((Crashed))

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

I groaned softly in pain as I began to wake up, opening my gray eyes with a whole lot of effort. Where am I? I wondered as I glanced around to examine my surroundings. And where's the Doctor? I sat up in the bed, wincing and pressing a hand to my stomach as it gave a pain sharp enough to make me gag.

"My Girl awakes," a familiar voice purred, and I sighed in relief as I recognized the voice of the TARDIS. So I was on the TARDIS, thank goodness. That was a good place to start. "I am glad."

I smiled, looking around the room. I lay on a bed in the middle of it. A screen hung on the wall nearby, connected with a thousand wires. To the right of me was a massive amount of drawers and cabinets, all obviously containing medical supplies such as bandages and medicine, those of which were set out on a counter due to the fact that they'd probably been used on my injury. "Where am I?" I questioned the TARDIS, reaching over with a grimace to pat the wall.

The TARDIS purred again. "The infirmary. My Thief was anxious, you worried him gratefully. He left moments ago to make sure the Captain didn't touch my controls."

It didn't take a genius to figure out who "the Captain" was. Looks like the TARDIS had names for everyone. "So Captain Jack's still here?" I grumbled in annoyance. I had the feeling that he was a good person, but I definitely didn't like the flirting thing he did. "How close is the infirmary to wherever the Doctor is? Where is he anyways?"

"The control room, my Girl," the TARDIS moaned, exhaustion beginning to line its tone. "The infirmary has been moved. It is the closest door to the control room. You may get up and go to my Thief if you so wish, my Girl."

I paused at this, and then said slowly, "Is it going to mess up this injury anymore?" A sound from the police box made me smile. "Alright, I get it. I'm going." I carefully swung my legs over the side of the bed, sighing in relief when I discovered I was still wearing my jacket and jeans. Being in a hospital gown would've made me want to go home, to be honest. Especially with a guy I barely know running around…actually, make that two. I gave a low sound of pain as my stomach sent a jolt through me, but eventually stood up, sighing softly as I headed towards the door.

The moment I opened the door and saw the end of the hall, just as the TARDIS had told me, I heard voices. The Doctor and Captain Jack, it appeared, were talking.

"What were you doing on Canziar?" the Doctor was asking as I leaned against the wall, cocking an eyebrow and waiting to see if they noticed me. "I know I fixed that manipulator so you couldn't wonder around space and time messing everything up."

"You can't exactly stop Torchwood," Captain Jack replied, "from creating its own devices. A friend of mine reversed the effects your sonic screwdriver did."

"Not possible," the Doctor replied without looking up from the screen he was peering at, his black frames perched once again on his nose. He ran a hand through his stylish and messy hair, thoughtful. "Is Torchwood creating new vortex manipulators?"

Captain Jack made a face and I bit my lip to keep from smiling. "No," he muttered.

"Jack…" the Doctor said warningly, glaring at the other man.

"Fine, they are, and I was testing it out since I heard there was trouble on Canziar," Captain Jack grumbled.

"You know that's not a good idea," he replied with a huff, "Give it here."

Captain Jack cradled the device on his wrist with a pout, glaring at the Doctor. "No way, I need this to get home."

"You know very well that you don't," the Doctor retorted irritably. He held out a hand. "Now give it."

As Captain Jack handed over the time vortex manipulator, I decided to announce that I was there, clearing my throat quietly as I stepped out of the hall and into the control room of the TARDIS. The Doctor immediately forgot about the manipulator (for the moment) and smiled, striding over. "Ah, you're up and about! Molto bene!"

"You speak Italian?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"The TARDIS translates everything for us," he answered with a wink. "Except for the occasion that I don't want it to. And I'm a Time Lord; I speak anything that isn't older than I or the TARDIS."

"…like that just made any sense," I said sarcastically with a sigh. "Now. What's up with the argument over that manipulator thing on Captain Jack's wrist?"

Captain Jack grinned as the Doctor moaned in frustration and cried, "Don't call him "captain" it'll only encourage him!" He whipped around to Captain Jack, who beamed at me, winking as he said, "Just Jack is fine since you're such a pretty girl."

I snorted, narrowing my eyes. "Don't try anything, Jack; I can still rip your arms off."

