Vignette 7: Seeds of Something, Part 2
…..
Jamie held his smarting head where the Ice Warrior had clipped him. Gia was able to buy him some time as he recovered his senses by confronting it. It easily tossed her aside and made for the waking Doctor again. Jamie pushed himself off the wall where he had been leaning and lunged for the warrior, but it caught him by the wrists with its pincer-like hands. Jamie winced and arched his back as searing pain shot up his arms and the Ice Warrior grip became tighter, and tighter. He was sure it was about to snap his wrists in two.
Suddenly, it let go and began to sink slowly to the ground, finally landing with a thud. The room had grown noticeably warmer.
"Well done, Jamie!" The Doctor panted, easing himself up off the table with Gia's help.
"Are you alright?" Gia asked.
"Yes—uh, I think so … but I'm a bit dizzy, it's awfully hot in here."
"Aye, lucky fer us," Jamie said, nursing his injured wrists. "Zoe and Phipps turned th' heatin' up jist in time."
The Doctor gripped his arm, unsteadily. "What? Wh-where are they now?"
"They went through the maintenance tunnel through the control room—" Gia began, but was cut off by the Doctor's jubilant exclamation as Zoe came out through the opening, her face blossoming into a beautiful smile on seeing him up and about.
"Oh, Doctor!" She rushed forward, arms outstretched heading straight toward him. Jamie automatically opened his arms to her, but realized in the next second what he was doing and quickly went back to massaging his wrists, hoping no one noticed.
Zoe enveloped the Doctor in a tight hug and Jamie felt a stab of annoyance.
The Doctor held her in return, expelling a sigh of relief. He gave her a little spin and the pair almost pushed Jamie, who was standing right behind them, into the back wall.
"Are you alright?" Zoe said looking up into the older man's face, her eyebrows puckered in sweet concern.
"I think so."
Jamie put a hand on Zoe's shoulder. "Where's Phipps?"
"He's dead. An Ice Warrior killed him." The new quartet collectively groaned.
"Then how did you manage to escape?" Gia asked before Jamie could.
"That other man helped me."
Gia looked incredulous. "Fewsham? I thought he was working for them!"
"He saved my life."
Jamie's stomach clenched.
"Doesn't sound much like Fewsham …" Gia said cynically.
"I wouldn't know. What I do know is if he hadn't thrown himself at that Ice Warrior … it doesn't bear thinking."
"Och, I knew I should've gone with ye!"
Gia clapped her hands lightly together with an air of finality. "Well, it's over now and you can both stop worrying about each other."
"Eh?"
Gia's mouth twitched. "While you were away Miss Heriot was pacing in front of the maintenance tunnel just like you, Mr. MacCrimmon. I could hardly get her to do anything else."
Jamie recovered first and shot Zoe a teasing look, but she wasn't looking. He lightly elbowed her. "Och, I dinnae know ye cared."
Instead of an embarrassed flush or an answering grin Zoe turned to him and gave him a long devastated look.
"Of course I care …"
Confusion and alarm shot through Jamie. What was this reaction?
The Doctor patted his face with his kerchief. "I, uh, think we should be heading back to the T-Mat before more Warriors come in search of their brothers."
…..
As the quartet made their way back to the main control room Jamie walked beside the Doctor, studying the way Zoe stiffly walked in front, beside Gia.
"Wha' did I say?" Jamie hissed to the Doctor while absently rubbing his still aching wrists.
"I do not think it has to do completely with you, Jamie …"
When they met up with Fewsham the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe were quickly bundled into T-Mat. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, the T-Mat being designed for really only one person at a time—max two—but not three.
"Jamie, you're on my foot!"
"Weel, I'll thank ye tae get your wee elbow out o' my ribs!"
"And I'd thank you both to stop jostling," the Doctor snapped. "This will only take a second!"
And indeed in the next second they were back in Earth Control. Commander Radnor had to open the door for them because, in their press, no one could open it themselves. He jumped back as the trio came tumbling out. Jamie instinctively grabbed Zoe as they fell, pulling her on top of him. Gia Kelly followed immediately and nearly tripped on them.
The Doctor recovered first. "Are you alright, Zoe?" he panted, holding out his hand. She took it and used her other hand to push off Jamie's chest.
"No thanks to Jamie."
Jamie glared up at her, ignoring still lingering sensations.
"Yes thanks tae me, I cushioned yer fall!"
"You made me fall!"
"Enough, enough," the Doctor said wearily. The pair stopped, looking like two guilty puppies.
Reunited with the team on Earth Control they learned the Ice Warriors, via T-Mat had made their way to Earth, along with their deadly seed pods. Fewsham had promised to follow using the Time Switch but when he did not appear Gia Kelly went to the Earth Control panel and found it was out-of-order as she had originally thought. He had lied.
"He's obviously working for them!" said Gia.
"Then why did he let us escape?" Quered the Doctor.
"Och, who knows?" Jamie said wearily. "D'ye have anythin' tae eat or drink 'round here? I'm starvin'."
"Yes, of course," Gia said. "Follow me."
Jamie glanced back at the Doctor who was in conference with the higher-ups of the Earth Station.
"Don't you see, gentlemen? The invasion of Moonbase, the taking over of T-Mat, the seed pods, the arrival of the Ice Warrior, they're all part of the same plan …"
….
Gia led Zoe and Jamie to the break room. It was less of a room and more of a partitioned space, separated from the rest of the Station by a plexi-glass wall, decorated with a futuristic Chinoiserie pattern.
Gia opened an ebony black cabinet from which she pulled out two milk-bottle type vessels capped with foil. She handed one to Jame and one to Zoe along with two thin straws.
"Shake them for sixty seconds first, then pierce the foil with the straw and drink."
"Jist a drink? Nae food?"
"These are especially formulated protein drinks. It will give you all the nutrients you need and satisfy your hunger."
"Doesnae anybody eat real food in the future?" Jamie whined to Zoe.
"Just drink it, Jamie."
Zoe had been quiet up to that point.
The trio plopped themselves down in the break room chairs. To Jamie's delight, the stem of the seat had a slight bend to it and swiveled.
Jamie took a sip and swallowed. He closed one eye and smacked his lips "It's a bit like drinkin' brose."
"What's brose?" Zoe asked.
"It's a mix o' water an' oats, good fer when ye dinnae have time to stop an' eat. I prefer Atholl brose, mesel'." He gave Zoe a roguish wink. "It's made wi' whiskey."
Jamie was glad to see Zoe smile and roll her eyes—whatever mood she had been in seemed to have passed.
