staircasetotheclouds | and now for something completely different

and now for something completely different

[She hadn't even really thought about what she was doing when it had happened.

The abandoned starship they'd landed on had turned out to not be so abandoned as they'd thought, instead overrun with desperate humans who were utterly convinced they were hostile, no matter how hard Oswin and Jenny and the Doctor tried to persuade them otherwise. And now they'd been separated and Oswin had to find him, had to make sure he wasn't-

Oh.

He was.

Tearing around the corner, Oswin skids to a halt, her eyes widening as she catches sight of the Doctor pressed against a wall, the man nearby training a gun to his chest. She screams as the gunshot rings out, some instinct taking over, something so deep within her that even Oswin doesn't even know the source. Without a second thought, she throws herself between the bullet at the Doctor, causing it to find another target.

In Oswin's chest instead of his.

She crumples to the ground with a cry of agony, the man retreating once he's figured out he won't be able to get at what he came for.]

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[Carefully, she reaches a hand out to rest on his.]

...We'd better get cleaned up. [Nothing like a distraction, right? And they're both covered in blood and generally...not pretty looking at the moment.] I'll meet you in my room, okay?

[Thankfully, her exhaustion has faded away enough for her to get up and walk around for a bit.]

[He looks up from his hands at her, letting out a soft sigh and nodding.]

Okay.

[He kisses her forehead and stands, offering a hand to help her down.]

...Get Jenny to help you.

[She nods, taking his hand and shakily getting to her feet. She'll definitely need to lie down again after a little while, but she should be able to squeeze in a shower and a change of clothes with Jenny's help.

Oswin squeezes his hand gently, comfortingly.] See you in a bit. [And, releasing it, she heads out to secretly celebrate her success with Jenny.]

[He manages a little smile for her and squeezes her hand back.]

Yeah.

[The Doctor watches her go before heading off to his own room for a shower and a change of clothes himself. He'll dress in his pajamas once he's rinsed all the blood off, blue with white vertical stripes, and pads off barefoot to her room.]

[She's waiting for him, of course, once he gets there, curled up in her bed and looking quite comfortable and clean now. Her bloodstained dress has been replaced with flannel trousers, a simple top and a kitten-soft cardigan, much more suitable for resting in.

Oswin gives him a faint smile once he enters, patting the spot next to her. Neither of them will want to be alone tonight, that much is obvious.]

Took you long enough. [Really, she's only been waiting for a few minutes, but still.]

[He smiles back at her at the comment, closing the door behind her. It's honestly as natural as breathing to roll into bed beside her and pull her into his arms.]

Sorry, I was scrubbing very thoroughly.

[And it's just as natural to her to cuddle up close to him, resting her head against his chest and listening to the sound of his heartbeats under her ear.

The fact that there was a chance she'd never do it again lingers in her mind, but Oswin quickly pushes that thought away.] Good. M'not about to fall asleep with you all bloody. [Ew.]

It's hardly my fault you decided to imitate Jenny. [It's meant to be playful, but comes off as a little bitter.]

[That silences her, and Oswin merely wraps her arms tightly around him, half-burying her face in his chest.

She wants to apologize, but it wouldn't really be sincere. They were going to kill him, and Oswin wouldn't have been able to bear it, if her Doctor had disappeared, only to be replaced with some other new man who wasn't him, not really. He'd still be the Doctor, but not her Doctor. Not the one who'd saved her.]

[He's quiet for a few moments, stroking his fingers through her hair thoughtfully.]

...Did she tell you that's how she died? Jumped in the way of a bullet that was meant for me.

[The Doctor's voice is soft. Not sad, necessarily, because he has Jenny back, though the memory and the pain that it entailed sobers him up.]

I was going to take her with me. Instead she died in my arms. ...I almost...I almost killed that man.

[He can probably feel Oswin flinch once he tells her, hiding her face in his chest as continues to speak.]

...Just didn't want you to die. [Her voice is muffled and for now, Oswin refuses to look out.]

I know.

[He kisses the top of her head, a hand rubbing reassuringly over her back.]

...A lot of people have died for me, Oswin.

[Oswin still won't look out at him, but she does curl up a little tighter, grasping a handful of his shirt.

She sniffles.] ...Guess I'm one of them now.

Which is why I'm going to ask you to promise to never do it again.

[The Doctor sighs.] I'm not...trying to be harsh.

[Huff] Second time in a row I've saved your life. [Honestly, Doctor, the least you could do is thank her.

Briefly, Oswin peeks out at him and nods before hiding her face again.

Not unless she absolutely has to.]

[He smiles slightly and continues to brush his fingers through her hair.]

I suppose I owe you, don't I?

[The tension building in her shoulders releases slowly, and Oswin finally turns her head out and sighs.]

...Crystal waterfalls? [Said as though she's expecting to get right out of bed the next day and go off adventuring.]

[He chuckles and looks down.]

Actually, no. [His smile is sheepish.] That planet...well. I've...I'm not going back to that planet.

[Oswin pouts for a grand total of five seconds, before tucking herself a little closer, her hand coming up to rest beside her face on his chest.]

Somewhere else, then?

Somewhere else. [He agrees quietly.

...And now he's remembering Midnight. He shudders and tries to push it from his mind.]

[Oswin knows that look in his eye, she's seen it in the mirror so many times before. Something happened on that planet, something that she's not sure she ought to pry into.

So, instead, she merely maneuvers around, pulling the covers out from underneath them and then pulling them close around both of them. Wrapping her arms around him, she rests her head back on his chest.]

Where?

Hmmm...

[He's glad she doesn't pry. He wouldn't even tell Donna.]

Somewhere with open skies.

[She smiles softly, unaware that she won't be leaving her bed for a good, long while in order to recover properly, and her eyes drift closed.]

Sounds perfect.

[He watches her for a few moments, brushing another soft kiss against her brow.]

Why don't you get some rest? I'll stay here.

[As if on cue, she yawns and settles into him a little more.]

Guess it couldn't hurt. [Oswin is still exhausted, despite her lingering fear of the nightmares Jenny had described after she regenerated.]

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