SJ Fic - In Exile Chapter 2 - Curiouser and Curiouser
Disclaimer: It all belongs to the BBC. I am only borrowing the characters for a while and I will put them back where I found them.
Thanks to Sue for the beta.
Author Note: Paracon and Sarah interviewing Three comes from the BBC Radio Play Paradise of Death. So if you don't recognize that, that's why. I have a tendancy to try to roll everything I can in.
Summary: The unexpected return of the third doctor, long after Sarah Jane had parted ways with his next incarnation, may change the course of events forever.
Rating: M
As the Doctor slowly came to consciousness the very first thing he grew aware of was the growing dampness on his chest, then the slight warm weight there, followed by the soft scent of vanilla and finally the soft whimpering of a woman crying. His eyes fluttered open and he looked downwards as best as he was able, seeing soft brown curls cascading over his chest.
It was odd. The hair color was right for Zoe, but she shouldn't remember him at all, if it was her. Not after what the Time Lords had done. Still he wasn't a cad. He couldn't possibly ignore the young woman when she was in distress, especially not when she was in distress over him. His hand came up and he stroked the silken curls, "Shhhh, no tears now. Where there's life there's hope."
"Doctor," Sarah's head came up instantly at his voice saying those words. "Oh, Doctor. You're alright."
"Of course, I am, my dear." He smiled and cupped her cheek. "Sending me here and making me human was meant as a punishment, not to kill me. It would have been a waste of effort otherwise."
"The Time Lords did this? But you'd been doing everything they asked. You even left me." Sarah Jane couldn't believe they could be so cruel.
"Left you?" The Doctor didn't remember any such thing, though he supposed that prototype Chameleon arch could have left some holes in his memory - given the normal process was supposed to replace his Time Lord life with another and the Council had thought it was a more suitable punishment to leave him knowledge of the life he'd lost. "I'm afraid, my dear, and I don't want to distress you but I have no idea of who you are."
"No idea?" Sarah Jane's eyes widened and took on the sheen of unshed tears as she looked down at him. "None? You've got no idea." She swallowed hard.
The way this young woman looked at him, well, it made all these much stronger human emotions to stir in his chest, though he had a feeling she'd be able to stir them even if he was Gallifreyan. "No, I don't," he reached up and brushed away one tear as it began to streak her pale cheek. "It doesn't mean I don't want to know though," he paused. "Do you think you could humour me and introduce yourself?" She snuffled a bit and he looked at her in concern. "I'd offer you a hankie but I'm afraid I don't have one at the moment."
"It's alright." She went into her own purse and retrieved one. He watched as she pulled herself together mentally then looked up at him and smiled a still watery smile. "Sarah Jane Smith," she held out her hand to him.
"It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Smith," the Doctor said as he took her hand then watched as her face fell a bit. "Or do you prefer being called Sarah?"
"Sarah, if you please." Her smile lit up her face once more and he decided that that was the way he'd like to keep it.
"Then Sarah it is." He agreed then looked up to see a familiar face enter the room, "Brigadier!"
"You recognize him?" Sarah asked curiously.
"Of course," He patted Sarah's hand. "I'd much rather remember you, dear heart, but I don't have any choice. I knew him in my last body."
She ducked her head to cover her blush. "So you remember what happened in your last life?"
He frowned and then nodded. "Yes, I think so."
The Brigadier's brow arched. "Well that gives you a starting place in any case. I suppose it would be bad form to ask you how you're doing."
"I'm doing as well as can be expected." The Doctor admitted. "The Time Lords exiled me here, without my TARDIS and with changing me into a human version of myself."
"That's what you told me happened the last time, when I interviewed you before all that business with that space carnival and Paracon." Sarah interjected. "So they've done it again? That doesn't make sense."
"You interviewed me," the Doctor glowered at her, a little disappointed that he might just be a subject for her but the annoyance fled when he caught her looking at him in a way to dispel his doubts.
"Actually, they just banished him here last time, left him with his TARDIS and his double heart beat," the Brigadier corrected. "This business of changing him into a human being - that's different."
"So what could he have done to have them do this to him?" Sarah Jane reflexively took the Doctor's hand and held it.
