#all aboard the traveling tardis!

[completelylostitnow]

Rescuing Rogue

[Season 1 ep. 6 “Rogue”]

Fifteenth Doctor, Rogue

1.4k words

No smut

Graphic description of temporal distortions (may be disturbing to time-sensitive readers)

Haven’t written a fanfic in 23 years. Look what they’ve done to me.

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In a trillion dimensions among an infinity, pressed like atoms in a black hole, life signs.

In a single, tiny, shivering one of them a signal that reverberates with the ring on his console. A miracle. Timelord math. Magic.

It’s a second miracle there’s still a life sign to find. Good thing he’s not human; a human could not have survived.

Ruby.

Did years of travelling in time and space with a rickety ship like his fit him with the resilience he needed? Was it a lucky trait of his species? Did he, at one point in his life the Doctor knows nothing about, even train for dimension jumps? But this place was not meant for any living thing.

It took a lot of convincing to get the TARDIS to materialise here - some hammering on the protesting consoles, followed by frantic apologies, flattery and lastly straight up begging. He saved Ruby, he reminded her. And didn’t he say right away that he loves you? Please, honey. I know you liked him, too.

The old girl did not want to come here, as little as he did.

As he steps out, the otherness of this half-done dimension pushes on him from every side. It’s not just barren. It’s empty, with singular nothingness lurking at the edges of his sight. An infinity of dimensions beyond that, invisible, but he can feel their weight. Did the bounty hunter’s presence create this in the first place, etch existence into a not-there-before? Even time is wrong. It bounces around their little bubble of half-reality, stutters and repeats, and goes back again. The word ‘hell’ flickers in his mind, but he decides there will be enough time for guilt later. Was it the stillborn, never progressing almost-time that saved Rogue after all? Had there simply not been time enough to die, just an endless sequence of things not happening? It doesn’t matter, he is almost safe now. He leads him to the TARDIS. No, not yet. He hasn’t reached him yet. Rogue grabs his hand and holds on tight. No, still -

He steps out of the TARDIS.

Rogue looks right through him.

Time is wrong.

He peers through the shifting layers of reality until he spots something. The figure of a man, slumped against the only rock in existence. TARDIS-blue coat. Curly hair.

He steps out of the TARDIS.

Come on, dear, just a bit of a stretch, he whispers. The TARDIS groans in response, but does what he asks. He feels the temporal field extend past him, eventually enclosing the motionless figure in front of him. Wrong-time protests, the whole dimension struggling against the sudden influx of unfamiliar natural laws.

In this corridor of stability it takes him only a few steps to reach his friend. Boyfriend. Companion. What was it? They never got this far.

He’s seen it happen already, but he still breathes silent relief as Rogue lifts his head. Alive. He looks right through him. His eyes are shifting slightly, flickering like he’s following a wall of tv screens at the same time. He sees a lot of things, but not him. There is nothing on his face. A sadness, maybe. Was it so different from being aboard his ship, on his own, with the memories and accusations bouncing off the walls, again and again? Did he keep going simply out of habit?

He crouches down in front of him.

Rogue, he says. Is it Rogue? You never told me your real name.

The tiniest spark of clarity in his eyes. A bit of hope.

Time flutters, struggling with the dimension’s non-reality. They need to go. He brought a very complicated event into a very fragile environment. The dimensions in the belly of his ship are a million times vaster than this place, and he’s pouring out pure temporal energy through its doors. It’s not going to last - time is precious. So is the life in front of him.

Come on. Let’s get you back to your ship.

What was it - no - will it be that gets him going?

Do you remember the jukebox? You can choose any song. It doesn’t actually need records. Universal streaming, baby. If a song will exist one day, we can - He’s babbling. Stress. He’s used to existing in the wrong order, but the constant abandoning of events, the restarts, the remixes unnerve him. He starts to sing under his breath to calm himself down.

You make me invisible

Like the sky, you make my day

I feel so wonderful

Oh, oh, oh, don't let go

How to get through to him?

I'm deep in the dark of you

It feels like I never saw the sun

Should I shout for a rescue

Oh, oh, oh, don't let go

The TARDIS shudders behind him. He can feel her aching. Do I just pick him up? Will he panic? No. He saw him grab his hand. He will grab it - just needs to hear the right words.

Two hearts are beating, together

I'm in love…

Is this forever and ever?

Come now, Doctor. Do your magic.

We can have another dance, he offers. No drama this time, just us. We can dance among the stars, if you like. He strokes some curls out of Rogue’s face.

Nothing.

I wonder what he sees right now.

You remember Ruby? My friend Ruby? She’s the best, you know. She was amazing. We defeated the actual God of Death together. Good thing maybe you weren’t around. Everyone d- that’s not helping.

Anyway, we found her mum later. Her birth mum, you know? And her dad. She’d been looking. And all because you saved her. Do you have a family somewhere, Rogue?

There’s no one. Right. Like me.

He steps out - no.

The temporal field is cracking around them, the chaos slowly trickling through.

He crouches - no, no, no, no. We already did that. Stop it.

No time. How come I’m always out of time? What happens if the temporal field fails with me here? With the TARDIS doors wide open? Can’t be good.

You know what? he tries again. Funny thing. I already met one good looking guy in a nice blue coat before. So many faces ago. Had a dance with him, too. Do you think I have a type? I think he turned into a giant head later. Babbling, Doctor…

Oh, he’d probably be able to chat him up. Flirt anyone back to life. Captain Cheesecake. He’d say something unbearably corny, like…

Hello Sailor.

Rogue’s eyes stay unfocused, but the slightest smile starts to light up on his face.

Oooh. Oh, that’s interesting. Let’s get back to that later. Definitely going to - focus, Doctor. I’m so going to ask you about that, honey. Can you get up now? Come on, sailor, back to your ship.

Rogue grabs his hand and holds on tight. There it is, there’s that moment, they are all lining up in order now. Rogue’s eyes are starting to focus on his face.

Are you really here this time?

He sounds tired, wondering, hopeful, doubtful, sad all at once. Has his rescue echoed through all the layers and whirls of this travesty of time, too? How many times has he asked that already?

I’m here, babes. I’m really, really here. He can’t help grinning. Good old Jack. Let’s get you inside now, okay?

Rogue struggles to get up, but with his arm draped over his shoulder, the Doctor can pull him the rest of the way. He leads him to the TARDIS. It was the last moment, too. The temporal field snaps and the machine slams her doors shut right on their heels, taking off without him even pressing a button. Really didn’t want to be here. He’ll have to treat her to something for this. She gives a reassuring beep, informing him that the obligatory scan is complete. He’s got the real one. He’s fine.

He faintly notices that they have both sunken to the floor, and there’s a wave of relief and joy and triumph washing over him that makes him dizzy. Rogue struggles a bit under his arm. He’s probably clutching him too hard. Locked him in an uncomfortable position, too. He lets go, lets him sink fully to the floor. A splinter of worry, until he sees that his eyes are clear. His bounty hunter is all there, all present, looking up to the TARDIS dome with the same sweet wonder he had the first time. A real smile now spreading on his face. I love this machine, he says quietly. I really love it.

There’s a small chirping from the console in response.

*************************

Kylie Minogue - 2 Hearts (2007)

[crownjewel123]

I’m requesting a 15th!Doctor x Rogue fix it fic where the Doctor uses the psychic circuit to find Rogue and there’s a cute reunion between the Doctor and Rogue where they decide to travel together and Rubys there like “awww” a lot of fluff hurt/comfort maybe some tears and a kiss! Thank you so much have a good day!

Combining your request with @flamboyantbisexual’s since they’re rather similar. I hope you enjoy, I just finished the episode myself :)

That couldn’t be it, right?

They had lost plenty of people, for good. Almost everyone he promised to protect, it was like he was signing off on the execution himself when he promised.

The Doctor, they weren’t the type to give up. So why was he?

It is what it is, brush off the dust, and keep swimming. Just like Dory always says.

But why? Why should they keep doing this? How does he continue to do this? He thinks, maybe he’s too old to let it just roll off the shoulders so easily.

And, they had just met him. Just truly, honestly, properly met Rogue. Why, then, did it sting like they had always known?

The joke about the screwdriver, the cabinets, Rogue reminded him of someone long lost.

And pulling the gun on him on the first meeting, telling them to find him. It was all so familiar, so similar. Just like how they had met here at her ending. Went back, uploaded her to the library.

Except this time, someone remains, not just a consciousness.

They look down at the ring on his finger, the Hermes symbol glaring back at him. The sign of a traveler, the sign of a medic. How ironic that they were both.

Ruby smiled sadly at him from across the room, as he twists the silver accessory around his finger. Silent as they relax in the stillness. They didn’t normally do stillness.

“Doctor, what’s on your mind?” Ruby asks softly, worry in her eyes as they rest on his furrowed brow. They know she has his best interest in mind, he’s thankful for his best friend. She doesn’t let him brood in the silence alone, or just push on like it’s nothing. A healthier approach in all honesty.

Like a light-switch in their head, they snap their fingers.

“I know how to find him!” They jump with a grin, slipping the ring off.

“Doctor?” Ruby raises a brow, excited though wary. Where had his mind drifted off to now.

“His atoms may be difficult to find, but this ring- I’m certain we could use it to track his bio-diversity to the void he’s trapped in,” The Doctor beans and there’s a certain giddiness to his demeanor. Ruby visibly brightens, gesturing for him to go on.

“How?”

“I’m going to use the Tardis’ psychic circuit to cross examine his atomic signature, and trace him to the void he’s in with the Chuldor’s,” a small tray slides out from the console with the flick of a switch. They delicately place the ring, sliding it back into place, and the Tardis lets out a ding. Then, her engines begin to churn to life.

“But isn’t it possible you’ll bring a Chuldor aboard by accident? Do you think they’ve decided to cosplay as him?” She’s excited, but she doesn’t want to get her hopes too high. She wants them to be safe- well safe as they can be. His grin widens.

“I would worry, except, Rogue has been in the Tardis, which means he’s contracted her neuron energy,” the Tardis is moving beneath their feet now, shifting swiftly through the vortex. “I could beam him up here without ever setting foot outside- the time vortex is sure to have rubbed off on him even in that short amount of time.” They both exchange a giddy laugh.

And as they soar and the engines ring their tune, it’s not long that they’re grinding to a halt- he would never turn those brakes off.

With a sonic to the console, there’s a small ding, as a gasp escapes from Ruby. A small sound that echoes behind them, and they turn.