"Do your people eat anything that doesn't involve oats?" She asked.
Jamie looked naturally affronted. "O' course we do!"
"Like what?"
Jamie lifted his eyes to the ceiling as he ran through his limited mental catalog of Scottish victuals. "Weel ... ah …"
"Thought so."
Ignoring Jamie's glare, Zoe took a sip of her own drink. Not bad. She had similar drinks on the Wheel. She then looked to Gia who had settled in a chair near them, bent over a clipboard.
"I'm filling out a report about what happened on Moonbase," Gia said in answer to Zoe's inquiry. "Including a write-up of Fewsham."
"But why did Fewsham stay on the Moon?" Zoe asked.
"Isn't it obvious? He was too afraid to come back here and face an enquiry."
"But he wasn't too afraid to stay up there with the Ice Warriors. Given the choice I know which I'd rather face."
"Aye …"
"I have no time to worry about Fewsham. We must find a way to get T-Mat working."
"But I thought it was working again now."
"It is working," Gia said, not looking up from her form. "It's still controlled from the Moon, we must find a way of controlling it from the Earth."
"Don't you need the Moon as a relay?"
"There might be a way …" Gia made one last stroke with her pen then rose and gave the pair an encouraging smile. "I must talk to Colonel Radner about it." With that, she left them.
Jamie straightened in his chair, scooting slightly closer.
"Zoe, look … D'ye really think he knows what he's doin', messin' wi' tha' foam stuff?"
"Oh, don't worry, Jamie," she said with confidence. "He'll be alright."
"Oh, aye …"
They both went back to their drinks, another moment of silence engulfing them. Zoe studied her shoes.
"I dinnae know ye cared …" in her memory Jamie's voice transposed over Leo Ryan's. "Do you even care what happens to us?" Pain squeezed her heart again.
"Of course I care …"
It struck her that she had answered Jamie with the same words she had answered Leo, but with vastly different feelings. So then why would Jamie ask that? Had she really changed so little that he did not instinctively know she cared for him and the Doctor more than she had ever cared for anyone? Perhaps feeling new things was only half the battle ...
….
Gia and Commander Radnor and their associates left Jamie and Zoe alone at the Earth Station to conference with other decision makers to get another rocket launched to the Moon.
Forced into inactivity Jamie began to pace. Zoe idly flipped through logs and inspected the controls. She finally joined Jamie by the Station's communication console to listen to the reports being relayed between the T-Mat stations. Jamie glanced at her as he paced. Why did she make that hurt face when he had teased her before? Even now she seemed distracted …
The jarring, deep mechanical voice of the communications console broke Jamie out of his brown study and back to the matter at hand.
"Extensive search by security forces reveal no trace of alien creatures. Message ends."
Jamie bit his thumbnail and paced again. The Ice Warriors had used T-Mat to send one of their own to Earth.
"So tha' warrior's still roamin' around loose somewhere."
"But why only send one of them?" Zoe queried. She was asking his opinion again, but it was back to the usual kind. Zoe may be good at science and math, but she knew when it came to offensive and defensive strategy, Jamie was the better expert.
"Perhaps he's got tae report back somehow." Jamie stopped biting his nail and shook out his wrist. Both were still tender.
The communication console trilled loudly. Jamie started and looked at the object but Zoe, who knew what the sound signified, looked to the viscom a few feet away.
"Commander Radnor, please." It was the Doctor.
"Oh, Zoe!" He exclaimed when she came into view. "Is Commander Radnor there?"
"No, he's in conference with Miss Kelly and Sir James Gregson." Zoe sensed Jamie hovering anxiously behind her.
"Oh, I see … Ah, Zoe, I have the most wonderful news … We found a way to destroy the fungus!"
Jamie eagerly gripped her shoulder in reaction to the news.
"Well, what is it?" She asked.
"Water! Ordinary water!"
Zoe twisted to exchange shocked glances with Jamie. It couldn't be that simple.
"Oh, Doctor, surely—"
"There's no time to explain now, ah, apparently there is a Weather Control Bureau here."
Jamie's eyebrows rose. Weather Control? They sure could have used that in Scotland.
"I want you to get in touch with them."
"Can't you reach them on the video phone?"
"No, no, I've tried but they're not answering or it's, ah, broken down or something."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Well, get in touch with Commander Radnor and ask him to get in touch with the Weather Bureau people and ask them to make rain—make rain as much as possible, over all the entire country."
Jamie's lips tilted at the sense of personal irony.
"Alright, Doctor, I'll tell him … but, Doctor, suppose that—" but he had already signed off with a cheery wave.
"Uh, Zoe, how d'we get hold o' Commander Radnor?"
Zoe gestured back to the communication console. "We'll ask the computer."
"D'ye know how it works?"
"Yes, of course."
Zoe ran her fingers down the control panel to activate telecommunication. A small red light came on at the top left corner of the console, indicating it was ready to receive. Zoe lifted her chin slightly and, with the proud air of one who knew exactly what she was doing, commanded, "Put me in touch with Commander Radnor at once."
"Commander Radnor engaged in top level T-Mat conference with Chief Technician Kelly and Sir James Gregson."
Zoe's superior look faltered. "But this is urgent, I must talk to him at once!" Jamie might have smirked at her quick change in composure had not the situation been so serious.
In response the voice of the computer lowered an octave. It sounded almost obstinate. "Commander Radnor not available."
Zoe turned back to Jamie with a resigned look. Well, so much for that.
"Och, now what do we do?" He nearly whined.
Zoe's expression changed again, this time to stubborn determination. "We'll just have to go to the Weather Bureau ourselves!"
"But we dinnae know where it is!"
Count on Jamie to point out such minor details.
"Well, we'll just have to try and find it! Come on!" Zoe beckoned and Jamie followed.
They had not gone far when a young male technician came walking towards them. He was moving at a fair clip with his eyes occasionally looking up from the clipboard he held in his hands.
"Excuse me," Zoe began politely, but he walked right past her. Zoe glanced back up the way he had come in hopes someone more amenable was to follow. But the rest of the corridor seemed deserted. She turned back to catch up with him.
"Excuse me, can you help us?"
Without breaking his stride the technician glared over his shoulder at her. "I can't stop."
Jamie's hand darted out and grabbed the spindly young man's shoulder. The sudden, strong arrest of movement almost caused him to fall backward.
"Ye can an' ye will. The lass asked ye a question."
