Starlight ★ TENTH DOCTOR

The Library

"Rose, don't you think it would be a lot faster for me to google the recipe from buzzfeed or something than to go looking for it in here?" Elizabeth groaned as the two made their way into the Tardis library. It was covered with hundreds of bookshelves from floor to ceiling and a cosy fireplace that always burned in one of the corners. Elizabeth had taken more naps on the couch in front of it than in her actual bed.

"No, no it was an alien recipe." Rose was careful not to mention the Doctor around Lizzie. They hadn't talked to each other in two days and ridiculously avoided even being in the same room. 

"How are you gonna find that on the internet?" The younger blonde raised one of her eyebrows and dragged Liz farther away from the door. "Why don't you start here and I'll go on the other side?"

"But you didn't tell me what's it called. How do I know what to look for?"

"Oh, believe me, you'll know it when you see it..." Rose flashed her a goofy smile and disappeared behind one of the bookshelves. Elizabeth just rolled her eyes at her friend and started her search by picking up the first book she saw. It was most likely written in a different language but the Tardis was nice enough to translate it. Elizabeth would never get tired of the automatic translator in her head.

"You actually wouldn't believe the things you can find on there." She softly spoke to Rose, who she assumed was just on the other side and could hear her perfectly. "I once took a test to find out what type of bread I am. And let me tell you, I was deeply disappointed." She continued her rambling but stopped once she noticed complete silence coming from Rose. "You wanna know what it was?" She patiently waited for an answer that never came. 

"Rose?" Cautiously Elizabeth peaked around the corner of the bookshelf looking for her friend and was met with emptiness. She looked back at the way they had come in a noticed the door closed. 

That's weird, I remember keeping it open.

Jogging to the doors, she grabbed the handles and tried to pull them open. But they appeared to be locked.

"She locked you in here as well, didn't she?" The voice of the man she was still sort of angry with came from behind her. Hitting her head on the dark wood, she groaned.

"Rose, you're a bitch you know that?" Elizabeth screamed at the door. She was hoping the little blonde devil was just on the other side, giggling maniacly. 

"I'm guessing she won't let us out until we talk to each other." He chuckled. The Doctor took a cautious step forward, but his footsteps on the creaky floor alerted Elizabeth immediately. Without looking at him, she quickly turned around and walked deeper into the library. She didn't know if there was another exit but she was going to find it.

"Elizabeth, you can't ignore me forever!" He called out to her, quickly following behind. "There isn't another exit if that's what you're looking for." She cursed at him in her head, zigzagging through the bookshelf and trying to lose him. But her prayers were soon answered as she noticed a single door hidden in a corner. Quickly running towards it, she pulled it open and was met with disappointment. Just more books greeted her on the other side. 

"God damn it!" She kicked one of the bookshelves in frustration. "Ow..."

"I think the Tardis thinks this is funny. That door isn't supposed to be here." His annoying voice came directly behind her. 

"I'm not talking to you." she whipped her head around to glare at him and stormed off.

"Well, you kind of just did!" He leaned against the wall and rubbed his ear, trying not to laugh at the frustrated girl. He only started to follow her one more when she disappeared around the corner. "You know I could walk this library with my eyes closed and still find what I'm looking for!" He called out to her, running his fingers gently on the spines of the books.

"Show off!" He heard her voice a couple of rows ahead of him and smiled.

Elizabeth was starting to feel like she was trapped in a maze instead of a library. The bookshelves were all starting to look the same. She was about to round another corner but the Doctor suddenly came out of nowhere in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. 

"C'mon Lizzie, can we talk?" He looked at her with those big brown eyes that made her melt, but she was still mad at him. Even more now since she was forced into this conversation. 

"I have nothing to say to you." She averted her eyes and pushed passed him. She was close enough for him to grab her by the arm. She looked at his hand on her and tried to wiggle out but with no luck. This is the closest they've been in days and afraid to lose his chance to finally talk to her, he pushed her up against the bookshelf. With this sudden action, the breath was knocked out of Elizabeth and she lost all coherent thought. 

"Please, let me apologize." He looked down at her, still holding a strong grip on her arm. He was close enough for her to feel his breath on her face, and she almost considered hearing him out before he had to ruin it. "If you're not going to, at least let me be the first to say it." She scoffed at him and rolled her eyes. The Doctor flinched, realising his poor choice of words.

"Alright listen, I'm sorry for being so protective over you." He started, not losing his focus on her face. "And yes, a tiny part of me does it be because of your genes, but only because I still feel so much guilt for what I did to the Timelords." Elizabeth was starting to feel bad for what she'd said. She searched his eyes for any dishonesty but found only desperation.

"You're just such a wonderful woman Elizabeth. I hope I never have to see you leave." He finished and gently let go of her arm. They stared at each other for what felt like minutes before tears slowly started filling Elizbaeth's eyes.

"I'm sorry as well." Was all she could choke out before pulling the man into a bone-crushing hug. 

"I'm sorry I didn't consider your guilt." She choked back her tears. "But sometimes, between you and Rose, I just feel so useless."

"Oh, Lizzie, you're not useless. You've had plenty of brilliant ideas yourself." He rubbed her back, speaking into her hair. She pulled away from him but held her hands wrapped around his neck.

"Can we be done fighting now? I want things to go back to normal." She admitted.

"Of course." He grinned hugely at her because he knew that he could never stay mad at Elizabeth Barnes for too long.

★★author's note★★

just a  little filler before we start the impossible planet :))