There he is, like the moment he had zapped himself away. Beautiful blue eyes, and suit clinging to him just like that very night in 1813.

“I knew you’d find me,” there’s tears brimming in Rogue’s eyes as he smiles back at him. Overcome by emotions the Doctor can’t begin to unwind, he jogs over and pulls him into a tight hug. “I never doubted it for a second.”

“How could I resist? Love a good challenge, saving a damsel.” The Doctor jests as he pulls back to meet his beautiful blue eyes. He brushes away a single tear. Rogue lets out a laugh.

“That would be a good edition to my campaign,” he searches their brown eyes with his own. “And what a brave night is leather armor.” He notes the other’s dress as he surveys them. The Doctor laughs once again, and Ruby’s own baffled laugh echoes them.

“I believe there’s only one thing left then.” The Doctor remarks.

“What’s that?” Rogue raises a brow.

“True love’s kiss!” Ruby cheers, jumping for joy behind them.

“You heard her,” the Doctor grins, leaning into Rogue with a chaste and amorous embrace. There’s clapping behind them, as Ruby cheers happily. Rogue leans into their soft exchange, and then they both part. “Now, how’s about I show you the stars?”

“I’d follow you anywhere.” Rogue smiles.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

so... what exactly is River Song?

What exactly is River Song?

🧬 Origins

River Song is the third body of Melody Pond, the child of Amy Pond and Rory Williams. She was born chiefly human, but because she was conceived aboard the TARDIS as it travelled through the Time Vortex, she gained some minimal Time Lord DNA in her genome.

This unique combo made her DNA ridiculously interesting to a lovely lady called Madame Kovarian, who took the baby, diddled with her DNA a bit and unlocked a plethora of Gallifreyan abilities. Madame Kovarian also used Melody's DNA to create a kind of pseudo-Gallifreyan race known as 'Proto-Time Lords'.

🔬 The Biology of Proto-Time Lords

Regeneration: Like Time Lords, River has the ability to regenerate, though the number of regenerations varies among her clones.

Two Hearts: River and her clones have the two hearts of a Gallifreyan.

Enhanced Abilities: River has a deep understanding of time and space, an acute sense of smell, respiratory bypass, and the ability to sense temporal anomalies.

Individual Talents: Each proto-Time Lord has other unique abilities.

🎭 Biological and Cultural Identity

While proto-Time Lords inherit crucial Gallifreyan biological traits, they lack the cultural and academic upbringing that typically defines a Time Lord. Essentially, they have the pieces but not the full package of a Time Lord's training and experiences. This means the term 'Proto-Time Lord' is a bit of a misnomer to start with, but I'm sure Professor Moffat's class can tell you more about why that is.

🏫 So...

In essence, River Song is a disorganised blend of human and Time Lord biology. As a proto-Time Lord, she got a lot of Gallifreyan traits but isn't a full Time Lord. Essentially, she and her clones have most of the pieces in the flatpack but don't have a picture on the box.

Related:

What is the biology of proto/partial-Time Lords?: The potential biological aspects of proto/partial Time Lords.

What would a Human/Gallifreyan pregnancy look like?: Details on the possible gestational aspects of a hybrid pregnancy.

How long would it take for a Gallifreyan-Human hybrid child to realise they're not human?: All the little clues a new hybrid might pick up on as they grow.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any purple text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →😆Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[gingerteaonthetardis]

Autumnal doctor/rose, i lov it! How about ninerose and some alien hot cider?

thank you so much for this prompt, nonny! <3 hope you enjoy the fluff! and as always, please forgive any mistakes. i am my own worst grammatical enemy.

[read on AO3]

"That can't be right."

Through the doorway, he watched Rose laugh as she dumped yet another fistful of pseudocinnamon into a giant cauldron. The TARDIS had dug both out of storage—or generated them spontaneously, the Doctor suspected. He certainly would have noticed the cauldron before: the thing was massive, a piping hot shade of orange that assaulted the eyes, tall enough that Rose could barely see over the rim after hauling it up onto the hob. It was so fanciful and absurd he couldn't believe it was supposed to be functional.

It was also exactly what Rose had asked for.

Could hardly be a coincidence, could it?

You spoil her, he thought with a brief, mild accusatory glance upward. But he was not favoured with so much as a blinking light.

Typical.

The Doctor had always known the TARDIS had favourites, but he'd never in all his lives experienced such blatant, unrepentant spoiling of a travelling companion! The first time he'd seen Rose's bedroom—or, more accurately, palatial bedroom suite—he'd been gobsmacked. Her bed was enormous, at least twice the size of his. Though he wasn't much for throw pillows, hardly any aboard the ship had escaped the journey to Rose's bed; it was a miracle she could sit on the thing, let alone sleep there. And the eightieth century hi-fi teledeck?

No longer the centrepiece of the media room.

Which he was still sulking about.

But this was a new level of indulgence. The ship didn't just create matter out of nothing; everything had to come from somewhere—usually her vast stores of past rooms. To come up with something completely new involved energy transference. Effort. Time.

And, to create something as specific as a garish orange cooking cauldron? Care.

Shaking his head, he stepped inside the little galley kitchen. He'd followed his nose thus far, but the scent grew even more potent the moment he passed the threshold and into the sweltering heat of the narrow space.

"What do you mean?" Rose was asking, turning to look at him with big, worried eyes. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat, nose and lips a berry pink. "This is exactly what the barista told me to do!" She rapidly dusted off her palms, a cloud of warm brown powder dispersing into the air, carrying with it the spicy, faintly floral scent of the cloned cinnamon root native to Chame. It made his nose itch. "Why would he lie?"

The Doctor scoffed. "To keep you coming back, Rose! All the way across the charted universe—dragging me and my poor ship with you—just to get your hands on the real thing," he said, with a grumbling noise of displeasure as punctuation. "Probably a bit of clever salesmanship."

Rose's smile slipped a little, prompting an unpleasant dip in his own stomach. It wasn't fair to her, him being so obviously jaded.

After all, the barista had been perfectly nice. To Rose.

Specifically.

"Was that a harrumph? Did you just harrumph at me?" Rose's head cocked, and the grin she set loose on him was a true blue Rose Tyler special, top to bottom: eyes sparkling, tongue curled around her teeth, and with a certain jaunty angle to her chin that told him she was gloating for some reason he didn't want to think too hard about, lest he actually find out what in the world she meant by it.

"Here, put this on. You can help," she said, turning to withdraw—from one of the kitchen's many and dangerously full drawers—an apron that didn't quite match her own. Hers had cheerful, smiling Jack-o'-lanterns all over a white backdrop, nestled amidst illustrations of autumn leaves and lit candles and seasonally appropriate candies that nobody he'd ever met actually enjoyed.

His apron... also had pumpkins on it.

"Oi! Is that s'posed to be me?"

He snatched the article from her hands, pulling it up to look closer at the frowny, grumpy-looking illustrations dotting the black fabric. The eyes and mouths of the Jack-o'-lanterns were slightly puckered, like someone had left the pumpkins out in rough weather for a few days, and it gave them a uniformly sour, Scrooge-like expression.

His gaze narrowed, and Rose pressed her lips together, like she desperately didn't want to laugh. "Don't look like that," she managed, raising her hands. "I just asked her for aprons."

The Doctor scowled, even as a part of him perked up. Aprons, plural. Had she wanted him to join her all this time? Why hadn't she said anything?

"Anyway, don't worry," she went on carelessly, "nobody's here to see you in it."

You are, he thought in spite of himself.

His eyes followed her as she took back the apron and motioned for him to bend so she could drape it around his neck. The brush of her jumper-clad arms against his hair made the tips of his ears tingle and grow warm, and he ducked his head nearly to his chest in sudden awkwardness. The few moments it took for her to make a knot would give him just enough time to get hold of his rebellious—not to mention ridiculous—biology, he decided.

Don't be daft, came his stern internal voice.

There. Job done.

When he righted himself, Rose was beaming. "I dunno," she said, tipping her head this way and that, observing him, her ponytail flopping about. "I think it works for you."

"Do you now?" He looked down at the frowning pumpkins spread across his chest; they were even more wrinkled and unpleasant viewed upside-down.

But if Rose thought differently...

"Yeah." She nodded more definitely. "Very good look."

Well, then.

-

Making the cider took more time but was somehow less involved than it seemed Rose had expected.

Aside from grinding up all the pseudocinnamon and quartering the apples—they hadn't picked up any authentic Autogolds on their last grocery stop, but had some lovely Galas to hand—the other steps were quick and simple. Most of the process was a load of hurry up and wait.

Which left them with little to do but hover around the cauldron, breathing in the steam and knocking hips when they got too close. Which was often.

"What's so great about this cider anyway?" the Doctor finally asked, after a few moments of grinning at one another across the cauldron. He dipped the wooden spoon in for another sample, wondering when he'd suddenly taste what made it special enough for Rose to go to all this effort.

He remembered the overly-friendly barista, smiling with all his teeth. He remembered walking around the market stalls afterwards, Rose beaming and pointing out every little thing that caught her eye while the sun set. He remembered sudden warm pressure—how she hid her face against his shoulder when a stiff wind blew through the courtyard, setting all the beads in the jewelers' tents tinkling and flashing. There were no skittering leaves to speak of, but the whole scene had given a passable impression of a mild Earth autumn day.

It had been a good day, yes. But the cider had been rather ordinary.

Rose nudged his hip again, then deftly pulled the spoon from his hand. "Stop messing with it, or it's never gonna brew right. We're s'posed to let it sit." She replaced the lid, closing in the steam and the gentle sound of simmering. Then she sighed. "I dunno. The barista told me all the ingredients and how to make it and it all seemed fairly normal, I guess, but there was just something about it—comforting. Couldn't put my finger on why. Maybe because it was such a perfect day," she added absently, fiddling with the hem of her apron.

The Doctor stilled. "Perfect?"

When he looked at her face, her eyes were on the floor. "Yeah. Think it was."

"Not... boring?" he asked, wishing she'd look up at him. But she was just crossing one foot over another, concentrating on her shoelaces. He wondered why.

After they'd dropped Adam off on Earth, he recalled with a scowl, he had gone a bit mad with the easy trips. Just a little break, he called it. But their "break" had turned into weeks of short stops on interesting—but more importantly, peaceful—worlds. Playing tourists.

At first, neither of them had really known what to do with themselves in these sorts of places. Relaxation was anathema. And Rose had been around long enough to know you never took off your running shoes, not ever, so she didn't quite let her guard down either. They'd wandered around, taking in the sights—Rose was never short on curiosity and clever questions—but it was always with their backs up. Ready for anything. It was a vigilance neither exactly knew how to shrug off.