The technician's Adam's apple bobbed as he surveyed the Highlander then his eyes moved to Zoe. "Well," he huffed, "out with it. I haven't got all day, we're under attack by a hoard of invading aliens or haven't you heard?"
"We know," Zoe said impatiently. "That's why we need to get to the Weather Bureau. We may be able to stop them."
The technician eyed them with a mixture of disdain and incredulity. "The Weather Bureau? What possible help could the Weather Bureau be?"
"There's no time to explain."
"Agreed," the little technician took off again.
Jamie pushed up his sleeves.
"Reeght."
…...…
"It was nice of him tae give us the use of his motorcycle."
"I normally don't condone violence as a form of coercion, but in this case … well done, Jamie."
Jamie grinned and flexed his right fist. "Thank ye."
The pair found the motorcycle where the technician said it would be. It was a 175cc Bantam D10 motorcycle. Its teal and chrome body gleamed in the sun. Jamie gave a low, appreciative whistle. "Ye beauty!" He then turned to Zoe with boyish enthusiasm. "I'm drivin'!"
Zoe opened her mouth to nay say him but then changed her mind. As many misgivings as she had about Jamie driving she'd rather risk death than have a repeat of what happened in Baltimore. As she looked up into his eager face Zoe caught a glimpse of fear and knew he felt the same.
"Please, please, please, let me drive it!"
"Fine," Zoe sighed as if making a great concession.
"Yes!"
"Though why you bother asking me I don't know; you never listen to me."
Jamie looked up from taking the key out of his sporran. "What?"
"Nothing. Hand me the map."
Jamie withdrew a rectangle of folded paper and laid it on the seat of the bike. They both bent their heads over it. It was one of many copies of maps that displayed T-Mat locations in Britain. The technician had circled in red the location of the Weather Bureau and where they were in relation to it.
Zoe put her fingers on the mile legend in the bottom left corner and measured the distance.
"It's about ten miles away."
"Aye and it's a straight route, shouldn't take too long."
Jamie began to fold up the map but half-way through realized it wasn't going back together like before. He unfolded it, looked at the creases in the map and tried again.
"Och! This is reediculous!" Jamie was about to just crush the map and be done with it but Zoe snatched it out of his hands.
"Give it here." In a few smart moves Zoe had it back into the flat rectangular shape it had started in.
"How did ye do that?" Jamie asked as he put it back in his sporran.
"I just followed the creases."
"I did tha'!"
"Clearly incorrectly. There's a system to it."
"Och, wha'ever. Let's get goin'."
"There's no helmets. I'm quite sure one is supposed to wear a helmet when operating these things."
Jamie gave a dismissive wave of his hand "Och, we dinnae need helmets." Then he clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Now, tell me how tae use this!"
Zoe again accessed her mental database of the antique vehicle manuals she had read. It was the work of a moment and she was soon instructing Jamie on how to get it started. Jamie was thankful it was simpler than the roadster.
Soon the engine was roaring and Zoe, grateful that she was wearing trousers today, gingerly got on behind Jamie. She pursed her lips as she was forced to get uncomfortably close in order to fit on the seat. Zoe felt Jamie's back straighten as her entire upper body made contact. She felt his ribs expand and contract as he took a deep, long breath.
"Ready?" Jamie yelled over the engine noise.
"As I'll ever be …" Zoe swallowed and gripped his shirt.
The moment they took off Zoe was immediately forced to switch from holding his shirt to locking her arms and thighs around him in a veritable death-grip. Sixty-five miles per hour seemed nothing on paper compared to the speeds of the rockets and space vehicles she was used to, but in experience, on the back end of a motorcycle, sixty-five miles per hour was terrifying. Jamie, on the other hand, was loving every minute of it. Once the bike got really going he let out a hearty laugh of delight as it peeled down the road.
"Whooo! Tha seo fìor mhath! This is greeaat! Zoe, loosen up a wee bit!"
Jamie felt the little astrophysicist shake her head. "I feel like I'm going to fall off!"
"Ye won't fall off!"
"How would you know?"
"Yer squeezin' the life out of me!"
"Nonsense! If you can talk, you can breathe!"
Suddenly the motorcycle swerved. Zoe gasped and was about to scold him when in the next moment they passed a large mass of what looked like sea foam rolling down the road.
"Oh, dear, it's spreading quicker than I thought! Faster, Jamie!"
"I'm givin' her all she's got!"
Zoe's eyes absently took in their scenery, though her view was often interrupted by her hair whipping wildly about her face. She followed the undulating lines of hilly farmland as it went zipping past: flashing rows of winter wheat being slowly swallowed by the fungus.
Zoe sighed in worried frustration and pressed her cheek into his back. Her thoughts turned inward again.
Jamie felt Zoe sigh. He wanted to comfort her in some way but the closest part of her within reach was her knee and Jamie was sure she wouldn't appreciate his hand there.
…
Jamie slowed down as the large white building came into sight. "We made it!" Jamie pumped the handle breaks and slowly brought the machine to a stop by the building's side.
"Don't forget the kickstand."
"Aye, I know."
Jamie set the kickstand and dismounted. He turned to Zoe, hand extended to help her down, when he burst out into a loud peal of laughter.
Zoe, still seated, flinched and blinked rapidly at him, frowning. Jamie laughed even harder at her perplexed look.
"James Robert MacCrimmon, what on earth is the matter with you?"
"Yer hair! It's—it's a fright! A reeght bird's nest!" He doubled over.
Zoe's eyes widened and her hands went to her hair. She felt with horror the absolute wind-blown catastrophe.
"Well, yours doesn't look any better!" She snapped.
Jamie opened his sporran and took out a small, black, plastic comb. "Aye, nae doubt." He kindly handed it to her first, though Zoe had trouble mustering up appropriate appreciation as he was still giggling when she took it from him. She closed her eyes and winced as she immediately encountered snarls.
Jamie's laughter died down as he began to scan the area around them. Zoe opened her eyes to see Jamie's hair almost back to normal despite not using the comb. 'Of course,' she thought sourly.
"My shorter hair's bound tae be easier tae fix than yers," he offered, catching her look. He then winced as he watched Zoe impatiently yank at the tangles. "Yer goin' tae tear yer crownin' glory out."
Zoe growled in frustration and let go of the comb, leaving it to dangle from a tangle. Jamie bit back another laugh.
"We don't have time for this!" Zoe huffed. "It's difficult without a mirror."
"Here, lemme have a quick go."
Surprisingly, Jamie made fairly quick work of it, although it was not without its snares as well.
