Chapter 6
He was returning the glass to the kitchen when the cell phone the Brigadier gave him rang. "Hello?" he said answering the phone.
"Doctor is that you?" asked Harry.
"Well of course it is. Who were you expecting?" he said, teasing Harry.
"Quite right Doctor. Well in any case, I thought I would check on Sarah. How is she doing?" he asked.
"She's doing well. And she'll continue to do well if I can keep her still. I've just had a marvelous idea Harry. Are you busy this evening?" he asked excitedly.
"No, after five this afternoon I'm free. What do you have in mind?" he asked hoping it was something to get him away from UNIT. His apartment was becoming a very lonely place, and other than Sergeant Benton the Doctor was his only friend.
"I think I have an idea to keep Sarah still. Do you know how to play poker Harry?" he asked lightheartedly.
"I've played a time or two. Does Sarah know?"
"How would Sarah know whether or not you play poker?" he said purposely trying to pull Harry's leg.
"No, not if 'I' play poker. Does 'she' play poker?" Honestly, the Doctor could be the most obtuse person at times.
"Oh, well Harry you should be a little clearer in your questions?" he said stifling a laugh. Harry was such an easy mark. "Sarah is napping now, but I'm sure she'll be awake by around six this evening. Is that good for you?"
"Yes, that's fine. Do you want me to bring anything, food, drinks, snacks?" he asked excited to have plans that didn't involve going back to an empty apartment and staring at the four walls.
"Hey Harry, where are you going?" asked Sergeant Benton who was walking past and heard bits of the conversation.
"No thanks Harry. I'm fixing a Mexican feast, so be prepared to eat. Is that Sergeant Benton, ask him if he wants to come along?"
"The Doctor wants to know if you want to go to the Tardis for dinner and play poker tonight at six." relayed Harry to Benton.
"I'd love to, tell him to count me in." replied Benton, who had been looking for something to fill his Friday evening.
"Wonderful, you two meet me at the Tardis door at six, okay?" he asked grateful that Harry and now Benton had agreed to do this.
"We'll be there, thanks Doctor." Maybe this weekend wouldn't be so bad after all, Harry thought as he ended the call. "Where are you headed?"
"I'm on my way back to my desk. I just thought I'd stop by and see if you wanted to see a movie, but thanks to the Doctor we have plans. Good work Harry! Come on, I'll walk you to the Brig's office. His secretary told me you have a meeting with him.
"Indeed I do. A budget meeting, what joy!" Harry exclaimed, earning him a laugh from the Sergeant as the pair walked away.
All right! This was shaping up to be a great evening, the Doctor thought. He went to the Tardis' kitchen and programmed the food and it's finishing time into the computer. He then went to his room and took a quick shower and changed his clothes. He decided to check on Sarah.
He knocked lightly on the door and heard Sarah say, "Come in." He opened the door to see Sarah sitting up in bed and holding her iPod.
"How was your nap?" he asked, concerned for her.
"It was good. I'm sorry about…well, earlier." she said looking down avoiding his eyes, embarrassed about her reactions earlier.
"Sarah." he said as he went to the side of her bed. He reached out and placed her left hand in both of his. "Don't you know," he started placing his right hand on her chin turning her face toward his, "you have nothing to be sorry for. You just have to give your body time to work through everything that you've been through. Would you think badly of me if I were sick?"
"No, of course not. It's just that every time I think that I see a light at the end of the tunnel, something else happens. And the worst part is I have to lay everything at your doorstep. I'm sure you've never had to take care of one person so much in all your life." she said attempting to explain to him.
"Sarah, I'm really sorry that you've been so ill, I really am. But I'm here, right here and I'm not going anywhere. Please don't think of yourself as a burden to me. If you need to refer to yourself as anything, think of yourself as the one and only person that has saved me from a life of fixing everyone else's problems. I was totally shut off from any life outside my work, yet the kindness, caring and compassion that you and only you have shown to me gives me hope for tomorrow."
"When you were very ill, during the first transfusion I was sitting by your bed with my head in my hands wishing that I could do more for you. You were in a great deal of pain yet you reached out to me, worried about 'me'. I knew then that you were an extraordinary young woman. Someone who I wanted, did you hear me? Someone I 'wanted' the honor of looking after and protecting. Never think of yourself as a burden to me. I know how unbelievably lucky that I am to have found you and one day I hope you'll feel the same way. Trust me, you 'will' get through this. I know how hard it is for you to put your trust in anything or anyone, but I hope you know that you can depend on me. You never need to apologize for being ill. I 'want' to take care of you." he said.
"Thank you for all of your kind words. Thank you for everything you've done for me. It just seems that saying thank you is such a small thing, for all the wonderful things that you've done. Would you accept a hug?" she said looking into his deep blue eyes.
"A hug from you is something that I would truly cherish." he said with a smile that she thought would melt her heart.
Sarah wrapped her arms around him, hugging him for all she was worth. She realized that this was a wonderful feeling, something she never thought she would ever have. Someone who cared for her, possibly even someday might love her. The warmth of his hug would remain in her memory and her heart till her dying day.
The Doctor couldn't believe that this beautiful and wonderful girl would care for someone like him. Someone who was seen as an outcast on his own planet. Yet 'here' he was in heaven, if not heaven then something incredibly close. He smelled the floral scent of the shampoo on her hair and felt the warmth of her body. He would fight to keep her with him, to love her and cherish her for the rest of his life. He became conscious that several minutes had passed and they were still hugging. He knew he could spend the rest of his life in her embrace, but he also knew that they should take it slow. "I hate to let you go, but I have something to confess." he said separating from Sarah's embrace.
"What could you have to confess?" she asked looking into his bright blue eyes, wishing he was once again holding her in his arms.
"I made plans for you and I to share a meal and then play some poker with Harry and Sergeant Benton. I realize I probably should have consulted you first, but if you don't feel like it I can cancel."
"No way. I think it's a wonderful idea. What are we having?" she asked, happy that he had gone to the trouble of planning something for her.
