Donna sighed, leaning back against her chair. She felt useless sitting around doing nothing while the Doctor was out there. Not to mention bored. Christ, she used to be a temp before the Doctor met her. What had the TARDIS done to her to make her think that sitting was the worst thing that could happen to her during a dangerous alien invasion?
Aloud, she remarked, "Y'know, I never thought I'd actually miss the running."
Molly chuckled. "Yeah, me neither. But it starts to be the best part of being out here. The mad whirlwind of it all."
"Is that the part you missed the most? During the war?"
Donna and Molly looked up at Awk in surprise. The Avian was gazing curiously at Molly, something quiet and knowing in his eyes. Donna had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. What war?
"What are you talking about?" Molly asked, a bit of a tremor suddenly in her tone. Lestrade looked worried too, his usually cheerful expression suddenly tightened into a frown.
"Soldiers can always recognize another soldier," Awk said.
Hugo nodded in agreement. "I never fought myself, but I've seen that look in the soldiers I knew in France. It's something about the eyes."
Molly and Lestrade exchanged a quick glance, anxiety flickering in Molly's eyes, concern in Lestrade's. Donna wasn't sure what was going on here, but she had a feeling it was related to Molly's secret. The one that she'd refused to talk about with the Doctor, the one that had haunted her for so long. The one she still hadn't told Donna.
The companion looked down. For a very brief moment, she seemed as fearful and broken as she had that day she had sobbed into Donna's shoulder in London. "It's a long story," she said quietly.
"You don't have to explain," Donna assured Molly quickly. Whatever had happened to Molly, it was her business. She shouldn't feel obligated to talk about it before she was ready.
Awk dipped his head. "I'm sorry, I was being insensitive."
Molly was silent for a moment. Then, she lifted her head. Her chin was raised slightly, her shoulders squared, a steely, determined look in her eyes. "No," she said firmly. "I'll tell you." She gave Donna a quick glance and a small smile. "If I'm going to move past it, I need you to know too, Donna. You're part of my family now too."
Donna blinked in surprise. She thought of the Doctor and Molly as her friends, but she hadn't considered that Molly would see her as family. Donna had come into the middle of an established dynamic with the Doctor, Molly, and Sherlock, and even Lestrade already seemed to have a place here. There were times she still didn't feel like she was as wanted or needed here as the others. But clearly Molly thought differently, if she was choosing to trust her with this truth. Donna couldn't help but feel touched.
Molly took a deep breath, then began; "It started about two and a half years ago. It was the first day we had Sherlock on board. We just meant to stop off on Cardiff to fuel up the TARDIS, but things got a bit more complicated."
She went on to explain how they had met Captain Jack Harkness at the end of the universe, how they had helped a harmless old professor fly to Utopia. How that harmless old professor turned out to be a Time Lord, far more cruel and dangerous than the Doctor. How the Master had taken over the world, and the horrors she had suffered during the Year to stop him.
Lestrade helped tell the story as well, adding his own experiences and his own take on the Year That Never Was. Before, Donna had thought he was just concerned for Molly. But now she could see that the Year had scarred him too, even if he hid it better. His closeness with Molly had to do with more than the Year, obviously, but her odd friendship with Sherlock suddenly made a lot more sense. They had been soldiers together. That was why she'd been willing to put up with him.
The rest of Molly's behavior made sense too. Her closed-off behavior, her initial uncertainty about having Donna on board the TARDIS, her resentment towards the Doctor. All of it was connected to the Year. Donna couldn't begin to imagine how terrifying that Year must have been. Having to abandon people to die, traveling on an Earth where everything was trying to kill you, knowing that the entire world was depending on you. The part about John Watson dying was surprising, but it made sense. Sherlock must have been devastated.
It wasn't just those three she felt sorry for, either. The Doctor may not have had to travel the Earth for a year, but he had suffered a loss. Donna already knew what had happened to his planet. She couldn't imagine how it must have felt for him to find another Time Lord, only for him to die in the Doctor's arms. That must have been the most devastating loss. The Doctor and Molly might be busy feeling sorry for each other, but Donna could see that everyone had lost something that year.
When Molly and Lestrade's story was over, Donna reached across and grabbed Molly's hand, giving it a right squeeze. "I'm sorry, Molly," she said quietly.
The companion gave her a quick smile. "Thank you." She had been quiet when she was telling her story, but now, somehow, she seemed happier than she had been in a long time. The only way Donna could think to describe it was that she looked at peace.
Awk was gazing at Molly with a quiet sense of respect. "When I fought on Iree, I had hundreds of people backing me. I may have been facing impossible odds, but I always knew I wasn't alone. I can't imagine going through a fight like that on your own."
Molly shook her head. "I had the Hooper Army," she reminded the Avian. "That was enough. And I had the Doctor's support, even if I didn't always appreciate it at the time. At least my war ended better than yours." She glanced at Victor Hugo as she added, "Or yours."