"Hard to say," the Brigadier shook his head. "They don't seem partial to explaining themselves."
"Interference in history," the Doctor said with a shrug, "Worst crime a Time Lord can commit."
"You swore me to secrecy about that you know." Sarah Jane smiled at him.
The Doctor chuckled and looked up at her bemused, "Unfortunately, the High Council of the Time Lords aren't easy to keep secrets from." His gaze turned to the Brigadier. "I don't suppose you could find me something else to wear than this." He glanced down at the hospital gown that wrapped his torso.
"Ms. Smith sorted that while you were still unconscious," the Brigadier smirked and gestured to the clothing laid out on her cot.
"Well, thank you, Ms. Smith." The Doctor looked towards the clothing and was surprised at how much it appealed to him. Knowing what would appeal to a Time Lord after his regeneration was never a simple thing yet she had chosen very well.
The way he appraised her had her ducking her head again. "It gave me something to do while I waited, didn't it."
"Yes, well, thank you anyway, Sarah." The Doctor gave her a soft smile once more.
"Perhaps Ms. Smith, we should wait outside while the Doctor changes." The Brigadier suggested, holding out his hand for her.
"Oh yes, right," a blush came to her cheeks as she released the Doctor's hand and rushed out in front of the Brigadier.
Once they were outside the room, they were both met by Harry. "You can't be serious. He's only just woken up. He needs to be in a hospital."
"How do you suggest we sort that, Major?" The Brigadier glowered at the younger man. "It isn't as though the Doctor has any sort of identity outside of UNIT."
"I don't understand why you've been keeping it all so hush-hush." Harry crossed his arms over his chest, "Just me, Benton and Sarah at this old decommissioned base."
"Things aren't as they once were with UNIT," the Brigadier admitted. "There are reasons I have opted to retire, rather than remain on which has less to do with me wanting to settle with Liz and more to do with how things are being handled now."
"I never understood all the retirement business." Sarah looked up at the Brigadier curiously. "Liz is the last person that should want you to retire; you'll be under her feet more than normal and needy in the extreme. She keeps the same hours you did, which is part of the reason you work so well together."
"Pot and the kettle, hmmm, Sarah Jane," he smiled at the young woman. "I'll have to find something else to keep me occupied, I suppose."
"Still, this idea about sending him home with Sarah." Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry old girl… OWWW!"
Sarah glared at him as she pulled her foot away from stomping his, "Serves you right, Harry. I warned you about calling me old girl."
"Bloody hell, Sarah, I'm just concerned about you. I know you and the Brigadier are convinced that this is the Doctor, but I'm not. What sort of story did he tell you? Did he offer any proof?" He rested all his weight on his other foot as he continued on bravely.
"I don't need proof, Harry. That is the Doctor!" Sarah glowered at him. "Now, you can either be civil or I don't want to hear another word from you." She turned and seeing that the Doctor was now almost completely dressed, she returned to his side, leaving the other two men where they were.
"That's not like her, Brigadier. Sarah always needs proof." Harry turned his attention on his superior officer, "Permission to speak freely, Brigadier."
"Granted within reason, Major." The Brigadier nodded.
"I can't believe you're condoning this. You've no idea who this man is. Just what he says and who he looks like. There's no TARDIS. Nothing to back up his claim that he is the Doctor," Harry looked towards the door with concern.
"He knew who the Doctor was, freely started discussing the Time Lords." The Brigadier looked at the other man, understanding where he was coming from. "It's not exactly something your average grafter would know." He paused and then setting his hand on the other man's shoulder, he continued, "Even if he weren't the Doctor, you do realize that Sarah will never feel about you how you feel for her." He felt Harry's shoulders slump. "I understand how difficult that must be for you, Sullivan, but eventually you will find the right woman for you."
The Brigadier was definitely more perceptive than he let on at times, but what shocked Harry was the fact that he'd actually addressed the situation with him. "Speaking from experience, sir?" Harry said as he looked sadly towards the room, where he could see through the glass in the door Sarah's bright smile as she listened and laughed at something the Doctor had said.
"Actually, yes," the Brigadier admitted with a slight smile. "I'm not even certain that he's the right man for Sarah, but at the moment," he watched as Sarah moved closer to the Doctor allowing him into her personal space as she had always done, "I don't think there's any one else she'd even consider."