"There's a catch." he added.
"What is it?" Sarah asked hoping she wouldn't be restricted to the bed.
"I am going to set dinner up in the dining room, it's right down the hall from here. Then we'll go to the game room that I showed you earlier to play poker. Now here's the catch, you 'should' be on complete bed rest, but as long as you stay off your feet I'll let you stay up, deal?" he said trying to compromise so that she would feel that she was still in control of her life. He knew that control, more than anything was important to her and he couldn't blame her. He understood wanting to be in control of your own life, it was something he himself had fought for on Gallifrey.
"You have a deal." she replied happily.
"That means no crutches. I'll carry you to the dining room as well as the game room and anywhere else you need to go. I'm going to set things up in the game room so that you have a soft comfortable chair to sit in, agreed?" he said making sure she knew what to expect.
"All right, I'll behave myself and stay off my feet at dinner and the game. Thank you once again for everything. When do we begin, I'm actually hungry?" she said. Maybe her body would work with her and she could start to eat a little more.
"Dinner will be in about an hour. Do you want to take a little nap before we eat?"
"Yes, maybe I will. I want to be wide awake when I win every hand of poker." she bragged.
"Oh you do, do you? Well, we'll see. I'm going to see how dinner is coming. Have a good nap." he said as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. They both smiled and he left the room wondering if there was any way that he could be happier. No, he decided there wasn't.
Promptly at six Dr. Harry Sullivan and Sergeant John Benton stood in the Doctor's lab awaiting the Doctor's arrival to invite them into the Tardis.
"So what is the Doctor's cooking like, I mean I've only been in the Tardis once?" asked Harry of Benton.
"What are you asking me for? I've only been in there on official business." replied Benton.
"So he's never arranged any social occasions before?" Harry asked looking at Benton.
"Nope, but then again he hadn't met Sarah before." Benton replied smiling at Harry.
"Well if you two women have finished gossiping…" the Brigadier said coming up behind the two men, who looked as if they had just lost ten years off their lives, "could either of you tell me if you have seen the Doctor?" he said, secretly enjoying both men's discomfort.
Both Harry and Benton had nearly jumped out of their skin upon hearing their commanding officer's voice catching them gossiping about the Doctor. "Sir," Sergeant Benton started, "the Doctor is due here any second Sir."
All three looked at the Tardis doors that were now opening. "Did I hear my name mentioned?" the Doctor stepped out with a wide grin on his face. "Why Alistair, I thought it was your wedding anniversary. Why aren't you home?" he said under the pretense of acting sternly with him.
"Yes it is my, our anniversary Doctor. I just wanted to deliver these to Miss. Smith." he said handing the Doctor several binders with rules, regulations and expectations written on them.
"What are these for?" he asked thoroughly confused.
"Miss. Smith emailed my secretary for all of these so that she could familiarize herself with her job. I offered to deliver them on my way out. So I take it Miss. Smith is better." he said rubbing his palms together, looking forward to reports that were little more than the torn pieces of paper he usually received from the Doctor.
"No she's not ready to go to work just yet. I just brought her back from UNIT's Sick Bay this morning after an emergency transfusion." the Doctor was almost yelling. "I'm sorry Brigadier, I'll make sure she gets all this but don't expect reports from her anytime soon. I swear she's her own worst enemy. She won't admit to herself that she needs time to heal. I'm trying to keep her still with a little poker game tonight. I would have invited you Alistair but I knew you had plans. Of course you and your wife are most welcome." he said now smiling, trying to lighten the mood he had created outside the Tardis.
"As tempting as that is, I think my wife would rather go out to dinner and dancing. And Doctor, don't worry about Miss. Smith's eagerness. It's probably just that, eagerness to learn everything she needs to learn to file the reports." he said trying to convince the Doctor that Sarah wasn't trying to go against him. "Look, she can't go over all of that," he said pointing to the stack of books in the Doctor's hands, "and still be running around, catch my drift? If anything, those should have the same effect as a sleeping pill. Have a good weekend gentlemen!" he said turning and walking out of the lab.
Both Harry and Benton were trying to just disappear, hoping they wouldn't be pulled into the discussion. But now that the Brigadier was gone, they felt kind of awkward standing there looking at the Doctor. "I hope you're hungry!" said the Doctor holding the Tardis door open for Harry and Benton.
Upon entering the Tardis, Harry was once again floored by the fact that he was walking into a real, live spaceship. He and Benton looked all around the console room taking it all in. "This is really nice of you Doctor, I didn't know you knew how to play. We'll have to get other games together." said Benton trying to get back to the object of tonight, which was hopefully having fun.
"Are you a card shark Sergeant?" asked the Doctor smiling.
"No, not a card shark. How about you Harry?" Benton asked.
"Would you believe I've only played half a dozen times? So what are the stakes gentlemen?" he asked as they walked through the halls of the Tardis.
"Stakes, you know I hadn't thought of that. Let's use money, but just coins. Is that all right with everyone?" he said knowing he could talk Sarah into borrowing against her first check, since it would only be change.
"Sounds good to me." said Benton.
"Me too." said Harry.
"Here we are gentlemen." the Doctor said as he led them into one of the three dining rooms. This one was decorated in blue and gold and had a small crystal chandelier over the table. Four places were set with white china with a deep band of gold around the border and very expensive looking crystal glasses. "If you'll take your seats I'll go get Sarah and we can get started. Be back in a jiff." said the Doctor smiling. Both men sat down across from each other at the table to wait.
When the Doctor arrived at Sarah's room he found her at the dressing table brushing her hair. She had put on a pair of her own jeans and a peach colored sweater from the clothing the Doctor had brought her. He smiled at her and then started to protest when she held up her hand.
"I know what you're going to say. But I promised you I would stay off my feet for the dinner and the game, not before the game. Besides you want me to wear my lucky jeans don't you?" she asked, sweetly tilting her head to the side. She noticed the manuals in his hand and said, "Those are to read while I'm stuck in lockdown, you didn't say I couldn't read. Would you put them by the bed?" Sarah explained, hoping he wouldn't be mad at her.