The writer raised an eyebrow. "If you're referring to Les Miserables, I didn't fight that day. I was there though. I was hiding. Maybe that makes me a coward. I don't know."
"Not every battle is yours to fight," Molly reminded him gently. "You didn't have any weapon. If you'd gotten killed in that fight, the June Rebellion would have been forgotten by history. Les Miserables is the only reason that battle is still talked about. You're the one that made that possible."
Hugo gave a small smile. "That's the power of history," he observed. "It has a funny way of writing itself. Sometimes, we can tame it with literature and other forms of record, but it's never truly in our control. It has a life of it's own."
Molly chuckled. "More than you know. The Doctor and I have interfered with more history than I can remember, but it never went exactly the way we imagined." She gave the writer a suddenly mischievous glance. "Speaking of Les Miserables. I know I said it's my favorite book, but if you don't mind me saying Monsieur Hugo, you do tend to go off on some useless tangents. I mean, that part with the sewers? What was that about?"
Hugo gave her an unamused look. "The purpose of my books is to shine light on history. What point would there be in mentioning the sewers without discussing the history behind them? Or the history of the convent that sheltered Jean Valjean and Cosette? Or the battle of Waterloo? My stories are steeped in the middle of all this history. They weave themselves around it, allowing the book to explore it and intertwine it with the world the plot creates. The Hunchback of Notre Dame allowed me to tell the story of the Notre Dame Cathedral as well as Quasimodo. Architecture, wars, they deserve as much attention as a pretty story."
He turned to Awk as he added, "I only wish I could have told your history. But, I suppose in a way, I already did. The battle at the barricades was based on the June Rebellion, but in a way it was also based on your fight. The character of Enjolras has a lot of you in him. And I can see the same determination in you, Miss Hooper. Your Detective Inspector Lestrade would be your Courfeyrac, and this Sherlock sounds like he would be your Combferre. Although, perhaps there is some Grantaire in there as well."
Donna wasn't entirely sure what characters Hugo was referring to, Molly grinned brightly, so she must've understood what he was going on about.
SCENEBREAK
As the Time Lord came to the top of a ledge, down below was one of the sleek, black Judoon ships.
The Doctor grinned to himself. "Gotcha."
The word had barely left his mouth when he heard the cock of guns behind him. He turned to see that other than the ledge behind him, he was entirely surrounded by armed Judoon, all of them with weapons raised and pointed directly at his chest.
In a low, gruff tone, one of the Judoon asked, "What are you doing here?"
The Doctor froze. A quick glance over the Judoon confirmed that there was no room to escape. Even if he managed to squeeze past one of them and run for it, he'd be shot down before he could get so much as ten feet. He was well and truly trapped.
Externally, he kept his usual cheery demeanor. "Just going for a stroll." They probably thought he was just a human from the town. No reason to change their minds about that just yet. "Didn't mean to stumble over your ship... thingy. Sorry about that."
The Judoon blinked at him, unamused. "All humans are supposed to remain in the town," one grunted.
An idea occurred to the Doctor. "Yeah, sorry, I was actually looking for you lot. I wanted to help. I was wondering if I could get another look at that wanted poster?"
The rhino-like creatures stared blankly at him for several moments. Finally, one of them pulled out a thin, metallic sheet with Awk's name and picture on it. Underneath the picture, there was a note that read, "Wanted for high treason."
The Doctor frowned. That didn't tell him anything he didn't already know. He tried a different tactic. "Can't say I've seen him around. Still, looks like he'd be hard to miss. What makes you guys think he's here?"
The Judoon exchanged looks. "We are only supposed to ask the humans where to find the criminal," one pointed out.
"We should take him to the client," another added.
The client. That sounds promising. The Doctor grinned cheerfully at the Judoon. "Sounds like fun. Take me to your leader."
SCENEBREAK
The travelers had been waiting in Awk's bunker for several minutes. Any remaining paranoia about being found had faded, leaving them mostly bored. And, more recently, hungry.
"So, who's going to brave the rhinos and get something from the kitchen?" Donna asked. "Because if we don't get some food soon, I'm pretty sure I'm going to eat one of you."
Awk shook his head. "There's food back there in storage." He gestured back to the only door in the room. "I wanted this place stocked in case I ever needed to spend a few days down here. There should be plenty for all of us."
Greg started to get to his feet. "I'll see what I can scrounge up."
"I'll come with you," Molly said quickly. Greg gave her a questioning look; she returned it with a quick smile. After a moment, he shrugged. She took it as an assent and got to her feet. Before she followed Greg through the door, she noticed Donna giving her a knowing look.
The door led them through a narrow hallway before taking them back to a storage room. The walls were all metal, and there were fridges and cabinets set up all around the room. The two travelers set to work, collecting food that looked promising.
After a few minutes, Greg spoke up. "So, I'm guessing there's a reason there needed to be two of us finding food."
