As the Doctor blearily blinked his eyes open, his field of vision contained nothing but red sands and dirt. Lifting his head, he found he was lying prone on the ground. He felt groggy, almost as if he'd just been rudely awakened from a long nap.
"Oh, my word," he muttered to himself, "what in heaven's name happened?" Sitting up straight, he gazed down at his hands, feeling utterly confused.
He froze and his eyes widened as it suddenly hit him: Once they'd landed on this planet they had left the TARDIS and begun exploring. He'd spotted a small cluster of buildings, almost resembling a settlement of some sort. He'd headed off in that direction, Jamie and Zoe behind him, when he felt something odd. It seemed like a disturbance in the atmosphere, similar to what one might feel on Earth at the start of a thunderstorm, or even a solar storm. He then felt a strange, rippling sensation —perhaps an energy surge —which had knocked him off his feet. He must have fallen on his head and was knocked out.
He felt the back of his head and then tested his arms and legs. Good. He was unharmed physically apart from the quite understandable grogginess and confusion.
His mind then immediately shifted to his young companions and he quickly got to his feet. "Jamie, Zoe, did either of you feel th …"
His voice died in his throat as he turned around, discovering no one there.
He frantically looked around. "Jamie? Zoe?"
Could they have hidden somewhere? Perhaps when the rippling sensation began, Jamie had grabbed Zoe and looked for shelter in which to hide.
But that was impossible. There was nothing as far as the eye could see.
That is, until he spotted a collection of large, red boulders standing in a haphazard arrangement. The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he studied them. Large and very similar in appearance to sandstone, they looked like something that could act as a good windbreak.
Or hiding spot.
A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he quickly headed in their direction.
A careful search of the structure turned up fruitless. There was no sign of his companions.
But where could they have gone, then?
"Jamie?! Zoe?! This isn't funny! Come out, wherever you are!" he called frantically.
Having received no answer, he sighed in frustration. A thought began to twitch at the back of his mind. Could they already have made for the group of buildings he'd spotted? Yes, that certainly wasn't out of the question. Perhaps they hadn't even seen the outcropping of rocks, and Zoe had suggested seeking shelter or even help at those buildings. He thought they were quite a distance away, but anything seemed possible. He just needed to orient himself in the direction in which he'd spotted that cluster of buildings…
If he could only remember …
With the sun finally beginning to set and darkness sweeping over the landscape, Zoe looked up from the pamphlet she was given to peruse at the lab. After all that had happened today, she was getting quite tired and decided it would be a good time to get some sleep.
Jamie suddenly exited the room, looking a bit dismayed.
The petite astrophysicist arched an eyebrow at him. "I thought you were turning in."
"Oh, aye. But, weel, there's one wee problem."
"What's that?"
"Ye'll see." He gestured for her to join him inside the sleeping quarters. Zoe blinked as she took in the interior. It was sparsely but tastefully decorated with a small, upholstered chair, a writing desk, a chest of drawers, dressing table, and a closet.
She shrugged, not finding anything remarkable about it until her eyes fixed upon a double bed with two pillows and simple, pale blue linens.
The only bed in the room.
"Ah," was all Zoe said. She turned to Jamie. "Well, if you don't mind, I don't mind."
"Nae, you sleep in the bed. I'll take the chair."
Zoe wrinkled her nose as she studied the piece of furniture. "Are you sure? Look how small it is."
"I'll be fine. I've slept on worse."
The petite scientist frowned but then sighed in resignation. "Alright. If that's how you want it …"
"Aye."
Not having any nightclothes to change into, Zoe simply headed for the bathroom, smiling as she found a pair of wrapped toothbrushes and an unopened tube of toothpaste. After brushing her teeth, she returned to the bedroom and settled into the bed. She was surprised to find it more comfortable than she was expecting, almost like a cloud but with plenty of support.
She was nearly about to drift off to sleep when her gaze suddenly picked out Jamie curled up rather uncomfortably in the chair. A slight frown wrinkled her brow and she had the urge to ask if he was alright but quickly decided against it, knowing the response she'd get.
"Good night, Jamie," she told him instead.
"G'night, Zoe," he returned sleepily.
