They stood there in silence for a moment, him smiling down at her and her trying desperately not to melt into a puddle on the ground, hopelessly trapped by his gaze. A light breeze swept by, swirling her skirts about her ankles and making her shiver lightly as goosebumps rose beneath the heavy fabrics.
John's face darkened in concern. "Are you all right, Lyssa? I apologize; we're standing out here in the open, with no protection from the weather. I should have thought this through," he fretted. "Would you like my coat?" he offered, already starting to shrug the fabric from his arms.
"Do- John, I'm fine," Lyssa hastened to say with a gentle smile, resting a hand on his arm to keep him from going any further. "I'm perfectly warm with the coat I have, the breeze just momentarily chilled me. I certainly don't need two. Why don't we keep going?" She tilted her head at the dirt road. "The exercise will warm us both, and it will make Martha happy."
"Are you sure?" he frowned, reluctantly tugging his coat back into place.
"That it will make Martha happy?" she deliberately misunderstood him. "I am as certain as can be," she teased. He cast her a milder version of the look the Doctor usually gave her in such circumstances and she softened, even as her heart gave a pang. "John, really. I'll be fine, I promise," she tried again.
"Very well," he reluctantly acquiesced. "If you're certain."
She nodded, suppressing a sigh and longing for the day when the Doctor would be back and could just scan her with the sonic, declare her to be fine, and move on.
Of course, one of the key parts of having a backstory was not contradicting it at every turn, which meant that she had to play along, no matter how disgruntled it made her.
Finally appearing to believe her, John tucked her arm securely in his and they set off once more down the road at a light pace. Unfortunately, no longer distracted by his worry for her, his mind quickly returned to the previous topic of conversation.
"Really, now that I think about it, most of my happy memories revolve around you," he mused.
She was about to brush him off like she would have on a normal day, then paused, reluctantly realizing that she should probably play her part. "I... I feel much the same," she admitted shyly, looking away. "I was... content before, but I feel that I only truly began living after I met you." She trod carefully, still not entirely sure how much of her past he remembered, and therefore how much of it had changed.
His free hand came up to rest on hers, still tucked into his arm, squeezing it comfortingly. "I know things weren't always the best between your mother and you," he said gently. "I wish things had ended better."
She glanced away, the mention of her mother still a sore spot even after several years. "Yeah. Me too." The phrase was probably a bit too modern, but whatever. "But you helped me," she hurried to move on, sending him a weak but genuine smile. "And I shall forever be grateful for that."
He shook his head. "As glad as I am to have aided you, the debt I owe you is all the greater, and can never be repaid." His gaze, fixed somewhere in the distance, darkened. "After what happened to my home... I was lost. I tried so hard to escape it, to forget what lay behind me. I felt like I was stumbling blindly through the dark." He turned to her then, expression softening to something so warm and affectionate it made her heart skip a beat.
"And then I met you. Stepping through that archway in that beautiful gown." One hand came up to stroke her cheek, touch infinitely tender despite the rough wool of the glove. "Fireflies lighting up around you and giving you the glow of some ethereal being, like a fairy-tale maiden of old." His eyes met hers, warm brown gaze trapping her and keeping her from looking away. "And I felt like I could see again. Like I could do more than just survive, I could live."
Her own eyes grew wet now, sensing the Doctor's pain behind the thin veneer of his altered memories. "Do- John, you never needed me for that," she smiled sadly, one hand coming up to rest against John's and clasping it to her cheek. "You just needed to remember yourself."
"I couldn't have done it without you," he insisted. "I didn't even want to do better until you were there."
"But -"
He leaned his forehead down to rest against hers in a move so similar to the Doctor's it made her heart ache. "Even if you can't see yourself the way you are, I can. You are so very dear to me, more than words can possibly explain."
She swallowed hard, recalling the Doctor saying something so very similar just a few months ago for her, and over a year in the future for him. "I - I don't - you are very dear to me as well," she stammered, eyes falling down to the ground as her cheeks heated up.
