Drannor woke up with a start the last thing he could remember was The Doctor holding him. The Doctor was sat right there by his bedside, in the flesh reading a book. "Am I dead?" Drannor asked as he slowly sat up and looked at him.
The Doctor looked up from his book with a slight smile. "Nope"
Drannor stared at him. "And you're really here?"
The Doctor nodded "Yep, and I've got some questions for you now that you're awake and physically all patched up. I need to know what you did to end up nearly being drawn and quartered." His voice turned more serious, he had to know to decide if Rose was safe around this man and if he could be trusted to stay on the Tardis. He closed his book with a snap and put it on the side table. It didn't have any writing, but strange circular symbols that Drannor had never seen before and couldn't make sense of.
"Ask away, I've nothing to hide about the charges I was accused of. I'm guilty of it all." He looked into The Doctor's eyes.
"Well for starters what were you charged with? And don't bother lying because I'll be fact-checking. I'll bounce around your timeline if I have to. Tell me everything that's happened to you from the last time we met." The Doctor leaned forward on his elbows and waited for Drannor to speak.
"I was charged with desertion and treason. It's been nearly 100 years since that night at the cemetery and there is much to tell." He started to play with his hands as The Doctor gestured for him to continue. So Drannor told his tale of finding out Hadir's motives and being blackmailed by him, getting beaten and abused, silently taking it, how he killed whilst fighting, and how he found every scrap of evidence he could. Then he moved on to the stupid little mistake he made with the documents, how he deserted the military only after being attacked by Hadir and his men. How he was arrested and charged, and how he caused his friend Thalia's death.
The Doctor listened intensely, taking in every detail that Drannor shared with him. Tears slid freely down Drannor's cheeks and dripped from his chin as he finished speaking. "That Doctor is everything I am guilty of." He kept his eyes downcast but looked up when The Doctor put a comforting hand on his shoulder, he could see in The Doctor's eyes that there was some understanding.
"Your friend's death wasn't your fault Drannor." The Doctor spoke so softly, he knew the guilt losing someone so close could have, especially when that person suffered and died for you. He also knew the pain and the change war could cause in people.
Drannor moved away from The Doctor's touch. "Perhaps you see it like that Doctor, but I might as well have been the one holding the blade. She died because of me. Because I was too careless... You should have left me to suffer Doctor, It's what I deserve."
He frowned softly at Drannor. "You're torturing yourself enough, you don't need any more pain added to that...I'll get Rose I promised her that I'd get her once you're awake." The Doctor stood and walked out of the room.
Drannor wiped at his face with the bedsheet then pulled his knees up to his chest hugging himself tightly. Perhaps the Doctor is right about torturing myself enough, he thought to himself and let out a sigh as he rested his head on his arms.
Rose arrived holding two large mugs of tea and sat down on the chair the doctor was in. "Hey, I've brought you some tea. I have no idea how you're feeling right now but my mum always says a cup of tea can make everything feel better." She spoke softly and gave a soft kind smile as Drannor looked up at her.
Drannor gave a slight smile and took the mug from her, he'd never heard of or had tea before, he sipped at it and started to feel relaxed. The warmth of the tea and the sweet and milky taste were comforting to him. "Thank you, Rose. Your mum's right, I'm already starting to feel a bit better."
Rose nodded a soft smile on her lips as they sat in a comfortable silence drinking their tea. Drannor didn't want to break the silence but he was rather curious about Rose's and The Doctor's lack of ageing after so many years. "Rose, I hope you don't think I'm being rude but how come you and The Doctor look the same as you did 90 years ago?"
She smiled and put down her mug happy that Drannor seemingly was feeling better enough to talk now. "No, You're not being rude. I'll try to explain the best I can. So like, for me an The Doctor it was only a few minutes since we last saw you. This ship, the Tardis doesn't just travel in the sky and stars but it also can travel in time backwards and forwards."
He nodded as he took in the information Rose just had given him. "Normally I'd think you've lost your wits, but here you are, the proof right in front of me. So, are you and The Doctor just normal humans?"
Rose paused for a second before answering. "Well I am, but I'm not from your planet. So I suppose to you I'm an Alien. The Doctor is something called a Time Lord although he looks human and he can live for like a really long time."
"That explains why I could hear two heartbeats when he was carrying me earlier." Drannor put his now empty tea cup on the side. "Is there any chance you have a bath on this ship?"