Especially after he'd nearly lost her.

And she knew it.

They would meet each other's eyes and just know what the other was thinking of. The Dalek, the laser to the back of her head. Incomplete goodbyes over a staticky video. And the fear in her eyes when he'd run toward her with a gun in his hands. He hadn't felt that kind of shame in... a long, long while.

But they'd survived.

It took every moment of those two weeks to make him believe it. And it was only once they landed on Chame, in that market—so familiar, so Earth-like, and yet so different—that the calm finally found them. Arm in arm, meandering through a crowd with warm cups of cider in their hands. He'd realised then he wasn't waiting for the next thing to come around the corner. And neither was she.

Time had passed since that day on Chame. Back to the old life. The adventures. Neither of them could bear to stand still for long, or rest on their laurels. There were so many worlds needed saving, where time and tide of history had to be set right. It was never-ending.

It was their life.

But not the only part. Was that why she wanted to recreate the cider?

"No," Rose said after a moment. "Not boring. Not for me." She finally looked up, eyes soft. Shrugging helplessly. "Could never get bored with you."

The Doctor swallowed. Her proximity was like gravity.

He felt himself tipping into it. Giving in to it. Hands lifting to settle on her arms. and his head falling forward, lips coming to rest gently on her crown. Her hair smelled like apples and cinnamon and warm human.

It would have been impossible for him to say it, but he had no doubt she knew.

That day hadn't been boring for him either. It had been... more than good.

It had been perfect. The day's very ordinariness made it unusual, standing out like a burning star amidst their murkier, often more difficult travels. Its simplicity—its uncomplicated pleasures—made it rare and maybe even worth recreating. Sometimes.

"All right, then," he said. "We'll have cider." He couldn't say all he felt, couldn't tell her he understood, because he didn't know exactly what he felt. Like a pinching deep within him, clenching tight around his hearts. The Dalek had called it love; his people might have called it foolishness.

All the Doctor knew was, he wanted more perfect days with her.

[sneakertin]

if anyone is still interested in the bounty hunter tentoo au, here's my huge little ramble about it!! it's a bit wild. sorry not sorry.

also, there's some more details in this post, in case anyone missed it.

and here's a couple of sketches, of course^^

ok so. when tentoo finally finds thirteen and yaz it's almost like an episode-style kinda story with him as the villain of the week, simply because i think in this format. after he has his hysterical little explanation of everything that's happened the doctor is visibly traumatized and yaz is profoundly concerned. predictably, he tries to kill the doctor(but not yaz). they manage to get away, and now she has to tell yaz about who tentoo is. she basically sits her down like a grandpa and tells her the entire long ass story. reasonably, yaz has very conflicting emotions about him. yes, his story is heartbreaking and all, but he does want to murder the woman she loves?? anyway. tentoo soon finds them again. he's a very tough enemy, maybe one of the toughest the doctor has ever met. he spent years preparing for their confrontation, he has her memories and her mind, her thought process. not only that, he knows all her weak spots and all her insecurities(he's a bit like the master in that respect). at first it seems like he's always a step ahead of them, but that soon changes. after all, he is extremely mentally unstable. he has been running on spite for the last ~15 years, and the doctor is much older than when they last met. he may have her memories, but she had plenty of time to gain new ones, to become wiser. this goes on for a while, tom and jerry kinda shit, but tentoo looses in the end.

also, there's this little scene where he stumbles upon the tardis while chasing the doctor and yaz. he sees her, stops dead in his tracks. he hasn't even realised how much he missed her. he approaches slowly and feels a faint presence in his mind. his telepathy is very weak, his time sense practically gone. he leans his forehead against the door and tardis welcomes him. he almost cries. that's the first friendly telepathic contact he's had in years. he feels at peace as he reaches for the door handle and.. it doesn't open. he tries again. she doesn't want him there, he realises. anger rises in him. he kicks the door.

"Oh, I see how it is. You want to protect her. You know that I'm going to hurt the Doctor. I mean, of course you do. I don't know what I was expecting."

he gives her one final, longing look before leaving.

initially, he dies during their battle. killed by his own weapon or something like that. it's all very dramatic and tragic, he forgives the doctor right before dying and asks her to live the life he couldn't. she gives him a gallifreyan funeral. she and yaz hold hands as they watch his body burn. the doctor has a strong sense of deja vu.

BUT then i thought that i don't want this story to end so soon because i need something to think about during the day, and i'm not ready to let go of this au yet. so, i made tentoo travel with thirteen and yaz!! this doesn't make much sense but it's fun so i don't care. the doctor feels insane amounts of guilt over tentoo and she desperately wants to make it better(it's a rather selfish decision, very typical of the doctor). and tentoo probably just realises that the doctor is not nearly as evil as he thought all those years. meeting her in the flesh reminded him of when he was her, of the fact that he never did anything out of any malice and yet people still blamed him for the things that weren't his fault. he's completely burned out, all the fight leaves him. on a subconscious level he just wants some company, wants to travel properly again. and after all the shit he went through, the doctor is probably the only person who can understand him. so, to his own surprise, he agrees. yaz is not too excited about bringing a serial killer aboard, but she sees the potential in him.

their battle was messy. his spaceship is destroyed, and it feels like the end of an era. they walk back to the tardis in silence, there's rubble all around them.

he realises, as he stands in front of the blue box, that he's trading one stolen spaceship for another. that brings a laugh out if him and yaz gives him a weird look. by that point, the doctor is nearly vibranting with excitement.

"Ready to see what she looks like?"

right, the tardis must have redecorated. he nods. the door makes a familiar creak as he takes a step forward. his jaw drops.

"Oh, you gorgeous!!"

he rushes ahead and moves around the console, touching the corals and admiring their colours. yaz is a bit shocked at his surge of enthusiasm. he seems so... doctor-like, she thinks. yes, his smile is manic and his eyes are filled with pain. his face is marked with a scar and there's nothing but an empty space where his right hand used to be. but in that moment, he is human.

slowing down, he runs his fingers along some buttons with a solemn expression. he lifts his gaze up at the moving column.

"I'm sorry for kicking you. You were doing the right thing and I... I was just upset that you didn't let me in. You understand, don't you?"

the tardis makes a low, gentle noise. he smiles.

"I missed you too, old girl."

he startles a bit when the doctor approaches from behind.

"I take it you like her new look." she laughed, awkward. "Erm, listen, I wanted to ask... About your name. Or, the lack of one. We couldn't very well keep calling you the instantaneous two-way biological metacrisis, could we? Now that you're not trying to kill me anymore, you could be the Doctor ag-"

"No!" he blurted, suddenly. "I mean, I... I don't wanna be you. I'm not you." she stared at him, open mouthed. "I think I wanna be my own person now. Fresh start, you know? Not the Doctor, not the Verisian Slayer or whatever it was that they called me." he looked lost, scared by the thought of his own future, but determined.

"That's the spirit!" she grinned and slapped him on his back. he grimaced. "Sorry. Anyway, we still need to come up with a name for you! How about good old John Sm-"

"Absolutely not!"

"Alright. John Handy?"

"Be careful, I might change my mind about not trying to kill you. By the way, you owe me a new hand." he angrily flapped his empty sleeve at yaz. she raised her hands in defence, laughing. she felt a bit guilty now, for nicking and breaking it earlier that day. oh, what a mad day that was.

"I'll make you a one! Back on the topic, how about James? You know, like Jamie Mccrimmon."

his shoulders sagged and she saw his eyes fill with memories of an old friend.

"Yeah, I think I like that."

...

AHEM!! got a bit carried away there. this thing nearly turned into a fic, but i'm not a writer so it's probably very messy. i don't wanna pull the "english is my second language" card so i'll just apologise for the ungodly amount of grammatical nonsense. sorry.

ANYWAY, they start traveling together and it's literally the most dysfunctional friendship ever. you may be thinking: "how is this gonna work? are they just gonna forget about the fact that james spent the last ten years killing people left and right?" well, he can't be any worse than the master, right? but he is a very troubled character and he spends a lot of time trying to recover from everything that's happened. the doctor and yaz are there for him all the while.

as for their relationship... basically, the doctor is very protective of james. as i said earlier, she feels directly responsible for what happened, even tho he doesn't really blame her anymore.

also, damn. that name change is very sudden, isn't it? i still can't tell if it's cringe or not. but i don't want him to go back to being the doctor, so it's not like there's any other options. the way it works is that he doesn't actually reject his past. has the memories of being the doctor and even tho he didn't actually live through them, to him it feels like he did. he was the doctor up to a certain point and then he became an entirely new person, albeit with a mutual past with her. he finally embraces his humanity. during their travels he is surprised at how refreshing it is to be in the role of the companion, to not be the doctor anymore. he no longer feels the weight of all the responsibilities and expectations that come with that bearing that name. people no longer blame him for every little thing gone wrong, for the most part. he's relieved to feel that kind of freedom, but at the same time he feels sorry for the doctor who is still being treated like that, and probably always will be. tho he is faced with his own bad reputation occasionaly. someone recognised the doctor and james once and called them "the doctor and their personal assasin".

relationships, yes. james has no problems getting along with the doctor, for obvious reasons, but he and yaz take some time to get used to each other. in the end, they bond in a way that i can't really explain. he sees right through yaz, and it kinda freaks her out. he immediately recognises the exact kind of relationship she has with the doctor and oh boy, he turned himself into a fucking matchmaker. you'd think he'd be horrified at the prospect of the doctor falling in love with a human again, considering the massive trauma he has regarding this topic, but no. i guess that as a human he takes it much easier this time around. he is mortal, and so is yaz, and that kinda makes her seem less fragile to him.