He chuckled, the fond sound filling her stomach with butterflies. "I know you struggle still to say it, after feeling so little of it growing up. That you feel guilty for not saying it. But I don't need you to say it. I can see it in your actions," he murmured, ducking his head down and brushing a kiss against her cheek, just touching the corners of her mouth.
She closed her eyes, struggling to draw in a breath against the heady sensation, fingers tingling and heart fluttering. "John..." she started, unsure what she was going to say beyond his name. He stepped back abruptly and she opened her eyes as the warmth of his presence fell away.
"Your hands," he frowned, all signs of his previous mood gone as he lifted her hands up for her to see. They were shaking in his grasp, enough that she doubted she could have held anything securely.
She grimaced, curling them into fists. "They've been like that most of the evening," she admitted reluctantly, knowing he wouldn't be happy to hear it.
"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was quiet, but she didn't dare look up at his face. "I wouldn't have taken you this far if I'd known your symptoms were acting up."
"Because they're not!" she exclaimed abruptly, startling even herself with the vehemence of her emotions. "Sorry," she muttered, shoulders sagging as she turned away guiltily. "I didn't mean to take it out on you. I just... I want things to be normal again," she said miserably, longing for the Doctor with all his memories, for the TARDIS, for a day where she wasn't constantly pretending.
She heard him sigh behind her. "I understand. Truly, I do. I wish your health was restored as well. But pushing yourself will not help you in the end."
"I know." She didn't turn back to look at him, keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the slowly setting sun in the distance. "But really, they weren't. Just my hands. I promise. I don't feel weak at all." She huffed a reluctant laugh. "Just rather cross, apparently."
He came to stand beside her, shoulder brushing hers. "I suppose I can't really say much," he offered in a conciliatory tone, still gentle despite his obvious frustration with her lack of concern for her supposed health issues. "You remember how I was. I'd say I was a good deal more than cross, and a good deal more frequently than you."
She ducked her head, fighting back a smile. "Maybe a wee bit," she shrugged, holding two trembling fingers close together.
"Are you teasing me?" he demanded, turning to her with an expression of mock offense.
"No, not at all," she assured him with wide, innocent eyes.
He hummed, clearly not believing her, but didn't press, merely standing with her in a companionable silence as they watched the sun set. And for a moment, things felt normal again - the two of them together, watching some beautiful, natural phenomenon. She could almost believe that they had just finished some crazy adventure and had stopped for a moment to rest.
And then that moment, like so many others like it in the past few weeks, ended.
"It's getting late. We should head back," he said, turning to her. "Don't want to get caught out after dark. Especially with how cold it's been getting." He sent her a teasing smirk. "Wouldn't want to get ill."
She scoffed, rolling her eyes and reluctantly turning her focus back to the road and the part she had to play. "Oh, very well. Although I wouldn't mind staying out some time and watching the stars come out," she said, glancing at him hopefully.
"Perhaps when it's warmer," he offered, coming to walk beside her and tucking her arm into his once more. He glanced up at the darkening sky. "I used to watch the stars every night as a boy," he said quietly, gaze distant. "I'd name the ones I knew, and create new names for the ones I didn't." He smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners. "I used to imagine walking among them one day. Touching the stars and learning everything I could about them. About the whole universe, really." He shook his head. "A child's dream, of course, but one I dreamed of every night."
She tried to hide a smile but felt the corners of her mouth lift up anyway. "Don't give up on your dreams just yet," she encouraged him. "Something tells me you'll be walking among them someday."
He sent her a fond look. "As much as I would love to see that, I'd rather not get my hopes up. I already had one dream come true with you. To ask for more just seems churlish." He shrugged. "I'm happy as long as you're by my side. That the impossible would come true even once in my lifetime is enough. It's not likely to happen again."
Lyssa hummed thoughtfully, gazing upwards into the slowly darkening sky. "Don't give up hope yet. It's a big universe out there. Anything is possible somewhere."
