The Cold Thief

by spottedquoll

Sequel to A Good Man: Loki has stolen the TARDIS and the Doctor's former companion, Nell Bennet, along with it. But soon disaster strikes and the two are trapped in another time beyond the Doctor's reach. With old friends and new enemies will Loki save the day or return to darkness? Rated T for mild violence, mild coarse language and a teensy bit of adult themes.

2. Not Her Thief

Not Her Thief.

---

She watched him reproachfully.

The Thief.

Not her thief, oh no. This was another thief.

She knew this thief, he had been there before. His delicate fingers flew expertly over the console buttons; he knew what he was doing. Smooth and gentle, he was a perfect pilot. Not at all like her thief who was clumsy and rough. But it was fun with her thief, he danced with her. This thief did not. He was mechanical and cold. Yes, cold to the touch. The cold thief who had stolen her away from her thief.

Now the cold thief had picked up a stray creature, just as the other thief had always done. And she had met this one before too. This was the one that smelt of salt and blood. She'd never liked this stray.

But right now, she felt sorry for her. The poor little stray was afraid of the cold thief.

"Where is the Doctor?" the stray's voice sounded weak and hollow as she spoke.

The cold thief laughed "don't worry, he isn't dead. Although I'm sure he is devastated that I've taken his precious box".

Box indeed! She thought angrily, the cold thief had no respect!

The stray looked at the cold thief grimly "they're waiting outside my flat you know. S.H.I.E.L.D, I mean".

"Oh really?" the cold thief smiled, "what a pity we're not in your flat anymore".

The stray looked very pale. Poor little creature. "Are you going to kill me?"

The cold thief looked at her disdainfully "don't be so predictable Eleanor".

Then she felt it. Out of the nothingness it came. A slow, snaking thing that curled its way around time and space. It tightened its grip. Oh! It burned! It hurt!

'Help me!' she tried to cry out as the cold thief turned to her with a frown, 'help me, thief!'

Loki looked as the console with concern as alarms began to wail. He lent forward and scanned the console's screen.

Nell looked around the TARDIS nervously as the core began to shudder. "Loki? What have you done?"

Loki didn't answer and appeared not to hear her as his fingers flew over the console buttons.

He stared at the screen again and his eyes widened with horror.

He turned and rushed at Nell, arms outstretched.

Light and debris erupted from the TARDIS core.

Loki wrapped his arms around Nell and slammed her to the ground.

For both Loki and Nell, the world went black.