Midnight ⋆ Doctor Who²

56. The Power Of Love

THE DOCTOR AND AURORA ARE SITTING ON THE COUCH, TAKING THE CYBERMAT APART. Aurora was never one for technology – though she is good at hacking space artificial intelligence –, so she just follows what the Doctor says. Then again, maybe her hacking skills aren't all that good, because hacking in the Dalek's hivemind didn't end well, did it?

From the corner of her eye, she notices Craig walking up and down with Alfie in his arms. He yawns. "I'm knackered."

She fully looks at him over her shoulder. He does look pretty bad. "Go to sleep, we'll take care of Alfie if he wakes up."

Craig looks at her with wide eyes. "Really?"

She looks at the Doctor, who nods dismissively. "Yeah, sure."

He still seems reluctant. "Aren't you tired too?"

"Just go Craig," she says,laughing a little.

"Thank you."

He leaves the room with Alfie, putting him to bed before going to sleep himself. He is right though. Aurora is completely exhausted after searching for the Doctor, finding him, losing him, toying with her feelings, and now fighting a cyberthreat. Might be time for a break.

Instead, she goes back to watching what the Doctor is doing. It's her last time with him, isn't it? She should take it all in before it disappears.

"That thing was eating up the electricity?" she asks him, knowing the answer. She knows he loves to rant.

"And transmitting it up to the Cybership," he starts. "But why? Why do they need power? Why are those conversions not complete yet, and what are they doing up there?"

Aurora shrugs. "You said you were going to look at its brain, you might find your answer there."

"No, I had to wipe its brain," he explains. "Now I can reprogram it and use it as a weapon against them."

"Okay, clever sacrifice." Aurora slowly nods. She purses her lips. "But why did the Cybermat come after us?"

"No, after me."

She stiffens. "They sent it after us."

"After me. Because of me, you, Craig, and Alfie nearly died." He faces her, after some hesitation. "Do you still feel safe with me, Aurora?"

She stares at him, at a loss for words for a second, seeing his sad and tired face. It must be exhausting, trying to find her reasons not to love him, when she does it so completely. "Doctor..."

Alfie decides that he doesn't want to sleep, sparing the Doctor from Aurora's comfort.

She is quick on her feet and walks quickly upstairs, taking Alfie in her arms and shushing him. He stops crying, but his eyes are wide open. This might take some time, putting a fully awake baby back to sleep. She sits down on the floor.

Aurora hears the floor creaking and knows that the Doctor walked in the room. Her back is turned to him, but the warmth in her chest is undeniable.

"You know, I may not trust you as much as I did," she says after a moment. He winces in pain, but she can't see, her back turned to him. "It's true. I don't trust your feelings, or your motives, that's for sure." Not after what he told her in the labyrinth. "But I do feel safe with you." She exhales an ironic laugh. "I think you know exactly how I feel." She smiles a bit, turning around, leaning against Alfie's bed. "It's not something you choose, Doctor."

He looks down. "I know." She nods, looking away. "I am a stupid, selfish man. Always have been. I should have made you go. I should never have come here."