"I…ah…okay you got me there. Just tell me that you at least took a nap." he said turning away to put the manuals on the table while trying not to stare at her too long. Though if she could read his mind now she would know that he could stare at her for the rest of his life and never get enough.
"I did take a nap. Do I look okay?" she asked not missing the look on his face when he first entered the room.
"You look beautiful. Are you ready to go, we have guests waiting?" he said as he approached her.
"Yes, I'm ready. Let's go." she said as he bent down and lifted her from the seat and carried her from the room.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting gentlemen." he said as he came through the dining room door with Sarah in his arms. Both men immediately stood up in Sarah's honor. "I just had to pick a little something up for dinner." he said smiling at Sarah as he placed her at one end of the table.
"You are terrible." she scolded him as she smiled.
"How are you feeling Sarah?" asked Harry as the Doctor walked over to a door at the end of the dining room and started removing steaming pans of food and placing them on the table.
"Fine, just tired sometimes." she answered as the Doctor looked around at the mention of her being tired. Sarah as well as the others noticed this. "But I'm not tired now." she said in a loud voice so that the Doctor was sure to hear. She looked at both men and smiled.
"Miss. Smith, how long have you been playing poker?" asked Sergeant Benton.
"I picked it up about five years ago and please call me Sarah." she said smiling shyly.
The Doctor was sitting down and everyone was filling their plates. Halfway through the meal the Doctor raised his glass. "I would like to propose a toast." Everyone raised their glasses. "To good friends and new friends." he said looking at Sarah. Their eyes met briefly and Sarah blushed.
"To friends!" everyone said together.
After dinner the Doctor picked up Sarah and carried her while the others followed behind to the game room. As soon as he was satisfied that Sarah was seated comfortably in her chair, he sat down. "All right, the game is poker. Let's see who can bluff.
Four hours later the results were in. The Doctor had a single dollar in chips left. Harry had fifty cents in chips left. And Sergeant Benton who had been bragging about winning a hundred dollars in the first round of his last game had no chips. Sarah on the other hand had all of her chips as well as theirs. "That was fun. We'll have to do this again." she said looking from one face to the next.
"Sarah, is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class?" asked the Doctor, who was proud yet at the same time aggravated that she had beaten them all so badly.
"Like what?" she asked innocently batting her eyes.
"Like how you learned to play poker like that." he asked in amazement.
"Oh that, it's easy for me." she said smiling making them pull the information out of her bit by bit. They were all looking like they were going to explode and possibly crawl over the table and throttle her, so she decided they'd had enough. "I have a photographic memory or so I've been told, so games where you need to keep track of cards are kind of easy for me. That's how I got my car." she said as she was looking down and shuffling the cards. She suddenly noticed that it was very quiet and looked up.
All three men were smiling and shaking their heads, but none more so than the Doctor. He let out a laugh that caused him to almost roll out of his chair. By the time he looked up he had laughed so hard that he had tears in his eyes, as did the others who were now laughing with him.
"What's so funny? You're just lucky we weren't playing strip poker. The lot of you would leave here without a stitch on." she said smiling, unable to keep up the pretense of being hurt.
"It's way past my bedtime so I've got to go. Thank you Doctor and Sarah." Benton said standing and wiping the tears from his eyes. "I've had a wonderful time. Maybe we can get together again and play something I have a chance of winning, maybe shoot some pool." he said as he looked at Sarah smiling.
"Great, I love to play pool." said Sarah smiling.
"Uh oh, she's a pool shark too." said Harry laughing. "Thank you Doctor I've had a great time. And Sarah thank you for cleaning out poor Benton. It was worth losing just to see the look on his face." Harry said giving her a quick hug.
"Anytime gentlemen." said Sarah.
"Said the spider to the fly." said the Doctor brushing his index finger across his nose. "You stay put. I'm going to walk them out. I mean it Sarah." he said trying to shame her into staying off her feet.
As the Doctor walked both men to the console room they laughed about the different hands that had been played. When they reached the main doors the Doctor shook both men's hands as they left. "Thank you for coming. I know Sarah enjoyed it as much as I did."
"If there's anything you need help with Doctor, please call me. Thanks again." said Harry as he turned to leave.
"The same goes for me Doctor, if you or Sarah need anything please call me." said Benton as he turned to go.
"Thank you both, I will. Have a good night and drive safely." said the Doctor as he waved to both men and shut the Tardis door. I better get back to Sarah he thought as he hurried through the Tardis.
When he returned to the game room, he noticed Sarah had straightened up the table and placed everything on a tray. She had done it all from her chair. "I'm very proud of you."
"Why, because I beat the three of you mercilessly?" she asked smiling.
"Well 'that' was amazing. But what I'm talking about was the way you straightened up the table without getting up." he said looking into her sparkling green eyes.
"I told you that I wouldn't and I never break a promise. So what now?" she asked as if she expected there were more as he picked her up and she laid her head against his chest. She could hear and feel both of his hearts beating and she found them comforting.
"It's one in the morning little Miss," he started as he walked through the Tardis with Sarah in his arms, "and you are going straight to bed. No studying the books that the Brigadier brought, no computer and no excuses." After a few seconds when she didn't reply he added, "Well, you're taking that awfully well." They arrived at her bedroom. He walked through the door and caught sight of their reflection in the mirror. The reason Sarah hadn't responded was because she was asleep, sound asleep. The Doctor smiled as he continued to look in the mirror, enjoying the sight of his sleeping beauty in his arms.
He carefully put her down on the bed, easing her head down onto the pillows. The Doctor brought the blanket up to her chest and turned out the light. "Goodnight, my angel." he said in a whisper as he kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams." He brought her crutches to the side of the bed in case she might need them and carefully pulled the door shut. He stood outside the door and smiled. This would be the first of many evenings they would spend together and that made him happy. He still had an ear to ear smile on his face as he went to his bedroom, showered and went to sleep.
