SIX
They slipped along the side of the wall, finding the mouth of the white, spotless corridor. They walked round calmly enough, then took off as fast as they could.
They ran until Fergus stopped them, and then they just looked at each other expectantly. They waited impatiently for a few minutes, then then Fergus looked back down the corridor.
"What do yi think he's doing noe?" he asked gingerly.
"Making trouble," she sighed, folding her arms.
"Scuse me fae asking, hen, but would you be the girl who met Shakespeare?" he asked suddenly.
"Yeah, that was me," she said, surprised.
"Oh, Ah see," he said reasonably, and she blinked.
"Why, what's he told you?" she asked hotly.
"Oh, nothing, nothing, don't you worry," he said quickly, lifting his hands in apology. "Ah'm just… trying to put things tigether here."
"Like what?" she asked.
"Well we got stuck here cos he wanted to look in the museum. He said a few times that… well, he said if Martha had been thir, we wouldnae huv been caught. So… You wir always the one stopping him getting in trouble?"
"I suppose. Sometimes," she allowed. He looked at her now, beyond curious.
"So, Ah huv tae ask, I'm sorry, pet. But… Why did yi go home? How come yi didnae want to stae?"
She sighed, leaning back against the white wall and looking up at the ceiling.
"I have family, Fergus. And… we'd been through a lot. I just… I just couldn't have left them there." She looked at him now. "Where's your family? Don't they worry about you?"
"Naw, Ah don't huv anyone," he said slowly. "All gone. Car accident when Ah was an ankle-biter, hen. It's been just me fir… a long time."
"Oh. Sorry," she said quietly. "But what about your girlfriend? She must be annoyed you're never home?"
"Well if Ah had one, I s'pose she'd be pretty pissed off, yeah," he allowed with a smile. "Except, well, you and Ah know it doesnae matter, cos he can just put you back the same time yi left, ken?"
"Oh yeah," she grinned. "So… You enjoying life in the TARDIS?"
"Pretty much. Ah think Ah've had a good influence on him," he winked, and she chuckled.
"Does he still leave dirty teaspoons in the sink?"
"Every day. Did he used to leave his shoes all over the floor?"
"Oh, did he!" he giggled. Fergus nodded slowly, his smile fading.
"I worry about him, sometimes."
"Yeah," she said quietly. "But that's all he needs, someone to worry about him – sometimes."
"Yeah."
They heard a slapping, banging noise and popped their heads around the corner in the corridor.
The Doctor was stampeding down it like his life depended on it. Which it probably did, as the beings following him were firing small, handheld weapons at his back.
"Open the door!" he shouted desperately. "Run for the TARDIS!"
Fergus jumped back round and screwdrivered the exit door open. He grabbed Martha's arm and they raced out into the freezing air.
All was black, and Martha suddenly wondered how they were going to even find the blue box.
"This wae!" Fergus shouted, his breath steaming. Martha held onto him but looked back.
"Doctor! We're over here!" she called.
"Well don't tell everyone!" he shouted angrily from somewhere in the dark.
Fergus simply pulled her and they flew on. She suddenly made out a dim shape, larger than her, and grinned through her panting in the biting, cold air.
She let go of Fergus to scrabble for her key. They slammed into the door, Martha jamming her key in the lock as green bolts of light and sound thunked into the wood next to her head.
"Oi!" she shouted angrily. She twisted the key and they fell into the open door. The light spilled out, illuminating the snow and grass.
The Doctor was still pounding towards them. Martha looked at Fergus.
"Can you fly this thing?"
"No! Can't you?" he asked desperately.
"Do you know how to start it up? Prep it?" she demanded.
"No!"
She stepped aside as the Time Lord came flying in through the door. He didn't stop, just barrelled on up the ramp. Martha slammed the door and her fingers slid over the lock. She snapped on the hardiest, most impenetrable defence in the known universe: the Chubb lock.
Noises and shouts echoed outside the door, but the Doctor didn't notice. Fergus ran up the ramp after him.
"If yi'd tell't me hoe, Ah could huv started her up!" he accused.
"Wait," the Doctor barked.
Fergus looked at him more closely. He stood back one slowly, gingerly. He watched the Doctor slide and push levers, one hand grasping the console painfully.
"What did yi do?" he asked, turning and tipping a hand at Martha quickly. She noticed and came up the ramp.
"Caused a temporary fault in the shields," the Doctor barked, but Martha heard his breathlessness. "We can leave and not get bounced back to this destination!"
She approached the main grating as he slapped a large lever down. The Time Rotor jumped up and began to move. The Doctor was grasping the console in both hands now, his face white, sweat running down the underside of his chin.
"Doctor?" Martha blurted, running over and grabbing his arm. She prized him off the console, looking at Fergus. "Help me!" she demanded.
The bewildered Scot grabbed the Doctor's other arm, helping Martha lower him to the grating slowly.
"Doctor?" she said, bending over him and opening an eye, looking in. She leaned back and slapped at his pallid face. He gasped instantly and opened his eyes. She grabbed onto his face to keep her in his line of sight, noticing the sweat despite his cold skin.
"'S just – just the – coating," he managed, and Martha tutted.
"I told you not to go off like you were," she said darkly.
"What's wrong wi' him?" Fergus demanded, alarmed.
"A little allergic reaction, not too bad," she said firmly. She looked up at him. "Get the kettle on. Do you still have the large urn under the sink in the kitchen?"
"Galley," the Doctor interrupted.
"Whatever!" she cried, annoyed.
"Aye, yir wanting me to fill it?"
"Yes. Strongest tea you have," she said, putting her hands under the Doctor's shoulders and lifting him to sit. He clutched at her arm tightly. "He's still got a trace amount of that toxin and running around using all lungs and hearts to capacity has not helped."
"Right," Fergus said, helping her to get him to his feet. "So yi'd be the doctor friend he talked about?"
"Does he talk about me?" she asked, yanking one of the Time Lord's arms over her shoulder. Fergus did the same, and they began to walk him toward the doorway to the corridor.
"Aye, hen. Says he's had a fair few friends, but I get the feeling yir one o' his favourites," he said kindly.
"I'm surprised he doesn't bang on about Rose the whole time," she said flippantly.
"Who?" Fergus asked. Martha bit her lip.
"Blogging again," the Doctor heaved, and Martha grinned.
"Alright mister, no need to get upset. You're going to bed, and we're making the tea."
"Oh blimey," he breathed, then let his head roll blindly to his left. "Mister Campbell?"
"Aye, Skipper?"
"Make sure she warms the urn first."
"Aye-aye," he said cheekily.
THE END