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[She'd expected it to be over. To close her eyes and never open them again, with the knowledge that she'd saved the Doctor, the man who'd been able to, if only for a little while, give her the hope that she might be rescued. Might actually, after this long, lonely year, be taken away to places she could only dream of. Or, at least, taken home.

Run, you clever boy, and remember.

Her last words. Oswin had no idea where they came from, but it felt...right. Saying them. Maybe he'd even hear. With one last smile on her lips, she shut her eyes, bracing for whatever was coming.

When she opens them again, everything is burning.

The pod in her mind is gone, replaced with a flaming room that's currently being rocked with an explosion. Her vision's blurred and disoriented and really, all she can make out are the fire all around her. Adrenaline suddenly surging through her veins, Oswin jerks up, crying out in confused pain as the wires she was hooked up to tear free from her skin. Sparks are flying all around her and with terror in her heart, Oswin can only think to do one thing.

Run.

She stumbles, trying to move, but survival instinct is taking over. Deterred only when another explosion slams her into a still-burning wall, Oswin ignores the dull sensation of pain that would've normally been agony, her mind focused on just getting away. But there's nowhere to go, not on an entire planet that's due to explode completely at any moment. The Daleks in the ship above the asylum are unleashing all of their firepower upon her, upon the Daleks that no longer served a purpose to them.

Suddenly, there's nothing but blackness for a few seconds, and the sensation of going somewhere, even if Oswin can't properly tell where. The only thing she does know is that when she's deposited, there's no more fire. No more exploding asylum. She's too jacked up on adrenaline to properly tell where she is or what's around her. Somewhere outside, her mind registers dully, because as Oswin falls to her knees, there's grass there, under her bare fingers.

Her coat from the Alaska, the sort they'd all been wearing when the ship crashed, is now faded from a year underground and ripped to shreds by the damage done running through an exploding planet. As the adrenaline fades from her veins, though, Oswin's far too tired to notice that, or the fact that her back is completely covered in burns of varying severity from where it had struck the wall.

It does hurt, but it's just a dull throbbing now. Collapsing on her side in the grass, she closes her eyes, fighting not to completely lose consciousness. Maybe it's in vain, but even confused, Oswin knows if she sleeps now, there's a chance she won't wake up. And she'd really rather do that.]

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[Losing Oswin had been...difficult. Learning she was trapped inside of a Dalek shell, that she'd become one, it was...horrifying.

But in the end, it was a victory. The Asylum was destroyed, Amy was alright, and the Ponds mended their marriage, which made him happier than anything. Watching them fight was hard.

It wasn't until a long time later that he found her again. The Ponds were gone, taken by the Angels, and he was alone. Wandering through the universe, bouncing from place to place, he happened across a mostly untouched planet. It was nice to take a break, and upon taking in the fields and fields of green grass, he'd decided it would make an excellent place for a nap.

Stepping outside of the TARDIS, he caught the faint scent of smoke and burned flesh. Strange. He frowned, looking around.

There. A strange bundle that doesn't belong. The Doctor runs towards it, following the scent until he's quite certain that's where it's coming from. It's a girl, he realizes. Dropping to his knees beside her, he carefully touches a bit of shoulder that isn't burned.

Later he'll have words with his TARDIS about never letting him have a break.]

Are you alright?

[She's still disoriented by the time he happens upon her, gazing in a rather unfocused manner at the grass in front of her face. The temptation to just close her eyes and let it all fade away for a bit is strong, but Oswin is far stronger, and even confused and a little out of it, some part of her brain is still working to keep her alive.

A foreign hand on her shoulder brings reality a little more into focus and Oswin blinks, cringing as the pain from her back sharpens suddenly. For a moment, she wants to just grab whoever's hand it is and hold it there, clinging for dear life to the first little bit of physical contact she's had for a year.

Instead, she looks up slowly. Something stirs in the back of her mind at the sound of the voice that speaks, but she's still not all there, not enough to recognize it. The face, though, is another story.]

D...Doctor...?

[She winces slightly. Her voice is harsh and raspy from disuse and from the smoke she no doubt inhaled during her escape and it scritch-scratches painfully out.

Oswin's still not ready to start questioning how she got here. Or why she's suddenly got a very different body.]

[He doesn't recognize her. He's heard a million billion voices in his lifetime and he never saw her face. But she knows him, and that's at least something of a start.

A quick scan of her injuries, and the Doctor concludes she needs assistance. He highly doubts that it's luck that brought him here. His no-interference policy doesn't count for injured girls in the middle of nowhere that know his name that may very well die without any help. The Doctor groans internally and casts his blue box a glare.]

That's me, the Doctor. What do you say to coming back with me, we'll get you all patched up and if you're lucky I'll even make you a cuppa.

[What are you talking about, Doctor, the TARDIS is totally innocent in all of this, gosh.

Her mind registers dully that he doesn't recognize him, and if she had a little more energy, Oswin might correct him, but not now, when it's taking all she's got to keep her eyes open. She doesn't blame him, not with her voice sounding the way it does right now.