Thanks to Sue for the beta.
Author Note: Paracon and Sarah interviewing Three comes from the BBC Radio Play Paradise of Death. So if you don't recognize that, that's why. I have a tendancy to try to roll everything I can in.
Summary: The unexpected return of the third doctor, long after Sarah Jane had parted ways with his next incarnation, may change the course of events forever.
Rating: M
As the Doctor slowly came to consciousness the very first thing he grew aware of was the growing dampness on his chest, then the slight warm weight there, followed by the soft scent of vanilla and finally the soft whimpering of a woman crying. His eyes fluttered open and he looked downwards as best as he was able, seeing soft brown curls cascading over his chest.
It was odd. The hair color was right for Zoe, but she shouldn't remember him at all, if it was her. Not after what the Time Lords had done. Still he wasn't a cad. He couldn't possibly ignore the young woman when she was in distress, especially not when she was in distress over him. His hand came up and he stroked the silken curls, "Shhhh, no tears now. Where there's life there's hope."
"Doctor," Sarah's head came up instantly at his voice saying those words. "Oh, Doctor. You're alright."
"Of course, I am, my dear." He smiled and cupped her cheek. "Sending me here and making me human was meant as a punishment, not to kill me. It would have been a waste of effort otherwise."
"The Time Lords did this? But you'd been doing everything they asked. You even left me." Sarah Jane couldn't believe they could be so cruel.
"Left you?" The Doctor didn't remember any such thing, though he supposed that prototype Chameleon arch could have left some holes in his memory - given the normal process was supposed to replace his Time Lord life with another and the Council had thought it was a more suitable punishment to leave him knowledge of the life he'd lost. "I'm afraid, my dear, and I don't want to distress you but I have no idea of who you are."
"No idea?" Sarah Jane's eyes widened and took on the sheen of unshed tears as she looked down at him. "None? You've got no idea." She swallowed hard.
The way this young woman looked at him, well, it made all these much stronger human emotions to stir in his chest, though he had a feeling she'd be able to stir them even if he was Gallifreyan. "No, I don't," he reached up and brushed away one tear as it began to streak her pale cheek. "It doesn't mean I don't want to know though," he paused. "Do you think you could humour me and introduce yourself?" She snuffled a bit and he looked at her in concern. "I'd offer you a hankie but I'm afraid I don't have one at the moment."
"It's alright." She went into her own purse and retrieved one. He watched as she pulled herself together mentally then looked up at him and smiled a still watery smile. "Sarah Jane Smith," she held out her hand to him.
"It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Smith," the Doctor said as he took her hand then watched as her face fell a bit. "Or do you prefer being called Sarah?"
"Sarah, if you please." Her smile lit up her face once more and he decided that that was the way he'd like to keep it.
"Then Sarah it is." He agreed then looked up to see a familiar face enter the room, "Brigadier!"
"You recognize him?" Sarah asked curiously.
"Of course," He patted Sarah's hand. "I'd much rather remember you, dear heart, but I don't have any choice. I knew him in my last body."
She ducked her head to cover her blush. "So you remember what happened in your last life?"
He frowned and then nodded. "Yes, I think so."
The Brigadier's brow arched. "Well that gives you a starting place in any case. I suppose it would be bad form to ask you how you're doing."
"I'm doing as well as can be expected." The Doctor admitted. "The Time Lords exiled me here, without my TARDIS and with changing me into a human version of myself."
"That's what you told me happened the last time, when I interviewed you before all that business with that space carnival and Paracon." Sarah interjected. "So they've done it again? That doesn't make sense."
"You interviewed me," the Doctor glowered at her, a little disappointed that he might just be a subject for her but the annoyance fled when he caught her looking at him in a way to dispel his doubts.
"Actually, they just banished him here last time, left him with his TARDIS and his double heart beat," the Brigadier corrected. "This business of changing him into a human being - that's different."
"So what could he have done to have them do this to him?" Sarah Jane reflexively took the Doctor's hand and held it.
"Hard to say," the Brigadier shook his head. "They don't seem partial to explaining themselves."