"In my dreams the impossible does come true," he murmured. "Although I feel like a different man in them." He laughed. "Sometimes I look like a different man, impossible though it may be."
Lyssa stilled. Was he remembering? Or was it just the regular dreams he'd had in the show? "Sounds like quite a fanciful dream," she managed, looking him over worriedly for any sign of the man he had been returning.
She found nothing.
She wasn't sure if she was glad about that or not. Each hint of the Doctor made her heart leap into her throat, filling her with a painful joy as each incident both reminded her of the Doctor and also reminded her that John wasn't fully him.
"Oh, of course!" he agreed. "I dream of all sorts of creatures that can't possibly exist. Enough that it seems like it should be a nightmare. Except..." He cast her a glance. "You're always by my side. And somehow all seems right again."
Lyssa looked away. And though the night wind raised goosebumps each time it breezed by, and though her hands continued to tremble as they returned to the school, all she felt was a painful longing for the man by her side who wasn't really there.
xXx
"I'll see you on the other side." The Doctor sent her a weak grin as he pulled down the headset down to the level of his head.
"We'll be waiting, so don't you dare be late." She tried to smile, though her lips kept curving the wrong way, tugged down by fear.
"Don't you know?" he asked with forced cheer as he input the last set of instructions. "A Time Lord is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."
"Unless he's got a broken time machine," Martha teased with a raised eyebrow. "Then he apparently shows up a year after he's supposed to."
The Doctor shot Lyssa a betrayed look.
She held her hands up in defense, biting back a laugh. "I haven't done that yet." She frowned. "Or have I? I can't remember. It's been..." She paused to think, counting on her fingers. "Around a year, a year and a half, maybe? Since I last saw you guys." She shook her head. "Okay, no, I don't think I've done that yet. I'm innocent, your honor!"
He huffed. "Anyway, whether or not I'm late is entirely dependent on you lot. Open the watch when it's time, it'll bring me back." He tightened one last dial, then turned to the med student. "Martha, thank you for doing this. You're brilliant. I don't say that enough, but you are."
She smirked, though it didn't quite reach her worried eyes. "I know I am. Thanks for acknowledging it, though. Don't worry, Doctor. We'll keep an eye on things while you take a nap."
"It's not - I won't be -" He sighed. "Never mind." He turned to Lyssa. "Thank you for doing this. I know it won't be easy." He reached out one last time, tugging lightly on a loose curl. "Remember what I said, fairy-girl," he told her softly, tucking it behind her ear before stepping back and tugging the headset down over his head.
"What did you say?" she frowned. "Remember what?" She felt panic start to form as he started to turn on the contraption. She wasn't ready! She didn't want to hear what she knew was coming next!
He gave her that look again. That affectionate look, the one that said he trusted she'd be able to figure out whatever problem was ahead of her soon enough. "What I always say."
And then he flipped a switch and began to scream.
xXx
"No real updates on my end," Vina stated, sipping from her mug. "Aside from the fact that I've started to get Braxton Hicks contractions. Which are absolutely delightful and also the bane of my existence." She sighed. "I won't carry this baby nearly as long as humans do, and it still feels endless." She peered down at her round stomach. "Are you done yet?" she asked in a tone of long-suffering.
Lyssa bit back a smile. "You'll get there when you get there," she teased, starting the many pins loose from her hair. "And you better get used to it now. Children take their own sweet time to do everything. It won't stop until maybe their teen years, if you raise 'em right. And get lucky. Really lucky," she emphasized, thinking back on years of babysitting experience.
"Thanks. You're a real confidence booster," Vina huffed good-naturedly, shifting to adjust the pillow behind her back. "Anything new on your end?" She glanced at Lyssa's outfit quizzically. "Like maybe why you're dressed like that? And what's with the hairstyle? I don't think I've seen you wear that one before."
Lyssa scrunched her nose as she pulled the last few pins from her hair and it came tumbling down over her shoulders. "I've been in 1913 for the past... month? I think?" She nodded to herself. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Anyway, I've had to dress for the times."
