FIC: Frozen Inside
Title: Frozen Inside
Author: sneakyangel
Rating: G
Characters: Eighth Doctor, Charley
Spoilers: None, unless you didn’t know that Charley was meant to die on the R101.
Summary: Charley realises and feels conflicted and confused.
Disclaimer: Not mine, but thats obvious.
Frozen Inside
Even though the suns rays were warm on her face, Charley still felt cold inside. Empty. Without a purpose. She knew she was meant to be dead. She knew she should have died on the R101. She knew she was only living on borrowed time. She felt hollow. The sadness must have been written all over her face because the Doctor asked, “what’s wrong Charley?” Concern in his voice.
This snapped Charley out of her thoughts. “Oh, nothing Doctor.” She smiled weakly, “I was just thinking, that’s all.” She got up and walked down to the stream. She watched the frogs jumping from rock to rock. There was something very soothing about watching them. The Doctor followed silently and slipped his arm around Charley’s waist. Charley pulled away. She didn’t want him touching her. She didn’t want him anywhere near her.
“Charley?” the Doctor sounded hurt, which made her feel guilty. “Have I done something wrong?”
‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘you saved my life when I should have died.’ She just shrugged and continued watching the frogs. She couldn’t face him. A tear trickled down her face. She wiped it away before the Doctor noticed, but another tear followed. Soon, the tears were streaming down her face and she couldn’t hide it from him any more. She turned around and buried her face in his shoulder. Her body shook from the tears. The Doctor held her, stroked her hair and whispered comforting words in her ear. Charley felt so confused and conflicted. She felt safe in the Doctor’s arms yet she knew he should have let her die.
When Charley had no more tears to cry, she pulled away. The Doctor took this opportunity to cheer up Charley before she shut him out again. He smiled his cheekiest of smiles, took her hand and led her down a path that ran next to the stream. He knew he couldn’t force her to tell him what was wrong; she would tell him when she was ready.
They walked together in silence. Deeper and deeper into the forest. Charley noticed every bird song, the rustle of leaves, the crunch of the earth beneath her feet. She concentrated on anything she could, to stop her from feeling so empty.
“Here we are!” The Doctor suddenly announced, rather proudly. Charley looked around. They had emerged into a clearing which looked over a breath-taking view. The flora was rich in colour and there was so much wildlife that Charley couldn’t take it all in. She sat down at the edge of the stream, which turned into a small waterfall and started playing with the grass in front of her. The Doctor sat down next to her, but not as close as normal. Charley knew she wasn’t treating the Doctor fairly, but she couldn’t help herself. She took a deep breath and said, “Doctor, why are we here?” not taking her eyes off the frogs in the stream.
“I thought you’d like this, after the Daleks,” he smile, “somewhere you can relax, unwind, that sort of thing.” He paused, “Charley, whatever it is that I’ve done, I’m truly sorry and I’ll do whatever I can to make it up to you.”
Hearing the hurt in his voice broke Charley’s heart. She shifted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. The Doctor’s arm snaked around Charley’s waist and held her tight.
“I’m the one who should be sorry, Doctor,” she paused, “Thank you for everything.” She knew she would have to admit everything sooner or later, but for now, she decided to appreciate just being alive.
Author: sneakyangel
Rating: G
Characters: Eighth Doctor, Charley
Spoilers: None, unless you didn’t know that Charley was meant to die on the R101.
Summary: Charley realises and feels conflicted and confused.
Disclaimer: Not mine, but thats obvious.
Frozen Inside
Even though the suns rays were warm on her face, Charley still felt cold inside. Empty. Without a purpose. She knew she was meant to be dead. She knew she should have died on the R101. She knew she was only living on borrowed time. She felt hollow. The sadness must have been written all over her face because the Doctor asked, “what’s wrong Charley?” Concern in his voice.
This snapped Charley out of her thoughts. “Oh, nothing Doctor.” She smiled weakly, “I was just thinking, that’s all.” She got up and walked down to the stream. She watched the frogs jumping from rock to rock. There was something very soothing about watching them. The Doctor followed silently and slipped his arm around Charley’s waist. Charley pulled away. She didn’t want him touching her. She didn’t want him anywhere near her.
“Charley?” the Doctor sounded hurt, which made her feel guilty. “Have I done something wrong?”
‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘you saved my life when I should have died.’ She just shrugged and continued watching the frogs. She couldn’t face him. A tear trickled down her face. She wiped it away before the Doctor noticed, but another tear followed. Soon, the tears were streaming down her face and she couldn’t hide it from him any more. She turned around and buried her face in his shoulder. Her body shook from the tears. The Doctor held her, stroked her hair and whispered comforting words in her ear. Charley felt so confused and conflicted. She felt safe in the Doctor’s arms yet she knew he should have let her die.
When Charley had no more tears to cry, she pulled away. The Doctor took this opportunity to cheer up Charley before she shut him out again. He smiled his cheekiest of smiles, took her hand and led her down a path that ran next to the stream. He knew he couldn’t force her to tell him what was wrong; she would tell him when she was ready.
They walked together in silence. Deeper and deeper into the forest. Charley noticed every bird song, the rustle of leaves, the crunch of the earth beneath her feet. She concentrated on anything she could, to stop her from feeling so empty.
“Here we are!” The Doctor suddenly announced, rather proudly. Charley looked around. They had emerged into a clearing which looked over a breath-taking view. The flora was rich in colour and there was so much wildlife that Charley couldn’t take it all in. She sat down at the edge of the stream, which turned into a small waterfall and started playing with the grass in front of her. The Doctor sat down next to her, but not as close as normal. Charley knew she wasn’t treating the Doctor fairly, but she couldn’t help herself. She took a deep breath and said, “Doctor, why are we here?” not taking her eyes off the frogs in the stream.
“I thought you’d like this, after the Daleks,” he smile, “somewhere you can relax, unwind, that sort of thing.” He paused, “Charley, whatever it is that I’ve done, I’m truly sorry and I’ll do whatever I can to make it up to you.”
Hearing the hurt in his voice broke Charley’s heart. She shifted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. The Doctor’s arm snaked around Charley’s waist and held her tight.
“I’m the one who should be sorry, Doctor,” she paused, “Thank you for everything.” She knew she would have to admit everything sooner or later, but for now, she decided to appreciate just being alive.