Faintly, she nods, reaching up a hand to cling to his sleeve and use it to steady herself as she stands. Oswin's quivering visibly and the pain in her back isn't helping matters, but after a few tries, she finally manages to get to her feet, leaning heavily against his side.

Sorry, Doctor, but you'll have to make do with her using you for support. And clinging a bit more tightly than is needed. A whole year without contact is rushing back to her and she might be milking all she can get.]

[She clings to him and the Doctor is a little surprised at how nice it feels to be touched again. He's been doing his best to distance himself from people, and he's almost forgotten what it feels like to be needed like this.]

Slowly. I've got you.

[He loops an arm around her waist, letting her lean in. It's with a sort of tenderness that he's been hiding since he lost the Ponds that he helps her walk across the field, keeping her close.]

Have you seen my ship before? She brought me here to find you.

[Despite the pain, Oswin sighs with a quiet sort of relief as his arm wraps around her waist. Her fingers tighten on the sleeve of his jacket, almost trembling with the force behind it. She's got to know he's real, that she's actually feeling another person again after so long.

Weakly, Oswin shakes her head.]

Didn't...properly get to see you. [Oswin's voice is still rasping, but he did need at least an idea of who she was. Tucking herself in closer, she lets her head loll against his shoulder, her eyes sliding closed for just a moment. Exhaustion's starting to set in after that spike of adrenaline.]

[Not surprising, seeing as he doesn't recognize her. The Doctor points to the blue box, not far from them, parked in the middle of a field.]

That's her. That's where we're going. Stay with me, yeah?

[She coughs harshly, the force of it wracking her shoulders. But at least it's woken her up enough to follow after him a little more actively.

Her head lifts and Oswin nods, blinking until the TARDIS comes into view a little more clearly. She did know about the Doctor's ship (Dalek databases were useful that way), but the information's all jumbled up in her head like everything else at the moment. So, she'll just let him guide her there.]

Nearly there.

[Finally they get to the door, and the Doctor leans Oswin against him as he unlocks it and helps her inside.]

Welcome to the TARDIS.

[She stumbles a few times, but manages to make into the door. And even through her haze of pain and disorientation, Oswin still has that wide-eyed look of anyone who happens to see what the inside of the Doctor's ship looks like.

Unfortunately, she can't quite voice the words he's probably waiting to hear. Instead, she rests heavily against the Doctor's side, gazing around. It's almost enough to distract her for a bit.]

[He smiles at the look at her face.]

Beautiful, isn't she? Come on, I've got a hospital wing over here. You can rest there.

[She manages a faint smile and a nod, leaning into him a little more. If that's possible. Sorry, Doctor, she might not be too willing to let go now, you've spoiled her.

Finding her footing a little more easily, Oswin follows him to the hospital wing, his jacket's sleeve still clutched in her fingers. A few more coughs make her pause briefly along the way, but they're getting better. A little.]

[The TARDIS, naturally, is helping today, and it's a short trip to the hospital wing. He sits Oswin down on a bed and touches her cheek reassuringly.] Make yourself comfortable. Tea or water?

[She comes close to pulling him back and letting out a little whimper at the loss of contact, but even like this, Oswin can muster some dignity. The hand on her cheek makes her relax anyway, despite the fact that the skin there is just a little tender.

She clears her throat a little, trying to rid her voice of the rasp. It doesn't do much, but at least it's s a little clearer.]

...Tea's fine. [Idly, Oswin pulls at what remains of her coat, trying to take anything she can off her back. Because it's actually starting to hurt now.]

[He chucks under her chin gently and smiles.]

I'll be right back. Make yourself comfortable.

[She manages a faint smile in return, resisting the urge to grab his hand and shifting a little on the bed. It's sort of hard, getting comfortable with her back the way it was. Moving is agony, but Oswin somehow gets to a point where she's lying on her front in some semblance of comfort.

And she'll wait like that until he gets back.]

[He returns a short while later with a cup of tea and a small box in the other hand. Pulling up a chair beside her bed, he sets the tea aside.]

You'll get that in just a moment, promise. [He gives the little box a shake. It sounds empty.]

Have you ever heard of nanogenes?

[Nanogenes. Sounds...somewhat familiar, but Oswin's mind is still cloudy and everything's all jumbled up. So, she just shakes her head before resting it back down on the pillow.

Hopefully, they're something that're able to help. Something in the back of her mind tells her that they are.]

[The Doctor gives the box another shake.] I need you to sit still. It won't take long.

[Carefully, he pulls the lid off. A cloud of gold rises from it and immediately gravitates to Oswin, hovering over her. After a moment, the gold cloud descends and sinks into her skin, patching up injuries.]

[Nanogenes...nanocloud? Oswin's still trying to sort it all out in her head when the Doctor speaks again. For now, she trusts him well enough to know what he's doing, and thus, lies still.

A relieved sigh escapes her lips as the pain in her back fades and finally disappears, and she allows her eyes to slide closed. Oswin's exhausted now, her escape and trek to the TARDIS having sapped most of her energy.

Sorry, Doctor. That tea might have to wait.]

[He watches her quietly and smiles a little when she relaxes. Pulling a blanket out of seemingly nowhere, he tucks Oswin in gently.]

Get some rest. Just call when you wake up.