"Ow! Ow! Jamie!"
"Calm doon, lass! Almost done." The comb did soon indeed run through more smoothly. Zoe's head began to tingle and, despite herself, her eyes drifted shut in pleasure, just for a moment.
All too soon, though, he was done. Before finishing Jamie did a final comb through with his fingers. And then another. He then lightly ran his hands over her bob and gently tugged into place the end pieces that framed her face.
"There."
"Thank you, Jamie," Zoe said quietly.
Jamie cleared his throat and shrugged. "Sure."
"We should get going."
"Oh, aye."
….
"Where's the ruddy door?" Jamie exclaimed as they carefully picked their way along the outer walls of the Weather Bureau, foamy fungi lapping at their feet.
"If we continue to feel along the wall we're bound to find it."
"We dinnae have much choice with this stuff all aroound."
Jamie rounded a corner and quickly glanced back to make sure Zoe was still behind him before continuing.
At last they came to a dip in the wall and what appeared to be an awning and a keypad. The door was already open. They ducked inside then simultaneously took another look at the encroaching fungi. Zoe seemed to stare at it longer, though. She had that absent look on her face again.
Maybe she was being too sensitive, her past experience interfering with her interpretation of the present. After all, when she replayed Jamie's tone of voice and body language in her head—
"Hadn't we better close the door?" Jamie asked Zoe who started slightly.
"Why?" She blurted out without thinking. She winced internally when she realized how idiotic she sounded. Jamie gave her a look that showed that even he thought her question surprisingly stupid.
Don't give me that look, it's your fault my mind is so preoccupied.
"Well ... in case that warrior's still prowling around out there."
Jamie was further perplexed by her expression of exasperation in reaction to his quite logical answer.
Wha' is her problem?
They both turned to the enormous pocket door, and taking hold of the latch, pulled it closed with effort. Jamie turned the lock and gave the door a test pull to make sure it was truly closed and locked. "Tha' should keep 'em out. Come on!" The Highlander took off down the hall, putting a hand on Zoe's arm as he passed, beckoning her to follow.
They soon came to a narrow flight of stairs that seemed to lead to the main level, as the space opened up.
Jamie looked around and put his hands on his hips. "Well, where is everybody?"
"I don't know …" Zoe frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping up on her. She tugged at Jamie's sleeve. "Let's find the main control room, come on." After following the sound of beeping and the faint flashing of light, the pair soon found it.
The instruments were all unattended, the reason why soon apparent: the weather technician lay dead on an open landing above the controls.
"So that's why no one answered the video phone …" Zoe said grimly.
"Heeey, an' look at that!" Jamie suddenly exclaimed and pointed at a conspicuous piece of machinery on a nearby table. Without waiting for Zoe, Jamie made his way over to it. Whatever it was appeared like a set of pistons and before it a row of levers. That's when they noticed it was helpfully labeled "Weather Control Unit." Covering the whole machinery was a strange goop that looked like frozen machine oil. Jame tried to move the levers but they would not budge.
"It's nae good, they're locked in position."
"Well, don't you see? Remember what the Doctor said?"
Jamie looked blankly at her.
"Water, rain! It all makes sense now, they don't want it to rain on the fungus!" Zoe outwardly gave Jamie a bright smile-inwardly, she was wrestling with disappointment in herself over how slowly she had made the connection.
Jamie suddenly froze. "Shh!"
In the next moment Zoe heard it. The tell-tale hissing sound of an Ice Warrior.
"Hide!" Jamie whispered. Of course he did not need to tell her that.
They ducked out of the room to flatten themselves just outside, on either side of the entrance. The Ice Warrior appeared from another door. As they tensely waited to see what it would do, they heard a faint familiar voice.
"Jamie! Zoe! Open the door!" The pair made eye-contact.
"The Doctor!" Zoe mouthed, horrified. Jamie nodded.
The Ice Warrior turned immediately to the sound. With its back now to them, Jamie and Zoe took the opportunity to sneak back round to the front door, hoping to reach it before the Ice Warrior, but they somehow ended up right behind it.
Jamie put out his hand and signaled Zoe to hide while he was going to duck around the other corner and distract it while she helped the Doctor. Zoe thought with wry surprise how well she and the Highlander had come to understand each other. Apparently they no longer needed words.
Zoe gave Jamie one worried and slightly doubtful look, but she silently acquiesced to his plan. She held her breath as Jamie foolishly waved his arms and took off. For a split second her heart was in her throat as the Warrior let off a bolt of his laser at Jamie. She released a breath when it missed.
Despite her fear, her drive to save the Doctor gave her strength and she took off toward the front door.
…
Zoe and the Doctor almost ran past him. They slid to a halt, the Doctor was comically covered in spore foam, but he seemed unharmed. With the Ice Warrior bearing down on them, the reunited trio made for the Solar Energy Room, a twin to the one on Moon Base.
"We need to find the switch to close the radiation door first!"
"Aye, is tha' the one?" Jamie leapt forward to grab a switch on the wall and the lights promptly went out.
"No, Jamie!" Even in the dark the Doctor was able to smack his hand away. The lights went back on to reveal a sheepish Highlander shaking his smarting hand. Jamie glanced at Zoe for sympathy but found none.
The sound of the approaching Ice Warrior was growing louder. The Doctor frantically looked over the panel of dials on the wall next to the door. "It's got to be one of these!"
"Oh, hurry, Doctor!" Zoe exclaimed. She looked about, dread pooling in her stomach. There was no other door. They were trapped.
"Ah! There we are! It's got 'shut' on it!"
At an agonizing snail's pace it seemed, the reflective door began to close. They could see the Ice Warrior through the ever narrowing chink.
"Back!" The Doctor commanded.
Almost simultaneously, Jamie grabbed Zoe by the shoulders and Zoe pressed her whole back up against his chest as they tried to make themselves as small as possible; the Doctor protectively enveloped them both. The door closed. But the trio did not have time to breathe as the sound of the Warrior's laser was heard and the metal door began to ripple like the surface of a disturbed lake.
Zoe shivered at the unnatural sight. Jamie gripped her tighter against him.
"What do we do now?" Zoe cried.
"Well, Commander Radnor is sending some security guards …" answered the Doctor, looking none too reassured. Neither did Jamie.
"A lot of good they'll do against the Ice Warriors!"
"Solar energy!" Zoe suddenly said, her face lighting up.
"Eh?"
"Remember on the Moon? Phipps made a trap!"
The Doctor snapped his fingers. "Solar energy! Of course!"
