Chapter Three
Andrea sat straight up. A blanket fell away from her and she stared around her. What the hell? Where was she? This couldn't be! The last thing she remembered was being taken away by the creep in red.
"So you're awake. That's good. I was beginning to worry," said a voice. Andrea leapt to her feet, stayed upright for a moment, and then fell into waiting arms. She looked up slowly into brown eyes.
"You okay?" the man asked. She nodded, dropping her gaze.
"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Just…. fine," she whispered. He laid her back onto the floor, where she drew her knees up to her chin and proceeded to cry uncontrollably. Footsteps drew near her, but she didn't care. Right now, she was terrified, more than terrified. She had no idea where she was or who this man was or how she'd come to be in his company and it was scaring her more than any of her Mom and Dad's stories.
"Shhhh! It's okay, sweetheart, you're safe," said a voice. Andrea looked up, tears streaming down her face, her body shaking with her sobs. A red-haired woman was sitting next to her.
"I-I'm so-sorry. It's j-just I'm a l-l-long way from home and I'm a-afraid I'll never get b-back," she gasped. It was true; she was afraid of that, had been from the moment the man in red had grabbed hold of her.
The woman nodded. "I know what it's like, being far from home. But this is the Doctor," she said, motioning at the man behind her, "and he can get you home. I promise."
The Doctor waved and smiled brightly. Andrea hiccupped in shock. The Doctor? What? No! This couldn't be. She spun towards him, staring openly.
The woman looked at her questioningly as another man, also ginger, came down the ramp next to them. He smiled at Andrea and knelt in front of her.
"My name's Rory," he said. Andrea turned from the woman and nodded.
"I'm Andrea," she said.
"Andrea? That's a wonderful name," said the Doctor, brightly. The woman's confused expression faded with a shake of her head.
"I'm Amy," she said, standing up and brushing herself off. Andrea struggled to her feet again and fell into Rory. Her legs wouldn't work right and it irritated her. She growled at her lower body. Rory chuckled.
"You'll be fine. You just need to rest for a bit," he said. She nodded and let him lead her up the ramp toward a red plush couch. She sat down and looked around her in awe. The TARDIS was fantastic and beautiful, just like she'd pictured it when her mother had told her the stories. The Doctor ran around the central control matrix, his hair in flopped in his eyes.
Andrea smiled slightly. He didn't look anything like her father anymore; she wondered how many regenerations he'd gone through since then.
He was wearing suspenders and a bow-tie. Mom would have laughed so hard at him. But for some reason, the bow-tie and suspender look suited him. Her smile faded again and she looked down at the floor.
Tears blurred the edge of her vision, but she blinked them away. She had to figure out what the hell was going on. She couldn't spend her time crying about not having her mom and dad here. She had to do this on her own. The Doctor hurried past her, flipping toggles and switches as he maintained flight through the vortex. Well, maybe not on her own completely, Andrea thought. Maybe he could help her.