"Wait. 1913?" Vina repeated slowly. "Is that with Martha? And the Doctor becomes human?" When Lyssa nodded, she stared blankly into space for a moment then threw back her head and laughed, long and loud.
"Um... is there... something I should know?" Lyssa asked nervously.
It took the older girl another minute or so to calm down, wiping tears from her eyes. "Oh, man. I needed that. Sorry." She didn't look very sorry at all as she readjusted her seat. "It's a long story."
"I've got time," Lyssa muttered, raising an eyebrow. "About two more months of time."
Vina bit her lip, eyes still glinting with humor. "Let's just say I've been there," she said enigmatically, resting a hand on her stomach. She tilted her head at Lyssa curiously. "Although, when I was in your place, I didn't remember who I was. I had an assumed personality as well. I'm guessing the Family won't be able to follow your scent, and that's why you still remember?"
"Eh, sort of?" Lyssa shrugged. "I didn't show up 'til after the Doctor and Martha had escaped, but apparently my scent is still distinguishable, and would smell at least a little like the Doctor. And according to him, my physiology is still too human to use the Chameleon Arch. It'd kill me if I tried."
Vina hummed. "Should probably avoid doing that, then."
"I mean, maybe," Lyssa snorted. "So he gave me this charm," she lifted the little red charm up as best as she could with the short length of her necklace. "And did something to it that makes me appear completely human to all but the most in-depth of scanners, or whatever." She let it fall back against her blouse. "So... yeah. No sign of the Family so far, although I know they show up at some point. I think around two months in? Somewhere around there." She sighed. "So at least another month of this, assuming things stay the same."
"I have to admit, I'm curious," Vina said, eyeing her with a mischievous glee that instantly made Lyssa nervous. "If you kept your memories and he didn't... who are you to him?"
Lyssa instantly blushed bright red.
"Oh, ho, ho!" Vina crowed. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing," Lyssa muttered, crossing her arms and looking away. "Just that the TARDIS isn't nearly as funny as she thinks she is."
"I hope you realize that all you're doing is piquing my curiosity," Vina informed her. "C'mon. What's the story?" she coaxed.
Lyssa sighed. "The Doctor said he would only vaguely recall Martha, because he'd only known her for a few months, but would accept her into whatever setting we came up with. He said because he'd known me for far longer, I'd end up as a significant part of whatever new life the TARDIS came up with for him."
Vina hummed, raising her eyebrows teasingly at Lyssa. "I think I see where this is going."
"Do you? Because I didn't," Lyssa huffed. "Martha wasn't surprised. You're probably not going to be surprised. The TARDIS totally did this on purpose. But I didn't have a clue! I don't know what I'm doing!" she exclaimed, feeling hysteria tinge her voice. "What am I doing? I don't know! Why is my life like this?" she mourned, dramatically slumping forward to rest her face in her hands.
"Oh, hey, what's up with the new bling?" Vina asked in surprise.
"What?" Lyssa raised her head from her hands, distracted from her multiple woes. The other girl nodded at her left hand and she followed the gaze to see - "Oh."
"Yeah, oh." Vina confirmed with a raised eyebrow. "That wasn't there a month ago when you said you wanted to stay just friends with the Doctor. I know the customs of your time. That's not just a meaningless bit of bling."
Lyssa bit her lip, gazing at the ring resting innocently on her finger. "No," she admitted with a sigh. "It isn't."
xXx
Lyssa already felt something was wrong as she knelt carefully by the limp form of the Doctor - or, rather, John Smith, who used to be the Doctor. He was so still she questioned if he was even breathing as she reached out a cautious hand to check his pulse, trying to steady her own shaky breathing. The moment her fingers touched his neck, however, there was a snapping sound akin to static electricity, and she pulled back her painfully tingling fingers, wringing them in the air.
