Next chapter's on the 8th of May. Every five weeks I try and get these girls to confess their feelings… And when they finally do they are misunderstood…
Bill stares at the Time Lady, at her pale outstretched hand.
She wants, very desperately, to take her hand, to hold it close to her chest so that the other woman can feel her heartbeat.
But she doesn't know her like that.
She doesn't want the Mistress to be feeling worse because Bill's around her but that-
That was a confession of love, wasn't it?
The human stands there, arms wrapped around herself, shivering in the cold, mind in overdrive because, forget their world saving mission, she doesn't know if this unrelentingly clever and beautiful and brave and strong alien woman has confessed that she loves her or not.
She needs to choose if she's getting in the car or if she's going to stay wandering these snowy peaks and probably die of frostbite or something.
But that's not even an option. She can't really just let herself die so she has to get back in the car, right?
But that will just mess with Missy's brain and she's got enough on with trying to get them both through this safely.
But she's just said that she wants Bill with her.
She just said wants to keep Bill safe.
The Time Lady's hand starts to shudder, just slightly, gently, slowly lowering with the angle of her head as Bill continues to try to figure out what it all means, tries to find an answer to what she's going to do through all that mess.
The Mistress swallows, a sharp breath filtering through Bill's chaotic mind, reminding her that regardless of what's happening she does need to make a decision and the Time Lady did just say she wanted her with her so-
"Yes!" Bill bursts out- she'll figure out feelings later but even if the Mistress doesn't love her she wants her there so, "yes- of course. If you're sure. I'll come with you. Let's get back in the car, let's go." The human says, watching the suddenly small figure of the Time Lady as she straightens up, lips parted, eyes so blue.
She wants to take her hand and finds a way, striding forwards to grab the other woman's hand and drag her back to the car- it means nothing- it means nothing- feelings are nothing and do not matter- she isn't holding her hand because she loves her.
"We'll get to the next place and cut our hair and we'll save the world and it'll all be fine." Bill says, fear about everything a head blunted by the sheer mess of her mind trying to figure out what Missy meant and what she's feeling and what it all means.
And god- the Time Lady can probably hear it all- she should really try and quiet it down so she doesn't get another headache or whatever it was.
The Time Lady is glad that Bill is turned away because her cheeks are hot and she's thinking far too much about the gloved hand, tight around hers and very warm, fingers interlaced through hers.
She rush of affection that had just come off of Bill was dizzying and confusing and she's not quite processing any of it or the words that Bill is saying.
The Mistress is just relieved that the human is staying. She'll think about the repercussions later, when they aren't on the run from the monks.
It takes over eight hours for them to get to where they're supposed to be, far shorter than if they'd walked, thankfully but still an achingly long time to sit in a car with a woman of another species who may or may not have feelings for you romantically and you definitely have those kind of feelings for her.
The breaks for them both to stretch their legs quickly become a welcomed respite from the lack of words either of them have, still frantically trying to figure out their next steps with each other and also trying to think a little about the end goal of destroying the monks which they must surely be a lot geographically closer to by now.
The second thing, both fortunately for Missy's mind and unfortunately for them both staying focused, falls by the wayside a lot.
Aside from that it is beginning to feel like Bill's whole life has existed on a very extended roadtrip to somewhere she doesn't think she really wants to go.
They drop the car off in a half-empty car park, everything they brought with them restored to their bags, and proceed, through a broad daylight which puts them both on edge and knocks them out of their preoccupation with how they feel about each other just a little bit more.
It's far warmer here, warm enough that as they walk Bill can take some of her many layers off.
People look at them strangely but turn away quickly.
The Mistress is relieved to find that they're being read as badly undercover agents for the monks and that their suspicion is about being found suspicious themselves as opposed to thinking that Missy and Bill need to be reported.
Regardless, she is quick to locate the building that they're holing up in for a while.
It's best to stay out of view.
The basement room is dingy.
No windows, lit only by a bare bulb in the middle of the room when the Time Lady locates the switch and a lamp on a side table which may have once actually been very nice.
The floor is swept clean, a pile of debris sitting in the corner under a broom as if someone had forgotten to finish cleaning up, and the walls are bare, slight chipping in the plasterwork and telltale signs of old damp problems which had been fixed, sort of, in the dried stains near where the ceiling meets the wall.
"Well," Bill says, dumping her bag on the floor by the bed she hovers by, "at least it's not the inside of a car." She says with a shrug.
The Mistress bolts all the locks on the door and slides her own bag next to the other bed.
She might actually sleep soon. She doesn't quite need it yet but it's the best opportunity she knows she'll get for a while if she keeps having to drive around all the time.
Bill picks up a piece of fruit from a shallow bowl on the side and inspects it with a wrinkled nose.
"I think I'm going to be sick of apples by the end of this." She says, putting it back.
"There's a bathroom too, thank Rassilon." The Time Lady says, disappearing into the small room.
There's a click as she pulls the light switch and it flickers on and then a choking sound followed by a metallic screech and a spluttering as the water begins to flow in the old taps.
"Seems like the shower might work too, or a bath." Missy says as she turns it off again, the tap squeaking in complaint.
"Soap too." She adds, noting the small bottles of shampoo, conditioner and some kind of body wash in the corner between the end of the bath and the wall.
Bill peers in after her, carefully not touching the doorframe even though everything in here looks clean.
"That's thoughtful I guess." The woman says, ducking back out again just as quickly.
The Time Lady follows her, turning the light back off and leaving the door wide open.
There's a towel on each of the beds.
Both women sit down.
There is silence for a few moments, neither of them sure what to say and neither of them making eye contact.
"I-" The Mistress starts but is cut off by Bill who smiles awkwardly and jerks her thumb at the bathroom.
"Well, I guess a shower would be nice." She says, her slight grimace making clear, even more than the slight disgust Bill has with the place which is floating around her mind just enough that Missy can still ignore it, that she is just wanting to escape an awkward conversation.
The human retreats, bolting the flimsy lock on the inside of the bathroom door.
The Time Lady sighs, flopping down onto her bed and staring at the dusty side table.
There's a crinkling sound beneath her ear as she does.
She shoves her hand under the pillow and comes back with a piece of folded and lined paper.
On it is a long list of times and various names and with some papers for travelling.
The Mistress turns the sheet over.
The list continues.
Missy groans, letting the paper fall.
She'll think about that later.