It had been nice to see Turlough off in such a heroic fashion. As
strained as their friendship had been, the Doctor was proud of him, And
felt thankful to have known him. "You see Tegan, a happy ending."
As he walked the TARDIS Corridors down to her room, the Doctor tried to rationalize his decision to watch Tegan's journal. He had to know how had her travels with him affected her? He felt in his hearts that Tegan had enjoyed her time with him, that she had grown as a person as a result of their adventures. But she was so personal. Afraid to let anyone too close. There were moments though, when they had truly opened up to each other but the insight into each others lives had been small and somewhat insignificant. Now that she was gone, there was no part of her he found insignificant. He would give his last regeneration to just argue with her once more.
He entered her room and found the LiveJournal just where he had left it a few days earlier. He picked it up and sat in the wicker chair in the corner. He paused for a moment and then with a heavy sigh activated the replay function.
'Entry 1," a computerized voice said as the Doctor's watched Tegan appear on the screen. Her face would forever be etched in his fondest memories. She was still wearing her flight attendant's uniform. She was always wearing it, he recalled. Always prepared, he guessed, in case he came through on his promise to get her to Heathrow Airport,
"Alright lets give this a shot. My name is Tegan Jovanka and I'm being held hostage aboard a time machine that looks like a police box, by a man who can change bodies and wears celery on his lapel. Rabbits! How rediculous does that sound. She laughed. Alright, the Doctor gave me this journal to chronicle my time here I suppose. A way to prove to myself that all of this really happened. Maybe a peace offering. We've had more than one argument about getting me home. Rather sweet of him I guess."
"Well this first entry is going to be long. I'm not really sure what date to put on this. To me it's still February 1981, but who knows. It started on the Barnett Bypass with a flat tire.with Aunt Vanessa." Tegan suddenly stopped speaking and held her trembling hand to her mouth. Tears followed and the screen went blank.
The Doctor closed his eyes. The thought of Tegan in pain distressed him deeply. He had seen her cry all too often during their time together. He remembered briefly consoling Tegan on Logopolis after telling Tegan of her Aunt's death at the hands of the Master.
"Entry 2," the computer began a few seconds later.
" I guess my first entry wasn't as long as I thought. It's just..it had never really hit me as hard as it did at that moment. Even when the Doctor first told me it just didn't seem real. I've got to get back, to let my family know I'm okay.." There was a jump in the picture that obviously indicated some passage of time before she spoke again. "Anyway we've landed again. Not at Heathrow AGAIN, but this time its okay. Nyssa seems to have come down with something. Possibly from those giant frogs. Urbankans I think they were called. Anyway the Doctor has decided to just park us here for a rest. Rather peaceful planet actually."
The Doctor remembered that Deva Loka had been anything but peaceful. Tegan had unwittingly released the Mara both into her mind and outward into the Kinda's world. They beat it of course but the repercussions would haunt Tegan's subconscious for months. She never would really talk to him about the whole experience. Just the bits and pieces he needed to know to defeat it. He suddenly felt a twinge of guilt and turned off the LiveJournal.
He knew the next entry would probably contain something of the Mara and Tegan's possession. He had utterly failed her when he said she was free of it. He realized he wasn't ready to see Tegan in pain yet again so soon.
Peri walked by the doorway and spotted him.
"Oh Doctor, there you are."
"Hello, Perri. Settled in yet?
"Just about. Who's room is this?"
The Doctor stood and put the LiveJournal in the pocket of his coat.
"It belongs to a very dear friend of mine. I'll tell you about her some day."
The Doctor looped his arm around Perri's waist to usher her out of the room.
To be continued in Chapter 3
As he walked the TARDIS Corridors down to her room, the Doctor tried to rationalize his decision to watch Tegan's journal. He had to know how had her travels with him affected her? He felt in his hearts that Tegan had enjoyed her time with him, that she had grown as a person as a result of their adventures. But she was so personal. Afraid to let anyone too close. There were moments though, when they had truly opened up to each other but the insight into each others lives had been small and somewhat insignificant. Now that she was gone, there was no part of her he found insignificant. He would give his last regeneration to just argue with her once more.
He entered her room and found the LiveJournal just where he had left it a few days earlier. He picked it up and sat in the wicker chair in the corner. He paused for a moment and then with a heavy sigh activated the replay function.
'Entry 1," a computerized voice said as the Doctor's watched Tegan appear on the screen. Her face would forever be etched in his fondest memories. She was still wearing her flight attendant's uniform. She was always wearing it, he recalled. Always prepared, he guessed, in case he came through on his promise to get her to Heathrow Airport,
"Alright lets give this a shot. My name is Tegan Jovanka and I'm being held hostage aboard a time machine that looks like a police box, by a man who can change bodies and wears celery on his lapel. Rabbits! How rediculous does that sound. She laughed. Alright, the Doctor gave me this journal to chronicle my time here I suppose. A way to prove to myself that all of this really happened. Maybe a peace offering. We've had more than one argument about getting me home. Rather sweet of him I guess."
"Well this first entry is going to be long. I'm not really sure what date to put on this. To me it's still February 1981, but who knows. It started on the Barnett Bypass with a flat tire.with Aunt Vanessa." Tegan suddenly stopped speaking and held her trembling hand to her mouth. Tears followed and the screen went blank.
The Doctor closed his eyes. The thought of Tegan in pain distressed him deeply. He had seen her cry all too often during their time together. He remembered briefly consoling Tegan on Logopolis after telling Tegan of her Aunt's death at the hands of the Master.
"Entry 2," the computer began a few seconds later.
" I guess my first entry wasn't as long as I thought. It's just..it had never really hit me as hard as it did at that moment. Even when the Doctor first told me it just didn't seem real. I've got to get back, to let my family know I'm okay.." There was a jump in the picture that obviously indicated some passage of time before she spoke again. "Anyway we've landed again. Not at Heathrow AGAIN, but this time its okay. Nyssa seems to have come down with something. Possibly from those giant frogs. Urbankans I think they were called. Anyway the Doctor has decided to just park us here for a rest. Rather peaceful planet actually."
The Doctor remembered that Deva Loka had been anything but peaceful. Tegan had unwittingly released the Mara both into her mind and outward into the Kinda's world. They beat it of course but the repercussions would haunt Tegan's subconscious for months. She never would really talk to him about the whole experience. Just the bits and pieces he needed to know to defeat it. He suddenly felt a twinge of guilt and turned off the LiveJournal.
He knew the next entry would probably contain something of the Mara and Tegan's possession. He had utterly failed her when he said she was free of it. He realized he wasn't ready to see Tegan in pain yet again so soon.
Peri walked by the doorway and spotted him.
"Oh Doctor, there you are."
"Hello, Perri. Settled in yet?
"Just about. Who's room is this?"
The Doctor stood and put the LiveJournal in the pocket of his coat.
"It belongs to a very dear friend of mine. I'll tell you about her some day."
The Doctor looped his arm around Perri's waist to usher her out of the room.
To be continued in Chapter 3