OH!! i forgot to mention the little running gag i came up with. so, every now and again james gets his prosthetic broken, or stolen, or eaten or absolutely obliterated in the most unpredictable comedic way possible and he gets soooo mad every time. at one point they meet the pting again... you can guess what happens.

oh, i was also thinking about bringing jack into this whole mess because i'm obsessed with tenjack, but i'm still not sure about that. i was just wondering how different their relationship would be if the doctor was human. we already know that jack loves the doctor and will probably never stop. but james doesn't have much of his time lord senses left now and therefore he wouldn't be able to feel jack's "wrongness". moreover, he spent years with barely any human connection and now he's desperate for it. most importantly, the majority of the doctor's relationship hang ups are based on their immortality, and guess what!! james doesn't have that anymore. he's not the doctor, he's changed, but he still has the memories. jack is still his friend. with nothing holding james back, i truly think he would be able to return jack's feelings. or maybe I'm thinking to much about it. maybe i just everyone to be gay, who knows?? i honestly don't know just how weird it would be if they were together but, my god, i just want them both to have some comfort, something that goes farther than friendship.

anyway, jack joins the dysfunctional trio post revolution of the daleks(for him) so he already knows thirteen and yaz. you can imagine his shock when he sees james. james is no less surprised. a wave of insecurity hits him and he immediately tries to explain to jack that he's not who he thinks he is. that's he's not really the doctor, that's he's that weird little guy who grew out of The Hand. jack hears his words, but goes for a hug anyway. james sighs in relief. at least he doesn't have to deal with rejection again. he's also startled to realise that jack doesn't feel wrong anymore. it's supposed to be a bad thing: his mind can no longer sense the timelines. but instead of panicking about it, he just chooses to relax in his friend's embrace. the doctor looks at them, and smiles.

...

aaaand that's all i have for now!! when i tell you i nearly died trying to convert all my loose thoughts into a semi-comprehensible text. you a real soldier if u read all that. hope you enjoyed<3

[owen-writes]

Rory's Brother

11th Doctor x Male Reader

You stand in the cozy living room of your brother Rory and his wife Amy, listening to their animated stories about a man called the Doctor. They recount their adventures in time and space, the incredible sights, and the danger they faced. As they speak, you can't help but feel a mix of excitement and skepticism. After all, how much of these fantastical tales could be true?

Suddenly, a loud, wheezing noise fills the air, making everyone turn in surprise. The room is bathed in an otherworldly light as the TARDIS materializes right in the middle of the living room. The doors swing open, revealing the eleventh Doctor with his characteristic bow tie and fez. He grins expectantly, assuming he's just landed in the presence of the Ponds.

"Ah, Ponds! Always a pleasure," the Doctor exclaims, sticking his head out of the TARDIS doors. His eyes widen as he notices you standing there. "Bring him too, Ponds. I like the look of him."

Rory, ever the protective older brother, steps forward with a cautious expression. "That'll be my brother, Doctor..."

The Doctor's face lights up with curiosity. "Another Pond!"

You interject, feeling a bit awkward, "I'm...I'm not a Pond..."

Amy chuckles and nudges you playfully. "Yeah, you are."

With a dismissive wave, the Doctor ushers all three of you into the TARDIS. The moment you step inside, your jaw drops. The interior is much larger than you could have imagined, with a dazzling array of buttons, switches, and glowing panels.

The Doctor grins, delighted by your amazement. "Welcome aboard! Always a pleasure to have new company. Now, Ponds, show your brother around. I have a feeling he's going to love it here."

As Rory begins to guide you through the TARDIS, the Doctor fiddles with the controls, preparing for the next adventure. Amy watches with a fond smile as you take in the surreal surroundings.

"Isn't it amazing?" she asks.

You nod, still in awe. "I never thought I'd see anything like this."

Rory laughs, patting you on the back. "Just wait until you're hurtling through time and space. It's a whole different experience."

The Doctor interrupts, calling everyone to attention. "Allons-y!" he shouts, pulling a lever and sending the TARDIS into motion. The sensation is unlike anything you've ever felt before���disorienting and thrilling at the same time.

As the TARDIS hurtles through time, the Doctor regales you with tales of his past adventures, and you find yourself drawn into the mesmerizing world of the Time Lord. Amy and Rory share knowing glances, recognizing the familiar sparkle in your eyes—the same wonder they once had when they first joined the Doctor on his travels.

The journey unfolds with laughter, danger, and discovery. The Doctor's enthusiasm is infectious, and by the end of it, you can't help but feel like part of the TARDIS crew. As the familiar wheezing sound announces your return to Rory and Amy's living room, you're left with a mix of emotions—gratitude for the extraordinary experience and a newfound connection with the enigmatic Doctor.

[companion-showdown]

Who has the worst time aboard the TARDIS?: Nominations

I don't have any rules so much as guidelines of what counts towards a "worst time" and "aboard the tardis"

The first is simple, anything can count towards a companion's bad time, were they occasionally board and annoyed, or did they die once a week for 1000 years, doesn't matter, those are both bad times, although I'm sure once the actual tournament starts one would be declared worse

As for "aboard the TARDIS", obviously bad times that happen while literally aboard the TARDIS, but also bad stuff that happens somewhere that the TARDIS takes the companion

One final note, is while how the characters come to an end is obviously a factor, once the tournament starts I expect votes will be cast based on the adventures as a whole, for example while Earthshock probably wasn't a great day for Adric, I wouldn't anticipate him getting particularly far because the rest of his time travelling wasn't notably bad (in my opinion)

Nominees

now we are back to full size tournaments please remember that all main TV companions automatically qualify, as well as some EU companions (full list here), so please don't send me nominations for them

Katarina

Sara Kingdom

Adam Mitchell

Kamelion

Oliver Harper

Compassion

Sam Jones

Roz Forrester

C'rizz

Marc

Chris Cwej

Tasmin Drew

Hex Schofield

Missy

Molly O'Sullivan

The Doctor

Simm!Master

Fey Truscott-Sade

Father Kreiner

Bret Vyon

Anya Kingdom

Mark Seven

Izzy Sinclair

Magenta Pryce

Destrii

Jess Collins

Collins Family

Alice Obiefune

for anyone who has not nominated before, there is no set way to nominate a companion, most people just send me an ask but any method were I am guaranteed to see the nomination will be accepted

Nominations will be open for at least 24 hours (until 26/06, 15:30 BST (GMT+1/UTC+1)

[crookedfivefingers]

Ten x Martha • Mature

WIP snippet. AU scenario where there wasn’t a “Year that Never Was” and Martha continued traveling aboard the TARDIS (against her better judgment). Also AU in the sense that the Doctor is actually willing to smother all of that UST once and for all.

The Doctor walked right into Martha’s personal space, succumbing to her orbit, studying her face as his hands pursued a symmetrical study of her sides.

The tank top she wore clung to her curves: modal and elastane blended into something red and soft beneath the exploration of his fingers. The hem met bare skin over the crests of her hips, which he traced with wide sweeps of his thumbs, dragging the material without ever slipping beneath.

“So,” he began conversationally, choosing not to acknowledge the tremors he could feel running through her body like a dozen little currents. Barely tilting his head, he leaned in close, only stopping once his nose brushed alongside hers. “Have we got a plan, or are we just sort of making it up as we go along?”

Standing this close, Martha didn’t even need to try for him — not really. She probably had no idea that her body was already making short work of his senses, laying claim to them, bolstering his resolve to have her — and in as many ways as she would allow.

In addition to the allure of seeing her dressed down, she smelled clean and lovely: like shea butter and peppermint toothpaste, both of which the Doctor could already taste as trace molecules sought refuge on his tongue.

They barely managed to mask the telltale plume of pheromones that were coming off of her, however.

“I… oh,” Martha gasped as his grip tightened to tug her closer, a nervous smile playing on her lips. “Erm. Well…” She hesitated just before placing her hands flat on his chest, then seemed to reconsider, sliding her arms up to wind around his neck. “Reckon we sort’ve work best when… When we haven’t got a plan, yeah?”

Humming appreciatively, the Doctor slid his hands around to her lower back, reveling in the way his long fingers seemed to splay from one side of her body to the next. Blimey, she’s small, isn’t she?

Steadying his hands, he drew back, smirking at her half-mast stare. “Mm. I knew there was a reason I wanted to keep you,” he purred, husking through each syllable, allowing the heat of his words to pour into her parted lips without an ounce of pretense as he once more brought his face to hers.

Though Martha’s eyes fell shut, the Doctor’s remained shuttered as his mouth hovered over hers — a gentle (and entirely unnecessary) tease. The poor girl was already so far gone, her petite frame all but trembling against him — but he had to admit it was a bit fun keeping her perched there, trapped on a razor’s edge.

It was only a matter of time before he would make up for all of this torture, certainly (and with handsome interest) — but presently, he could hear her heart pounding between every last uneven breath; he could feel so much human heat radiating off of her skin, enticing him further, and… Oh, yes.

They were going to have great fun, weren’t they?

It was fascinating just how seductive this regeneration was proving to be. It felt brilliant. Every nerve, every neuron was alight with wanting, tempting him to draw out every detail, savoring the prelude to what he could imagine would wind up being quite the torrid fucking.

Something told him that was exactly what she wanted — what they both needed — and the Doctor was happy to oblige.

[oswildin]

Observing {Dhawan!Master x ND!Reader}

Summary: Whilst travelling with the Doctor, you often face certain challenges the others don’t. But it turns out, the person you least expected to understand, is the one who helps you the most. CANNON-DIVERGENCE // SHORT ONESHOT

A/N: A little bit self-indulgence doesn’t hurt right? This is based off my own struggles and experiences with my own neurodivergence tendencies. So if something doesn’t relate to you, that’s fine, everyone’s experiences are different! Ofc, it’s also a popular theory/opinion that the Timelords themselves are also ND. Keep yourself safe, happy and ensure you get rest!

Warning: Depictions of anxiety/overstimulation.

Travelling with The Doctor was amazing. But sometimes it felt too much, like everything was happening so fast and so loud. Sometimes your brain was working in overload, firing quicker than the others, and other times it was the opposite, like you couldn’t quite get it into gear. Sometimes you wanted to shut down, lock yourself away and not have any communication for days, and other times you wanted to be around everyone and talk for hours. It was exhausting. Everyone aboard the TARDIS was understanding, they tried their best to help when they could.

When The Master joined you all, you weren’t sure about it. There was obvious history between the two Timelords that made you feel a little uneasy. More for the fact that any source of tension in a room would make you feel on edge. The Master was mostly on the quieter side, making quips here and there, making cheap shots about humans and often disobeying The Doctors orders, but thankfully not to the level of destroying planets or killing anyone. The only reason he was with you was so The Doctor could keep an eye on him.

Stepping out of the TARDIS, you were suddenly faced with a bustling market, as you instantly blinked, trying to adjust yourself to the scene before you.

“The famous market of Urania!” The Doctor cheered, gesturing to the stalls that surrounded you all. “Anything and everything you could ever think of, this market will definitely have it!” She grinned, as Yaz smiled as her eyes scanned the area. The Master stepped out of the ship, standing beside you as he took in the surroundings also. “Well, nearly anything and everything.” The Doctor added. “Now, remember, don’t wander too far-“ She eyed The Master as he folded his arms, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “And meet back here in around an hour?” She looked at you all for confirmation as you weakly nodded, forcing a smile.