Zoe's frown faded, replaced by a warm smile. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but hoped it would bring them closer to finding the Doctor.
Those were her last thoughts before she drifted off into peaceful slumber.
Frowning deeply, the Doctor began to scratch the top of his head as he tried hard to figure out the whereabouts of his companions. He originally speculated they had made for that group of buildings, but if that were the case he surely would have seen or heard them run away. And there were no footprints he could see.
He paced back and forth. Where would he even begin to solve this mystery? Where could they have gone? They couldn't have just disappeared!
Could they?
His thoughts shifted to the rippling sensation he had felt, still trying to get some idea of what it could have been. He frantically searched his mind. Had he ever experienced anything like this before on some other planet? Out of all the worlds he had visited, there had to be at least one somewhere, sometime.
"Think, you old fool, think," he muttered to himself, "energy surges, magnetic storms, planetary shift …"
He suddenly froze, his lips lifting into a hopeful smile. There was that time on Praxalia Fourteen, when …
His smile turned into a deep, startled frown and he shut his eyes. His granddaughter, Susan, had been with him at the time, and obviously hadn't disappeared.
He sunk back into the red sands, growling in frustration. This was going to take some time.
Having disembarked from the hypersonic craft —a craft whose design and function she found quite impressive — Zoe followed Jamie up the stairs of the mess hall's basement complex. She smiled. After having slept remarkably well, she was quite hungry and curious to see what they offered for breakfast. If dinner was anything to go by, it should not disappoint.
As they climbed the stairs, her gaze settled onto Jamie. From outward appearances it seemed he hadn't slept as well as she had last night, especially in the way he was rolling his shoulders and wincing slightly.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
In the brief moment he turned to her, the Highlander seemed surprised by her question. "Aye, 'm fine," he soon replied dismissively, obviously covering it up with a slight shrug.
Zoe's eyes narrowed skeptically but she then nodded.
"Weel, let's get somethin' tae eat, then. I'm fair famished," he continued. Zoe grinned to herself. Was there ever a time he wasn't famished?
Breakfast ended up being quite good, if efficient. Jamie didn't seem too happy about the size of the meal, but it was rich in complex carbohydrates and protein that would give them enough energy for the day.
And it turned out that they had needed it, because work started immediately after.
Most of the day was spent receiving an in-depth introduction of their horizontal drilling techniques and sample collection process.
Zoe had listened attentively and had taken copious notes. At the same time, however, she was ruefully aware that what she was finding fascinating, Jamie was finding tedious in equal measures. Zoe glanced over to see his eyes glazing over, as if he were about to fall asleep. Zoe surreptitiously dug her elbow into his ribs —and none too gently. That had earned her a glare from the Highlander.
"What?" he demanded a little too loudly.
"Focus," she hissed.
"Do you have a question, Dr. Galliwup?" The lead scientist peered disapprovingly over his glasses at Jamie, reminding him of Laird McLaren's son's tutor, who had come all the way from Edinburgh. He never wore a kilt and considered Jamie a nuisance.
"N-no, sir. Carry on."
Zoe apologized for the jab as soon as they got back to their quarters at the end of the day, but reminded him that a renowned scientist would appear at least a little interested in the application of his methods.
Zoe sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yes, it had been a long day, but a productive one.
She watched Jamie emerge from the bathroom and make his way over to the chair, getting ready to curl back into it.
The petite scientist gazed at him in concern.
How much longer is he going to keep this up?
"Jamie, you can't sleep on that again, it's too uncomfortable. I saw you fussing with your back and shoulders nearly the whole day."
"I'd rather ye be comfortable."
The petite scientist frowned. "Why can't we just share the bed?"
Jamie gaped at her. "Eh? Share the bed?!"
"Yes! Why are you so shocked? There's nothing wrong with what I proposed."
"Oh, yes there is!" Jamie retorted, nearly scoffing in disbelief. "We're nae wed!"
"We don't have to be married to share a bed." Jamie's eyes widened and he uttered a strangled sound. Zoe rolled her eyes in frustration. "Oh, knock it off, Jamie. I'm not looking at it from the perspective of morality. It's merely good logic. I'm only thinking of your health and comfort."
