A/N: Okay, slightly less than 24 hours. Don't expect me to be quite that quick for the next update.


-1912-

- The Titanic -


The lights had stopped flickering, but the tilt of the ship was so dramatic that they were nearly swimming instead of walking. Exploding in a sharp pop, the lamps all finally died with a crushing sense of finality.

"Doctor?" She whispered, the ship creaked and groaned, threatening to come crashing down around them. The darkness seemed to make that all the more real.

"It's alright," He pulled the sonic out and its weak green light illuminated the hallway around them, reflecting off of the surface of the water that was now above her waist. "We're nearly there, it should just be-" His voice suddenly stopped as though he were distracted. Calypso heard it too, something was hissing.

"How nice. A meal come right to me. Perhaps I shall survive the swim after all." Its voice was oily and dangerous. If she hadn't already been shivering from the cold, she knew the sound of it would have caused her to tremble. The Doctor's grip on her hand tightened and pulled her closer behind him. She could just see it, a little further down the hall. The creature lurked a little past the circle of light, but she could see unsettling details about it. Its skin was waxy and, despite the green lighting, far too pale looking to be alive. Dark eyes were slitted like a cats and as it smiled at them, she could see long thin fangs protruding from its mouth.

"You shouldn't be here." The Doctor warned the creature, holding the sonic out further in an effort to illuminate the shadows where it was lurking. It almost looked human, but only in the darkness. She had no doubt if she had seen it in the full light, she would recognize it as a creature from another world. The Garoth.

"Nor should you, I imagine. What a happy accident." The creature didn't seem to have very solid footing as it approached, but it kept its hand sliding against the wall as it glided toward them in the water.

"I should warn you," The Doctor said in a stern voice. "You can let us pass and go on your way. Or you can suffer the consequences."

"You can't hurt me with your little wand." It hissed as it drew near, its face splitting into an even wider grin. Calypso realized that not only did he have fangs, but each of his teeth were dangerously pointed, teeth meant for tearing. He approached slowly, whether he was worried about the Doctor's threats, or he was still struggling to push through the water, she wasn't sure.

"Do you trust me?" The Doctor had turned to her and it took her a moment to realize he was asking.

"Of c-course." She nodded firmly, hoping her trembling voice didn't make her less believable. He smiled and stooped down to press his lips against her forehead. She couldn't understand how he was still so warm when she was feeling rather a lot like the iceberg they had run into.

"Then hold on tightly." He murmured, releasing her hand at his waist. "Don't let go." He said once before turning his attention back to the Garoth. She wrapped both her arms around him firmly and he reached up, grabbing a pipe that ran parallel across the ceiling.

"I'm giving you one last chance." He called out. "If I were you, I'd take it."

"You don't scare me puny human." The creature hissed again and raised its arms out of the water, hunching as though it were readying itself to pounce.

"I'm not human." He said mildly. "I'm the Doctor. And I'm afraid you're about to have a rather unhappy accident." He pointed the sonic at a nearby door in the wall, it whined shrilly before crashing open, the weight of the water slamming the metal door wide and a churning river now tore through the narrow gap.

"No-!" The creature had the time to shriek as its legs were pulled out from under him, throwing him headfirst toward the door. Calypso felt the current pulling at her feet but she held tightly to the Doctor who was anchored firmly to the ceiling.

"Alright!" The Doctor had to shout now over the roaring of the water. "This is the difficult part!" He started to take slow deliberate steps toward the vortex in the hall. She didn't understand until the sonic illuminated the down where the creature had disappeared. The TARDIS was just inside the door, their safe haven so easy to reach if the walkway before it hadn't turned to a raging river.

She took a deep breath and did her best not to squeeze her eyes shut. The Doctor moved forward, each step closer she could feel the strength of the water fighting against her, pulling at her skirts and trying to throw her down the hallway like a rag doll. The pressure against her at the doorway was so great she couldn't breathe any more. With a tremendous crash she heard the ship tearing apart around them.

"Jump!" The Doctor shouted as he threw them both forward into the TARDIS' now open door. Water poured in around them as they collapsed to the floor and they both spun around to shut the door behind them. Calypso dug her heels into the ground and pressed her back against the wood frame while the Doctor pushed his fists against it, his face a mask of determination. The door, likely with the help of the TARDIS herself, finally latched shut and the roaring of the water and the crunch of metal and wood bursting was suddenly silenced. The quiet, broken only by their gasping breath, was quite a shock.

Calypso closed her eyes and leaned her head against the door, the water that had followed them in had already vanished. How it had been managed, she had no idea, but she couldn't be bothered to think about it too carefully. She opened her eyes and was rewarded with icy water dripping down on her from the Doctor's chin. He was leaning over her, hands still pressed against the door as though he were afraid it might suddenly pop open again. He looked as equally exhausted by the effort as she felt.

