𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈

The Night of Heartbreak

"𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚒𝚌𝚎."

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When the Doctor showed up at Zuriah's foundation, he found she wasn't alone. As the woman assorted several glasses, the other woman - a blonde - helped place glasses on another table. They were in the middle of a conversation, or it rather seemed like the blonde was doing most of the talking while Zuriah gave acknowledging nods every now and then.

"Listen, Assessor, it's all nice until..." Zuriah had stopped when she noticed the Doctor by the threshold. "Hello..."

With a clearing of his throat, the Doctor gave a meek wave of a hand.

The blonde woman beside Zuriah gave an expectant look between the two, eventually clearing her own throat to get them talking again. "Well, what's going on?"

"Nothing," Zuriah put down the glasses in her hand and grabbed a towel to clean her hands up. "Um, Doctor, you weren't meant to be in today."

"I thought you could always use a hand," the Doctor shrugged his shoulders.

"You're the Time Lord sentenced to community service," the blonde Time Lady spoke up once she had the right idea. "My poor sister..."

Zuriah elbowed the woman on the side. "Um, Doctor, this is my older sister. You may know her-"

The blonde Time Lady took initiative and walked up to the Doctor. "I'm the Assessor, part of the Higher Council?" The Doctor nervously smiled at the woman.

"No need to put that in your introduction," Zuriah lightly scolded the blonde.

"I just want to remind those with criminal charges to be mindful of their actions," the Assessor smirked at the Doctor. "Especially when he's working with someone who's family works in the higher rankings."

"Assessor!" Zuriah called, but the elder sister was smirking at the Doctor.

"Just reminding," the Assessor raised her hands and backed up to where her sister was. "Anyways, are you going to listen to my ideas?" she went back to Zuriah.

Zuriah made a motion for the Doctor to come closer. They really were in need of an extra pair of hands. "Can you help me set up on that table?"

"Of course," he grinned at her. She offered one of her small smiles in return.

The Assessor noticed their little moment with a degree of curiosity. "Zuriah?" her call made the younger sister flinch.

"Yes?" Zuriah quickly returned to her sister while the Doctor headed for the designated table.

"My idea?" the Assessor reminded. "About using the cups after they've been painted for the ceremony?" Zuriah lowered her gaze to the cups in front of her. "Oh please don't tell me you're still not making preparations! You only get married once!"

The Doctor dropped one of the cups on the ground. Its shattering startled both sisters, but only the Assessor looked irritated.

"Uh, you want to be more careful with those? It's not like you're paying for them, right?"

"Assessor, go get us the extra box I brought," Zuriah's order came as a surprise for the elder sister, but Zuriah nodded the Assessor to go.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said once the Assessor was gone. He started picking up the broken pieces of the cup from the ground.