Jamie merely grumbled and refused to look at her as he retained his defiant stance, arms folded across his chest.
Nearing him, she tried a different tactic. "You need to be healthy and well rested. I may be smart, but it's not enough to find the Doctor. I need your strength, your resourcefulness and your practicality."
It worked. Jamie's posture loosened up and he sighed. "Alright," he replied, turning to meet her gaze. "But no touchin' at all. An' I'm stayin' above the covers."
"You'll get cold," Zoe said with another frown.
"I'll be fine."
Refusing to fight him on it, she sighed. "Alright, then."
She pulled the covers up to her chest and turned to see Jamie staying firmly above them, arms folded across his chest.
"Good night, Jamie," she murmured. She looked over at him again. "Are you sure you—"
"I'm fine," he insisted.
Zoe nodded tiredly. "Right. Goodnight."
The Highlander grunted in reply.
Zoe grinned inwardly at his response before she drifted off to sleep.
She wasn't sure what time it was when she suddenly awakened, her throat parched. Deciding she needed a drink of water, she quietly slipped out of bed so as not to wake Jamie and padded over to the bathroom.
She downed the water in her cup in one gulp and then replaced it on the bedside table. As she climbed back into bed, she turned to find Jamie curled up, looking as if he were cold. Zoe frowned and, ignoring his wish to remain above the covers, managed to pull the sheet out from under him and cover him with it.
Half asleep, the Highlander offered no protest. He merely stirred slightly and uttered a soft sigh. Zoe smiled.
Settling back under the sheet herself, she laid still, waiting for sleep to take her once again. Her brain refused to cooperate and she groaned. It was as if a switch had been flipped, allowing her overactive mind to ruminate and devise theories. In this case, she tried hard to figure out exactly what had happened to the Doctor. Why couldn't she easily formulate some theories? Everything was a jumbled mess.
On top of that, she had also begun to worry that Jamie himself would suddenly disappear. She knew it sounded irrational, but the way the Doctor disappeared wasn't exactly rational itself. What if Jamie himself would suddenly vanish into thin air—leaving her all alone to go mad over where both her companions had gone and how to get them back?
She stifled a cry of frustration. In the darkness, she rolled over to make sure Jamie was still there. Her gaze picking out his still form, she allowed herself a small sigh of relief. She then scooted a bit closer, reaching out to touch him. She knew he'd object, but merely seeing him wasn't enough. Being asleep, he wouldn't feel it anyway. Stretching out her hand, she was met with a mass of thick hair. Unable to see him well in the dark, she allowed her hand to travel down a bit until she felt cool skin. She flushed as she realized her fingers had closed around his nose.
Jamie snorted and then lifted his head off the pillow, coughing.
Zoe tensed up and tried earnestly to move away from him, but he had managed to catch her.
"Zoe?" he whispered groggily. "What're ye doin'?"
"I-I," she stuttered, avoiding his gaze. "I was just … making sure you were still there."
Jamie blinked blearily at her. "Of course I'm still here. Where would I be goin'?"
Zoe sighed. "I'm sorry, Jamie. After the way the Doctor disappeared, I can't help it. I've been going mad trying to figure out what's happened to him and it's keeping me awake. I can't come up with anything." Her Cupid bow lips formed a slight pout as she gazed upon him with large, worried eyes. "And I don't want to lose you, either."
"Och, Zoe …" She heard Jamie sigh softly as he neared her. In the darkness, she could just barely make out the concerned expression on his face.
"I know ye're worried aboot the Doctor. I am, too. But I know we'll find him. Ye're such a canny lass. Yer smarts have come through fer more times than I can count. I know ye'll come up wi' somethin'."
Zoe's gaze flew down to her hand fidgeting on the pillow and she nodded. She then felt Jamie give her a slight nudge.
His smile was soft and reassuring. "And dinnae worry, I'm not goin' anywhere." He neared a bit closer and put an arm around her.
Confusion slightly furrowed the petite scientist's brow. "But I thought you said —"
"Forget it. Jis' this once."
Zoe smiled, snuggling a little deeper. She observed the slow rise and fall of his chest for a brief moment and soon drifted off to sleep.