"What was that?" Martha frowned, kneeling beside her and looking just as shaky after hearing the Doctor scream in agony before collapsing on the floor. "Are you all right?"
"He... he shocked me," Lyssa muttered blankly, staring at her still-tingling fingers. They looked blurry, and it took several blinks to realize that it wasn't her vision, but rather her hands shaking far more than the situation seemed to call for. She automatically reached out for her bond with the ship, only to realize where the wrong sensation was coming from.
The TARDIS had gone silent when the Doctor did.
Still there, but asleep.
Out of reach.
Martha frowned again before reaching out a hand and cautiously, very cautiously, touching his wrist. When nothing happened, she moved with more surety, changing her grip so she could check his pulse. "Well, he didn't shock me, so I'm not sure why that happened, unless it was just... leftover energy from the machine, or something. And... only one heart," she sighed, gently placing the hand back on the ground. "Beating around 60 times a minute. Normal... for a human."
Lyssa bit her lip, glancing at her still trembling fingers before reaching out to tentatively brush the skin of his wrist. Nothing happened that time, though the symptoms from before remained. "It makes more sense than anything else that's happened today," she sighed, already tired. "I don't... I don't know what to do next. I know we'll need to find period-appropriate clothing, but I don't know what story we're going to use, or how we're going to get them to believe us, or anything!"
"Hey." Martha's hand appeared on her shoulder, a steadying weight. "Deep breaths, okay? We'll figure this out. Just... one step at a time."
Lyssa nodded shakily, forcing herself to follow the other girl's instructions. Her head began to clear and she started to feel more like herself, though something was still off. "Right. Thanks. Sorry," she muttered, shaking her head. "I don't... where should we start?" she asked, painfully aware how lost she felt.
"Well..." Martha cast one last look at the still form of the not-Doctor and took a deep breath before letting it out carefully and standing to her feet. "There was that envelope, right? We're supposed to read it, now's as good a time as any." She plucked it from where it rested on the console and opened it cautiously.
"What's it say?" Lyssa asked curiously, scrambling to her feet and peering over her shoulder.
"It's... character backgrounds?" Martha said, puzzled. "It's our names, but that's not us," she said, holding it out for Lyssa to see. "And then there's the story." She frowned, studying the page. "I would assume this is to be our backstory, then?"
"If it's our names, and it was made for today, I guess so," Lyssa said uncertainly. "We'll probably have to memorize this." She frowned, scanning the page. "No sign of an author, we still don't know who wrote this, or why, or when." She paused. "Unless it was our futures selves, changing our handwriting. Wouldn't be the first time," she added with an roll of her eyes, thinking back to the supposedly impenetrable bank that had been robbed in a matter of hours.
"Ooh, Lyssa, you're an heiress," Martha exclaimed in exaggerated astonishment. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I am?" Lyssa followed Martha's guiding finger. "Huh. Neat. Could've used that a couple years ago," she muttered. "Apparently I inherited the full wealth of my family after both my parents passed away due to a wasting illness," she discovered. "I nearly followed, but recovered and am slowly regaining my health back with the help and care of friend Martha Jones." She glanced at the other girl. "Apparently you still got medical training, if not officially." she scanned further down the page. "Wanted to get away from the memories... needed fresh air of countryside... moved to England with..." She stopped as the next words sank in, flushing bright red as her eyes went wide.
Martha didn't notice, focused on her own backstory. "Apparently we met as children during one of your family's many trips to England. Became close friends, stayed in touch over the years, then I came over to assist when your family fell ill, and am staying until you regain full health. And... oh, nice, apparently I inherited money as well from your parents, because of all the 'aid I rendered'," she quoted. "Nowhere near as rich as you, but I won't be wanting for money any time soon." She paused. "At least in 1913."
She glanced over at Lyssa with a raised eyebrow. "You're being suspiciously quiet. Still in shock about how rich you apparently are?" she teased. "I don't see an exact amount, but it's got to be up there, even counting inflation, and all that," she mused, scanning further down the page. "Oh, there's even info on how you and the Do- er, John Smith, over there, met." She waggled her eyebrows teasingly. "Apparently he was quite taken. So not that much has changed, then," she snorted.
