Benny had gotten up feeling refreshed that day. In one of Brax's office chairs with a blanket draped over her, surprisingly. Pushing that bit to the back of her mind and creeping her way out of there, she spent most of it strolling around the Collection- talking to the people who she knew were still there, eating in the cafe, reading in the Garden of Whispers, watching the lake. Not feeling the need to worry about the Doctor at all, who'd left a message saying he was looking for the Master alone. How it should be with unfinished business.
Hass had been particularly kind, surprisingly so for someone who'd known about a particular fiasco a lot of people still around weren't exactly fans of. In this timeline he wasn't just the gardener- the Yesodi had been promoted to head of the entire biology department and become a professor. He seemed to like the job quite a lot too, and was rather popular as well.
Joseph floated along and followed her around in the afternoon, regaling Bernice of many different facts with little importance and filling the silence with friendly chatter. She took a long rest from walking in the Garden of Memories. One thing they still couldn't shake this time around, no matter the foresight, was Mister Crofton's death to the Fifth Axis. The occupation was much shorter, only three months as opposed to over a year, but that was just beyond repair. He'd become one of her closest friends in the repeat- it hurt even more the second time around.
Staring off, she gazed into the crystal flowers, seeing the old gardener's reflection where there was none. Bernice hadn't even realized she was crying until a tear ran down her cheek and wet her shirt. But his memory wasn't the only reason she was like this, was it? Something was deep, tugging at her chest. But she made an effort to deny the pull, as she always had done.
As the sun started setting over the Braxiatel Collection, she decided the best thing to do would be to retire. Hiking back up to the mansion, quite a trek by now, Benny made it to her suite. The office had loads of paperwork lying around still- perhaps she'd have a look at that, see if anything was still before its deadline to distract herself.
Sitting at her desk, sifting through them and looking at her synced holowatch for the date, she groaned. Well, overdue was an understatement. Apparently here it had been nearly 15 years since she left. No wonder Braxiatel had seemed so grateful to see her. That was quite a long time to not see a best friend, even for someone as old as him- and that was assuming he hadn't left and filled in at some point, which was unlikely at best. At least they came in and cleared the dust.
"Shit-"
She still had her holowatch open though, might as well use it to find something to do. Strike up a conversation with some time travelling strangers wasn't high on the list, but at least it was something.
"Interesting..." she paused. "Something's already been off for me recently, but then this happened."
'What was going wrong?' a stranger asked.
"I can't really put my finger on it. It's like there's something in the air," she responded. But deep down, something told her that was a lie.
'Well, that sounds just about as much as I've managed to pick out.'
But the beginning of that conversation already got interrupted when somebody barged in. Benny swore that at this point he'd set up some kind of notification telling him when she was going to be on the damn thing. 'It's probably that strange Doctor you're following around. He seems to have some sort of odour.' Braxiatel suggested.
"Goddess..." she muttered, luckily not loud enough for it to be picked up on.
"I've been in the Collection without him around much for almost two days. Still there."
'Well... you do know that a scent can stay on your clothes for up to fourteen days?'
She rolled her eyes at that. "Thanks for the info Brax. Very helpful. It's a feeling, not a smell. Besides, I haven't been wearing the same clothes for two days straight. I have a closet."
'You're welcome,' he didn't seem to catch up on her snark. 'Ah, well... his odd other-dimensionally presence? ...What sort of feeling is it?'
Well- just hit the nail on the head, didn't he? What could she say to that without sounding like a madwoman? The closest thing to a competent explanation to him was this: "Well, it's hard to explain, but it doesn't mainly happen when I'm on the TARDIS."
'Perhaps we missed something on our scan the other night?'
The stranger broke in again. 'Sounds like you're a little obsessed with this Doctor of hers.'
'Well, how would you feel if some strange version of your brother who wasn't your brother showed up and started hanging around with your friends?' Brax asked them.
Stringing a few words, Benny got this. "I think I might know why but that would be spilling an obscene amount of personal information," then added- "And I don't think you missed anything. Aside from that feeling I've been right as rain!"
'Could be a brain tumour?' he suggested.
Suffice to say, that left her particularly flabbergasted. "Excuse me- I think you'd have caught THAT."
She imagined him shrugging casually at what she said. 'Oh, probably, but there were several other distracting things going on at the time. The plant, the sweating, the concern over the mass amounts of blood flowing to your face...'
Bernice's head was in her hands at this point. Well, he hadn't missed that part of it. Of course he didn't. She'd buried those thoughts in the depths of her mind for decades, but one day she totally lost grip of them- goddess. What could she possibly say to him?
She grumbled and huffed. She wasn't just going to let him worry about it. 'Fine- I'll let you scan me again, if that'll really make you feel any better." And this was as good a time as any to mention another relevant question. "...And Brax, there's something I kinda want to ask you. ...Could I move back to the Collection? Semi-permanently?"
'It would make me feel better. And, of course you may. You are always welcome here, Benny. And- if you want to work here again I could draw up a new contract, too.'