Thus began a mad scramble for any instruments and materials they could use to make a similar trap.
…
Jamie and Zoe tensely held back. Jamie was feeding the power cords to the Doctor's improvised, "portable" solar beacons and Zoe was standing by the power switch.
"I hope this works …" Jamie said.
"Don't worry. It will—given the solar power feeding the lines is stable."
"Eh?"
"Now, Zoe!" They heard the Doctor cry. Zoe pulled the connector switch down. They heard the hum of the energy and the reassuring, if eerie, sound of an Ice Warrior becoming dust.
When they met back up with the Doctor Zoe explained to him about the state of the Weather Control machine and led him to it.
"It's hopeless, Doctor," Jamie said, leaning against the table and shaking his head. "Ye'll never get that thing goin' again!"
Zoe gave Jamie an annoyed look. As tenacious and optimistic as the Scot could be, he was always negative about technology.
"I'm not so sure Jamie," the Doctor replied, inspecting the device. "It's only the controls that are damaged. The workings are alright. If we can bypass the controls …"
…..
"It's nae rainin' yet," Jamie announced from his spot by the Bureau's large observational windows. It didn't even look like rain. And Jamie would know.
"Oh, Jamie! Weather Control is a very difficult technology, you can't expect immediate results."
"Are you sure you're getting it right?" Zoe asked. She was sitting on the floor by the Doctor, prepared to make herself as useful as possible.
"I hope so, Zoe, must hope for the best, that's all. There's another little job I want to do."
…
They reached the T-Mat without incident, but again had to contend with the crush. This time Zoe was standing on Jamie's foot. On purpose. He looked down at her with a mocking grin.
"Och, yer such a wee thing ye might as well be a feather on ma foot."
Zoe flattened her lips into a thin line but resisted the urge to stamp—in their close quarters she would end up kneeing him; as annoyed as she was, she did not want to do that.
They exited the T-Mat more gracefully this time. The Doctor assisted Zoe out after she snubbed Jamie's offer.
'Women.' Jamie thought for a third time today.
"We should have some nice heavy rain before long!" The Doctor announced to Gia, Dr. Eldridge, and Commander Radnor who were huddled around a viewscreen, watching the false beacon being sent up by rocket.
"Doctor, I know we're sending up a false signal," Gia began, "but might some of the Martian ships follow the right one?"
"There isn't going to be a right one. There's only going to be ours, the wrong one. And that's going to lead the entire Martian fleet into an orbit 'round the sun!"
"But what about Slaar's signal?" Zoe piped up.
"Obviously, that has to be stopped."
"How?" Asked Dr. Eldridge.
"Well, as soon as the satellite is up I shall T-Mat myself to the moon and destroy their homing device."
"They'll kill you on sight!" Miss Kelly protested.
"Oh, I don't think so. I, rigged up a rather, ah, interesting device here."
"What's it for?"
"It's a development of the solar energy device that you used so successfully on the Moon, only I succeeded in rendering it portable with a solar battery." He turned to show off the cell attached to his improvised pack.
"Ah, quite ingenious, Doctor!" Dr. Eldridge exclaimed.
"Oh, thank you—yes, it is quite ingenious, isn't it?"
As if on cue, Jamie and Zoe looked at each other and rolled their eyes, though indulgent smiles were at the edges of both their lips.
Gia pressed an intercom button on the control panel. "Mr. Palmer, bring me the trajectory read-out, please."
A few minutes later a familiar splindly figure came in, clipboard under arm and sporting a black eye.
Gia frowned. "Palmer, what happened to your face?"
The technician looked up and locked eyes with Jamie who quickly looked away, as did Zoe. "I tripped," he said morosely. He then handed the clipboard to Miss Kelly and walked out of the room without another word.
A familiar two-tone signal suddenly filled the space, capturing everyone's attention. The rocket was in orbit and sending out the false signal. Another ping came back indicating that they were also picking up the Martians' signal from the Moon.
"That means their invasion fleet is getting closer," explained the Doctor. Jamie turned to exchange glances with Zoe. Worry was etched on his face, mirroring her own.
"There's no time to be lost. Now, are you quite clear? As soon as I have succeeded in destroying their signal, you must activate our signal in the satellite." The Doctor leveled a firm gaze at Gia and Commander Radnor.
"We'll be ready," Radnor replied with equal gravity.
"Then I'll be off."
The Doctor was making his way back toward the T-Mat when suddenly Zoe rushed forward.
"Oh, Doctor!"
The Doctor immediately stopped and turned. "Hm? Yes, Zoe?"
"You will be careful, won't you?"
The Doctor looked into the large brown eyes that searched his face. This capable, brilliant young woman, who not so long ago worried over her own ability to feel normal human emotions, was wearing an expression akin to a child parting with a parent. He thought back to the warm hug she had enveloped him in earlier. Fondness and pride expanded the older man's chest. He reached out and, taking her small hand in his, gave it a fatherly pat of reassurance.
"Don't worry, Zoe, I will."
Jamie silently watched the exchange, a lump forming at the back of his throat.
"Are you ready Miss Kelly?"
"But, Doctor, our control of T-Mat hasn't been tested!"
"Then now's the time to test it!" The Doctor snapped impatiently. He got into the T-Mat and Gia pressed the button.
Zoe forlornly stared at the now empty T-Mat, wishing her stomach would stop churning. When she did finally turn away she immediately locked eyes with Jamie. She saw the mirror of her emotions in his face and it struck her that—if nothing else—they had a mutual love for the Doctor in common. Zoe dropped her gaze and her feet seemed to move on their own as she made her way to his side.
"Oh, Jamie …" Zoe was embarrassed by the wobble in her voice. How ironic that only hours earlier she lightly put aside Jamie's fears for the Doctor's safety. The irony was not lost on Jamie either, but he had no desire to point it out. The Highlander lightly grasped her upper arms, making soothing strokes with his thumbs.
"Heeey, shhh, dinnae fash yerself, he'll be alright. He always comes through."
"But, what if the solar battery doesn't work? What if they shoot him before he can defend himself? What if T-Mat isn't working properly and he's now only molecules floating in space!"
Zoe's words caused Jamie's own anxiety to increase, but he kept it from his face for her sake. His arms ached to draw her in and hold her for as long as they both needed. But, Miss Kelly, Commander Radnor and Dr. Enfield were there and Jamie did not fancy an audience.
He was sure Zoe didn't either.
Jamie gently coaxed her to move around so his back was to them and she was shielded from their eyes by his body.