Molly paused. After talking with Donna, she knew the next step she wanted to take. This was something she had been thinking about for a long time, and she knew that now was the right time. "I'm still recovering from the Year That Never Was," she began, speaking clearly and slowly. "I don't know how long it'll take for me to stop having nightmares or flashbacks. Maybe they'll never stop, maybe I'll just learn to live with them. But I've started the path to recovery. I've started talking with people. The Doctor and Donna have both been there for me. They both know everything now. I don't have anything to hide from anyone anymore. I can just focus on moving on."
Another pause. "I'd like to do that with you at my side. If you'd like."
Greg glanced back at her in surprise. After a few moments, his expression softened, warm affection in his eyes. He reached out and grabbed her hand, warm, calloused fingers entwining her hers. "I'd like that," he said softly.
Molly smiled. She remembered her years of pining over Sherlock Holmes, the way she fantasized over him, before finally moving on for her own good. She remembered Greg finding them with Sherlock in 221B before the Year began. The way he had followed her willingly into a year-long struggle to survive, ready to accept her as leader of their little cause without any hesitation. All the times they'd had each other's backs during the Year That Never Was. His calm support when she'd been freaking out when they were trapped in a cell together. Her panic at the thought of his death. The comfortable ease between them ever since he'd joined on with the TARDIS family. Now, she was finally ready for the next step.
She reached out an put a hand on his cheek, her thumb brushing against faint stubble. Their entwined hands fell apart as they leaned in. The companion closed her eyes as they kissed. It was soft and slow, and nothing like the hundreds of times she imagined kissing Sherlock Holmes, but somehow it was so much better than any of that. Her eyes opened, and she saw dark brown eyes in front of her instead of the cold blue she had longed for years ago. It was the perfect view. She felt his lips move against hers as he smiled, and her eyes closed against as they pulled back slightly, foreheads resting together and her hand still on his cheek.
After several moments, Greg reminded her that they needed to get back to the others. They, somewhat reluctantly, gathered the food they had scrounged up and headed back to the safe room. Awk and Hugo accepted their return without any scruples, but Donna gave them an amused look as they walked back in. When Greg turned his back to hand food to Awk, Donna mouthed, "Finally!" Molly shook her head with exasperation, but couldn't quite hold back a grin.
SCENEBREAK
The Doctor allowed the Judoon to lead him into their ship without protest. As they led him inside, his gaze swept critically over the interior, seeking out any weaknesses and noting all the exits. If he was found out or asked too many questions, he might have to make a quick getaway.
Once he was in the center of the room, one of the Judoon left through a door, returning a few moments later with what the Doctor assumed was the client. It was an Avian like Awk, but this one looked older. He had darker blue feathers, and wore a sleek blue and silver uniform. His eyes were narrowed and his expression cool as he demanded, "Who is this?"
The Judoon answered, "This human found our ships, Admiral Penkh. He offered to help with the investigation."
The Doctor grinned cheerfully at the new Avian. "Hello! I'm the Doctor. Admiral Penkh, wasn't it? Say, you look an awful lot like that alien thing those guys are looking for. Are from the same planet? Is that why you're looking for him?"
Penkh glanced at the Doctor with narrowed eyes, not bothering to respond to his babbled questions. "We don't need any humans knowing where our ship is. Kill him."
As the Judoon raised their guns again, the Doctor held up his hands, saying hastily, "Or, on the other hand, we could talk about this." With one hand, he began to reach into his coat. The Judoon switched their guns on, ready to shoot before he could pull out a gun, but all he pulled out was the psychic paper. He flipped it open, displaying the necessary credentials to the admiral.
Penkh's cold anger melted away immediately. "You're from the Shadow Proclamation," he realized.
The Doctor dropped the goofy civilian act, taking on an air of authority. "You bet I am. Now what was that about, trying to kill a peaceful civilian from a Level Five planet?"
The admiral's eyes widened, a trace of fear in his expression. He dipped his head politely. "My apologies. We, ah, had reason to believe you were a spy. The criminal we are seeking has many connections."
"Uh-huh." The Doctor wasn't convinced, but this might be the best opportunity he would get to get the information he needed. "Tell you what, let me have a look around your ship, tell me all about your operation, and if that's the only mark I can find against you, I'll let you off with a warning."
Penkh nodded. "Of course. Come this way." He led the Doctor towards a door, leading to the interior of the ship.
So yeah, I actually wrote a first kiss between Hoopstrade. I usually suck at writing romance, and this was not an easy scene to write for me, but now that it's actually written down, I feel okay-ish about it. Hopefully I'll be able to write them well as a couple.
And yes, the Doctor has found the Judoon. And yes, Donna finally knows about the Year That Never Was. Fun stuff. And I hope the Mizzies out there (Les Miserables fans) understood the references to characters that Hugo was making.
Thanks to Doodlegirll for looking over the Hoopstrade kiss scene for me and assuring me that it wasn't too awful to be seen by human eyes.
BloodLily16: Why thanks, I rather think he's awesome as well. ^^