The next morning Sarah awoke to the smell of bacon. Her stomach started growling for her attention. As she was about to go find the source of the smell there was a tap at the door and the Doctor peered around the corner asking, "Breakfast Sarah?". He was going to do his best to try to get her to eat at every available opportunity, without stressing her out.
"Yes please, I'm starved." she said as she sat up in bed and the Doctor deposited the cart near her bed and set the white wicker bed tray across her lap. He then took off her plate and juice and set them in front of her. "This looks wonderful. You're eating too aren't you?" she asked hoping he would keep her company while she ate.
"Yes I am. Did you sleep well?" he asked as he dug into his own plate as he sat in the chair near her bed.
"I slept marvelously. I've been thinking about something." she said as she laid her fork down on her plate and took a drink of juice. "I don't want to hold you back from your work. I'm almost good as new. So you can do whatever work the Brigadier needs you to do. I'll be fine, really." she said as she picked up another forkful of her omelet.
"Trying to get rid of me already are you?" the Doctor feigned hurt, then continued, "Sarah, there are no alien invasions going on at this point in time, so neither the Brigadier nor UNIT need me right now. Am I spending too much time with you, do you need more privacy? If you do, I'll do my best to give you whatever you need." said the Doctor, fearful he was chasing Sarah away.
"No, never. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound as if you were here too much. In fact I like it when you're here. When you're not, I miss you. Never think I want to be away from you. I can't believe I said that, now you'll be trying to avoid me for being needy." she said.
He could understand her concern of saying the wrong thing. He decided to try to clear things up. "Sarah," he began in what he hoped was a comforting way, "let's get something out in the open, okay?" he asked and she shook her head yes looking nervous. "For my part, you can 'never' be with me too much or say too much. I told you before that I care for you. I won't stop caring for you. I need you to believe that. I want to be a part of your life, hopefully a big part." he said smiling. "If you'll have me, I would like to take you on what you humans call a date. Of course we have to wait till you're better. If you don't want to go, I'll do my best to understand. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can say anything to me, whether it's 'good' or 'bad'. Anything at all, okay?" he said staring into her beautiful green eyes.
"I would love to go on a date with you. Thank you for caring so deeply about my feelings. Maybe we could have some practice dates here in the Tardis, would that be okay?" she asked hoping he would want to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him.
"Practice dates it is. Let's have one this evening. What would you like to do?'" he asked Sarah as she scooted a little in the bed. He assumed she was trying to find a more comfortable position, but then he saw her wince.
"How about another movie? I think dancing is out of the question." she asked hoping he hadn't detected the sudden pain in her left side.
"Sarah, what's wrong?" he had put his food down and was by her side almost instantly. He felt her forehead, finding she was a little warm, but not hot.
"I just had a little pain, it's gone already." she said.
"You're sure?" he asked.
"Positive, it's gone. Don't worry. I told you I would tell you if there was a problem, and this isn't a problem. Now back to our practice date." she said.
"How about another movie or two in the entertainment room, I still don't want you moving around too much?" he asked.
"Are you going to throw in junk food and pop?" she asked knowing he would deny her nothing that was within his power.
"What's a movie without those? Of course. Right after dinner?"
"It's a date, or a practice date." she said with a huge smile.
"Now that that's settled, I want you to get a lot of rest today to make up for last night." He noticed that Sarah was pushing away her food. "Are you finished?" he asked.
"Yes, it was great." she said and then tried to hold back a yawn.
The Doctor took the tray from her lap and placed the dirty dishes back on the cart. He looked down at Sarah and said, "Lie back down and get some more sleep." she surprised him and did as she was asked. "Can I get you anything?"
"No, I'm fine." she said yawning again.
"I'll check on you in a little bit and I'll be close by in case you need anything." he looked down to see her eyes shutting, sleep was finally winning the battle. He bent down and kissed her forehead. He could get addicted to this he thought, smiling as he quietly pushed the cart from the door and pulling the door almost to.
The Doctor took the cart to the kitchen and walked to the console room to check the readings. Everything looked good there. He walked back to his bedroom and picked up a few books that he had brought from the Tardis' library. He was determined to know everything he could about the human body. He wanted to be prepared for anything with Sarah, especially if he were able to talk her into going on a few jaunts in space. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep and the book had slipped from his lap and eventually to the floor.
Sarah was dreaming she and the Doctor were at the top of a mountain. It was a beautiful day and it was warm, just perfect. Suddenly a dark cloud passed over. When Sarah looked at the Doctor next, he was gone and she was alone. The mountain had broken away on all sides till the only part that was left was the small tip that Sarah was standing on. She looked down and saw the end of the Doctor's seemingly endless scarf was sticking out of the mountainside. He was buried and more than likely dead. She heard a noise above her and she looked up. It was the Tardis falling from the sky, heading for the mountain that she was on. It started rolling in mid air, over and over and each time it rolled another part of it broke off. When it finally reached her, there was very little left. She was on the tip of the mountain, down on her hands and knees, all alone and trapped. She screamed, then she was falling. She continued to scream in her dream and was still screaming when she woke up.
The Doctor awoke hearing a sound, what was it? It was Sarah. He was immediately awake and running down the hallway to her room. He didn't stop to ask permission to enter, he ran inside to find Sarah sitting up in the bed with her arms wrapped around her body, rocking herself as she tried to stop the screaming that seemed to have a life of its own. "Sarah!" he said running over to her placing a hand on each arm. It was as if she couldn't hear him. "Sarah! Can you hear me? Sarah!" he said gently shaking her.
She looked up to find the Doctor by her side. She lunged forward on the bed and was on her knees wrapping her arms around his body, holding on for dear life, shaking badly. "You're alive, I thought you were dead! Don't leave me, please!" she cried almost hysterically. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as tight as he dared.
