Chapter Four

As soon as the Secrafura had disappeared, Bill dropped to her knees beside the Doctor. He was on his back, breath fast and stunted. Bill shook him by both shoulders.

"Doctor? Wake up," she said, a plea more than an order.

The Doctor's eyelids fluttered as his mind struggled through the fog of unconsciousness. Otherwise, however, he did not stir.

Bill bit her lip and watched him for another moment. Then she shook his arm again.

"Come on Doctor," she murmured, "What did that thing do to you?"

Without anything to distract herself, she thought over the possibilities. What if his brain was damaged? Or he was in some sort of coma? Did Timelords have comas?

Bill shook the questions out of her head. Freaking herself out wasn't going to solve anything. Instead, she focused on what she did know.

"Okay. You're breathing." She placed two fingers on the pulse in his neck. "Your hearts are racing."

The Doctor muttered something and Bill leaned in closer to his face.

"Doctor?"

His eyelids fluttered again. Bill squeezed his hand with both of her own.

"Can you wake up for me?"

His head shifted, eyebrows twitching. When at last his eyes opened, bleary and unfocused, Bill's smile spread across her face.

"Bill," he said, his voice thick.

Bill threw her arms around him. She cradled his head against her shoulder and rocked forward and back, even more relieved than she had imagined she would be. Feeling her nerves give in, she let a few tears fall down her face.

"I thought you might never wake up. Or your brain might've been damaged or something."

The Doctor put a shaky hand on her back.

"I'm alright," he murmured.

They stayed like that for a few moments until the door opened again. This time, a familiar pair of cyborg feet shuffled into the room. Before Bill could raise her head, Nardole's arms had wrapped them both in a bear hug.

When at last Nardole pulled away, he looked from Bill to the Doctor. "Okay. What happened?"

The Doctor sat up straighter, wincing and then trying to hide it with a smile. "I met our monster. He wanted to know some of my secrets."

Nardole nodded. "So you told them to him without a fight and he went on his merry way?" he tried.

The Doctor looked at the floor sheepishly.

Bill said, "Well, not exactly. You know. There were some…hitches."

The Doctor rubbed his temples and groaned, shutting his eyes.

"Sir, are you alright?" Nardole asked, shifting closer. The Doctor batted his hand away.

"Fine. Just a little headache."

Nardole watched him with a frown but didn't reply. "So where's the monster now?"

The Doctor lowered his hands. "Gone. Bill...Bill saved the day."

Nardole smiled at Bill. "Hey hey! Nice."

They high fived.

Bill brushed it off with a shrug. "I just didn't put up a fight. Unlike some people, I don't push people away so much."

The Doctor smirked, but a darkness crept into his eyes. "I couldn't tell my secrets. I know things...dangerous things that I can't tell anyone. Secrets I must keep."

Nardole patted him on the back. "We know, Doctor. You did good."

The Doctor shut his eyes again. "I don't feel so good."

He grunted and brought up a hand to cover his face. Nardole put a hand on his chest and back.

"Why don't you lie back and relax for a mo'?"

'M fine," the Doctor muttered.

"Doctor," Bill added, "That thing was basically torturing you. Let us help out."

The Doctor sighed and shut his eyes, too tired to fight any more. Nardole supported him as he lie back down, and then placed his jacket under the Doctor's head as a pillow.

"Nighty night, Doctor."

"Nighty night, Nardole," the Doctor murmured.

Nardole and Bill gave each other the widest smiles they had ever shared.

. . .

The Doctor leaned back on one of the railings in the TARDIS console room, trying to avoid Bill's sharp eye. Nardole was off on a trip to the canteen to find them some supper, so he had no escape route or punching bag to throw his quick jokes off of. All he had was his his student's crossed arms and close watch, following him along wherever his mind went.

When he made the mistake of looking up, Bill capitalized on it.

"What did we learn today?"

Her eyes held his deer-in-headlights stare without blinking. He pondered asking how she did that, but thought better of it.

"You know I'm your professor, right?" He asked, drifting his eyes toward the console controls. If he could just reach them and mention going on a trip somewhere…

"What did we learn today?"

Bill's voice held a quality he couldn't name. It was caring and powerful at the same time. Young and wise. Terrifying and heartwarming.

"You remind me of someone."

"Who?" Bill relented, too curious to pass up knowledge of the Doctor's past.

He shook his head. "I don't remember. Hey," he pushed away from the railing and went to the handbrake. "I have a wonderful place picked out. Diamonds and jewels from all over the universe."

Bill's eyes sparkled for a second, but her arms remained crossed. Just after the Doctor lifted the brake with a boyish grin, Bill pulled it right back down.

Deflated, the Doctor glanced to the floor.

"Doctor," Bill prodded.

"Okay." He took a deep breath. "I...need to open up a bit more. Not necessarily to shifty aliens."

"Of course not."

He met her eyes and, for once, didn't look away. "But...you. And Nardole."

Bill nodded, satisfied. "Thank you."

She took a step forward and the Doctor instinctively stiffened.

"Hug? Just this once?"

The Doctor relaxed and gave her a small smile. "Okay. Since Nardole isn't here."

Bill pulled him close to herself, burying her face in his shoulder, as he tentatively put his hands on her back. For a moment they stayed just like this. The Doctor even enjoyed it a bit. He felt the weight in his hearts lessen.

Then the TARDIS doors opened.

"Aw, what's this?"

The Doctor flinched back, but Bill held him tighter.

"Doctor," she said firmly. "Come on. You're doing great."

He sighed and opened up one of his arms.

"Come on Nardole. Group…" he sighed again, rolling his eyes. "Group hug."

Nardole joined their embrace with a wide grin. Bill, also, smiled broadly as she held onto her two best friends, safe in the TARDIS from any dangers of Earth or any other planet.

And as they stood there, arms around each other, time seemed to stand still.

The Doctor's lips turned upward, a gentle smile spreading across his face.

Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed. It means the world to me to hear from you guys.