She didn't know if his response left her relieved or terrified. "I still want to travel with the Doctor, but in a more casual way? It's been up and down and I don't really feel at home living there right now." Well, she was telling one truth now. Which was better than none. Acting casual, Benny added, "Let's go scan me then, hmm?"
Bernice locked up her office and started making her way back to the clinic. The one place she didn't want to have to go back to this soon. But she'd do it for him. Just this once, she promised herself. No more than that.
'Well, this is always your home whenever you need it, Benny. And yes, we'll just make sure nothing is going on in there. Well... nothing concerning anyways.'
Benny sighed with a certain unknown feeling, not knowing if it was a good or a bad one. "I don't know exactly what you'd deem concerning with your standards, but alright. I'm coming down to the medical wing."
'Don't worry, I shall lower my standards to human-level.'
Her expression clearly read 'Really?' but she nearly chuckled a bit too. She was at war with herself at this point, wasn't she? "...Thanks?"
'You're welcome!'
Turning a corner, she reached the door to where they'd be meeting. "I'm in the medical wing. I don't know what you expect to find, but if it makes you feel better... I'm DEFINITELY not pregnant if that's what you're worried about."
"Sweet Gallifrey, why would I of all people think that?!" Braxiatel shouted from directly behind Bernice, making her jump in surprise.
She raised an eyebrow, thinking back to what he'd said to her in the docking bay the week prior. 'Please don't sleep with him. I'm getting far too old to be an uncle again...'
"...Really?"
"What?" was all he came back with.
Benny groaned again, sitting down on the hospital bed and getting into a comfortable position. "Just scan me..."
Tapping on a few buttons, Braxiatel started firing up the medical scanner. "You know, now that you mention it, you have been running around with my brother and he has always proved to be oddly fertile..."
"WHAT? NO!" Embarrassment and surprise was obvious, appearing in all of her features and mannerisms.
Apparently, Bernice's holowatch was still on and picking the data link, because it buzzed, nearly making her jump. "...Whoops," the woman muttered.
Braxiatel recognized the profile. It was the Redjay woman from the previous night. 'Of all the times to check out the keep-an-eye-on-the-pardoned-renegades channel.' Well, that answered one question for later, at least.
'I'm not quite sure how we landed here,' another woman added.
"What?! You- you're the one who brought up pregnancy!" he stammered, surprisingly flustered, all getting sent as more messages.
"I know you've not-so-secretly been worrying about that for ages!" Bernice shot back, hands out.
"Yes, but you've been travelling with a Time Lord, Benny."
'Sounds like a recipe for a private conversation...'
"Definitely."
"Yes, perhaps we should take this elsewhere..." he rubbed the back of his neck.
At that, Benny immediately shut off the holowatch. How many strangers had overheard that whole conversation? This was going to ruin them later. Again. "Goddess..."
Meanwhile, Braxiatel had paused the scanner and gone off rummaging through one of the cupboards- particularly urgently too. When she realized what he'd been looking for, she stared at him, completely unamused.
"I'm going to need you to use this pregnancy test now," he ordered, handing her a sealed package that obviously contained a small plastic stick.
Bernice growled at him and rolled her eyes, reluctantly accepting what he'd given her and staring at it with contempt. "Thanks."
He wasn't always great at picking up body language, but even Braxiatel didn't particularly like that tone of voice and whatever that was. "Well now I'm worried."
"I have not shagged the Doctor. Well, not this one at any rate. I thought you needed reassurance!" she insisted.
Braxiatel offered pleading eyes. Deep and grey-blue, like a cloudy sky, but less like they were going to storm, and more as if there was a chance of rain. "Just... put my mind at ease? I was a terrible uncle the first thirteen times, I can't imagine I'm improving with age."
"Thirteen?! ...Fine."
"And then I will scan your brain," he added.
"If that's what'll help you sleep at night..."
Bernice took the pregnancy test and then rushed off towards the nearest bathroom, leaving Braxiatel waiting anxiously. And somewhat jealously too, even though there was most likely nothing to it. "Has she? ...Oh, Bernice- uncle..."
A couple of minutes of painful silence, and there was a shout from that direction- somewhat muffled, but still easily distinguishable. "IT'S NEGATIVE!"
"Thank Rassilon!" he exclaimed.
She rushed back into the room, an angry frown settled onto her face, pointing a finger firmly at him. "If you need anything else I'll call the Doctor and tell him that you asked personally if we did anything," she threatened through gritted teeth.
He shrugged. "...Well, you could have just said you didn't sleep with him."
Benny pulled at her hair. "I di- goddess. Just put me in the damn brain scanner. You can look for any non-existent dirty thoughts about your brother."
He moved the monitor in place next to her head and resumed the boot sequence. "Right, please hold still." The scanner was quick, but in-depth and concentrated compared to the first one from before.
Bernice was sweating again, pushing the monitor away as soon as it beeped and finished. She quite frankly wanted to run away. "Yep. See, there we go! I'm sure there's nothing whatsoever. Except my brain, because that's supposed to be there," an awkward laugh made its way from her lips.
