Adric sat up on his bed. He held a hefty mathematics text propped on his uninjured leg. He studied the pages with interest.
"Adric." Nyssa's soft voice drew his immediate attention.
She stood in the doorway holding a plate with a large sandwich. "I thought you might be hungry," she said, stepping inside.
Adric's stomach growled loudly, but he said, "I'm all right."
Nyssa set the plate on the night table but did not turn to leave. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"
He did not look at her. "No. I'm fine. I would have been fine by myself. You should have gone with the Doctor and Tegan."
She touched his arm gently. "I wanted to stay here in case you needed anything."
"It wasn't necessary. I don't deserve it, anyway."
Nyssa's brow wrinkled. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing," he murmured, his eyes moving back to the page of equations before him.
"Really, Adric, I want to know. Why would you feel that you don't deserve to be taken care of? You've been hurt—"
"And I've hurt you!" he blurted out.
Nyssa sat down on the bed. "No you haven't. I can't imagine why you would say that."
Adric kept his eyes on the book. "I... I've been horrible to you."
"Are you running a fever?" Nyssa asked with concern, pressing her palm against his cheek.
He brushed her hand away. "No."
"You're not making any sense," she said.
"I just... I want to apologize to you... for being rude."
"Rude? You haven't been."
He looked at her, finally, with clouded eyes. "You don't think so?"
She smiled. "No, silly, I don't."
"I haven't offended you?"
"Only just now—by making me think that I've led you to feel that you've upset me in some way."
"No, Nyssa, I didn't mean that at all. I just wanted to say that if I've been inconsiderate or anything, I'm sorry."
"Is that why you apologized just before the Doctor brought the TARDIS to us on Anahsti?"
He nodded.
"Well, it was really very unnecessary, but if it will make you feel better, I accept your apology."
"Thanks."
Nyssa stood. "I won't be far. Just call me if you need anything."
She turned and walked out of the room. Adric found his eyes drawn to her backside, but he quickly returned them to the book. He would be certain that he avoided such looks in the future.
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The Doctor strolled along one of the countless hallways in the TARDIS, passing the library then pausing to peer inside. Adric stood near one of the shelves, reaching for a book.
The Doctor stepped inside. "Is there something that I can help you to find?" he asked amiably.
Adric turned quickly, pushing the book back into its niche.
"No, Doctor. I'm... just looking around a bit."
The Time Lord nodded and tried to suppress a small smile. "I see. The mathematics texts are over there." He gestured toward a shelf on the opposite wall.
"Oh, I know." Adric took a step backward.
"Of course you're welcome to any book in here."
The young man gave a brief nod.
The Doctor leaned against the wall. "Adric," he began, "back on Anahsti, when I asked if you had any questions or concerns, I was quite serious. If you ever wish to discuss anything with me, I would be glad to do so. The contents of those books, for example." He gestured toward the shelf that Adric had recently explored.
"All right." Adric's gaze wandered back toward the books. "I'll let you know."
"Well," said the Doctor, "I'll leave you to your studies." He turned to go, but paused. "You know, Adric, a large part of being an adult is facing difficult situations with courage and aplomb, as well as confronting our mistakes and carrying on despite them. I think that you are well on your way to becoming a fine young man."
The Time Lord walked out the door, leaving a look of surprised pleasure on Adric's face. After a moment, he pulled a book from the nearby shelf and settled down on the floor to read.
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