"Read further down," Lyssa said numbly, still staring blankly at the wall.
Martha raised an eyebrow but did as directed. "Recovering... England countryside... oh. Oh. I see." She glanced at Lyssa, searching her expression. "So you and he are..."
"Yeah."
"Ah."
"Yeah."
Martha drew in a deep breath and pressed her lips together firmly. "Well," she said at last. "Looks like this is going to be more interesting than I thought."
"Martha!"
xXx
"Ah, Miss Devons. Just the person I wanted to see."
Lyssa looked up from her desk in the library to see John standing there in front of her, a smile on his lips and a book in his hand. "Mr. Smith. What can I do for you, today?" she asked, following his cues and eyeing him curiously.
"Read any good books, lately?" he asked with a flirtatious air that made her cheeks flush, still not used to it after a month and a half.
She shook her head, but didn't fight the laugh, not missing the air of triumph he assumed. "As a matter of fact, I have," she informed him, rising from her chair. "I just finished In Freedom's Cause by G.A. Henty. A very interesting story, though it is a longer read. Would you like to borrow it?" she offered, crossing over to the shelf that held the famous author's works.
"Ah. Well. Actually, I was - er." His hand came up to rub the back of his neck in a tell that had never left.
"John?" she asked, tilted her head to the side.
"Actually, I just came to spend time with you," he admitted, pink dusting his cheeks. "I still have several books out right now."
She blinked. "Oh. Oh." She glanced away, trying to hide how her pleased expression. Just when she was about to despair, afraid the Doctor was gone forever - even knowing this was a temporary event - he'd go do something like that, reminding her so very clearly of the Doctor she could have sworn he'd never left. Even if his feelings were exaggerated by the arch, the Doctor had done the same thing before, if less flirtatiously. Multiple Doctors, in fact, though the excuses varied across regenerations.
Just more evidence that the Doctor was still there beneath it all, merely hidden rather than gone.
"Sorry," she laughed sheepishly. "You'd think I'd be a little more aware by now, after all this time."
He laughed. "I don't mind. I knew what I was getting into. I like you just the way you are."
She hummed, moving back to her desk to take a small stack of books that needed to be re-shelved. "Well, I appreciate that."
"Want any help?" he offered, leaning against a shelf and crossing his arms together comfortably. "I know several of the boys in my class returned a large amount of books this morning. Given that it's partially my fault, I ought to at least assist you."
She waved him off. "I took the job as a librarian here because it was a job I could easily do while I recovered without placing my body under undue stress. Putting books away is no hardship." She placed the last book in its correct spot and glanced at him triumphantly. "Case in point."
He laughed. "Obviously you're more than capable of doing it. Probably better at putting them back in the right spot, too," he mused. "However, we can get more done by working together."
Lyssa smiled, correcting several books that had been hastily shoved back in by careless hands earlier that day. "We do make a pretty good team, don't we?"
More than he knew.
He joined her, threading his fingers through hers. "Pretty good?" he scoffed. "I'd say we could take on the country together. The world, in fact."
Lyssa hummed, remembering several times when they had, in fact, done just that. She squeezed his hand affectionately, glancing over at him. "With you? I believe it," she said softly.
He switched his hold so he could run his finger lightly over her ring in a move that had quickly become familiar in the last six weeks. "Come to think of it," he said, turning to her, "I'd say we can handle more than that, easily."
"Oh?" she humored him, raising her eyebrows.
"Yeah," he nodded decisively. "Separately, we can do great things. Obviously, we did even before we met. But together..." He smiled, just as the sun peeked out of the near constant clouds, bright rays shining through the window and lighting up his face. And for a moment, just for a moment... she felt like the Doctor was really there. "When you're around, I feel strong enough to take on anything."