"You're right, nothing untoward... maybe you're just crazy?" Brax suggested.
She nodded reluctantly. "...Sure... sure. We'll go with that. Not that you calling me crazy hurts my feelings or anything-" Benny honestly believed at this point that she was a bit nuts. Though it being Brax was what made it hit a nerve.
"I'm teasing you, Bernice. Any ideas what else it could be? Should I do blood work?" there was genuine concern. Why all the worry? All she wanted at this point was him feeling better.
"...Sure? I mean, I guess."
Her body betrayed her, and he saw. "Your face is going all red again... that could be another symptom, you know."
Flushed, embarrassed, close to him and going to be getting closer with a blood test of all things, and starting to perspire, heart racing and pounding out of her chest. All Benny wanted to do was get out of here as soon as possible, so she just nodded along to everything he said. "Yeah, that. Again, I don't think I have anything, but you've been uptight about me recently and I wouldn't mind you relaxing a bit."
He ran a finger through his hair and softened. "I've just been... worried about you."
A small smile made its way onto her lips, showing in her eyes. "Awww... Are you going soft on me?" The grin got bigger and she got just a little bit less red, more comfortable.
"Nonsense, just being my usual controlling self. I like you here where I can make sure nothing happens to you." Braxiatel didn't usually have a tell when he was making the effort, but she caught it anyway. He was fiddling with his cufflinks again.
Benny raised an eyebrow. "You only say that out in the open if the opposite is true, we both know that. You lie too much, Brax. You've just gotten so deep in them that you rarely notice it in other people."
His eyes widened and he frowned. "Oh? Are you lying about something, Bernice? ...Let me see the pregnancy test."
Removing it from where it had been stashed in her pocket, Bernice shook it at him. Only one blue line, she was telling the truth. And had no reason not to be. "Here. see? I'm not lying. I have proof."
"Well, alright, you made it sound like perhaps you were," and he wasn't entirely wrong either. 'Damn it,' she thought.
She tried to act neutral, not too aggressive- but not actually say anything. "If I'm lying about something there's a reason. And I'm going to be around you enough that you'd notice if that happened again."
"But why would you lie to me? I'm trying to ensure you're alright. And, yes, probably, but not for months."
Exasperated and tired, Bernice snapped at him "I'm letting you do blood work on me! You did a brain scan! If I'm trying to lie to you about something you really should have seen it already."
"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, Benny, but I don't always pick up on the nuance of things."
She knew, obviously. And for that she was really rather grateful- because if he did- well. Realistically, these wouldn't stay down much longer and if Brax started noticing... "That is extremely true. Keep it that way."
"But sometimes I feel like I'm missing the point of things and it's- frustrating."
A rather terrible fake smile hit her face. "It's part of your charm? Goddess- you've done so much for me lately I really just want you to feel better. My real enemy is your self-loathing."
"I don't know what you're talking about, I don't loathe myself. I'm a textbook narcissist. And I do... feel better, now that you're home." What seemed like a joke at first, even though she knew there really was some self-loathing and anxiety buried in there, ended with a tenderness she didn't expect.
She hadn't really thought about how she actually felt about being back here, but it was nice. Stable, some of her friends were still around. She did belong after all, didn't she? Home. That's what it was, yes. "I'm glad to be home."
"I do wish we knew what this odd feeling you're having is, though-" he commented, looking around and occasionally sniffing for any possible external cause.
"Maybe you not knowing is... for the best."
He furrowed his brows. "Do you know?"
"I'm not absolutely sure, and that's why." She wouldn't say it. Not out loud. Not to herself. If Bernice said it, it'd become real. And it wasn't, not yet. They might not really be genuine, after all. Braxiatel was only one of many of her favourite people, and a version of him ruined her life, and he certainly wasn't attractive- and oh no.
"Well, what do you think it is?" and that was the loaded question, wasn't it?
Finally coming up with something, she stated. "I'd- need to be drunk to tell you. You probably would be too."
"One of those things is much easier than the other, even with you. I'm still not sure I understand though. Why won't you tell me?"
But she stood firm against his pleas. Of all the things she could possibly turn the tables on and get him to beg her for, it just had to be this. "If you really want to know, you want to be able to forget it. That's just what I'm saying."
A revelation seemed to dawn on him. "Oh... is it a... a woman problem?" ...and it also completely missed the mark.
Bernice sighed, a hand over her face again. "Yes, you could- you could say that."
He pushed. "I had sisters. I could probably handle it."
She got up and started making her way towards the exit of the room, glancing back at him from the doorway. "I'm not Gallifreyan. What wine do you want? Chardonnay?"
"Chardonnay sounds alright."
"Alright, let's go to your study and get comfortable. Unless you want me to spill all my problems in the clinic." She chuckled.
"Oh no, my study sounds much better."
Irving Braxiatel held the door open for Bernice Summerfield as they chatted merrily, inching towards his office. Towards the truth.
And now, all this needed was wine- and an awful lot of wine indeed...
