oOo
"Wicker," Tegan announced, looking around appreciatively. "Victorian?"
"Yes, my first self was rather a fiend for that particular era," the Doctor replied, his gaze resting on the furniture, still looking as fresh and new as the day he'd acquired it. A white wicker bassinet, changing table and dresser, and a beautiful wooden crib in one corner, with soft white blankets, a cheerful blue throw rug in the middle of the room...exactly as he remembered it, now that he chose to bring those memories forth. Instead of the usual TARDIS roundel-indented walls, there was white wainscoting, white chair-rail, and walls painted a soft blue. Blue was the Victorian color for girls, he recalled fondly, but it would do just as well for John.
Tegan was poking around, making approving noises as she found nappies and clothing and a small trash bin next to the changing table. She opened one of the room's three doors to find a closet, and the next one was revealed to open into a small bedroom with a private bathroom off that. "I know where I'll be sleeping," she announced, leaving the door open and placing John on the changing table. She leaned down and kissed him on the nose. "Time for you to remember what it's like to wear pajamas to bed, my lad."
Her son was remarkably calm throughout the entire changing-diapering-powdering process, which the Doctor observed with interest. Tegan moved quickly and efficiently, not giving her son time to protest had he been so inclined, but the boy's half-closed eyes were fully closed by the time she finished. She gently placed him in the crib, gazing down at him lovingly before finally, reluctantly turning away.
The Doctor held up his hand, in which a small device rested. "This," he announced, "is a portable monitor. You'll be able to hear him even if--I mean when, you leave the TARDIS." He looked surprised at himself for forgetting that she wasn't staying more than a single night, but she appreciated the effort and took the small device. It attached easily to the waist of her sarong, but she pulled it off immediately.
"A problem?" the Doctor asked.
She plucked at the edges of the colorful cloth. "This. It's time for some proper clothes, maybe a quick trip to the Wardrobe room before I plunge into that sinful looking bath tub?"
"No need," he said, pleased to be able to offer her one last gift. "I've still got your clothes from before, since you never took them with you. They're in the dresser, along with some of your things from Terminus, if you'd rather wear them."
"A black leather mini doesn't seem to fit with motherhood," Tegan grinned, "but I appreciate the effort." She unsuccessfully stifled a yawn. "Goodness, I guess I'll be ready for bed after that bath."
The Doctor cleared his throat. "Ah. Well, then. I guess this is good-night." He tentatively held out a hand. Tegan looked at it for a long moment, remembering offering him the same gesture when she left (fled) the TARDIS all those years ago. Then she did something she wished she'd had the courage to do then; she stepped forward, took his hands in hers, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. It had seemed too presumptuous at the time, in spite of (because of?) her feelings for him, but now, it felt…right.
"Good night," she whispered, stepping back. She waited until he left the room before heading for the bath she was longing for, refusing to give in to her desire to ask him to join her. Right now, she needed to wash the Master's filth off her more than anything else. If only she could wash the memories away as well…
oOo
The Doctor frowned as he strode down the corridor. Wasn't there something he'd forgotten to do, to say, before saying good-night to Tegan? If there had been, that unexpected kiss had certainly tossed it out of his mind, never mind that it had been nothing but a sisterly peck on the cheek. He touched the spot absently, fancying he could still feel it burning, then snatched his fingers away in irritation. How could she still have such an effect on him, even after all this time? Well, not so much time for him, actually, but enough that he certainly should have been able to control his reactions better. But then, she'd always been able to get to him, either by arguing or by her mere proximity. Not something any Time Lord would be proud to admit, but there you had it.
He almost passed by the small kitchen, lost in his disturbing thoughts, then stopped and back-tracked the few steps to peer inside. Yes, this was the one; he hadn't seen it since Susan was a baby, but then, it hadn't been needed since then. But there it was now, produced like a rabbit out of the TARDIS' technological hat, the one with the bottle scrubber and--he peeked into one of the cabinets--yes, jars of baby food and formula, bottles and nipples and all the paraphernalia necessary for keeping a baby fed. "I'll just pop back and let Tegan know where it is," he told himself. It was the only reason for retracing his steps back to the nursery, of course; if there was another reason, he buried it firmly in his subconscious.
"She won't have had time to do more than run the water," he said aloud, again refusing to allow the enticing images of Tegan preparing for a bath do more than surface and vanish in his mind. "I'll just let her know and be on my way."
But the nursery was empty save the sleeping John. He knocked softly at her half-open bedroom door, alarmed at not hearing the sound of running water he'd expected, wondering if she'd simply fallen asleep instead, but the room was empty. So was the bathroom, when he'd gathered enough courage to peek in there, but the silky green robe he'd left hanging on the hook was gone and her sarong lay in a colorful heap on the floor, so she'd at least started the bath before leaving the room for whatever unknown reason.
Not quite alarmed, but not steady in his mind either, he exited the room after giving John one last look-over. He was sleeping, one thumb resting against his lower lip, breathing steadily. "Keep an eye on him, old girl," the Doctor murmured quietly to the TARDIS, then left the room, trying to figure out where Tegan could have gone.