"Sarah, it's all right. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." He continued to hold her stroking her hair and rubbing her back trying to calm her. He soon felt her grip on him loosen as she was forced to let go by the lack of strength from her own body. As she slumped back down on her knees, he tried to help her lay down again. She mistook the action for him leaving her and attempted to grab him again, but she couldn't, the rush of adrenalin now leaving her body making her weak. "Do you want me to hold you?" he said quietly in her ear hoping to reach her. She shook her head yes. "Just scoot over Sarah, I'm right here." he said, as she did what she was told and moved over on the bed giving him room to lay. He put his right arm around her shoulders and used his left to push her hair from her face and wipe her tears.
"Okay, I'm here. Just lay back and relax. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. No one can hurt you while I'm holding you. Just sleep." he said as he kissed her forehead while checking her temperature. It was elevated but not alarmingly so. He took his left hand and checked her pulse. As with her temperature, it was a little elevated as he expected after such a scare.
He looked down to see Sarah trying to do as he asked and calm down. "It's all right Sarah. Nothing can hurt you. I'm safe and so are you. Just sleep Sarah, sleep." he said kissing her forehead again as he watched her settle down. He knew it was traumatic for Sarah, but it was what he expected after confronting her past. Unfortunately, this would probably not be the last. He wouldn't be leaving her for awhile, so he decided to close his eyes and get some sleep too.
Three hours later the Doctor awoke to find that Sarah was still wrapped in his arms. He looked down at her peaceful sleeping form, wishing he could take away the nightmares that were still to come, but knew he couldn't. The best he could do was be there for her, and that's exactly what he would do. He couldn't believe he was lucky enough to have someone as beautiful and wonderful as Sarah in his life, he thought as he smiled to himself. He could stay like this for the rest of his life.
"Hi." said a waking Sarah looking up at the Doctor. "Thank you for…this. I'm okay if you have something you need to do. I mean, I'm sure you have better things to do than babysit me."
"First I have nothing to do that's more important than you." he said taking his left hand and squeezing the end of her nose. "And second, I enjoy being with you. Now, did you get enough sleep?" he asked smiling at her.
"Yes, I'm completely rested. What about you?" she answered smiling. This could be a very uncomfortable and complicated situation with her still being held in his arms, in her bed. But it just felt natural, like she had always been there and would always continue to be.
"Yes, I had a nap too. So what would you like to do? Maybe go hang gliding or scaling a mountain or perhaps bungee jumping." he said teasing her.
"I think all of those things will have to wait. I have a new job to study for." she said, as he started to protest she took her right index finger and placed it over his lips. "I will stay in this bed right here and do nothing but read. The heaviest lifting I will do will be to lift one of those books. How can you argue with a deal like that?" she asked with her most stubborn and determined look.
"All right I give in, but just don't do too much. If you feel tired put them down and take a nap, promise?" he said, knowing that his time with Sarah in his arms was at an end.
"Promise, and I always keep my promises." she said wishing he could hold her in his arms like this forever.
"Well," he said slipping his arm from around Sarah's back, "I guess I had better let you get to your books.". He slipped from her bed, wishing she would pull him back, but knowing it was too much, too quickly. The Doctor handed Sarah the books from the bedside table and turned when he reached the door saying, "How about a light lunch since we're running a bit late?" he said suspecting he might have an argument on his hands getting Sarah to eat.
"Okay." she said already looking through the first manual, her attention now focused on the manual.
The Doctor smiled, maybe the trick to getting her to eat would be to ask her while her attention was elsewhere. He quietly closed the door as he walked to the kitchen smiling.
After lunch he and Sarah had decided to have one of their 'practice' dates at seven that evening. The Doctor had showered and changed and was going through the Tardis' greenhouse to acquire some roses for Sarah. He had several bushes that he had been cultivating for years. They were a mixture of a deep pink with large oversize blooms and a petite white with tight buds and an incredibly sweet perfume. It produced a highly aromatic flower with multi stage deep pink outer petals and a tight white center. He carefully picked a dozen blooms and removed the thorns. He placed them in a clear crystal vase and headed to Sarah's room.
The closer he came to Sarah's room the more nervous he got. I'm a Time Lord, I have been everywhere, during every timeline, I have met royalty and dined with presidents and I'm nervous for a 'practice' date? Yes he decided, he was. Just slow down and take a deep breath. It's going to be okay, just breathe. He was there. He took one more deep breath and knocked on her door.
Inside Sarah had spent the last ninety minutes taking a bath and picking out a dress. It was a flutter sleeved pink flowered dress with a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt that hit Sarah right above the knees. She still couldn't put a shoe on her injured foot, so she found a pair of pale pink socks and put them on. She had brushed her hair and put on a little makeup to return some color to her face. She was just finishing her preparations by spraying a bit of her perfume on her neck when she heard him knock at the door. She had never had the luxury of a date being able to knock on a actual door to pick her up. She usually, usually being equal to a handful anyway, met her dates at a predetermined place. That way she didn't have to go through the humiliation of having them know she was living out of her car.
She reached for her crutches and stood up, took a deep breath and said, "Come in."
He opened the door and saw Sarah standing there waiting for him. She was the vision that defined the word beautiful. His mouth flew open and he was having a hard time finding his voice. "Yo…", he swallowed and tried again, "you look beautiful.
"Oh how beautiful, are those for me?" she asked shyly as her eyes moved from the Doctor to the roses.
"Oh well, yes they are. I'll put them over here." he said all but stuttering. He knew she was beautiful, but tonight she was truly breathtaking. He walked over to the bedside table and placed them there. He looked up and she was beside him.
"You look wonderful." she said beside him, touching his sleeve. "The roses are beautiful, I don't think I've ever seen that variety before."
"You wouldn't have. I developed it. I must have had a premonition that I would meet you." he said smiling and touching her hair. "You really are beautiful. Are you ready for dinner?"
"Thank you and yes I'm ready. I'm really happy that you asked me for this date, excuse me 'practice' date." she smiled a really happy carefree smile, her first ever.
"My lady, would you allow me to carry you to our dining destination?" he was beside himself, not only to see Sarah glowing with happiness but to know that it was because of him that she was happy.