Rose smiled and stood up. "Yeah, come I'll show you. While you're in the bath I'll grab some clothes from the wardrobe for you." She held out her hand to him and he wrapped himself in the bedsheet before standing and taking her hand following her out. Drannor held back some tears that threatened to leave him, Rose reminded him of Thalia with how kind and sweet she was and it was comforting to have the blonde around.
After his bath, that Rose had to show him how to fill, he felt much better and had managed to get the dirt and tangles out of his hair. He wore the clothes she had left outside the bathroom door for him, It was a simple white shirt and a pair of black trousers. Unfortunately, he had nothing to bind his chest with, so walked around the Tardis exploring whilst trying to find something suitable.
He soon found a room packed tightly with all sorts of different objects and discarded clothes. Drannor started to root about, he was too embarrassed about his chest, that he didn't want to ask for help in finding something. After a few minutes he sighed in defeat, it was almost impossible to get to anything in this room without something nearly falling on top of him.
"Having fun?" The Doctor's voice came from the doorway and Drannor nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned around to face The Doctor. He was leaning against the doorway grinning at him.
"I-I wasn't snooping or planning to steal anything, Doctor." Drannor played with his hands, he knew what this situation looked like. The Doctor raised his eyebrow at him. "Then what are you doing? Because to me it looks like you're being nosy, I speak as someone who is a professional snooper." He stated with a teasing grin still on his face.
"Well...I'm looking for something to bind my chest with." Drannor spoke softly with some embarrassment, this was not something he liked to talk about with anyone. Let alone someone who is basically a stranger to him.
The Doctor nodded and his smile turned from a teasing one to one of understanding. "Ah, didn't think about that. If you want we can make a shopping trip. get you some clothes that you like as well?"
Drannor ran his fingers through his hair. "I haven't got any money Doctor, I suppose I could help around the ship?" he sighed. The Doctor shook his head. "I'll pay, think of it as a thank you for protecting Rose. And no offense but no one is touching the Tardis she's a very delicate piece of machinery." He stepped back from the doorway. "Let's get going then, the first trip in the Tardis is always exciting." The Doctor turned walking away at a fast pace and Drannor followed after him.
Rose and The Doctor grinned at each other as they watched Drannor step out of the Tardis. The Doctor had decided that Rose's time and home would probably be the best place to go, it should be safe and it's always nice to see something boring like the Powell estate through other eyes, especially when that person has never even seen a flushing toilet before. It had also been a while since Rose had seen her mum.
Drannor could not believe his eyes, this place was like nothing he had ever seen before. Tall structures made out of a strange material stood around them and even the floor under his feet had a strange feel to it, it was hard and black, was the soil like this everywhere in his world? He crouched down and pressed his hand to the tarmac. "How do your people grow crops if your soil is so hard."
The Doctor looked down at him. "It's not soil, it's what the humans here use to pave their roads, like laying down stones to raise a path that you can walk across." The dark-haired elf nodded and stood up smiling at The Doctor and Rose. "Can we see more?"
Grinning and nodding The Doctor patted his back. "If you think these flats are amazing wait until I show you the TV, it will change your life. Right Rose you go see your mum, I'll take this one to see the sights and shop. We'll meet back here in two hours."
Rose nodded and smiled at The Doctor. "Right, how long have I been away?"
"12 hours." The Doctor said confidently.
"Okay, I'll see you both soon. Don't get into any trouble without me." She quickly ran off towards the block of flats. Drannor looked around the street more, he stared up at a light post wondering what it was and what it was for. He was about to ask but paused as he saw a picture of Rose on the lamppost with the words missing, written in large red lettering.
"Doctor, there is a picture of Rose on this metal post thing."
The Doctor came over still smiling until he saw the missing poster, his smile dropped and his eyes filled with panic as he suddenly shot off in the direction that Rose had gone. Drannor ran after him, completely bewildered by The Doctor's reaction. "Doctor! Wait?! What's wrong?!"
By the time he had caught up with the Doctor, the Doctor had suddenly stopped and Drannor crashed into the back of him. He was frantically knocking on the door until Rose opened it. "Er it's not been 12 hours, It's been 12 months...sorry."
Drannor had been awkwardly stood next to the Doctor as a policeman interviewed Rose and Jackie. "And then she turns up with this random bloke and some weirdo dressed as a bloody elf! No phone call, no nothing." Jackie paced in front of Rose.
Rose's head dipped down. "I was just traveling Mum. I'm sorry I didn't call... I just wasn't thinking."