Jamie sighed. "I suppose all we can do is pray now."
"But ... I don't know … "
"I can pray fer both of us," Jamie said with a smile. "Don't ye worry about tha'."
…..
Ten minutes passed. Everyone was huddled around the main control panel where Gia Kelly was seated, watching the monitor.
"The signal is operating perfectly."
"Good," said Commander Radnor.
But Professor Eldridge was not so satisfied. "Shouldn't we have waited for the Doctor?"
"The Moon signal has disappeared, hasn't it?"
"It may be purely atmospheric interference, they may be transmitting as strongly as ever," countered Eldridge. Jamie was starting to worry his thumbnail with his teeth again.
Zoe sidled up, her body language still stiff with tightly wound nerves. "The Moon signal was strong enough before the Doctor left. He must have succeeded."
"Then why hasn't he come back?" The delay of the Doctor's return was wearing down Jamie's outward facade of confidence. He had prayed, he trusted, but it did not calm his nerves. After all, it could be the Lord's will for the Doctor to die. Zoe gave the Highlander a sardonic look. The irony was switched again.
"Look!" Commander Radnor yelled, pointing at the monitor. The triangle formation of the Martian fleet was still closing in. "Scan closer!"
Gia turned the dial and the monitor zoomed in on the fleet's radar image. "They are going to divert, it should happen any moment now!" She said firmly.
The formation began to pivot.
"Look!" Zoe exclaimed. "They're changing course!"
"Yes! I think you're right!" Commander Radnor cried.
Dr. Eldridge's old cherubic face split into a smile. "They're all following the new satellite signal!"
Zoe grabbed Jamie's arm, her eyes watering. "Then the Doctor must have succeeded!" But Jamie was not smiling.
"But wha's happenin' up there, then? Why's he no' come back?"
"Don't worry, Jamie," Commander Radnor said over his shoulder. "There's a squad of security guards armed with flame-throwers on their way now. And as soon as they get here we'll T-Mat them to the Moon."
"It'll be too late!"
"You'll just have to be patient!" The Commander roared, the Scot getting on his last frayed nerve.
"Och, I'm sick of bein' patient!"
Jamie pivoted around and began to pace, but then stopped and whispered for Zoe to step closer.
"Tha', uh … T-Mat thing—d'ye know how it works?"
Zoe frowned. "I think so, why?"
"Well, could ye T-Mat me back tae the Moon?"
Zoe shook her head in disapproval. "Oh, now, Jamie—" He grasped her shoulder and drew her closer, his whisper becoming harsh with urgency.
"Look, either the Doctor's all reeght, in which case we've nae reason tae worry, or he's in danger an' he needs ma help!"
Zoe stared at Jamie's earnest, pleading face and she took a deep breath.
"Alright."
"Good lass."
The pair slowly made their way to the T-Mat control, keeping an eye on the others in the room. Fortunately their eyes were glued to the monitor. Zoe pressed the initiation button. The T-Mat made a faint hum. She wanted to grab Jamie, ask him to wait a little while longer, but she knew it would be useless. He was determined.
The Highlander ducked into the T-Mat and Zoe pressed the relay button.
…..
"Message to Commander Radnor from the Security Council of the United Nations, congratulations."
"Alright. Discontinue report."
Zoe nudged the Doctor. "So you really did know what you were doing at the Weather Control Bureau!"
"Zoe. Of course I did!" The Doctor said, looking comically offended.
"Well, it took long enough tae work, eh?" Jamie added, nodding at Zoe, who smiled and nodded in agreement herself.
"Well, the rain seems to have dispersed the fungus well enough," Commander Radnor said officiously. "Now the next thing to do is get T-Mat fully operational again."
"Yes," Gia cut in. "When Moon Relay's repaired we must check over the equipment and build in safeguards. From now on T-Mat must be fully controlled from Earth."
"Don't put your eggs all in one basket!" Exclaimed Dr. Eldridge. As the trio descended into professional squabbling the other trio quietly snuck away.
…..
The Doctor, Zoe and Jamie stepped out of the building, pausing momentarily under the entrance awning to view the downpour. Jamie was the first to step out. He raised his head to the sky and spread out his arms.
"Och! I've neiver been sae happy tae see rain!"
The Doctor joined him and mimicked his stance. "Indeed, Jamie!"
Jamie glanced around and noticed Zoe hanging back, still standing under the entrance awning.
"Zoe, come on! Afraid o' gettin' yer hair wet?"
"I-I've never actually experienced rain before," Zoe yelled back, embarrassed by the admission.
Jamie and the Doctor stared at her a moment then Jamie slowly walked back over. A smug, teasing grin inched across his face, growing wider with every step. When he reached her he crossed his arms and stared down at her. He had one eye closed and the other eye squinted against the rain. His open eye twinkled with humor.
"Ye're nae goin' tae melt."
Zoe quietly scoffed. "I know that. Back in my time, in the City, we had weather control as well. It only rained on specific targets that needed the water, like the agricultural centers. And of course, no rain in space. The closest was the mist in the Wheel's greenhouse, the one I showed you."
Jamie's smirk widened. "Ye're stalling."
"I am not! I was just ... explaining …" Zoe trailed off helplessly.
Jamie's smirk softened and he offered his hand to her. "Weel … come on, then."
Zoe hesitated briefly then slowly placed her hand into his. Jamie's fingers immediately closed over hers and he pulled her out into the rain.
"Oh!" Zoe let out an involuntary gasp at the sensation of the thousands of cold droplets running down her hair and into her clothes. Then, like Jamie, she tilted her head up to greet it, cutely scrunching her face as the rain slapped against her skin. A giddy sort of giggle rose to the back of her throat; she heard Jamie laugh.
The Doctor sighed. "You will have your fill of rain before we reach the Tardis, I assure you."
Jamie's hand came around Zoe's shoulder and steered her forward. "Come on, ye'll catch yer death."
Zoe wiped her eyes and gave him a bemused look. "Jamie, you do say the oddest things sometimes …"
Jamie chuckled.
"Ye know, in Scotland we get more rain than sun sometimes, especially in the Highlands. There was many a time I climbed Sgùrr nan Gillean an' got absolutely soaked, but the view was wiurth it."
"What's sk-skoor … ?" Zoe was not even going to try to repeat back what he just said.
"Sgùrr nan Gillean. It's a mountain in Skye, a part of the Black Cuillin. Och, ye should see the way the valley stretches out before ye with ribbons of water goin' down the middle."
"I should like to."