Once she was happy, The Doctor spun on her heel, heading off towards some of the stalls as you heard her go ‘oooh’ in delight as Yaz followed closely behind, smiling at her friend. You stood still, eyes scanning everything around you, completely forgetting about the other Timelord that was still standing beside you.

“Are you going to stand here all day?”

You jumped at his voice as you whipped your head to look at him.

“May as well have a look.” He shrugged slightly as he began to walk forwards. You took a breathe before quickly following him, not wanting to be left alone in the crowd. “Most of this stuff is space junk and tat.” The Master spoke as you tried to focus on his words, trying to tune out the loud voices that flooded your ears. “And these sellers charge an arm and a leg for it. Unsuspecting tourists don’t know the difference.” You hummed at his words, as you kept your eyes focused on his back, hoping to block out what was happening around you. Suddenly you felt a shove, as you fell forwards, going into The Master as you gasped. Your head snapped round to see a tall, green man glaring down at you. The Master quickly turned, seeing you staring up at the disgruntled alien as he instantly glared at them.

“Oi!” He snapped. “You should watch where you’re going.” He stared up at the alien, not standing down as he narrowed his eyes, tilting his head slightly. The alien made a noise before walking round the two of you, The Masters gaze still focused on them as they huffed in annoyance, making their way past. You could feel your heart beginning to beat faster, as the noise began to flood back into your ears. You instinctively began tapping your fingers together in a self soothing motion, focusing on the sensation to keep you grounded.

“And people say I have no manners.” The Master clicked his tongue as he finally turned back to look at you. He could see your anxiousness on your features as he peered down to see your tapping. He pursed his lips as he observed you. “Come on, let’s go somewhere a bit quieter with less idiots.” He gestured with his head as he nodded in another direction. What you didn’t expect was him to hold out his hand, offering it to you as you furrowed your brows, before hesitantly taking it, allowing him to guide you out of the crowd.

You kept your gaze focused down as he took you both towards the edge of the market, where less people gathered. Finally, you came to a halt, as he let go of your hand, causing you to look up at him.

“Better?” He asked, as you nodded, feeling slightly more content being away from the majority of the crowd. “Good.” He simply said as you stood in silence for a few minutes, allowing yourself to adjust once again to the surroundings. You found yourself finally being able to properly take in the place, observing from the sidelines as you watched all the different aliens approach the different stalls.

“Thank you.” You finally spoke, finding your voice as he peered over at you. He gave you a small nod as you both peered back out at the crowd.

Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.

[thegirlwiththeblush]

Nature Offers A Violence

First Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright

Word Count: 1.9k

Fandom: Doctor Who (1963)

Loose Song Inspiration: Blood Upon the Snow by Hozier

Summary: While decluttering her grandfather's closet, Susan discovers an unusual creature, and chaos ensues.

a/n: Special thanks, as always, to my dearest @vorsdany for sharing the prompt with me and then proofreading my absolute chaos; thank you, my love! I hope this fic crosses some Classic Who fans' pages!

 Susan liked to consider herself a fairly tidy person. It wasn’t often that she and her grandfather were home from their travels in the TARDIS, and she liked to use that time to ensure that everything was spick and span, as the place could become a bit of a mess over time. The Doctor did not seem to care much for cleanliness, preferring to work on the engineering of his vehicle, somewhat lazily leaving the organization to his attentive granddaughter.  

 One day, the TARDIS team had returned home for a break in their travels, and Ian and Barbara had gone out to pick up some groceries for a picnic. The Doctor was in the TARDIS fiddling with a joystick that was getting jammed in place when he heard Susan skipping into the console room, humming a merry tune. 

 “Grandfather!” she said cheerily, halting directly behind him. 

 “Yes, what is it, Susan? I’m rather busy at the moment,” he replied without looking up from the console. He grunted in frustration when the stick remained stubbornly in place. 

 “Oh, I don’t need your help or anything,” she assured him, a sweet smile on her face, even though he couldn’t see. “I was just wondering if maybe I could declutter your closet.”  

 This made the Doctor look up, blinking a few times in confusion. “My closet?” he echoed. “Whatever’s wrong with my wardrobe?”  

 “Oh, it’s horrendous, Grandfather,” Susan exclaimed, sheepishly wringing her hands in front of her. “You collect so much on your travels, and it just piles up! I’ve seen it in passing, and... goodness gracious, Grandfather, it’s such a mess!” 

 The Doctor shook his head slightly before relenting. “Well, all right,” he said, “but I see nothing wrong with having such a large collection.” 

 “Oh, I won’t be throwing anything away, I promise,” she replied, “not unless I have to. I’m just tidying it up a bit!” 

 The Doctor waved his hand dismissively as she scampered off, before returning to work on his beloved console. 

 As Susan entered her grandfather’s expansive closet aboard the TARDIS, she fought not to turn up her nose at the mixed stench of dust, grime, sweat, and... some other unpleasant odour that she couldn’t quite identify. The room, like much of the TARDIS, seemed bigger than the deceptive narrow doorway, extending past the coat rail in the entrance, a large hexagonal space with fluorescent light panels across the ceiling. She carefully stepped around scattered stacks of costumes from all different planets and time periods, glancing around at the musty walls and ceiling with the occasional hook pinned here and there, each holding far more coats and jackets than they should’ve been.  

As she sidestepped a pair of extra-large astronaut pants, she heard a muffled squelching sound to her left. She nearly tripped over her own feet trying to scramble away from the source, a pink kimono thrown in a corner; with all the mess around her, she hadn’t noticed an oddly shaped mass shifting underneath it, emitting the strange noises. Tilting her head in confusion, she picked up a discarded coat hanger and tentatively poked the fabric.  

 Suddenly, a large caterpillar-like creature scrambled out from underneath the kimono, ten or so legs clambering helter-skelter as it continued making the wet, sucking sounds she’d heard. She shrieked and leapt back, collapsing against the wall behind her, yelping once more when what appeared to be its head seemed to turn and face her. “Grandfather!” she squealed, keeping her eyes on the animal. “Grandfather, come quick!” 

 Moments later, too long for her liking, the Doctor stepped into the room, ducking underneath the coat rail. “What is it, Barbara, didn’t I tell you I’m-” He caught sight of the creature mid-sentence, his eyes widening and posture straightening. “Oh, yes, I see you’ve found the nestrix. It must have escaped from my lab.” 

 “The nestrix?” Susan asked. Her eyes remained fixed on the creature as she took quick shallow breaths to compose herself. 

 “Yes, a creature I found on a deserted planet some time ago,” he explained. “I brought it back to my lab to study it, and it must have gotten out of its holding chamber. Perhaps it preferred the warmer climate of the closet here.” 

 “What are we going to do with it, Grandfather?” Susan cried. 

 The Doctor’s eyebrows furrowed. “Do with it?” he repeated. “The creature’s entirely harmless, my dear, couldn’t even prick you, there’s no need to do anything about it.” 

 During this banter, the nestrix had made its way towards the pair, its long, slick back glistening with a sticky substance under the lights. Its skin was a mesmerizing ripple of colour, different shades of purple, blue, and green undulating from its head to its rear. Its short, spindly legs drummed across the floor as it shifted slowly forward. The substance that gave it sheen seemed to be leaking out at an increasing rate. 

 “The nestrix prefers solitude in humid or warm climates, and is typically hermaphroditic,” the Doctor continued, tugging slightly on his coat as he stood like a proud orator. “There were no other creatures of any kind left on its planet, so I do wonder how it would’ve interacted with-”  

 A forceful jet of murky sludge burst out of the nestrix, narrowly missing Susan and hitting the wall beside her. Shrieking in fright, Susan turned to see a gaping burned hole in the wall, sizzling as it rapidly corroded. 

 “... Well, it appears my studies were not entirely thorough, and I think it best we leave now,” the Doctor amended, before quickly pulling Susan up off the floor by the hand and dragging her back under the coat rail, soon followed by another burst of the sludge that came dangerously close to her legs.  

 They dashed out of the closet and backed up against the opposite wall, Susan struggling to catch her breath. As they stared at the doorway, waiting for the nestrix to follow, the TARDIS door opened and closed, and the familiar voices of Ian and Barbara drifted towards them. 

 “Ian!” the Doctor yelled upon hearing them. “Quick, grab the fire extinguisher! It’s behind the panel under the console!” 

 The chatter from the TARDIS entrance ceased. “You got it, Doctor!” Ian called. They could only just hear Barbara murmuring something about wondering what was going on. 

 “A fire extinguisher?” Susan questioned in panic, still watching the closet doorway. 

 “Yes, well, we don’t have many other options right now,” the Doctor responded, his eyes widening as the nestrix finally appeared. “If you have any suggestions, they’d be much appreciated!”  

 The Doctor’s companions raced into the room, Ian brandishing the fire extinguisher like a holy grail while Barbara watched in confusion. “Here you are, Doctor!” 

 “Yes, thank you for your haste, Ian!” the Doctor replied, taking the extinguisher with slightly shaky hands. 

 “I’ve learned not to question your urgent requests,” Ian replied, his lips quirking up slightly, before glancing around the room. “What seems to be the trouble?” His eyes landed on the nestrix before the Doctor could answer, and he staggered back slightly. “Good heavens! Doctor, what is that thing?” 

  “It’s a nestrix, my boy,” the Doctor said, mustering as much calmness into his tone as possible. “There’s no time to explain further, but no need to worry, this should sort the creature out!” 

 “Why, it looks sort of beautiful, doesn’t it?” Barbara mentioned. 

 The Doctor shrugged as he undid the hose from the fire extinguisher, watching as the nestrix inched menacingly towards them. “Yes, well, I thought so too until about a minute ago.” 

 An elongated appendage slithered out from beneath the nestrix’s lower abdomen, coiling slightly as if in preparation to strike. The four of them stood agape. 

 Susan huddled closer to her grandfather. “Grandfather... is that...?” 

 Ian grimaced. “I think it’s...”  

 The Doctor, who’d hesitated in preparing the extinguisher, finally composed himself and hoisted it up to better his grasp on it. “Well, I suppose that’s why they’re hermaphroditic.”  

 “That’s what it fired at us with?!” Susan exclaimed, but the Doctor wasted no more time, blasting the nestrix with the extinguisher hose. 

