Fade away to the wicked world we left, and I become the dark of you. Say a prayer for the wounded heart within, as I become the dark of you. ~ BREAKING BENJAMIN
So something is really wrong with the Doctor and it's down to Yaz and the Tardis to help her. Who could they turn to? Keep reading to find out! I'm not very good at punctuation for speech (or in general really) so apoligies if there are any mistakes.
Hope you enjoy :)
Through the haze, the Doctor became faintly aware of a very concerned sounding Yaz kneeling down next to her. Somewhere in the fog that filled her brain she knew this was bad, that she was in trouble. And not the kind of trouble that could be easily fixed. Clouded by darkness, it was taking everything she had just to keep breathing, to ignore the nagging thought that it would be so much easier if she just stopped and let go. Then it would all end. Pain raged through her body, every cell burning with a fury like never before. Regeneration hurt, but it had nothing on this, on what she was feeling right now. Rendered helpless and at the mercy of this agony, curled up tight and shaking with fear like a wounded animal. Oh, how she wanted to let go, give in to the grips of the looming desolate blackness. Maybe it was what she deserved, her penance for living a lie. To sink into the nothingness, far away from the torment, the uncertainty and the anguish. Because she'd been broken beyond repair, her soul shattered, its pieces scattered by the wind. If she couldn't be the Doctor, then why was she still fighting. Maybe it was time to admit defeat, the Universe would be just fine without her.
Yet she stayed, desperately hanging on to the threads of life. She couldn't leave Yaz, not now, not after everything she's been through. She couldn't do that to her, for Yaz she had to fight, she had to hold on no matter how much it hurt. There was so much she still needed to say, she couldn't give up without telling Yaz how amazing she was. Eyes screwed shut, all the Doctor could manage was a faint whimper, words hurt too much, and she wasn't sure she had the energy to form a coherent sentence.
Tears stung in Yaz's eyes at the sight of her friend in such pain. The Doctor lay curled up on the floor of the Tardis, tremors of pain racked her body, faint whimpers escaped her lips.
It was taking all of Yaz's police training to remain calm and quash the panic that was eating away at her. Something really wasn't right. She gently took hold of the Doctor's wrist, just as Grace had done on the night they'd first met. Yaz felt for a pulse, or pulses. Two hearts, two pulses she thought. She found both were racing, fluttering faintly to an uneven rhythm.
The Doctor continued to whimper, her strangled cries echoing round the Tardis. Yaz felt like she couldn't breathe, fear gripped tightly at her chest, her heart was in her mouth, blood pounded in her ears. In the silence that hung heavy in the air came the horrifying realisation that she didn't know what to do. Alone and helpless, she wanted to scream in fury at her inability to help. It was always the Doctor who came up with the plan, knew how to get out of a tight spot. There was no way she'd be able to do that now. It was clear that it was taking all she had just to remain conscious and even that she was barely managing. Yaz had to choke back a sob, force away the tears that desperately wanted to flow. Somehow, she had to stay strong, PC Khan reporting for duty.
It was the Tardis that broke the eerie silence, the ship jolted into action, console whirring and the central pillar humming frantically.
"Good girl," the Doctor stuttered, words barely noticeable between her ragged breaths. Yaz gripped her friend's hand tightly, she needed her to know that she was still here, trying to help. That she wasn't going to leave her.
"It's going to be okay. The Tardis is getting help. We're flying somewhere to get help," she whispered to the Doctor, hiding behind all the calmness she could muster. Behind the calm words, her heart pounded. She desperately hoped that her words were true, that somehow the Tardis knew where to go for help and that they weren't going to end up on a strange planet, only to be threatened with further danger. On the verge of tears, still clinging to the Doctor's hand, Yaz made a silent prayer of hope. Hope was all that she had.
There was another jolt, along with a distinctive vworp and resounding thud the Tardis came to land.
Yaz didn't even have time to wonder where they were, before there was a knock at the Door. Someone was actually knocking on the Tardis door. She looked up from the Doctor quizzically, unsure of whether the stress of the situation was leading her mind to play tricks.
"Well sweetie, now this is a surprise!" came a voice, presumably from the other side of the doors. So the knocking is real Yaz thought.
"Are you going to invite me in, or do I need to do everything for myself?" The voice had a singsong like quality. Yaz was sure she was mistaken, but it sounded as if the voice was flirting. If it hadn't been for her concern for the Doctor, she would have burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
Whoever this strange voice belonged to, they seemed to know the Tardis, and therefore probably the Doctor as well. Most people wouldn't start flirting when they first saw the Tardis. Amazement, horror and confusion seemed to be the standard reactions. But flirting? Yaz had never encountered that before.