Jamie turned his head to look at her with mild surprise. "Would ye now?"
"Yes. It sounds beautiful."
Jamie looked flattered and gave her a smile so sunny as to belie the rain. "Weel, then, maybe ye will … someday—if the Doctor finally learns how to control the TARDIS."
The Doctor glared at him over his shoulder, Jamie caught the look and smiled innocently back.
The Doctor's earlier words proved true. The rate of downpour increased as they trudged along to the museum, and by the time they got there they had had their fill of rain.
"Did ye need tae make it rain as hard as all tha'?"
"Oh, Jamie, sometimes I think you're never satisfied!" The Doctor yelled in frustration and, unlocking the TARDIS door, whipped it open.
"What did you rush us back for in the first place?" Zoe complained.
"Well, you know, questions, explanations are difficult. Come on!" The Doctor ducked inside.
"Where are we going now?" Zoe asked.
"Och, it's nae good askin' him. He's no more idea than the man in the moon!"
"I heard that, Jamie! Come on!"
….
The soaked trio retreated to their respective rooms to dry off and change then came together again to share a pot of tea. The malty brew warmed them to their toes, filling them with sleepy contentment.
"I don't know about you two," The Doctor said as he rose to his feet, "but I'm ready for a long, long nap."
"Aye."
"Same here."
But, for whatever reason Zoe could not sleep. Despite being bone tired her brain was still running with the same questions that had distracted her all day. With a sigh, Zoe swung her legs over the side off the bed and put her feet on the floor.
Maybe a glass of water would help, or reconstituted powdered milk, warmed up.
As she made her way to the kitchenette Zoe spotted that the sickbay light was on, further down the corridor. Concern mixed with curiosity as she slowly approached the open door. Soft humming mixed with words reached her ears and she knew who was in there.
"I will build my love a bower by yon cool, crystal fountain, and around it I will pile all the wild flowers o' the mountain … will ye go, lassie, go? hmm-hmmm ..."
Jamie was sitting on the examination pallet with his back to the door. The first aid box was sitting open beside him, a section of gauze lay scattered about. She saw a whole roll go tumbling down, trailing gauze across the floor.
The Highlander made a frustrated noise, but didn't hop down to retrieve it.
"Jamie?"
The Highlander continued to hum, not seeming to hear her. It was then Zoe noticed the headphones and the Walkman. She walked around the pallet and stood before Jamie just as he bit a section of gauze that was hanging loose from his wrist and pulled his head back. He flinched slightly in surprise when he spotted her and froze.
"What in the world are you trying to do?" Zoe asked, giving Jamie, and the dressing dangling from his mouth, a doubtful look.
Jamie opened his mouth, dropping the gauze into his lap.
"Weave a plaid. Wha' does it look like?" he snapped sourly while spitting out pieces of fluff. Zoe picked up the discarded piece from his lap. Jamie tried to snatch it back but Zoe pulled it out of his reach with a disapproving look.
"Well … you needn't be so rude about it."
Jamie was immediately regretful. "I'm sorry, it's jist … everythin' hurts and I'm tired."
"I didn't realize you were hurt that bad."
"One of those accurséd Ice Warriors got a hold of my wrists, I thought they were going to snap off."
"Let me see." Without waiting for permission Zoe took his left hand, undid the laces at the cuff and pushed back the sleeve to reveal a plethora of ugly bruises.
"Oh, Jamie," she crooned sympathetically. She grabbed his right hand and checked it as well. It was just as bad as the other.
Jamie shrugged. "It had stopped hiurting until now."
"You were probably still feeling the effects of epinephrine."
"Epi-wha'?"
"Epinephrine—also known as adrenaline. It's a hormone produced by the adrenal medulla—this part of your brain." With her free hand Zoe tapped at the spot on her neck where it met with the base of her skull. "Its function is to aid in the regulation of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. At times when a person is highly stimulated, as by fear, anger, or some challenging situation—as you were—extra amounts of epinephrine are released into the bloodstream, preparing the body for energetic action. When that happens a person has a sudden increased feeling of muscular strength and aggressiveness as a result. The body's ability to feel pain also decreases because of adrenaline. Even after the causal stress has subsided, adrenaline's effect can last for up to an hour."
Zoe could practically hear the cogs in Jamie's head turning. "So … because … I needed tae fight … somethin' in my body helped me to not feel pain as much so I could fight longer?"
"Mm, basically." The explanation was hardly scientific, but once again Jamie demonstrated his ability to sift through and break down information to the main, manageable facts. Zoe bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling, not wanting to give the impression that she was laughing at him. She would also have liked to compliment him but was not confident she could do it without sounding patronizing.
"Tha' explains why it stopped hiurtin' while I was grapplin' with those Ice Warriors a little while ago."
"What did happen on Moon Base after I relayed you back?"
Jamie told about how he tackled the Ice Warriors to save the Doctor. As he talked Zoe drew his wrist nearer her face for closer inspection. Her breath tickled the sensitive skin at his wrist. Jamie bit off his narrative, his breath hitching. Zoe felt him shiver and glanced up with a concerned frown.
"I'm fine," Jamie said a little hoarsely with a short shake of his head.
"Well, it doesn't seem to be sprained," Zoe said, returning her attention to his wrist. "But I think you were on the right track. Wrapping it will give your wrists additional stability as they heal."
Jamie cleared his throat and snatched his hand away. "I can do it mysel'. I dinnae need a nursemaid."
Ignoring him, Zoe opened the liniment jar.
"Zoe, I said—"
"Let me do this."
Jamie was taken aback by her determined look.
"O-okay …" Jamie let her retake his hand.
A long, awkward silence stretched between them as Zoe proceeded to rub salve on his wrist. The room filled with the heady scent of menthol and clove oil.
"Jamie?"
The Highlander started slightly and his gaze, which had been wandering, darted back to the little brown head bent over his hand.
"Hm?"
"I'd like your objective opinion on something, and I want you to answer me seriously."
Jamie's lips gave a nervous twitch. "I'll try."
"Am I still a freak?" The words came tumbling out quickly as if the question had been pressing against her lips all day. And based on her distracted manner throughout Jamie figured it had been.
"Eh?"
"You know the reason I stowed away on the TARDIS was to escape from that false existence and to learn how to become a real human being—"
"Aren't ye a real human being?" Jamie asked slowly, giving her a wary look.
Zoe finally looked up at him. She tsked impatiently. "Of course I am, Jamie!"
Jamie scratched his head and scrunched his face in confusion. "Zoe— I dinnae understand … is there somethin' wrong with ye?"