"Give it!" the Doctor demanded, waving at the vortex manipulator. When Jack merely huffed and didn't give it, the Doctor reached over and snatched his wrist, pinning it so that he could use his sonic screwdriver on it. When the buzzing sound stopped, Jack ripped his hand away, scowling. "I don't know why you do that every single time…"

"Because you of all people, Jack Harkness, do not need of a vortex manipulator that allows you to travel anywhere and anything," the Doctor declared, tucking his sonic screwdriver away with a satisfied look. "Now! Back to your injury!" he said, turning to me again. I couldn't help but smile at the genuine concern in his eyes. "Any bleeding at all?"

I rested a hand over my wound, patting it gently and grimacing slightly as pain flared through it. "No bleeding, but it does still hurt pretty bad."

"Good! Well, the bleeding part. Not the hurting part." I rolled my eyes at him, smiling as I shook my head in amusement. "Good, I like that word. Good. It's a nice word to suit everything that happens the way I like it," the Doctor mused. I fought the urge to groan. He was going to babble again, wasn't he? Yep, there he goes, babbling about "good" and how "good" everything he wants is.

"Uh, Doctor," Jack interrupted, and we both glanced curiously at him. He was waving at the screen of the TARDIS. "Is that bad?"

We both turned to look at the screen, and the Doctor immediately leaped into action, darting over and clutching the sides of the screen as it flashed red, mumbling under his breath, "Come on, old girl, it's just a little bumpy, get over this and we'll land on Daoya and let you rest!"

The TARDIS moaned in response, wheezing in my head, "Tired…"

I moved forward to gently touch the central column, my brow furrowed anxiously as I whispered, "I know. Just find us somewhere safe, alright?"

A blaring began to echo throughout the TARDIS, and it gave a violent jerk, knocking me straight off my feet and into the lap of Jack, who immediately smiled despite the situation. "Not now, Jack!" the Doctor yelled, struggling to remain balanced as he began pounding on something with a hammer.

"I'm not trying anything!"

"STOP HITTING HER WITH THE STUPID HAMMER!" I shrieked as the TARDIS moaned again, even whimpered. "YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE!"

Another jerk and the Doctor was knocked off of his feet, too. He gritted his teeth angrily, clinging to the railing that circled the control room. I scrambled away from Jack, crawling on my hands and knees to cling to the same railing on the other side of the room as the TARDIS nearly tilted sideways, sparks flying from the control panel and the blaring intensified. "We're crashing!" the Doctor announced. "Hold on!"

I groaned, face palming. "As if we didn't know!" I said sarcastically.

A particularly nasty jolt had me nearly slamming my face into the railing, and I squealed as I released it in favor of slamming face first into the grated floor.

"So tired…hurts..." the TARDIS sobbed, still wheezing as it began to shudder.

Biting my lip, I slipped my fingers through the hole in the grating to avoid sliding anywhere else, wincing as I felt a sharp pain slice through my side. I immediately knew that the injury had been torn back open when blood began to soak into my beloved white jacket, which still had dried blood from the first time and a hole to top it all off.

"My Girl bleeds." I blinked at the TARDIS' suddenly concerned whisper. It gave another jerk. "Hurts."

I took a moment to process what the TARDIS said, and then climbed to my hands and knees, crawling quickly over to the control panel, where the Doctor was desperately jamming buttons and shoving levers. I shoved him out of the way, resting a hand against the panel. "Don't," I rasped, voice cracking. "You're making it worse, Doctor!"

He immediately pushed past my weak attempts, snapping angrily, "I know about my ship and what it does, thanks. I'm trying to get us to land safely! Jack, press that yellow button over there!" he added. Jack slammed a palm into it and the TARDIS immediately began to tilt sideways again. I grabbed onto the control panel desperately, whimpering in pain and pressing a hand to my side.

When my hand came away, it was wet with blood.

"Doctor," I said weakly, my stomach twisting and making me want to vomit at the sight of my own blood.

"Not now," the Doctor replied, and I groaned as the lights in the TARDIS flickered. "I need to fix this so we don't crash!"

I bit my lip. Great. So I was going to die from bleeding out, or I was going to die from the TARDIS crashing. Wonderful. Wincing, I twisted slightly, searching for Jack. Okay, so he would help me, wouldn't he?

But he was assisting the Doctor, who was snapping orders at him, having him press buttons and switches that the TARDIS moaned about in my head.

