Theta Sigma by LayneCarver
Summary: When the Eleventh Doctor has an unusual regeneration, a Time Lady appears in his life, ready to find which Doctor is suitable to revive the Time Lords. Over months and years, she works with the Ninth Doctor to heal his wounds, and somehow, they find a way to their new home.
Rating: Teen
Categories: Multi-Era, Ninth Doctor, Eleventh Doctor
Characters: Original Companion, The Doctor (9th), The TARDIS, Amy Pond, River Song, Rory Williams, The Doctor (11th)
Genres: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Series
Warnings: Explicit Violence, Swearing
Challenges: None
Series: Auxiliary Timelines
Published: 2013.05.28
Updated: 2013.07.17
Theta Sigma by LayneCarver
Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Nightmares
Author's Notes: The Doctors admits how long he has quarantined himself, and Theta sees first hand the effects of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).
Theta woke up to loud cries and whimpers, and the sound of water running. She rubbed her eyes and walked through the doorway, she knelt beside the pile of his clothing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand limp, on the floor, hidden by the curtain. Throwing off her own jacket, she ran barefoot, and pulled back the curtain. She grabbed his arm and shook him, but he didn't respond.
Quickly she turned the water off and went in, trying to move him, but failing. She finally sat down, her back in the corner, and pulled his head and shoulders into her lap. She stroked his face, and at his whimper, asked, "What's wrong?" But all he could do was flutter his eyelids.
Repositioning him, she felt his sides, and his head rested on her chest. Finally, he looked up at her, sullenly, but turned his head and smiled. He glanced down, and embarrassedly crossed his legs and twisted his pelvis, lying on his side now. Theta lay the back of her hand across his cheek, then helped him scoot up the wall to sit next to her.
"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked, grabbing a hold of his hand.
"I saw them burn...burn because of me," he said, looking at her intensely, as a tear trickled down his angular face.
But instead of protesting his anger, or sadness, Theta simply hugged him. She could feel the depressive energy dissipate as he hugged her back, kissing her cheek. Completely fading soon after. He slowly regained his strength, and after three tries, he was up and stumbling to the bed.
Theta lay the now folded clothing by the door, and sat on the bed beside the prone Doctor, who was breathing heavily. She grazed his jaw and neck with the back of her hand, then lay down beside him. He barely opened his eyes to look at her and smiled, at which she smiled back. She put her hands on his face and softly kissed him. The light in the room softened, and the Doctor put his hands put his hands on Theta's back. The kiss was slow, sweet, sensual, not rushed, and not random or forced. Natural.
Slowly Theta was healing the Doctor's broken hearts, he realized that now, and he didn't just want to be with her because she was the last, but because she made him better.
He smiled against her lips and pulled back, "It's been too long," he said, "too long since I've loved someone like I do you." he rubbed her cheek. He pulled his hand back to his stomach and grunted, frowning.
"What?" Theta asked.
"I want a banana," he said.
"A banana?" she asked.
"Bananas are good," he answered without the usual Doctor vigour, and Theta got up, soon returning with a banana.
The Doctor tried to take it, but was still too weak, so Theta sat there and fed him, rubbing his throat, trying to coax the muscles to swallow. After that she curled up with him, and lay still while he slept. She lay her head against his chest, listening to his heartsbeats, then kissed the centre between the two hearts, and got up.
She walked along the corridors of the TARDIS, dripping water all along the way. They were all a warm brown, with the same roundel lights as in the control room. She got lost a few times, but eventually made her way back after retrieving some books, from a pool, a garden, the galley, two closets, two staircases, and finally the library.
"How does he find his way around here?" she asked, astonished at the long walk.
She plopped back down on the bed and was well engrossed in Shakespeare's plays, when the Doctor woke up.
"Boo!" he yelled, grabbing her sides and tickling her.
"Feeling better?" she asked as they both recovered. He smiled and laughed, nodding.
"So what exactly happened?" she asked, worried again.
"Basically a nightmare, or flashback. Post traumatic stress has a profound effect on humanoids, other species could care less," he answered.
"Not too much I can do about that, huh?" she replied.
"What you did was great, it makes it easier, not being alone," he said, pulling her close, his chin resting on her head.
"How long have you been alone?" Theta asked.
"Hard to say with the non-linear travel, but about 40 years," he answered.
"You did that to yourself?" She was astonished.
"Guess I'm not always right," he said, chuckling softly.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
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