Running Through the Stars (Book One of the Bad Wolf Chronicles)

Interlude: A Look to the Past

Trigger warning: mentions of sexual assault.

***

"Doctor?"

The Doctor poked his head out of the TARDIS. The entire SHIELD team had left, but only one of them was left.

Saleen.

Jessie rejoined him. "Saleen?" she asked.

"Just a word," Saleen said quickly. "It won't take long."

Jessie looked at the Doctor curiously. "Go on," he encouraged her. "I bet the TARDIS will have fun deciding where all that goes." She grinned and ran back inside. He turned to Saleen, walking up to her. "What can I do for you, Agent Harper?"

"First off, if you won't call me Sally again, Saleen is fine," she replied. "Second of all . . . " She looked over his shoulder at the TARDIS. "To what extent are you willing to protect her?"

The Doctor blinked, looking at her. "What?"

Saleen gave him a pointed look. "Jessie has been with me for years. If I lose her when she's in . . . oh, I don't know, the Middle Ages - "

"You won't," the Doctor promised. "I'd rather send her back to present time if there's even a hint of danger where there's no other way of getting out."

Saleen relaxed a little. "Good."

She turned to go when the Doctor thought of something. "Wait a minute, Saleen." She looked back, raising an eyebrow. The Doctor shuffled awkwardly. "There have been moments where we've been going when she's been acting . . . strangely."

Saleen turned fully towards him. "How strange?"

"Strange enough where she always drifts off," he replied. "Do you know what it could be?"

"Can you show me what the situations were?"

The Doctor considered, then walked up to her. "Do you trust me?"

"Does Jessie?"

The Doctor took that as a go-ahead. He still gave her a chance to back away, but when she didn't, he placed his hands to her temples and projected his memories to her: Jabe's questions as to who Jessie was, Cassandra's thrown insults, and what little conversations he picked up from when she was with Gwyneth. When he pulled away, Saleen's eyes had widened. "Oh," she said slowly. "That kind of strange."

"Do you know what it is?" the Doctor asked.

Jessie poked her head out of the TARDIS again. "Still talking?" she asked.

"I'll be in in a moment," he promised. "How do prehistoric times sound?"

She gave him a wide grin and disappeared inside again. Saleen took a deep breath. "Doctor, whatever you do . . . don't let her be alone with someone you have a very good reason not to trust."

"How so?"

Saleen swallowed. "Someone who seems like he wants to hurt her." The Doctor gave her a sharp look, and Saleen finally sighed, scratching her head. "Jessie wasn't always like this, so focused on good in the world. Seven years ago, she was one of those some tried to help." She looked the Doctor right in the eye. "She was sexually abused two years of her life."

And as if a light had gone on, the Doctor understood. That explained everything, along with part of what the Face of Boe said: "She is not free of her past." He nodded slowly. "I swear, Saleen, I won't let that happen to her."

Saleen smiled. "That's all I need to hear." She held out a hand. "Good luck, Doctor."

"Continue saving the world," he replied, shaking it.

"I think a lot of that's on you," Saleen replied. "Now get going."

He gave her a mock salute. "Will do."

She laughed and headed for her car. "Take care."

He went back to the TARDIS, mulling it all over in his head. Look out for pretty boys, he decided as he stepped inside.

Jessie sat on a blank part of the console, jumping a little as he entered. "Dinosaur ages, huh?" she asked.

"Whatever you want," he replied.

"Dinosaurs. Definitely."

The Doctor laughed and began setting up the course. No way by Rassilon would he let her get hurt in the way Saleen was saying.

No way by the rest of his lives.

***

And of course, in "Dalek," guess who they pick up. :P I think it's funny how Nine always jinxes a whole bunch of stuff. He brags about how he made it to the right time in 1860, but they ended up in 1860 and in Cardiff. Then he says how it's been 12 hours, but it's been 12 months when he brought Rose back. And then later in Boom Town, he says how Cardiff is the safest place they could be.

Nine really does jinx a whole lot of stuff. But, he's still my favorite Doctor so far.

Which one's your guys' favorite? Any of them are up for grabs, and tell me why, please! And put in your favorite companion, too! By the way . . . two of the SHIELD agents will be coming back in during Boom Town. I will be very impressed if you can tell me which two they are.