This renewed feeling of hope was a feeling I'd missed. I didn't think I'd ever feel anything than what I'd been feeling. I didn't think that I'd have that feeling of optimism ever again, to be honest. Suddenly, I heard the door to the TARDIS opened and stiffened.
"Oh no! They found me!" I said in a terrified voice, convinced someone had followed me here and found me. "I have to hide!"
I got off the chair and started running. I hadn't even gone that far from it before the Doctor grabbed me gently and sat me back down.
"Whoa there." He said. "No one is coming to get you, I promise. This is the safest place to be in right now."
"But, I heard the door open." I said, still fearful.
"Trust me, the person who came in here isn't going to hurt you. Now, they might hurt me." He said, saying the second part in a mutter.
I looked at him curiously, wondering what he meant by that. I was about to get my answer though, as i heard footsteps.
"Oi, spaceman!" A woman called out in a British accent. She didn't sound very happy.
"In the medbay!" The Doctor called back. "I'm gonna get it now." He muttered again in a defeated voice.
Just then, a woman strode in with a slightly angry expression on her face. She looked to be in her late 30's/ early 40's with shoulder-length red hair. She strode over to us and slapped the Doctor on the arm.
" Ow! What was that for?!" He asked, wincing slightly as he rubbed his arm.
"You told me that you'd only be gone for a little bit. I've been waiting for over an hour!" She said in an exasperated voice.
"Well, I've been kind of busy!" He protested, gesturing to me. I waved shyly. "I found her leaning against the TARDIS with a twisted ankle. She was running from someone and tripped. I had to help her."
He explained what I had told him and what he had found out before he met me. The woman sighed, all traces of anger vanishing from her face. She looked me up and down, probably noting how scared I still looked despite being rescued and unkempt I looked. "I'm Donna." She introduced herself. "What's your name?"
"Cass. Cass Newman." I said.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you?" Donna asked, kindly.
I nodded my head. "You have no idea." I said, quietly. "I've been hiding for so long and making sure I wouldn't get myself caught. The only time I've seen people is when I've been peeking out somewhere. I've had no contact with the outside world for over a year, except for the occasional texts to my other friends and family out of state to let them know I'm still living. I don't know what I'd do if the Doctor hadn't found me."
Donna made a small "tch" sound and came over to hug me. I stiffened for a second, but then melted into the hug. I hadn't been hugged like this in over a year. It felt amazing to have the touch of someone again.
It almost felt like my mom was hugging me. Not in the sense that she could be my mother. With me being in my late 20's, she wouldn't be old enough to be my mom. Plus, from what I had just witnessed, I had a feeling that she wouldn't like it if I said that. But, her hug felt just like my mom's hugs. It felt comforting and gave me a sense of calm as well as somehow reminding me that everything was going to be ok.
I didn't want to let go, but eventually the hug ended. I somehow found myself crying again, embarrassing as that was. I really didn't realize how many emotions I had held in until tonight.
"I, um, thank you." I said, sniffing and wiping my tears away. "That hug felt really good." I said.
"Thought you needed that hug. You look like you did, what with everything happening around you, poor thing." Donna said. She then turned to the Doctor. "It's weird, there was almost no one out there. Almost looked like a ghost town."
"They have a curfew put into place. I'm sure there were a few patrol officers out there though. Not that they need them. It's not like anyone would dare disobey their leaders." I said, bitterly.
""This might be a little bit harder than I realized." The Doctor said seriously. "I was hoping we'd be able to have the cover of night to protect us, but we may have to do this during the day."
"So we can't just do both?" I asked. Well, pleaded really.
"We could, but it might be risky. Very risky, right, Donna?" The Doctor asked.
"Right. It's a huge risk." Donna said.
I quickly caught on to what they were saying. It seemed to me that this was something they did every day. They were used to risking their lives. For saving the planet, I assumed.
For the first time in a long time, I grinned. There was a fire in my soul I hadn't had in a long time and it was reawakening.
"Well, if it's risky, It's a risk I'm willing to take it if means saving my city and turning everyone back to normal." I said in a determined voice.
"Aha! There's that spirit I knew you had in you." The Doctor said.
Suddenly, I felt tired. Both physically and mentally. Granted, I'd been feeling like this ever since the whole thing started. The difference was that before, I'd been running on adrenaline and focused on surviving. I didn't have any time to think about my mental or physical weariness.
But now. Now that I'd met the Doctor and Donna, I felt like I could finally let myself feel this. The question was, though, was would I have to go back to the warehouse? I didn't want to. But I also didn't know if I could sleep here. But, I also didn't want to be rude and ask if I could sleep somewhere here.
Luckily, I didn't have to make the decision for myself. Donna noticed my small yawn. Not to mention the fact that I kept closing my eyes.
"Alright. Come on." She said in a stern voice. "You need some sleep."
"I'm fine!" I protested. "I'm used to not getting enough sleep."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Nope. Not gonna argue with Donna. You definitely need to go to sleep. I'm sure you haven't had enough and I know your species needs it. Now go!" He said.
I sighed. "Ok, but where am I going to sleep?" I asked.
"The TARDIS will build you a room." The Doctor said.
"Come on." Donna said, leading me gently out of the medbay and into a dimly lit corridor.
I followed her down the corridor, looking at all of the doors that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
"So, um, are you human?" I asked Donna as we continued down the long hallway.
"'Course I am." She said. "Who else d'you think would be able to keep the Doctor in line?" She winked at me.
I laughed as we finally got to what appeared to be my room. I assumed it was because it was lit up, and it had my name over it.
"How does it know who I am?" I asked, curious.
"The TARDIS is alive. Don't ask how. The Doctor will go on and on about it." Donna said, rolling her eyes good naturally about it. "There should be a bathroom there so you can take a shower. I'm sure you want to." She said.
I took that as her subtle way of saying that I needed one.
"Oh, and it's right next to mine, so if you just need to talk, just knock. Although, I might be a bit grumpy if you try to wake me up in the early morning." Donna said, giving me another hug. "Night."
"Night." I said, touched by her kindness, as I walked into my bedroom.
I was blown away by the sheer size of it. It was bigger than the room in my apartment. Somehow though, it also managed to look like my room. It had the same mint green bedding, as well as the same nightstand and dresser. I was almost homesick looking at it.
The bathroom was also huge. It had a palatial sized tub as well as a shower with my favorite shampoo and conditioner, as well as my favorite scrubs and bath salts. I wondered how the TARDIS knew all of this. As I put my hand on the wall, I felt a hum and also a small tickle in the back of my head. Almost like it was trying to comfort me/
After taking my shower, which truly was one of the best ones I'd had in a long time. I decided to take a bath. I thought I needed one after everything I'd gone through. I poured some lavender bath salts in and stepped in, letting the warm water wash over me. It instantly calmed my mind.
I got out the bath, feeling more like myself than I had in a long time. After drying myself off with the plushiest towel I'd ever felt. I noticed that there was a robe hanging on the door. I slipped it on as I walked out back into the room. I found some PJs in one of the drawers and threw those on.
After getting into the bed, which was extremely soft, I lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling, which appeared to be mimicking the sky outside. It was the bluest dark blue with stars blinking on and off and the occasional shooting star.
I thought about everything that had happened to me. How my life had gone from just surviving to finally finding a purpose, thanks to the Doctor. He made me see that this town was worth fighting for. I was so grateful to him and Donna for essentially taking me in and making me realize all this. Eventually, my eyes grew very heavy and I fell asleep instantly.