Drannor lifted his hand. "If I can say something. It's not Rose's fault from what I understand she's been traveling in time so it's probably only been a week for her." He smiled politely and let out a grunt when The Doctor elbowed him in the side, He was confused as to why The Doctor wouldn't want him telling the truth until he saw the policeman's and Jackie's faces, they were looking at him like he just told them that the sky outside was green.
The policeman stood up and walked over to Drannor, towering over him and appearing to be studying him. "Have you taken any illicit substances recently?"
The Doctor quickly pushed in front of him. "Don't mind him, he's not very well. His mum asked me to look after him whilst she went out shopping. A bit deluded poor thing."
Drannor's eyes widened and tried to speak up in protest but the Doctor shot him a look that caused him to immediately shut his mouth.
The policeman nodded and looked them over. "I see...well that's it I'll put a report in to close the case."
Jackie immediately went over to him. "Wait, aren't you going to arrest him?! He's clearly some old pervert who had my daughter!"
"Oi! I'm not a pervert. Rose just helps me out." The Doctor protested and the policeman took his chance to head out of the door as he was leaving he quickly spoke. "I am sorry miss but there has been no crime committed so I can't arrest anyone."
Drannor watched as the policeman made his escape and turned back to Jakie and The Doctor, suddenly there was a loud slap. Rose's mum had smacked The Doctor across the face. Everyone stood in silence for a moment Rose and Drannor in shock. Rose quickly got over her shock and grabbed her Mum's shoulders pulling the furious woman away from The Doctor. "Mum! Stop you can't just hit him!"
Jackie went to move forward again. "Like bloody hell, I can't!"
Drannor grabbed The Doctor's arm and started pulling him out of the flat, trying to avoid Jackie's wrath himself. The Doctor rubbed his cheek. "That hurt, the first time I've been slapped by someone's Mum before."
"Come on Doctor we need to leave, let Rose calm down her mum. Jackie looks ready to give you another one." Drannor gave The Doctor another tug until The Doctor followed him outside. "We should probably get some ice on that before going shopping."
The Doctor looked at Drannor. "She slapped me."
Drannor tried to hide his amusement of the whole situation. "I know, I was there. Can't really blame her either."
The Doctor pouted and he walked next to Drannor going back towards the Tardis. "Right, well then. Whilst Rose settles things with her mum, I'll get some ice."
Drannor helped the Doctor, once they were back in the Tardis. He winced as the elf pressed the ice pack against his face "Ow." he hissed. "Oh stop being such a baby," Drannor muttered and chuckled in amusement. "You'd think she hit you with a mace with the way you're wingeing."
"I'm not wingeing, I don't winge. It just really hurts that's all." The doctor complained and scowled as Drannor nodded. "Hmm sure you don't winge, clearly all the wingeing I'm hearing is just my imagination and not the big baby in front of me."
The Doctor was pouting now. "Stupid lower species. I'm ten times more intelligent than you lot."
Drannor nodded and chuckled softly to himself as he let The Doctor have his tantrum.
Clothes shopping was rather uneventful apart from The Doctor constantly having to find where Drannor had wandered off to, he compared Drannor to a child in a sweet shop, constantly distracted and excited by everything. Luckily for Drannor, The Doctor found it to be rather endearing if not cute.
Drannor once again got distracted and started wandering off to walk across the road, he didn't understand the dangers yet that this could pose. The Doctor quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him back just before he stepped a foot off the pavement and into traffic. "Right that's it you're keeping hold of my hand and not letting go now. You're worse than Rose for wandering off."
"I'm really sorry, it's just a lot to take in. I've never been in a place with so many people before or, so clean. Is there only humans in this city?." Drannor asked trying to take his mind off how wonderful The Doctor holding his hand made him feel. This man was taking his breath away and he'd only really known him for a day.
"Yeah, All over the world. There are just humans and animals here, not like your planet. But they're wonderful they've achieved so much in such a short amount of time...Thinking of it, your planet hasn't caught up anywhere near to this one, yet in the grand scheme of things it's much older and the people have been around a lot longer too." The Doctor frowned softly to himself and seemed to be deep in thought. Something was causing the planet to stop advancing.
Drannor continued to walk with him, admiring the sights of the city and its people. "Is there something wrong?"
The Doctor snapped himself out of his thoughts. "No nothing wrong, just...strange. I love a good mystery me though, keeps things interesting." He smiled at Drannor not wanting to worry the elf, at least until he understood why Drannor's planet hadn't advanced properly. "Anyway let's get back. You can get changed then we can go check on Rose."
AN: Hi everyone, Thank you all so much for reading, and congratulations if you managed to make it this far.