 The white, powdery stream burst out, shrouding the overgrown caterpillar, and the four of them stood waiting breathlessly. Within seconds, another eruption of sludge launched at them, landing on the wall behind them as they dodged to either side. 

 “What in the world?!” Barbara cried. 

 “It looks like this creature can only be defeated by force,” the Doctor declared, wielding the extinguisher in front of him in a threatening manner. “Everyone stay back!” He advanced, trying to circle away from the nestrix’s appendage as it followed his movement.  

 “Doctor, be careful!” Ian followed, his arms held out in front of him in defence. “You’re bound to get hit! I’ll distract it!” 

 “Well, then, get to it!” the Doctor said, before slamming the extinguisher down on the nestrix’s head. He yelled in pain as the extinguisher practically bounced off of the nestrix’s apparently impenetrable exoskeleton. Ian hesitated, then began running at the creature while screaming and yelling. The nestrix turned to him, while the Doctor reared back, preparing to strike again. 

 Meanwhile, Susan tapped Barbara on the shoulder, gesturing to the console room. “Did you leave the groceries by the door?” 

 Barbara nodded. “Yes, but what does that-” 

 “Follow me!” With that, Susan grabbed her hand, dragging her towards the entrance.  

 The Doctor continued striking the nestrix with the extinguisher in vain, while Ian grabbed a coat hanger that lay in the closet doorway and attempted to pierce the creature with it, all this while the appendage continued to fire at them at random. Just as the Doctor was about to blast it with the fire extinguisher once more, Susan appeared behind him holding tightly to a popsicle. Taking a deep breath, she leaped forward, grabbed the nestrix’s member, and stuffed the popsicle in the hole. 

 A loud screeching pierced the air as the icy treat melted down into the appendage; the alien writhed and flailed in a desperate attempt to escape the cold. The four of them stepped back, Susan grinning in relief and glee; the nestrix’s legs gave way and it collapsed with a final heave. 

 “Susan, that was brilliant!” Ian said, patting her shoulder proudly. “How did you know to do that?” 

 “Grandfather said that the nestrix liked warm climates, so I knew only the cold could stop it!” Susan beamed up at him. 

 “Then why didn’t the cold of the extinguisher work?” Barbara asked.  

 “I suppose that’s the work of the exoskeleton,” the Doctor surmised. “That was very clever, Susan, attacking both its Achilles’ heel and its weapon!” 

 Susan allowed herself a small smirk. “I suppose decluttering the closet wasn’t such a bad idea after all, was it, Grandfather?” 

 Ian and Barbara laughed, and the Doctor rolled his eyes, although the corners of his mouth twitched a little. “Come along, now,” he said, “let’s make a pit stop at the nestrix’s home planet before it freezes to death. I suppose now we know why it was otherwise uninhabited. Fascinating creature, indeed.” 

 As the four made their way back to the console room, the Doctor remorsefully muttered something about wishing he’d had more time to study the alien caterpillar. Ian, Barbara, and Susan merely grinned at each other and giggled as they followed, leaving the powerless nestrix, the melting popsicle, and the utterly dishevelled closet behind. 

[rachelbethhines]

Speed-running Doctor Who - 1st Doctor

A quick and dirty guide for those who want to get into the show, but don't want to watch everything from the beginning.

For Those Who Just Wanna Get An Idea of the Era

The Romans - S2E4

If you just want to get your toes wet and watch only one story from the era to get a feel for things, then The Romans is fairly continuity lite and offers a good look at what defines the First Doctor's era. Plus it's only four parts and all of the episodes exist.

Plot Important Episodes

Entrances, Exits, Enemies, Lore Drops, and Character Development (missing episodes will have a * next to it. You will have to find recons and animated versions to watch instead)

An Unearthly Child - S1E1 (Very First Episode, Introduces The First Doctor, Susan, the Tardis, Ian, and Barbara)

The Daleks - S1E2 (First appearance of the Doctor's arch enemies)

The Edge of Destruction - S1E3 (character development for the tardis team and first hints that the Tardis is alive)

The Aztecs - S1E6 (character development for Barbara and the rules of time travel are defined... which the Doctor continues to break form here on after. Also introduces the Doctor's first onscreen love interest)

The Sensorites - S1E7 (character development for Susan and lore drops regarding the Doctor's home planet and people)

The Dalek Invasion of Earth - S2E2 (Return of the Daleks and Susan's last episode)

The Rescue - S2E3 (introduces Vicki)

The Web Planet - S2E5 (the Animus is the Great Intelligence, Change My Mind!)

The Chase - S2E8 (Barbara and Ian leave, and we meet Steven)

The Time Meddler - S2E9 (We meet another of the Doctor's race for the first time, and he may or may not be The Master)

Mission to the Unknown - S3E2 * (first Doctor lite episode and a prologue to The Dalek Masterplan)

The Myth Makers - S3E3 * (Vicki leaves and Katarina comes aboard)

The Daleks' Master Plan - S3E4 * (Katarina's only full story. The Doctor also meets Bret Von and his sister Sara Kingdom. One of whom may or may not be a reincarnation of a future companion. The return of both the Daleks and the Meddler)

The Massacre - S3E5 * (Character Development for Steven and Dodo is introduced at the end)

The Ark - S3E6 (Dodo's first full story... plus it actually exists)

The Celestial Toymaker - S3E7 * (the first appearance of the Toymaker)

The Savages - S3E9 * (Steven leaves)

The War Machines - S3E10 (Dodo's last story, and we meet Ben and Polly. The first time the Doctor works with the military)

The Smugglers - S4E1 * (the conclusion of One's character arc)

The Tenth Planet - S4E2 * (the first appearance of the Cybermen and the First Doctor's last story)

Personal Favorite and Least Favorite Stories

Because one man's trash is another man's treasure and vice versa

Favorite: Marco Polo - S1E4*

Least Favorite: The Gunfighters - S3E8

(disclaimer: no spin-offs or extended universe stuff was considered when making this list)

Up next: The Second Doctor

[borrowedtimeandspace]