And maybe the Doctor wasn't really hidden at all.
xXx
Lyssa sat on her bed, staring at the tiny object in her hand. After she'd finished - very understandably, in her opinion - freaking out in the console room, she and Martha had left to their various rooms to get ready and finish packing. She'd found the TARDIS had already packed some luggage for her with the various outfits and supplies she'd need for the time period, with only her personal effects left to grab.
A simple brown traveling dress with a coat and boots lay neatly arranged on her bed, and she quickly changed into them. A little booklet lay nearby with information on various hairstyles, and she managed a simple bun easily enough, tugging her hair down over her ears to cover her earrings, not wanting to remove them.
Her necklace securely tucked away, all that remained was the little trinket resting in her palm.
Such a simple thing, and yet it felt like it weighed more than anything she'd ever carried before.
She knew it was ridiculous, freaking out like this. This was nowhere near the craziest thing she'd done during her time with the Doctor. She'd pretended to be married to him who knows how many times by this point, including one notable incident just a few weeks ago. That included the ring. Well, a ring. Not this particular ring.
But somehow this felt different. More... real.
Which was ridiculous. The Doctor was gone, replaced by a human who looked like him, but wasn't him. The role she was playing was fake, assumed only to protect both the Doctor and their cover. That included anything she needed to wear to look the part.
And yet she found she couldn't just slide the ring on like it meant nothing more than a sock. Even knowing that the TARDIS had likely just grabbed one that would fit her finger.
At least she hoped it would fit. Things would get a whole lot more awkward if it didn't.
"This is ridiculous," she scolded herself. "You're not actually getting married to him. Just put it on, and move on."
And yet...
She sighed. She couldn't just glibly put it on, for whatever reason, something held her back.
She lifted up the piece, looking it over again. Mostly silver, like all her other jewelry, it looked like two rings stacked together in opposite ways, each curving to a slight point which held a tiny oval filled with a little blue gem. The bottom ring was encrusted with tiny crystals, and the upper was a simple band, adorned at the top with little silver balls.
Not too flashy, with a simple elegance - if she were to ever voluntarily wear a ring, it would look something like that.
She didn't want to think about the implications of that.
She sighed again. "I don't wear this for myself, but for him," she said at last, taking a deep breath and sliding the little ring down her finger.
It rested smoothly against her skin, hardly noticeable, as if it were designed purely for her alone to wear it.
She didn't want to think about the implications of that, either.
"All right," she decided, getting to her feet and grabbing her luggage. She tugged it out into the hallway, turning to take one last look into the room she likely wouldn't see again for months.
Was she ready for this?
Absolutely not.
Was she going to anyway?
Yeah, probably.
Steeling her resolve, she tugged the door shut and turned away resolutely.
"Let's do this."
A/N: *Casually crosses Fake Relationship AU off to-do list*
I want to start this off by saying that your guys' response to the ending of the last chapter was delightful, and I can't wait to do something like that again. ;D
Oh, and before I forget - I know the British term is glow worms, but I decided to use fireflies here for reasons. (So it was deliberate)
Also, lest any of you think Lyssa is too oblivious to be real, let me assure you that it's based entirely on personal experience. More specifically, the one and only time someone gave me their number, I thought it was for my friend. My friend, who did not have a number given to her. (She was quick to correct me, once she'd stopped laughing)
For a rough idea of Lyssa's new bling, just search "Jeulia mermaid teardrop stackable" and it should be the first image result. I tweaked it a bit for the story, but that's basically what it looks like :)
I hope you all had a very blessed Easter and a great April Fool's Day. (I wrapped my boss's office in cling wrap and stuck googly eyes on everything, it was great!)
Sorry for the late update on this one, things got a bit crazy. I hope to get the next chapter up soon, but no promises on the exact date!
Special thanks to everyone who's favorited and followed, and shout-out to all my reviewers! It made my day getting all those comments, and was highly motivating to keep writing :D
Thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! :)
General Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, just Lyssa. Vina belongs to AllOfTimeNSpace.