."
"How is that training your body?"
"It's training my body to get warm again," Rose said as he laughed.
"That's no way to talk, private! Where's that British pluck, that stiff upper lip?"
"It's right here," Rose said, pointing to her face. "My lip is as stiff as a board right now."
She gasped when Alan grabbed the edge of the blanket and rolled her out of it.
"Come along, my pupil, daylight's a' burnin'" he said, tossing the blanket away.
Rose gasped as the cold air hit her damp skin. Shivering, she forced herself to get up and face Alan.
"Wow, your breasts are harder than a Terok's back," he said.
"And how hard is a Terok's back?"
"Bulletproof."
Rose flung her arms over her breasts when Alan ogled them.
"Oh yes, we've had sex three times and now she gets all shy and prudish," Alan said, rolling his eyes.
"What if someone's watching us, Timelord?"
"Do you see anyone around, Tyler? Have you ever seen anyone around? The place is deserted!"
"What if someone happens to come along though?"
Alan rolled his eyes.
"Then, we scream out, LOOK AT US, WE'RE NAKED, and do a complicated dance for them that ends with us shagging each other's brains out. I'm sure that will give the intruder quite a show and give them something to talk about back at the village pub."
He sighed.
"But, if you are that scared of being seen, then I'll wait till you get your clothes back on."
"What about you?"
"I don't care who sees me. For one thing, I don't want to get my clothes all sopping wet and for another, I'm trying to build up my endurance. You do realize that if we fall into the Valeyard's hands, it's not going to be a picnic and our prison cell won't be some five star penthouse suite. You wanna survive him or any other alien threat, you're gonna have to make a few sacrifices here."
"Okay, okay, but if we get arrested for indecent exposure…"
"Then, I'll teach you how to endure interrogation and how to pick a lock, now are we going to start or not?"
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For the next couple of hours, the two of them stood together on the beach practicing some basic punches and blocks. The longer the day went on, the more Rose got used to the cold air on her skin until she no longer felt it. Alan patiently taught her the moves, helping her with her stance and the position of her hands and arms. He smiled when he realized just how quickly she picked up on everything.
Yup, there's no denying it, Rose is brilliant. I'm so glad she thought of this, he thought. This will not only get her in shape, but it'll ease her fears about facing the Valeyard if she has to. Plus, I get to see amo'tiri naked and sweaty, which is a definite plus.
They kept on training for another hour and then stopped for lunch. Alan spread out the blanket and they munched on some crisps and biscuits and drank cans of Coke.
"I vote after we eat, we take one more dip in the water and then we call it a day. How's that sound?" Alan asked.
Rose made a face as she looked out at the ocean, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded.
"Yeah, sounds good."
"You sure? I mean, I don't want you getting a heart attack the minute the cold water hits your big toe," he teased.
"I can handle whatever you can handle," Rose said.
He leaned forward and stared into her eyes.
"We shall see, Grasshopper, we shall see."
Rose swatted his arm as he sniggered.
"Yuk, yuk, yuk," she said.
Alan's eyes bulged out causing Rose to nearly gag on the Coke in her mouth.
"A Jedi's power flows from the force," he said, imitating Yoda. "Learn much, you will. Naked, you will be. Stiff and aroused, am I. Kick the Valeyard's ass, we will. Talk like Yoda, difficult it is. Sounding strange, am I. Why anyone want to talk like this, beyond me. Stop now, I will."
Rose sniggered.
"Ah, that's better. Now I don't sound like I learned English from a staticky TV."
He slapped his hands together.
"So, one more quick dip in the pool before we come back and have a bit of a cuddle?" he said.
"After you. And this time I will try to stay in for longer than two seconds."
Alan's eyes bulged out.
"No, can or can not, do or do not, there is no try," he said in his Yoda voice.
"Stop channeling Yoda and get in there, you little maniac," Rose said, pointing to the ocean.
Alan grinned, took her hand and helped her to her feet. She laughed when he squatted down like a runner waiting for the starting gun. Rose imitated him and Alan looked at her.
"On your mark…get set…GO!"
Both of them sprinted towards the ocean, trying to outrace each other. Rose reached the water first and Alan howled with laughter when Rose let out another shriek, but his heart swelled with pride when she didn't turn back and kept going out further into the ocean. He followed her and when they got to the same place they had before, the both squatted down and kissed one another as the water lapped at their heads. This time they were able to stay in for ten minutes before both called it quits. Getting out, they ran back to the blanket, rolled their shivering bodies up in it and spent the rest of the day holding, kissing, caressing and making love to each other.