Zoe's shoulders sagged. "I'm not making any sense am I?"
Jamie shrugged. "No less than usual." That earned him an annoyed look. "Mebbe ye should ask the Doctor."
"And you think the Doctor the best judge of normal human emotional development, do you?"
Jamie looked bewildered. "Is tha' wha' we're talkin' aboot?"
"Yes."
Jamie stared at her a moment then gave a dismissive wave of his free hand. "Och, ye're fine jist the way ye are!" He said earnestly.
Zoe blinked, her eyebrows rising into her fringe. "Really?"
Jamie gave a firm nod. "Aye."
Zoe then bestowed on him a smile of gratitude as big as the one she had given him in Cornwall, and this second dose was no less potent. It spread slowly across her face, as bright and as warming to Jamie as a Highland sunrise. His pulse ticked up.
Och, lass, ye're more than fine ...
"James MacCrimmon, I think that may be the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Zoe said softly, her smile taking on a teasing tilt that Jamie found infinitely charming.
The Highlander cleared his throat. "N-now dinnae go gettin' a big heid about it," he said, wagging a finger at her. "There's always room fer improvement."
But Zoe's smile would not be stymied. With an infinitely lighter mood Zoe went back to tending to his wrists.
"What were you listening to?" Zoe asked.
"Eh?" Jamie was thrown off by the change of subject.
"On the Walkman." Zoe nodded at the little machine sitting beside him that was still running.
"Oh. I-I was listening tae the tape ye gave me." Jamie pulled the headphones off from around his neck, placing it beside him. He then turned the volume all the way up so Zoe could hear the music bleed through the headphones.
"Come spend a while wi' me
For your ay' guid company
Aye an' wha kens when we'll meet again
An' wha kens whaur we'll be
We'll lift oor hearts an' sing
While the pipes an' fiddles ring
And we'll lift oor heels tae the jigs an' reels
Come spend a while wi' me …"
"It's a lovely song, though I don't understand all of it."
"Aye. It's from after my time but doesnae feel like it. It's aboot … taking the time to keep company with those ye care fer because ye dinnae know wha' tomorrow will bring." Jamie's eyes took on a faraway, slightly melancholy look for a moment but then he gave himself a shake and smiled at Zoe who smiled warmly back and returned to her task.
Jamie began to hum along again, swinging his legs in time to the music.
When Zoe finished she wiped the salve from her fingers then held her right hand out to him.
"Knife, please."
"Dirk."
Zoe just looked at him and wiggled her fingers expectantly. Sighing, Jamie handed it to her. She cut off a length of fresh gauze and began to tightly—but not too tightly, wrap it around his injured wrist. When she was done she had Jamie hold the end of the gauze in place. Zoe then reached into the box again and held up a roll of gauze tape.
"This is what this is for." She ripped off a piece and stuck it on the end, securing the bandage. "So instead of tying it, it goes neatly on like this. There! Now for the other one."
As she began to wrap the other one Jamie studied the wee head bent over his hand, the soft way her curtain of hair fell forward along her cheek.
Jamie could no longer deny the fact that he was sweet on Zoe—but, so what? He had fancied other lassies before …
Och, who was he fooling? This was more than what he had felt for Victoria. For all her sweetness, Victoria had kept him at arm's length, never really sharing herself with him. By contrast, there was hardly a moment when Jamie did not know what was on Zoe's mind, she shared it so freely. Understanding it, of course, was a different matter entirely.
And yet for all their differences …
Just how and when this wee astrophysicist had become such an integral part of his life he could not tell. Her childlike wonder, her boundless enthusiasm for knowledge, her canny mind, her infectious smile ...
"Done!" Zoe declared. She picked up the kit and turned with the intention of taking it back to the cabinet when she heard the sound of boots hitting the floor and a hiss and an "ach!" Zoe turned to see Jamie standing but leaning against the examination pallet.
"... hiurt all over," he groaned.
Zoe looked him up and down. "I'm not surprised after all the physical stress your body's been through. Do you want me to rub more salve on you? Where does it hurt?"
Jamie flashed her a grin that still managed to be rakish through the pain. "If ye want tae see me wi'out my shirt tha' badly jist say so."
Zoe looked at him blankly. "I've already seen you without your shirt. Quite a few times now. Why should I want to see it again?"
Jamie literally hung his head with embarrassment as his first tentative attempt at flirtatious teasing with Zoe fell pathetically flat. He might have known that would happen. This was Zoe, after all.
"Now what's wrong?" Zoe asked, noticing his miserable look.
"Naethin'," he sighed.
"Forget it, Jamie, she'd never …"
He cut the thought off and dragged his lower limbs, now made doubly heavy by disappointment, across the floor; pain pulsed through his tailbone and lower torso with each step.
Suddenly, Zoe took his arm and draped it over her shoulder. "Here, lean on me. Let's get you to bed."
Exhausted, Jamie allowed himself to lean just a little of his weight against her; her closeness a pleasant distraction from the pain.
Once in his room Zoe pulled back the bedclothes then helped Jamie ease himself down onto the edge of the bed. He hissed and groaned as he made to bend over to remove his shoes, pain screaming up his lower back.
"I got them." Zoe knelt down and, after shooing his hands away from his shoes, began to undo the laces. The Highlander had the strange habit of wrapping the loose ends around his ankles.
Jamie did not even make a token protest this time. His eyes were growing heavy along with the rest of his body.
Off came the socks to be neatly set aside. Jamie wincingly drew his legs up into bed and stretched out.
"That's it ..." crooned Zoe, tucking his blankets around him. She was finding this all rather gratifying—pleased that she had this opportunity to do something for him in return after he took such good care of her the night before.
"Thank ye, lass …" he sighed.
Zoe felt a sudden surge of fondness for the Highlander and she tenderly brushed back the soft chestnut fringe from his eyes as they drifted closed.
"Sleep well, Jamie."
After she left the room she ambled about the corridors and rooms of the TARDIS. All was quiet except for the ever present, soothing hum of the ship. Sleep was out of the question now. She was quite awake. And if she was going to be awake she might as well make herself useful. Zoe returned to her room and settled down at her desk. She had not gotten far in her theoretical calculations when her eyes drifted from the paper to Jamie's closed door, visible from her own.
"Ye're fine jist the way ye are."
A strange, sweet ache pulsed in Zoe's chest. She automatically pressed her hand to the spot. After giving her breastbone a brief massage she shrugged her shoulders and got back to work.
….