"I'd be honored." she said as she steadied herself on the Doctor's arm as he took her crutches and leaned them against the wall. "Might I also say how handsome you look tonight?"
He smiled his biggest smile at Sarah as he scooped her up in his arms and walked to the door. "You may, but I pale in comparison to you." Sarah rolled her eyes and the both laughed.
During dinner they laughed and talked continuously both laughing so hard they could barely eat. The Doctor couldn't take his eyes off of Sarah. He determined that her previous dates were fools. Fools who didn't deserve someone as sweet and precious as Sarah Jane Smith. After dessert, the Doctor wiped his mouth on the cloth napkin and said, "So what movie would you like to watch tonight?".
"Why don't you pick one tonight, it's only fair since I picked the last." she replied moving her napkin from her lap to the table. She was having such an incredible time that she didn't care if they sat and stared at a blank screen, as long as they were together.
"How about something totally insane?" he asked and she shook her head yes. "Let's watch Stripes. Have you watched that before?"
"No but I've been told it's funny. Let's go." she said as she took a final drink of the strawberry margarita that the Doctor had made her when she mentioned that she loved them.
The Doctor came behind Sarah's chair and pulled her away from the table. She smiled up at him and hooked her hands around his neck as she was lifted up. They exchanged small talk all the way to the entertainment room.
When they arrived he sat Sarah in the center of the couch and lifted her legs onto the oversized ottoman. He found the DVD and placed it in the Tardis' player. He looked to Sarah and asked, "Popcorn, candy, pop?".
"I'm stuffed, but maybe later." she answered with a smile. She was enjoying this, being the center of his attention. She enjoyed everything about him, hoping and praying that this was real. If it wasn't, she knew that this time her heart would finally break in two and no one would ever put it back together again.
The Doctor turned to check the progress of the player and then looked back at Sarah. She was patting the seat on the sofa next to her. He sat down next to her and she leaned forward slightly to give him access to her shoulders. He placed his right arm around her back and leaned in so that their bodies were touching. They both looked at each other and smiled.
They watched the movie each laughing at the same parts. When the movie finished he looked into Sarah's eyes and said, "Would you like to see another movie?"
"Why don't we just sit and talk." she said not wanting to share his attention, even with a movie. You know practically everything about me and I know very little about you. Tell me about your life on Gallifrey, what was it like?" she said smiling and looking deeply into his eyes.
"Well, where should I start? Growing up on Gallifrey was all about learning. School, school, school and more school." he said with a faraway look in his eyes.
"Did you have sports?" she asked, trying to compare it with schools on Earth.
"No, well not sports in the way that you know them in any case. We didn't use our bodies to battle with, we used our minds. It's very dangerous and after one of my contemporaries died playing the game, it was made illegal. That was the only thing that might be considered sports on Gallifrey."
"After many years of schooling," he noticed Sarah looking to ask her question, "that would be twenty five years from the beginning of my training till I graduated the Academy, we were each evaluated and told the role we would play in Gallifreyan society.
"You mean you had to do whatever they told you to do? You weren't allowed to choose your own profession?" asked Sarah in disbelief.
"Yes, but unfortunately that is exactly the rule that helped me to be what I am today. You see I excelled at everything they threw at me so I didn't fall into any niche that would determined my placement. And it was known all over Gallifrey that I was different than the rest of the Time Lords. I defied them by not looking down my nose at anyone that wasn't a Time Lord, beings they thought were beneath them. Most on Gallifrey are quiet and reserved and rarely ever smile, much less laugh. Emotions on Gallifrey are things to keep under control. I don't exactly subscribe to those beliefs as you know." he said tweaking her nose and producing a smile from Sarah. "So when I heard there was a job opening as a diplomatic investigator, I jumped at the chance." he explained.
"So what does a diplomatic investigator do exactly?" Sarah asked curious to hear about his work.
"First I am assigned to watch over the Earth. And in between making sure aliens behave themselves on Earth, the Time Lords sometimes send me on missions to straighten out situations that have caused a problem with the natural flow of time. So sometimes I have to go back and forth through time and space to fix whatever is causing the problem."
"But not 'only' Earth, but different planets too, right?" she asked.
"Exactly. And when I'm not doing that, I head off to make my own adventures. Sometimes I'm lucky and I just visit and interact with different cultures, see wonderful things, eat wonderful food and just live. Unfortunately a good deal of time it seems I find myself in the middle of confrontations, conflicts and troubles that need a third party to untangle. Untangle that is, as long as I don't interfere with the flow of time."
"It sounds fascinating. I'm sorry that Gallifrey doesn't appreciate all the aspects of the wonderful individual that you are. But their loss is my gain. If they hadn't I wouldn't have been lucky enough to meet you." she said earning her a big smile. "But you haven't said anything about your family. What are your mother and father like?"
"On Gallifrey when a couple decide they want a child, they take eggs from the woman and sperm from the man and produce the child in a laboratory setting. The child is developed start to finish in a very advanced lab. When the gestation time is over, the child is taken to live with its natural parents. They raise it in a strict setting until it is three years old and then take the child to live at a dormitory with other children where the child will be educated until it reaches adulthood." he explained.
"So between birth and three years old you live with your parents and then they hand you over and never see them again?" she was shocked at this practice.
"No, we see them again. They came about once a month to check up on my progress. As for what they're like, my mother and my father are very reserved people. I have never heard them raise their voices in my entire life. My mother was in charge of the Gallifrey's Genetic Laboratory and my father was one of the members of the High Council."
"You speak about them in the past tense, are they still alive?" she asked seeing this situation getting more depressing by the minute.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to. I assume they're alive, I haven't spoken to them in years. I was kind of an embarrassment to them, so I haven't kept up with them." he said, knowing they would hate the fact that he was on a date with Sarah, but he would keep that piece of information to himself.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" she asked.
"No, just me." he said taking his hands and running them down Sarah's arms from her shoulder to her hand. When he reached her hands he took them in his. "Is there anything else you want to know as he slowly leaned in till he was no more than two inches from her face.