"I th-think you got a bit w-wet." She said with a weary smile as more water dripped from his nose.

"Yeah," He said with a grin, running a hand over his face. "I think you might be onto something there." He let his arms drop to her neck. She realized now, just how close they both were. And his hands were so warm against her skin. She pressed her face against his wrist, trying to shake the cold that seemed to have settled itself deeply in her bones.

"Blimey," He said, shocked. "Calypso, you're freezing."

"You're warm." She mumbled almost coherently.

"Yes, I tend to run a bit hot. Two hearts and all." He muttered as he pulled the jacket from her shoulders. "I'm sorry, but we're going to need to get you out of this, you're soaked to the bone." He said as he loosened the life jacket. She was having a hard time moving her limbs to cooperate. He hesitated only a moment before finding the clasps on the back of her dress. "Sorry." He apologized again as he peeled it away from her. She knew she should be feeling somewhat embarrassed, but it was difficult when she didn't have any sensation in her hands or feet and he was moving so quickly and efficiently. She had enough mind left that she was grateful he had left her her slip, though it wasn't doing much to save her dignity as it was stuck tight against her skin.

"Here we are." He had turned to walk away and returned shortly with a scratchy thick blanket. He draped it over her shoulders but rubbed his hands against her skin vigorously to get her blood pumping. Despite his own wet clothing, he still seemed to radiate heat and she buried her face in his chest as he shook her. "Think warm thoughts," He told her as his hands continued to massage her arms. "A warm tropical beach. The Sahara desert. The volcanic moon of Reu." The cold ache in her limbs slowly started to fade as he held her and the violent trembling that had been shaking her whole body finally trailed away. Feeling returned to her limbs shortly after, and with that awareness, she realized just how tightly she was pressed against the Doctor. She felt too embarrassed to push away, but then, she didn't want to either. Instead, she turned her head up toward the Doctor, a tight smile on her lips.

"Thank you." She sighed, for a while she had started to doubt that she would ever feel warm again.

"Don't mention it." He smirked. "Are you alright?" He asked quite seriously. It was difficult for her not to get distracted when he looked down at her with those eyes that were seemingly ageless.

"Yes. Much better." She swallowed, he had stopped rubbing his hands against her skin, perhaps suddenly aware of her closeness himself. But he didn't let her go either, instead his hands rested against her arms, burning embers against her still chilled flesh. Her heart pounded as she wondered what they might feel like against her back, or around her waist. She flushed under his gaze and he cleared his throat.

"Perhaps we should find you…something to wear." He said with a strained smile. Perhaps he was right. But instead of answering him, she felt her arm rising up and gripping the back of his neck, pulling his face down to her own. If he had any misgivings, she didn't notice them. His lips were warm and as eager as her own as she locked onto them. She reveled in the sensation of her cold mouth melting under his gentle and very persistent protrusions. Her whole body flushed with warmth as she lost herself in the moment, her grip tightening against his neck like she was afraid to let go. She shivered as his hand trailed down her arms and to her side, his thumb delicately tracing along her stomach through the fabric of her shift.

She pushed back, her lips red and puffy. The Doctor looked at her, bewildered and looking a little unkempt himself. She hadn't remembered running her hands through his damp hair, but it was sticking out in several directions now.

"Perhaps, you…should get out of your wet clothes as well." She suggested breathlessly. "You might get hypothermia."

"It's alright, time lords don't-" He frowned. shaking his head. But suddenly something clicked in his mind and his eyes widened slightly.

"Oh. Right. Yes. Because of…hypothermia…" He nodded very seriously then, though there was a grin spreading across his face. "You know, I think I've got just the place. You know. To stay warm." Calypso grinned as he scooped her legs out from under her. "You'll love it." He said resolutely as he started to carry her from the control room.

"How do you know?" She was suddenly feeling extremely bold, and excited. And happy.

"Well, you seemed like you approved last time." He gave her a wicked grin and she felt herself shiver in his arms.

"I don't mean to ruin the mood." She said, biting her lip as she looked over his shoulder to the door of the TARDIS. "But, aren't we still sinking?" She hated the idea of ruining this moment for them both, but she hated the thought of the TARDIS being crushed in the wreckage even more, perhaps never giving her a chance to learn what he meant by 'last time'.

"Madam." He said very seriously. "The combined forces of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door." He stooped toward her and kissed her deeply. Erasing any thought of what might be happening beyond the blue doors. "I think she can handle a little water. We'll be fine. And you aren't going anywhere. Now," He paused, thoughtful, as though he had been distracted. "Where were we? Ah. Yes. Headed some place warm." He waggled his eyebrows at her and she didn't quite stifle a giggle as he carried her deeper into the ship.