"Interference in history," the Doctor said with a shrug, "Worst crime a Time Lord can commit."
"You swore me to secrecy about that you know." Sarah Jane smiled at him.
The Doctor chuckled and looked up at her bemused, "Unfortunately, the High Council of the Time Lords aren't easy to keep secrets from." His gaze turned to the Brigadier. "I don't suppose you could find me something else to wear than this." He glanced down at the hospital gown that wrapped his torso.
"Ms. Smith sorted that while you were still unconscious," the Brigadier smirked and gestured to the clothing laid out on her cot.
"Well, thank you, Ms. Smith." The Doctor looked towards the clothing and was surprised at how much it appealed to him. Knowing what would appeal to a Time Lord after his regeneration was never a simple thing yet she had chosen very well.
The way he appraised her had her ducking her head again. "It gave me something to do while I waited, didn't it."
"Yes, well, thank you anyway, Sarah." The Doctor gave her a soft smile once more.
"Perhaps Ms. Smith, we should wait outside while the Doctor changes." The Brigadier suggested, holding out his hand for her.
"Oh yes, right," a blush came to her cheeks as she released the Doctor's hand and rushed out in front of the Brigadier.
Once they were outside the room, they were both met by Harry. "You can't be serious. He's only just woken up. He needs to be in a hospital."
"How do you suggest we sort that, Major?" The Brigadier glowered at the younger man. "It isn't as though the Doctor has any sort of identity outside of UNIT."
"I don't understand why you've been keeping it all so hush-hush." Harry crossed his arms over his chest, "Just me, Benton and Sarah at this old decommissioned base."
"Things aren't as they once were with UNIT," the Brigadier admitted. "There are reasons I have opted to retire, rather than remain on which has less to do with me wanting to settle with Liz and more to do with how things are being handled now."
"I never understood all the retirement business." Sarah looked up at the Brigadier curiously. "Liz is the last person that should want you to retire; you'll be under her feet more than normal and needy in the extreme. She keeps the same hours you did, which is part of the reason you work so well together."
"Pot and the kettle, hmmm, Sarah Jane," he smiled at the young woman. "I'll have to find something else to keep me occupied, I suppose."
"Still, this idea about sending him home with Sarah." Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry old girl… OWWW!"
Sarah glared at him as she pulled her foot away from stomping his, "Serves you right, Harry. I warned you about calling me old girl."
"Bloody hell, Sarah, I'm just concerned about you. I know you and the Brigadier are convinced that this is the Doctor, but I'm not. What sort of story did he tell you? Did he offer any proof?" He rested all his weight on his other foot as he continued on bravely.
"I don't need proof, Harry. That is the Doctor!" Sarah glowered at him. "Now, you can either be civil or I don't want to hear another word from you." She turned and seeing that the Doctor was now almost completely dressed, she returned to his side, leaving the other two men where they were.
"That's not like her, Brigadier. Sarah always needs proof." Harry turned his attention on his superior officer, "Permission to speak freely, Brigadier."
"Granted within reason, Major." The Brigadier nodded.
"I can't believe you're condoning this. You've no idea who this man is. Just what he says and who he looks like. There's no TARDIS. Nothing to back up his claim that he is the Doctor," Harry looked towards the door with concern.
"He knew who the Doctor was, freely started discussing the Time Lords." The Brigadier looked at the other man, understanding where he was coming from. "It's not exactly something your average grafter would know." He paused and then setting his hand on the other man's shoulder, he continued, "Even if he weren't the Doctor, you do realize that Sarah will never feel about you how you feel for her." He felt Harry's shoulders slump. "I understand how difficult that must be for you, Sullivan, but eventually you will find the right woman for you."
The Brigadier was definitely more perceptive than he let on at times, but what shocked Harry was the fact that he'd actually addressed the situation with him. "Speaking from experience, sir?" Harry said as he looked sadly towards the room, where he could see through the glass in the door Sarah's bright smile as she listened and laughed at something the Doctor had said.
"Actually, yes," the Brigadier admitted with a slight smile. "I'm not even certain that he's the right man for Sarah, but at the moment," he watched as Sarah moved closer to the Doctor allowing him into her personal space as she had always done, "I don't think there's any one else she'd even consider."