A Whole Lot of Precious Time

AU: A Patient, and Time (Donna AU); set right after Picking Up the Pieces

Note: Some emotional hurt/comfort, as a treat. Bit of a long one under the cut, couldn't find a good place to chop it. Some of the dialogue inspired by these hurt/comfort prompts.

~~~

It was unbearably quiet in the TARDIS for a very long time.

Zepheera was emotionally exhausted when they returned, and understandably so. Ever since the incident with the Time Beetle, it had all been non-stop. The stolen Earth, Davros and the Daleks, Rose and everyone all coming back, coming together and going their own ways… Losing Donna… It was a lot to process, to say the least. Even for the Doctor.

While she insisted on making her own way down the corridor toward the hidden ‘room’ she now occupied within the walls of the TARDIS, the Doctor stayed behind in the console room to set all the lights to dim. Having a simulated night cycle usually helped his companions get their sleep, and Zepheera was certainly in need of rest now.

And as the room around him slowly darkened, leaving the blue-green glow of the center column of the console as the main light source, the Doctor dropped heavily into the old seat alongside it.

He was still there hours later, staring into the shadows.

Every fiber of his being felt wrong without Donna on board the TARDIS. Zepheera was obviously taking it hard as well.

They had become an inseparable trio, a far cry from how things were when the Doctor first brought Zepheera aboard. She'd slowly come to trust the human and the Time Lord, opened up to them as individuals and truly came into her own as a member of the team. They weren't just travel companions who quite often banded together to save people across the universe. After everything they'd been through, they were equal peers and close-knit friends.

Donna was a load-bearing pillar in that dynamic. That much was clear now.

When the Doctor removed her from the picture, it shattered the trust he and Zepheera built. It had to be done, and no amount of protesting from Zepheera or Donna would have changed that. Either it happened, or Donna died. Zepheera was just the one still around to feel the consequences of the judgment call the Doctor had made. 

She hated him for it, and he couldn't blame her. He hated himself for it. One of the best friends he'd ever made in over 900 years, and he had to destroy the remarkable woman she had become. And it wasn't just that Donna had saved the whole of reality. She was there for the Doctor when he needed someone to keep him in check. She was there for Zepheera when she needed a confidant, someone to support her healing process.

Now Donna was gone. Because the Doctor couldn't save her. Not in a way that mattered.

He wondered briefly why Zepheera stayed, after what she surely saw as a betrayal of the friendship they all had. He'd tried to offer her a way out, and she'd told him off. Did she feel some sort of obligation to stay, think she owed the Doctor anything? Surely if any of that were true, it would all have been erased by what he'd done. What she'd tried to stop him doing, begged him. And he'd ignored her, and didn't even give her a chance to say goodbye to Donna herself.

With all that and more in mind, the Doctor struggled to think of a good reason Zepheera would continue to put up with him.

He hadn't found an answer yet when he felt a small impact on his lower back.

Blinking in surprise, he squinted this way and that in the darkness before his thoughts could catch up to the present.

“ ‘Ey! Quit your squirming,” called a small voice from behind him. The Doctor froze as it was accompanied by tiny but rather pointed jabs from that same area on his lower back and tugs at his jacket.

“What are you doing?” the Doctor asked Zepheera, baffled by this turn of events. He hadn't even heard the borrower come in, let alone get close enough to pull such a stunt. 

The jabs and tugs reached the back of his ribs, and it was so odd to feel them offer the tiny woman better footholds. “Climbing, what’d you think?” Zepheera shot back. Then, with a huff, she added, “Although, at this point, more like crawling. Can't be good for your back, slouching like this. Keep it up, and your age will start to show.”

The comment drew the Doctor's attention to his posture for the first time in hours. Evidently, all the tension in his body had caused him to curl in and fold forward. Shoulders hunched nearly up to his ears, elbows rested on his knees, forearms crossed as his hands clutched at his sleeves with white knuckles.

It wasn't terribly comfortable, now that he was aware of it, but he couldn't just sit up straight all of a sudden now. For all she'd griped about it, and as thrown off as he was by it, the Doctor was loath to make Zepheera's climb more difficult. He could feel her drawing closer to her usual perch of his shoulder so, with a deep breath, he slowly released his shoulders to a more natural position to give her some room.

Even though he did his best to move the rest of his body as little as possible, Zepheera's movement paused briefly somewhere behind his shoulder blades. “See? That's more like it,” she said before continuing her ascent.

The Doctor chanced a glance toward his shoulder when he felt her pull herself up to it. She sat there so often that he was used to mostly making out her blurry shape in the corner of his eye. With a small grunt of effort, Zepheera swung her legs forward to dangle over the edge and stretched her arms over her head.

“Alright?” the Doctor gently asked, still unsure of what she was doing there.

Zepheera gave a yawn and dragged her hands down her face. “Couldn't sleep,” she sighed. “It's all…too quiet.”

Something in the Doctor clenched. She felt it, too.

He nodded, gaze turning downward. Now that he'd forced his shoulders to relax, his hands followed suit. They were quite sore from all the clenching. He gave his fingers a small stretch in place, which helped a bit.

“Times like these, I find I sleep a bit better with some… well, in company, I guess,” Zepheera went on, sounding a little sheepish. “And you didn't seem busy, so… Alright with you if I stay?”

That drew the Doctor's attention back to his shoulder, and his brow jumped nearly to his hairline. Dozens of questions swirled around his head all over again, but the one that eventually stumbled out was, “You…want to sleep here? On my shoulder?”

He saw Zepheera's shape glance his way for a moment before she shrugged. “Well,” she said, leaning forward to look down toward the Doctor's lap directly below, “preferably not from this angle.”

“Right,” the Doctor blinked. “Hold on.”

Carefully, the Doctor uncrossed his arms to brace one hand each on the matching knee. He could feel Zepheera shift positions herself, ready to adjust to the inevitable shift of gravity. He slowly began pushing himself to sit upright once she felt settled, and eventually his back pressed against the seat’s.

“Better?”

“Getting there…” The Doctor felt Zepheera's weight shift again, and he froze in place. She scooted closer to his neck, too close for him to even think about glancing her way, and then he felt a tug at his left collar.

When her weight left his shoulder entirely, accompanied by a stronger tug at his collar and then his tie, the Doctor couldn't hold back from looking down at her with complete bewilderment. His right hand lifted to hover below Zepheera before he could think better of it when he saw her dangling from the left side of his tie. All that movement was hard for the borrower to miss, and she lifted her chin to meet his gaze.

“Oh, er,” she uttered, “well, shoulders aren't as good for sleeping as sitting, y'know. And there's a good bit of white noise down here that's surprisingly calming. Suppose I should have asked, though…”

Slowly, the Doctor let go of the breath that had caught in his chest. He hardly needed reminding of the handful of times Zepheera had curled up in that spot on his chest after a panic attack or night terror. It didn't take a genius to understand that she'd grown to find some level of comfort there. This was just the first time she'd basically asked to stay there, albeit in not so many words.

“Of course, yeah, I'll just…” Since it was already hovering under her, the Doctor lifted his hand to gently meet Zepheera at her level. She immediately let go of his tie to drop down into his palm, and the hand curled in just enough to offer her a bit of security as he moved.

The Doctor scooted forward in the seat and carefully leaned back in it, propping his feet up on the console for ease of maintaining the position. He'd ideally be in it for hours, after all. In tandem with his movements, Zepheera's weight made the transition from his palm to his chest, in the gap between his tie and his lapel. The angle wasn't close to flat by any stretch, but enough for her to comfortably nestle in there. The Doctor's hand stayed curled around her, kept her from slipping downward and offered a bit of warmth in the console room that Donna had always declared to be chilly.

“Thanks,” Zepheera murmured as she settled in place.

“Sure,” breathed the Doctor in return, mindful of his volume with her so close.

Silence fell between them for a good while. With Zepheera meant to be falling asleep, the Doctor was left with his thoughts once again. He was even more confused than he was before Zepheera showed up. 

He thought for sure that it would be a few days at least before he even saw the borrower again. With her having access to the rare gap in the walls of the TARDIS, and being more than capable of finding and raiding the kitchens, she could easily survive without having to interact with the Time Lord at all if she didn't want to. 

The question remained, and in fact rang even more strongly in the Doctor's mind: Why?

A touch at his fingertip startled him out of his thoughts once again. It took a moment for his brain to settle enough to register the feeling of a tiny hand, tentatively laid across the tip of his pinky.

“It's not your fault.”

Zepheera's soft voice drifted up to the Doctor, slightly muffled by his hand and clothes. Still, it cut straight through him.

“What you did… If you hadn't, Donna would really be gone. Not just from here. And that would be the worst thing in the universe.” The light pressure on the Doctor's fingertip brushed like pins and needles toward the side of his finger. It stopped just above the first knuckle, and he felt Zepheera's grip tighten on his skin as she said with conviction, “I'm not angry with you. Never really was. I just. Hated feeling so helpless.”

The Doctor felt he should say something, but nothing came out when he opened his mouth to try. Meeting her gaze wasn't an option anymore, either. All he could do was gaze up toward the glow of the central column as though it would help him find the words.

After a few breaths, Zepheera continued. “I can't imagine how it must feel for you. Because you were right, you had to do it. But that doesn't mean you have to just be okay with it. And I don't think you are. I don't think anyone would be.”

He felt his jaw lock, as though her verbalizing the pain he tried to keep to himself suddenly and physically made it all real. His free hand clamped into his hair as his head fell back, utterly defenseless.

“You're always trying to be the strong one,” Zepheera pointed out with a quaver in her voice that she couldn't quite keep under control. “And you're really good at that, but it's not the kind of thing anyone can keep up forever. ‘Cause sometimes, the one who needs saving is the one who's trying the hardest to save everyone. So…this is me, telling you that you don't have to be the strong one this time.”

Stunned, the Doctor was in no position to resist as Zepheera tugged his little finger to curl in closer to her. Her arm wrapped around the knuckle to keep it in place, and something else touched the fingertip. Concentrating on the second sensation was almost enough to calm the swirling in his head.

Warmth. The tiniest wisps of hair. Zepheera's forehead, pressed emphatically into his fingerprint.

“We're not alone,” the borrower all but whispered, and yet the Doctor heard each word loud and clear. “We've got each other. We will get through this. Together. It's… It's what she'd want.”

The Doctor squeezed his eyes shut as he forced himself to take in and release a long, slow breath. 

That…certainly answered his questions. Before he'd even asked them.

As he felt Zepheera's grip relax around his finger and her tiny weight settle in his grasp, the Doctor noticed the tension gradually unwinding in his own body. Speaking her mind so honestly yet bluntly… it was something Donna would have done to talk sense into him.

Zepheera was right. It didn't lessen any of the hurt, but having someone around for mutual support made all the difference in feeling like they could get through it.

One by one, the fingers of the Doctor's free hand detached themselves from the desperate grasp they'd had in his hair. He rubbed at his face, ignoring the moisture caught along the way.

“Thank you,” the Doctor finally managed to murmur in return. 

He wasn't sure if Zepheera was even awake to hear him, as she stayed silent for a few moments afterward. Then, he caught the barely audible, half-awake breath that gently carried the word, “Yeah…”

For the first time in what felt like ages, a comfortable silence fell in the TARDIS.

[adventure-showdown]

What is your favourite Doctor Who story?

ROUND 1 MASTERPOST

synopses and propaganda under the cut

Dreamland

Synopsis

During a visit to a local diner, the Tenth Doctor stumbles upon a mysterious alien artefact that leads him on a mission to rescue Rivesh Mantilax from the threat of the Viperox and the clutches of the American military.

Propaganda

Literally a doctor who area 51 episode. It's done in the WORST 3d animation possible and looks horrific. The story is completely uninspired and terrible, the characters are flat and uninteresting. It was so bad that it has practically been erased from existence. HIGHLY recommend watching it with friends because it is the absolute funniest thing i've ever seen. (@Alexmey-does-an-arts )

Real Time

Synopsis

On a planet known only as Chronos, two scientific survey teams have vanished. Inexplicably. Without warning. But with just one clue supplied - a single screamed word: "Cybermen!"

The University they worked for has called in the Earth security forces who despatch a third team, a mix of military and scientific might, under the auspices of a University Administrator. If that kind of volatile grouping isn't bad enough, three strangers have been added to the mix - a young human expert in Cybermen and a mysterious traveller in space and time, the Doctor, along with his companion, Dr Evelyn Smythe.

But can they solve the riddle of the vanished survey teams before the Cybermen harness Chronos' unique temporal gifts and rewrite the history of the galaxy?

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

Scream of the Shalka

Synopsis