I buried my face in my hands as my head spun. The TARDIS' control room spun in my head, and blood continued to leak from the bandages on my injury. Combine all of this with the blaring and the yells of the Doctor and Jack, and I was about ready to pass out.

Suddenly, there was a seriously violent jerk that sent me sprawling once again. I lay there for a few moments as everything went silent and still, trying to catch my breath. The Doctor was breathing heavily, as was Jack, as he stared at the screen, which became black.

And then he gave a bright grin, laughing breathlessly. "Good old girl," he said, patting the control panel affectionately.

I rolled onto my back, one hand pressed to my side as I stared up at the ceiling of the TARDIS, forcing myself to give a tight but faint smile, my heart pounding. "Where are we?" I rasped, tone miserable. I grimaced, and then scowled in annoyance. That idiot was going to be the death of me!

"My Girl," the TARDIS whispered faintly, her voice barely audible in my mind. I felt a flash of worry, and it didn't come from just me. It came from the both of us. The TARDIS was worried about me, I knew, and I was worried about the TARDIS. I could hear the exhaustion, the pain in the TARDIS' voice as she took comfort in the words. "My Girl."

I snorted softly. Guess two of us were half dead.

"Ah!" the Doctor said cheerfully from where he was back to examining the screen within the TARDIS. Jack was peering over his shoulder. I just lay where I was, perfectly happy not to move. "We're on Daoya just like I wanted! At least I think we are! I told you I knew what I was doing Ali- Ali?"

I shot him a dark look, furious. "Have the time now to pay attention when I'm saying I've reopened my wound?"

"Why didn't you say anything? You should've told me you were bleeding," the Doctor scolded, immediately moving over to examine the injury. I ignored him, sitting up. "We'll have to get you bandaged and into some non-bloody clothes before we go check out Daoya."

I pursed my lips to keep from snapping at him, releasing a ragged breath of fury, rubbing my temples as my side throbbed painfully. "Just…leave me alone. I can handle it myself. You two go check out the planet or wherever the hell we are." Then I added angrily, "You were too busy when I was trying to tell you, Doctor, so don't go telling me I should've told you."

The Doctor ignored me, gently examining my side. I realized what a mess now was. Yes, I said now. What a mess I am. What a mess the TARDIS is (she gave me an annoyed hiss when I thought this). What a mess the Doctor was. Damn.

"My Girl should not speak or think such words," the TARDIS garbled tiredly.

So she could hear my words in my thoughts. Much better than talking out loud to myself! Oh, hush, you. You're just as tired, you should rest before the Doctor goes insane driving again. The TARDIS rumbled, and then fell silent with a soft hiss, and I knew she'd followed my advice.

"Let's get you back to the infirmary," the Doctor decided, grasping my hand and pulling me to my feet with pursed lips. I stifled a gasp. "I'm sorry about snapping at you, I was trying to keep us from crashing."

I shrugged. "Whatever, it's fine. Help me now?"

"Of course," he answered, smiling broadly at me. "Jack," he added over his shoulder, becoming serious for a moment. "I want you to go outside, see if we're really on Daoya. You've been here before. If it isn't, come tell me. First door to the right."

"Alright, Doctor!" Jack said cheerfully. He winked at me and I glared back at him until he was ducking outside.

The Doctor helped me towards the infirmary, thoughtful as we went to it. "I've got some medicine that'll stop the bleeding for now. You'll need to make sure not to open it again until it heals, but I don't think that'll be that hard…"

"After Canziar," I retorted, "It probably will."

"It's not always like that," he protested. He paused. "Well, not most of the time." Another pause. "Well, not some of the time. You get the point!"

I couldn't help but smile as I shook my head. As much as I wanted to smack the hell out of this man, he was probably the funniest guy I've ever met. And not on purpose, either. "Alright, alright. I get it. Can you get that medicine so we can go see where Jack ran off to?"

"Yes, yes," the Doctor agreed hastily, ducking into the infirmary. I followed him inside and he began digging through cabinets and drawers for what he was looking for, completely ignoring the stuff that was already sitting out. When he caught me looking at the medicine on the counter, he explained, "That's a sedative. I had to give you one because you were thrashing about, having some nightmare or another."

I grimaced. "Can't remember what it was about, but I know what it probably was. I always used to have nightmares, when I was little. And they were always the same ones."