"Ah…I ah…I mean no." Thinking was something she wasn't capable of when he was this close to her face. She could feel his every breath. She could swear that she could hear her own heart beat. She moved ever closer, seeing him moving closer too. She tilted her head slightly and closed her eyes as the Doctor did the same. They kissed a heady, powerful kiss.
The Doctor backed up slightly and looked at Sarah who had a smile on her face and was now looking at him and his equally big smile. She moved in closer again as did he, and they kissed again, this kiss longer and deeper than the first. They kissed for what seemed like forever and when they broke the kiss, they both felt a small pang of sadness at its ending. The Doctor wanted to kiss much longer, but saw the tiredness creeping into Sarah's eyes and knew the right thing to do was to get her to bed. "Come on," he said taking Sarah's hands and putting them around his neck, "you need your rest.".
"So it's over?" she asked sadly.
"Only this date, we'll have to have more. You know what your people say, practice makes wonderful." he said as they approached her door. Now that he had her in the light, he could see the effects that the margaritas had on her. He probably shouldn't have given her alcohol, but he didn't have the heart to deny her anything. She was no longer on any medication that could cause a conflict with the alcohol, besides, it might help her sleep without dreaming.
He noticed that her breathing was getting very regular as if she were sleeping. He looked down to see that she was indeed asleep. This was her second late night since becoming ill and he was grateful that she wasn't fighting the sleep. He carefully laid her down on her bed, and as he did she awoke. "Shhh, go back to sleep." he whispered.
"I need to get out of this dress and into my pajamas." she said trying to reach her crutches.
"Let me get those for you." he said handing them to her. "I'll just wait here while you change, just to make sure you're okay." he said standing by the open door.
In just a few minutes she was back, in her pajamas and robe. He helped her with her crutches and then her robe. He made sure she was tucked in, and as he turned she grabbed his jacket and pulled him to her. "I just wanted to thank you for everything. The roses, dinner, the movie, everything. I had a wonderful time, thank you." she said with a sweetness that she had shown only to him.
"You're more than welcome. I had a marvelous time too. Thank you for sharing your evening with me. I should go so that you can go to sleep. Can I kiss you goodnight?" he asked.
"You better." she said with a big smile on her face. He leaned into her and kissed her lips for a long, gentle, tender kiss. "Goodnight." he said and turned to go. He walked through the Tardis to check on the console room. This was the happiest he'd been in his entire life. He couldn't let her get away. Later in his bed, he thought of the wonderful evening he had spent and fell asleep, only to continue his date in the dream world.
Sarah couldn't believe her luck. God knows she had only one way left to go and that was up. Maybe she 'could' begin to hope again. She had been plagued all her life with bad things happening to her. But the Doctor only wanted to help her, be with her. She really felt that her future was with him. It wasn't logical, this much she knew. But she believed in him, in them. She had never believed in love at first sight. So maybe love was a strong word, but something had kept them together from that first minute. She decided she had analyzed it enough for one night, she would just be happy with their 'practice' date. Her first real successful date. She closed her eyes and fell asleep thinking of him. There would be no bad dreams tonight.
The next day passed quickly, with the Doctor and Sarah spending breakfast and lunch together and making plans for another practice date that night. Sarah studied the manuals from the Brigadier's office all day. She thought she would pick up all the rules and regulations, eventually anyway. The Doctor had been in his lab all day, working on a better communications system. The Brigadier, rightly so had asked the Doctor for a way to reach him in case he was away on one of his 'little jaunts' as the Brigadier called them. So he was making a brand new system to please the Brigadier, starting from scratch.
The result for both the Doctor and Sarah was the same. At the end of the day both were exhausted. The Doctor didn't want to think anymore, and Sarah didn't want to memorize anymore. When they finally ran into each other in the Tardis' kitchen, both looked at the other and laughed. They each looked as if they were worn out.
"Doctor," Sarah began, "I know we were going to have another practice date tonight…".
"But you'd rather be alone. It's okay, I understand." he said, obviously disappointed.
"No that's not what I was going to say." she said, sorry that she had caused him to look so sad and disappointed.
"It wasn't?" he said starting to smile, looking into Sarah's eyes. Being with Sarah was the only thing that had kept him going today.
"No, never." she said as she approach him taking his hands in hers. "What I was going to say was, that since we're both so obviously tired why don't we have a simple dinner and we can both collapse in front of the movie screen. No dressing up, just plain old us, being us. We can still call it a practice date but we can just take it easy tonight. How does that sound to you?" she asked with a tired smile.
"That sounds great. I just want to be with you." he said, as he stepped closer to Sarah wrapping his arms around her back. Then a thought struck him out of the blue. Wait a minute, why are you up and where are your crutches?" he said as he looked around searching for the crutches.
"Calm down. As long as I take it slow, I'm able to put a little weight on my foot." she said as he took a breath to protest. Sarah placed a finger on his lips to silence him and finished, "I have to do this, you'd be amazed at the places that don't allow you inside when you're in your bare feet." With that she was able to illicit a smile from the Doctor.
"I'll give in on this 'if' you promise to tell me if you have 'any' problems. Do you hear me? I said 'any' problems. Do I have your word?" he said trying to be stern with her, which was growing more and more impossible as the days went by.
"Yes, if I have 'any' problems you'll be the first one I tell, happy?" she asked with a big smile.
"Very much so. Do you know what you would like to have for dinner?" he asked glad that they would still be spending the evening together.
"How about some sandwiches? Maybe ham or turkey, does that sound good to you?" she asked looking up at him still in his embrace.
"That sounds great. Do you want to eat soon?" he asked as she shook her head yes. "Then how about in thirty minutes? That will give me time to take a shower and change clothes, okay?" he asked, wishing he didn't have to let her go.
"Sure, I think I'll do the same. Do you want me to meet you here or…?"
"I'll pick you up in your room since mine is just down the hall, okay?" he said giving her a final squeeze before letting her go. "Let's go, 'slowly'." he said taking one of her arms and placing it on top of one of his for support.