The Doctor's TARDIS materialises in the village of Lannet in Lancashire. An annoyed Doctor, who has apparently been transported here against his will, finds the village silent. Its inhabitants are all living in fear except for a barmaid, Alison Cheney. The alien Shalka have taken up residence beneath Lannet in preparation for a wider invasion. Despite his initial reluctance, the Doctor finds himself having to save the world again, aided by Alison and an enemy who has become an ally.

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

The Infinite Quest

Synopsis

The Tenth Doctor and Martha must find the legendary lost starship, the Infinite, before the evil Baltazar, scourge of the Galaxy, gets it.

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

Ronald Rat Continuity Announcement

Synopsis

The Sixth Doctor disdainfully introduces an episode of BBC3's Roland Rat: The Series, and then proceeds to inanely cry out "Yeeeaaah!" — Roland Rat's catchphrase.

After the episode finishes, the Doctor is awoken by the prodding of a pole. He recaps the audience on what they had been watching, and then excitedly tells them to switch over to BBC1 to watch Doctor Who, which he refers to as "the series". Ron Rat jumps up, calling Doctor Who "rubbish" — an act for which the Doctor attempts to shoot Ron with a ray-gun he just happens to have on his person. Fortunately for Ron, the Doctor is a lousy shot.

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

The Man from M.I.5

Synopsis

MI5 agent Jimmy Bondson asks for International Rescue's help to locate the stolen plans for a nuclear weapon which threatens the safety of the entire world. Lady Penelope assumes the identity of a leading fashion model investigating the crime to lure out the culprits but is kidnapped and restrained aboard a boat with a bomb set to detonate. Scott and Gordon have little time to find and rescue her, as well as to steal back the plans, before the boat explodes and the criminals escape.

Propaganda

The First televised appearance of the Dalek Emperor. In an episode of thunderbirds no less. A continuation of the regular Dalek/Gerry Anderson crossovers which had been happening weekly in the TVC21 magazine for a year or so by this point. It is just a decent Thunderbirds episode with a cameo of the Dalek Emperor. (anonymous)

[purplesigebert]

WIP Wednesday Week #16 - DW Crossover

Hello, hello everyone, I'm back!

This week we are stepping inside Miss Rose Tyler's mind. She's new to the TARDIS, and is still finding her way around.

Caroline helps her.

The past few days had been mind boggling. Her job had been blown up, she had been threatened by window shop dummies, and a bitchy trampoline had declared herself “the last human” at the end of the world.

Oh, and "Toxic” by Britney Spears had been described as a “classic Earth ballad.”

The future was weird.

But if the future was weird then the man who brought her to it was weirder.

Honestly, he thought he was so impressive, she rolled her eyes, a tiny smile coaxing its way onto her lips.  She looked around the room that the machine, the TARDIS, had provided her, amazed that it very nearly matched the one in her mum’s flat.  The only difference was the view - instead of the roofs of London, there was a lush waterfall.

As Rose left her room, she bumped into Caroline.  She wasn’t sure what to think of the twelve year old that travelled with the Doctor.  Clive hadn’t known much about her, but she had appeared in a few of the pictures and drawings that the conspiracy theorist had.  What was disturbing was that in some of the pictures, the Titanic one in particular, Caroline looked even younger then she was now.  How long had she been travelling with the Doctor?

“Hi Rose!” The younger girl grinned. “How are you settling in? Do you need anything? If you do then you just have to ask the TARDIS and she can get or make it for you! Or you can ask Dad!” 

Rose was overwhelmed by the amount of information and questions that the other girl flung at her.

The box was alive, and female? The Doctor was Caroline’s father? And what was going on with Caroline’s accent. It shifted from the Northern burr that the Doctor had to an American one. What was that about?

“Er no, thanks Caroline, I’m fine at the moment, still getting my bearings,” she aimed for a reassuring smile. Inside her thoughts were still whirling.

“Cool, just let me know if you need anything.” She paused, seemingly deciding whether or not to ask another question. Rose sent her what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

“So, what you did to save all of us from the Nestene Consciousness was fantastic!” 

Caroline started to walk down the unending hallway that already Rose had gotten lost, twice in her brief time aboard, the other blonde looked perfectly at home here, like she could walk around blindfolded and still find her way.

“You mentioned that you were a gymnastics champion?”

“Yeah, I got the bronze.”

“That’s so cool! I was wondering if you could teach me some stuff? I’ve always wanted to learn how to do a roundoff!” Caroline was flushed with excitement as she rambled.

“Sure, I can do that.” Rose sighed in relief. “We just need a big enough space.”

They stopped in front of a door that didn’t look any different than the ones that had come before it.  Caroline smiled and opened the door.

Rose gasped and nodded when Caroline asked if the room was big enough.

The door led to a large gymnasium that was easily three times the size of Jericho School’s.

Rose didn’t think she would ever get used to her new life. 

****

She wouldn’t.

[evenstar0600]

Hello. I had an idea for Simm!Master and his partner.

The idea is based off the song Love Like You from Steven Universe. Specifically this line "I always thought I might be bad, now I'm sure that it's true. Cause I think you're so good, and I'm nothing like you"

The idea is that Simm!Master has a companion who's his complete opposite. Caring, nurturing and sweet. They don't judge the master for his actions and are there to support him as best they can and in their own special way. He originally took them as a captive but soon realized that he was lonely and craved their company. The reader while scared did their best to get to know him and soon watched him change from being hostile to less so abd soon they realized they didn't want to leave and they wanted to help him. Fastforward they now have a more equal relationship and the master isn't anywhere near as nasty to them. One day the master has a bad day and is irritable and snaps asking how someone like them could want to be around someone like him. He starts breaking down even further and gets more violent and the reader just rushes to him and puts him in a bear hug and touches foreheads in a soothing manner. The Master stops and they fall alseep like that

I hope this makes sense😅

SUMMARY: essentially, the request ^^^

REQUESTED: yes/no

AUTHOR'S NOTE(S): hey! thank you for requesting and it does make sense. love your corinthian pfp. i absolutely love this idea!! i did use they/them pronouns for the master and the reader.

PAIRING: simm!master x gn!companion reader

WARNINGS: human/time-lord relationship, angst, the master being themself, mental breakdown, hugging, fluff etc

SECOND PERSON POV

You often found yourself reflecting on your relationship with the Time Lord known as The Master. Anyone with eyes could see you both differed. Polar opposites. Your respective personalities clashed and repelled, like trying to force two magnets with the same poles together. Near impossible.

Yet, you found yourself travelling with them in their TARDIS. Your stay on their TARDIS had started out as a hostage and it wasn't a pleasant one. It was about almost a year ago when you found yourself being abducted by a strange man known as The Master, who had ties to The Doctor, whom you'd travelled with alongside Martha Jones.

It'd been one of fear when you'd been held hostage by The Master, who despised you, just simply for being a human. You were more one to look at life through a glass-half-full type of perspective. A rose-tinted one. You were called many things. Caring. Nurturing. Sweet. You didn't judge The Master for their past actions, just like you did for anyone.

The past was the past, you'd thought. The Master, however, had other ideas. When they had abducted you that one day, it'd been to spite The Doctor. Their best enemy, The Master had been described as. It was a fitting moniker. Then he'd met you.

What was so different about you from The Doctor's other companions he'd encountered? They'd initially kept you around for reasons they didn't know. Then the realisation sunk in after you officially started travelling with them. The Master was lonely.

They craved your company. Coveted it. Initially, they'd been hostile. A beast, some might say. They were cruel to you, disliking you openly for being human. Yet, you still intrigued them. You adamantly attempted to get to know them, all the while scared of what they'd do to you if you pushed the wrong buttons.

Nowadays, you both shared an equal relationship with each other. Platonic to the touch. The Master was significantly nicer to you. You'd even gotten a bedroom of your own aboard the TARDIS and travelled to places of your choosing.

One day, things changed.

You absentmindedly walked into the console room, finding The Master gripping the console unit with unnaturally pale knuckles. You thought if they gripped it any harder then the TARDIS would break. The Master was prone to foul moods in this incarnation, the maddening drumbeat lingered in his mind. That insane four-rhythm beat that he'd drum occasionally.

"Master?" was all that escaped your mouth, wary in both your voice and tracks.

Their eyes darted up at your nervous figure. They laughed mockingly. "How?" was all they snapped, before shaking their head, "How can a human like you, (Name), even stand to be around me? I'm horrible. To anyone, especially you,".

They slipped down the console unit, as the drumbeat got ever more maddening. They were breaking down. Immediately, before they got more violent, raced over to them and embraced them in a bear hug. They stilled momentarily before you felt them relax into your embrace.

The drums were quieter when you were around. The hug was relaxed, pulling away so you could look into their brown eyes. They pressed their forehead to yours, in a soothing manner, as if the very action silenced the drums instantly.

I always thought I was bad, now I'm sure that it's true. cause i think you're so good and I'm nothing like you...

[justahumblememefarmer]

Ultimate Doctor Who Poll Round 1 - Matchup 17

Episode Summaries under the cut

105: The Christmas Invasion - Season 1 Christmas Special: After the Doctor's regeneration, he brings Rose home to her family for Christmas, but collapses. Rose struggles with his new face, not sure if he's even the same person anymore. Prime Minister Harriet Jones deals with contact of an approaching alien spaceship, which has captured an Earth space probe. The probe contained a sample of A positive blood, through which they are able to control everybody on Earth with that blood type. They make them all walk to the top of the nearest roof and stand at the edge. The aliens demand that either half the world will be sold into slavery, or the 1/3 of the population with A positive blood will die.

Still unconscious, Rose and Mickey bring the Doctor to the TARDIS as it's the only place that's safe. Detecting advanced technology, the aliens teleport the ship aboard, along with Harriet Jones and some of her colleagues. They attempt to negotiate with the aliens, but several people are killed. Finally, the Doctor wakes up and exits the TARDIS, still feeling out his new form. He challenges the alien leader to a duel for the fate of the Earth, and they engage in a sword fight. The alien cuts off the Doctor's hand, but his recent regeneration allows him to regrow it, win the fight, and force the aliens surrender.

The aliens flee, but Harriet Jones orders the firing of a weapon they'd prepared as a worst case scenario. The alien ship is destroyed, angering the Doctor, who threatens to bring down Harriet's administration, spreading rumors that she is too ill to continue. Although both are nervous because of his change, the Doctor asks Rose to keep traveling with him.

152: The Long Game - Season 1, Episode 8: The Doctor takes Rose and new companion Adam to the future, on a space station in the year 200,000. Adam deals with culture shock from the future, but the Doctor notes that history seems to be off course, and that the culture, technology, and lack of non-human species aboard are signs that something has gone wrong with history.

They meet a journalist and sit on a news brief, where several reporters beam information directly into her head to broadcast out. An unknown person watches on a monitor and detects a glitch from one reporter. An alert interrupts the news session and announces that the reporter has been promoted to Floor 500. The journalist is jealous of this as supposedly the walls of Floor 500 are made of gold. The reporter travels up to Floor 500, where she is found to be a freedom fighter using a false identity, and is killed.

Adam leaves to go to an observation deck to get his bearings, while the Doctor and Rose continue to investigate. They find that Floor 500 is pumping enormous amounts of heat down to the rest of the space station, and get the journalist to begin questioning whether what she's been told is true, why nobody comes back from floor 500, why there are no aliens aboard, and why there it is so hot on board.

Adam meanwhile discovers a computer terminal and attempts to gain access to Earth's history, and leave a message on his mom's voicemail in the past, but is denied access as he does not have a brain chip. He goes to the ships medical center, where they are able to install the chip, a hole in his forehead that will allow his brain to interface with the computer.

The Doctor and Rose gain access to Floor 500 and go up, where they meet the Editor, who works for a creature called the Jagrafess. The Jagrafess runs the entire human empire, controlling it through selective information in the news feed broadcast. It also generates an enormous amount of heat, which is pumped down to the rest of the station to keep the Jagrafess alive. The Editor wonders at how he doesn't know the Doctor and Rose, as he has access to all the information in the empire, but has no record of them at all.

At that moment, Adam accesses a computer through his brain spike, giving the Editor access to all of his knowledge, including about the Doctor and Rose, as well as the TARDIS, including Adam's key. He plans to take the TARDIS to control humanity even earlier in it's history. The journalist had followed the Doctor and Rose up and overhears all of this, and accesses a terminal to revert the heating, and pump it back up, killing the Jagrafess and Editor and allowing the Doctor and Rose to escape.

The Doctor says that history has been set right now, and he takes Rose and Adam away in the TARDIS. He brings Adam back home, kicking him out of the TARDIS for attempting to bring back information from the future for personal benefit, and erases the voicemails he left his mother. He leaves with Rose, telling Adam to live a quiet life so that nobody sees his brain chip.