[Haven't got to tell her twice. Oswin drops right off to sleep almost immediately after he speaks, turning over onto her side to get comfortable.

In a few hours, she wakes, briefly disoriented with the change of scenery. It takes a moment, but everything does come back to her well enough, if a little blurry. Can't really blame her, though, everything was a bit confusing. Still is, really, but at least Oswin's somewhere relatively safe and calm enough to actually think.

She's alive. She's human. Not really sure how, and debatably not in a position to argue. A position to be curious, though, that's something Oswin can get behind.

Maybe the Doctor will have some idea. Clearing her throat, which is feeling better now that it's had a chance to rest, Oswin calls out hesitantly.]

...Doctor?

[She'll find a glass of water beside the bed to help with that parched throat and a sandwich next to that too, if she's hungry.

The Doctor isn't far, just in the console room which is now just beside the hospital wing and working on some of the wiring. He looks up at the sound of his name and grins.]

Just a mo!

[She smiles just a little as he calls back, sitting up a bit shakily. It's nice, being somewhere that isn't constantly under attack. And somewhere that's real, but Oswin doesn't think too hard on that one.

The water helps with her throat immensely, and since she is a bit hungry, she'll just nibble on that until the Doctor arrives. Might as well not waste it, after all.]

[It'll take a bit for him to untangle himself and join her. Finally he appears in the doorway, floppy hair standing on end.]

Look at you! Much better. How do you feel? I've got a wardrobe room, you can go find something that fits if you like.

[Her eyes glitter with amusement upon seeing him and Oswin grins faintly, setting her empty plate aside.]

Well. Bit less like I just got lit on fire, at least. [She's almost right back to her normal self, on the outside at least. There's still a lingering fear of what will happen when he finds out who she is and a general confusion as to why she's still alive, but with the Doctor there, she's comforted for now.

She nods.] Might be nice, yeah. Mind leading the way? [With just a little wavering, Oswin stands and takes a few steps towards him.]

[He lets out a short but bright laugh and immediately looks down to her hand. His own hand stretches towards hers before he seems to think better of it and instead brings it up to smooth through his hair.]

Right. This way. I didn't catch your name earlier. And what were you doing out there, how did you get hurt?

[For just a moment, her fingers twitch towards his hand, but as soon as he pulls back, so does she. Something in Oswin's chest aches to grab the Doctor's, but before she can, he's talking and...asking what she'd hoped he wouldn't.

And she doesn't know quite how to answer, so Oswin merely falls back on what's comfortable.]

Forgotten me already, have you? [Her tone is challenging and teasing all at once and she gives him a smirk to go with it. Because that's all she knows to do in situations like this.]

Forgotten...?

[He falls silent, frowning as he tries to recall just who exactly this girl is. She doesn't look familiar, though she says she knows him and well there's plenty of people who've researched him.]

Have we met?

Once, yeah.

[A hint of nervousness slips into her tone and she's suddenly not quite so willing to tease and snark at him.]

What, I go and save your life and you can't even remember my voice? [Oswin dances around the question, dropping hints instead so he can figure it out himself. She wants to delay the realization for as long as she can, because who knows what'll happen?

Last time she saw him, he despised her and what she'd become.]

[Give the Doctor a moment. He frowns and stares hard at her.]

...I'm sorry, I can't recall. I've met more people than I could name. It's nothing personal, it's just that my memory isn't so great nowadays.

Old age'll do that. [She grins, but something about it is most definitely forced, and it drops quickly.

Her voice is just that much smaller when she speaks again.] ...Oswin. My name's Oswin.

Oswin.

[Give him a moment. His eyes widen.]

Oswin! Oswin Oswald?!

[She watches his eyes apprehensively, unconsciously pulling her ragged coat closer around her as her heart races in her chest.

Her head dips in a small nod, and this time, her smile just barely reaches her eyes.] ...Hello, again.

You're alive!

[This has to be the best news he's had in ages. He pulls her into a tight hug and laughs.]

[That's what surprises him?

Oswin stiffens in surprise, at a total loss for how to react. It's been so long since she's been able to actually touch another person, never mind have them wrap her up in a hug, but she does manage to finally return it.

Her fingers wind into the back of his jacket just a little too tightly as she buries her face in his shoulder.] Didn't miss me, then?

'Course I did. [He holds her close.] It's good to finally...meet you.

[She's more or less clinging by now, reveling in the chance to be this close to someone again. Careful, Doctor, she may not want to let go for a bit.]

...And you. Properly, anyway. [Oswin doesn't want to think about the last time they were close enough to face to face. Which, really, was only a few hours ago, from her perspective.]

[He chuckles and squeezes her tight.] good, I'm glad to hear it.

[Still holding onto him for dear life, Oswin takes a few deep breaths, trying to steady herself and anchor all of this into reality.

She's okay for now, even if she knows the questions she doesn't want to answer are probably coming soon. The Doctor's got her and he's actually relieved and happy she's alive and that's a hell of a lot more than she could ask for.]

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I HOPE THIS IS OKAY I'M SO SORRY I'M LATE

IT'S PERFECT AND YOU'RE FINE <33

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