33. Illusions?

"Well." The Doctor was worried and upset, and that meant he was going to be a bit rude and brusque. "Hold still and this will take just a minute." He clicked open the hasp of the bag and rooted around the depths with his free hand.

"What? What will take a minute?" The Hobo's voice lifted a whole octave, his smaller body tensing like a spring in a flight-or-fight moment—flight being the dominant impulse, the big man thought sardonically.

"Your exam, which I need if you're going to be treated. What did you think? A Mind Probe?" He snorted at the absurdity of the thought as he lifted a medical scanner—and caught his predecessor's face turning a ghastly white with shock. "Jehosophat! I wasn't serious!" He snapped.

"Well how am I to know?!" The Hobo all but shouted back. He was pressed up against the corner of the sleeping-berth as far as he could go without climbing up the walls. "How am I supposed to know anything? What if you're just another illusion? Or one of their tricks to make sure I'm obeying? I don't believe in Jamie and Zoe anymore—you could be their new phantom!"

34. Trust?

I'm a fool! The Doctor thought. It's just another trick! He's not here—no more than they are!

The Doctor had expected the Dandy to melt away at his challenge—Jamie and Zoe's echoes always did when he yelled out his defiance against their false reality-

-but this phantom didn't melt..?

Confused, the Doctor blinked up at the taller man bending over him, scanner still in hand. It seemed familiar, but hadn't he been fooled before?

"If I was an illusion, how could I have strapped you down into the berth? Contact with me if you don't believe me."

He slapped his hands over his ears at that voice, squeezing his eyes shut. "You think I'm going to fall for that again?!" He shouted over the roaring of his blood in his ears. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? How dare you!" Oh, he did sound like the Original Doctor when he was upset, but he couldn't stop himself. "I've done everything you told me to do! STOP TESTING ME!"

And at that last part he rose up, head swimming. It was a terrible idea, but he was sick with horror at the Time Lords' latest test of loyalty.