"Interesting," the Doctor said slowly, glancing curiously at me. "Maybe that has something to do with everyone knowing you yet we don't have a clue about what they mean…"

"…that just made no sense," I said bluntly. I winced. "Do you have that medicine yet? I'm starting to get dizzy, and I know it's not a good thing."

"Right!" the Doctor said, quickly finding what he was looking for. He handed me a small jar and I examined it curiously. "Rub a little bit of it onto the wound and it should stop the bleeding. It'll hurt though," he warned.

I smiled dryly, waving off his warning. "I've dealt with worse. You go find Jack while I do this. He's nice and all, but I think it's possible that he could get into trouble just as bad as the trouble you can get us into."

"I don't get us into-" He sighed, cutting himself off. "I'm not going to argue with you about this."

I grinned, reaching up to affectionately pat his head and tease, "Good boy, you're learning. Now go on and find that Jack, I'll come out as soon as I can. Does this place have any extra clothes I could look through?"

"Of course. The TARDIS has the universe's largest closet," the Doctor answered. "I'm sure she'll move it around for you, and then put the clothes she thinks you'll like up front. You don't come out until I get back. The last time you did, you got kidnapped." And then he was gone, ducking out of the room and out into the control room.

"My Thief is gone," the TARDIS whispered her tone one of worry.

"I know, you old police box," I said, gently touching the wall. The TARDIS purred in response, tiredly. "He'll be fine. I'm going to chase after him and knock some sense into him if he isn't."

After quickly changing the bandages wrapped around my waist and rubbing in new medicine, I stepped out of the infirmary, my white jacket draped over my arm with a pout on my face as I stared at it. My grip tightened.

My mother's jacket was ruined.

"Hey," I said softly, grabbing the TARDIS' attention with a hopeful tone. "Could you fix this? It's important."

"Anything for my Girl, but first I must rest. I have no energy to do anything of the sort after moving my closet to your right."

I grinned, relieved. "Thanks," I told the TARDIS, stepping into the closet. My jaw dropped at the sheer size of it, and I blinked as I realized clothes that looked a lot like the style I'd usually wear were in the front, just as the Doctor had said. There was a mechanical looking hamper right by the door, and I frowned, asking, "In here, right?"

"Yes, my Girl. Put your clothes in there and I will return them to your room," the TARDIS purred.

I lovingly placed my jacket in the hamper, and then began skimming through the clothes. Eventually, I decided on a pair of nice looking jeans, a soft black blouse, a white scarf, and a white fedora, keeping my black boots to go with the outfit. Stripping out of the bloody tank top and jeans, tossing them into the hamper, I grinned, quickly pulling on the fresh pair of jeans and black blouse. Pulling my hair free, I placed the black scarf around my neck. Grabbing the fedora, I said gently, "You rest and clean those when you can."

"Yes, my Girl. Be safe," the TARDIS whispered before falling silent.

I ducked out of the TARDIS, in a much better mood now that I wasn't bleeding, and placed the fedora on my head, looking around for the Doctor with a frown. Had he run off again? But then I saw him, leaning against a building across the street-well, a cobblestone path, a pout on his face. "What's wrong?" I asked, striding over to him and stuffing my hands in my pockets.

He blinked, surprise lighting his gaze, and I smirked to myself. Had he seriously not recognized me? Idiot, I thought affectionately, looking around. I frowned when I saw women in long skirts and bonnets. Men and children were in older clothes as well. "Uh, Doctor?" I questioned. "Where are we?"

The Doctor pursed his lips, pushing away from the wall to straighten to his full height, a good head taller than I was. "We didn't land on Daoya like I hoped. The TARDIS somehow got us to nineteenth century London."

I groaned, face palming. "I chose the wrong clothes to wear," I mumbled under my breath, then questioned, "Where'd Jack run off to?"

He gave a grim smile. "That's a good question."

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

A/N: Shorter than the other chapters, but that's okay. Meant to be. :D Hope you enjoyed!

KijoKuroi: Jack is one of the best; I have to agree with you on that. Rose is my favorite, but Donna's a close second. Mainly 'cause of the one episode with everyone…*trying not to write spoilers*

Maruc8: I'm glad! :D

thecrimsonnote: o3o You really think so? I'm glad you think that! As you can see, Jack is going to be in the next chapter or so, so. :D

Deviant Rose: I love writing the talks with the TARDIS. c: It's so much fun, considering that I get to practically create its personality.