Around six o'clock the Doctor left his room freshly showered and changed and stopped at Sarah's door and knocked.
"Come in." Sarah said as she sat at her dressing table brushing her hair. "You look great!" she said to the Doctor commenting on his brown pants and bright white shirt with billowy sleeves.
"You look beautiful as always." he said looking at Sarah's wardrobe choice, a pair of dark navy jeans and blue and green patterned shirt with a diagonal hem. The shirt was something from the Tardis' wardrobe room and the jeans were hers.
"You're going to spoil me with all the compliments." she said blushing.
"They're all well deserved. You are undoubtedly the most beautiful woman I know." he said making her blush an even deeper color of crimson.
"Thank you." Sarah replied, still blushing.
"I've told the Tardis we'll be eating in the entertainment room if that's all right." he said as they headed for the door.
"That's great. I'm really looking forward to this." she said as he opened the door waiting for her to pass through first, ever being the gentleman.
After a short walk through the Tardis, each talked about their day and retold of the more challenging aspects of it as they arrived at the entertainment room.
"What movie do you want to see tonight, it's your turn to choose?" he said awaiting Sarah's answer.
"How about The Blues Brothers?"
"The Blues Brothers it is then." he said as he climbed the ladder to retrieve the DVD and then placed it in the player. He walked over to the food retrieval door where two turkey and two hams sandwiches with all the fixings on them were waiting for them. He put them on a tray along with some chips and two sodas and sat them on the oversized ottoman. Both he and Sarah attacked the sandwiches and ate quickly.
"I was more hungry than I thought." she stated which pleased the Doctor immensely. He would put some weight on her yet, he thought.
"What would you like for dessert?" he asked already walking to the snack bar.
"Anything chocolate." she replied, hoping he would sit next to her when he returned with the candy.
"How do you feel about fudge?" asked the Doctor as he looked at Sarah who was now almost salivating at the mention of fudge.
"Like I could eat it morning, noon and night." she replied.
"I'll take that as a yes then." he said as he put several kinds on a plate. He smiled to himself, seeing something as small as chocolate and the effect it had on Sarah. "Here you go." he said as he placed them in front of her.
Sarah took a piece right away, anxious to enjoy the sensation of the chocolate in her mouth. "This is truly the most delicious fudge I've ever had in my entire life."
"Then we'll have to make sure that we always keep a good supply ready, won't we?" he said as she shook her head in agreement.
After he and Sarah had consumed a few pieces of the fudge, Sarah sat back on the couch and snuggled into the Doctor's embrace. Halfway through the movie both the Doctor and Sarah were asleep. As the movie came to its climatic end they both awoke.
The Doctor looked down at Sarah's barely awake form and smiled. "I guess we fell asleep." he said in a low voice.
"Yea, you okay? You still look a little tired." she said in an equally low raspy voice.
"I'm fine. You?" he asked getting lost once again in her eyes.
"I'm great. Do you want to leave? I mean, I don't want to keep you from anything." she said as he moved closer, now only an inch from her face, her mouth.
"This is the only place I ever want to be." he said as he closed the distance to Sarah's lips. They kissed, letting their passion lead the way. Time passed quickly as they explored each other. The Doctor let his hands wander down Sarah's back, caressing with every touch. He picked Sarah up around her waist and sat her on his lap. He pulled back looking into her eyes, checking to make sure she was all right. She looked into his deep blue eyes and smiled her consent.
He carefully kissed her neck and continued kissing Sarah as he moved up to her jaw line, then her ears, then the nape of her neck and then working his way around to her face. He planted gentle butterfly kisses to her chin, her cheeks, her eyelids, her forehead, her nose and then back to her mouth.
Sarah was in a place she had never been before or ever thought she would be. This she decided must be what it's like to be cherished. She was so overjoyed that she thought she might explode. She wanted the Doctor, here and now. But she had told herself that it was still too soon. Still, it didn't stop the desire. She felt like her body was on fire and only he could smother the flames. She kissed him back with a passion that she never knew she was capable of.
The Doctor's level of intensity in his kissing rose as Sarah's did. He went back to kissing her neck, allowing his hands to rub up and down her sides and back. He wouldn't permit himself to go any further, it was too soon. A small moan escaped Sarah's lips and he went back to kissing her lips fast and deep. It was then that the Cloister Bells started ringing. Both the Doctor and Sarah stopped and looked at one another.
"What's that?" Sarah asked startled, unaware that such a thing existed in the Tardis.
"The Cloister Bells. I've wired them as a kind of Tardis activated sensor." he said as he was untangling himself from Sarah. "Stay here." he said as he was leaving the room.
When he reached the console room he went directly to the onscreen display. After the stint of hide and seek with the Averians and their pretense of convincing him that Gallifrey had hijacked the Tardis, he set up the Cloister Bells to use as an early warning station of sorts. Anytime the Tardis was moved without the Doctor setting the coordinates or another Tardis landed on Earth, the Cloister Bells were tripped.
"What's going on?" Sarah asked coming through the doorway.
"I thought I told you to stay put." he said without looking up.
"I was worried about you. So what's wrong?" she asked as he explained the safety system he had set up using the Cloister Bells. "So which is it?"
"I'm not sure. We haven't moved and the other Tardis that was detected has disappeared." he said confused.
"Maybe one of the Time Lords were just passing by or maybe she made a mistake." Sarah replied speaking of the Tardis.
"This circuit 'has' given me trouble in the past, maybe there was a mistake." he said cupping his chin, doubting his own words but still trying to figure it out.
"But you don't think it is. Do you?" she asked with noticeable fear in her voice, hoping they wouldn't have to face another race of aliens already.
"I don't know. I…I'm sorry this ruined our evening. I'm going to have to rewire all of this again. But I'm going to do it tomorrow. Maybe then I'll see something I didn't see tonight. It's two in the morning and you should be getting your rest. Come on I'll walk you to your room." he said placing his hand on the small of Sarah's back leading her out of the console room and praying the Cloister Bells' ringing was the result of a mistake on his part or a fluke.