More knocking, slightly firmer this time. "Now then sweetie, we can stop with the games now or I'll get cross, and I know you don't like it when I get cross. I tend to break and shoot things and that's not very fitting with your style."
Okay, Yaz thought, still somewhat bewildered by the situation. This person really is flirting and whoever it is they know the Doctor. She was sure of that.
She looked from the Doctor to the Tardis doors and back to the Doctor again. Mind made up, unable to bear seeing her friend in such pain. "It's the Doctor, something's really wrong, she needs help!" she cried out.
The words had barely left her mouth when she found a curly haired Woman at her side. Piercing green eyes met hers, "what happened?" the Woman demanded, nudging Yaz aside slightly so she could be closer to the Doctor.
"I'm not sure," Yaz stuttered. "She'd been looking really ill, and then she just collapsed. She keeps shaking and I think she's burning up."
"Her hearts are beating really fast; I don't know if that helps," she added hastily. "And she's breathing all weird. I don't think that's normal right?" Nothing about the situation felt normal for Yaz, she just hoped that this woman, whoever she was, would be able to help the Doctor.
"Oh sweetie," the curly haired woman flustered, gently brushing the Doctor's hair out of her face. Usually glossy and golden, now matted and drenched with sweat.
"What sort of trouble have you got yourself into this time?"
The Doctor only gave a faint whimper in response, Yaz felt her hand slip from her grasp. She could only watch with horror while the Doctor curled up tighter as more tremors racked her body.
The knot in Yaz's chest burst, she couldn't hold the tears back any longer.
"I didn't know what to do, she was so scared. I was so scared," she sobbed. "I've never seen her like that before. In so much pain, so hurt, so sick. Not the Doctor. Something is really wrong, but I don't know what. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know how to help, no matter how much I wanted to. I didn't know... I just didn't know. Then, I... Then, it was the Tardis that brought us here. Please, please say you can help". Words tumbled out of Yaz's mouth as, between sobs, her desperation grew.
"Shh, whatever this is, we're going to sort it, and then you and I are going to have a long talk about why you haven't shown off this latest regeneration to me yet. Because now, this is exciting," the woman whispered, stroking the Doctor's face with a care and softness unlike her steely gaze.
Yaz snapped, her fear becoming frustration. "I don't know what the hell you're doing, but just help her. Please!" All manner of feelings bubbled away inside of her; of all the Monsters she'd encountered, all the terrifying situations, it was this now that made her the most scared. Completely powerless, unable to do anything for her friend. All she could do was watch; watch as the woman she'd come to love writhed in pain on the floor, clinging to life and fighting for each breath.
The Woman glanced over at Yaz, "help me get her up" she demanded, eyes set with a fierce determination. She went to wrap her arm round the Doctor so she could lift her up but the Doctor moaned quietly in protest.
"Now don't you start," the woman flustered, voice soft and caring again. Yaz stopped for a moment, echoes of the Doctor's agony filled moans still resonating in her ears. She didn't want to hurt the Doctor or cause her any more pain. But she needed answers. At least to who this strange woman was. She couldn't let her take the Doctor until she knew that. She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. "Wait," she ordered, in her most authoritarian PC Khan tone. "Who are you and how do you know the Doctor? I'm not letting you take her anywhere until you've told me that! I don't know if I can trust you."
"Professor River Song!" The curly-haired woman growled back. "And that's a long story that we really don't have time for right now. Who knows if you can trust me, I don't always trust me, but the Tardis does and that was always enough for the Doctor." She glared at Yaz with steely eyes, "so are you going to help me?"
Yaz only nodded in response, she still had no idea how the Professor knew the Doctor, only that she was likely another friend from her past that the Doctor had neglected to mention. There wasn't time for further questions, helping the Doctor was the only thing that mattered in the moment. She hoped she'd be able to find out later, when the Doctor was okay again, how the two knew each other.
Gently River wrapped her arms around the Doctor and assisted by Yaz, she lifted her up. This time, the Doctor didn't protest.
"Oh, my love," River whispered softly, her strong arms cradling the Doctor's shaking figure.
The Doctor mumbled something incoherent in response, accompanied by another few small groans of pain.
"Hush now sweetie," River flustered making tentative steps round the console. "I don't know how yet but we're going to sort this."
Yaz followed closely behind, in autopilot, desperately hoping this curly haired woman, Professor River Song, would be able to help.