the thirteenth doctor & you

we're here for you.

short prompts recently. just cause i need to get back into the swing.

also MAJOR spoilers for 12x05.

-&-

"Ow."

"Sorry." The Doctor wasn't exactly trying to be rough, but somehow you knew that today had been hard for her. For all of you companions really, but what she had told you in the console room just before? About Ruth being ... her? It was strange, there was no mention or a photo of Ruth back when you worked for Torchwood. And you had a sneaky suspicion that Torchwood would have had all of the Doctor's faces. Sitting quietly in the TARDIS' medbay, you watched the Time Lord apply the weird alien cream to the bruises on your legs. You didn't actually think you got hurt at all when one Captain Jack Harkness snagged you from Earth and beamed you aboard his stolen ship. But the roughness of the ride and being shot at by something seemed to have knocked you around a bit.

Also, it could have been the massive hug that Jack gave you when everything settled down afterwards, spinning you around and squeezing you so tightly like he used to do. You hadn't seen him in forever and you kind of thought you never would see him again, but ... well, he was full of surprises. You wondered if you should give Gwen a call? Maybe she's seen him as well - or maybe not. Gwen was finished with all of this type of stuff, especially after the events of Miracle Day.

"You okay?" The question left your lips before you could even think about it. You winced one more when the Doctor pushed against another bruise. But you didn't say anything this time around. "Because when we found you again you were ... quiet. Which has been your kind of thing lately."

"My thing?" The Doctor looked up and scrunched up her face a little before she narrowed her eyes and shook her head, falling silent once more. Before she sniffed and mumbled. "I don't have a thing."

"You're doing it again!" You exclaimed trying to hold back the smirk that wanted to cross your lips. But your excitement died down a little when the Doctor's face once again fell back into its stoic position. Reaching out, you rested a hand against the Doctor's cheek, which caused her to freeze. "You know you can tell me anything?" You said.

The Doctor heaved out a sigh and licked her lower lip. Before she placed the cap back onto the alien cream and pushed up off the ground, letting your hand fall back down to your lap. You watched her for a couple of seconds, stiff shoulders and a hesitant walk. Her coat was hanging on the back of the door and her white sleeves were pushed up to her elbows, you hadn't seen her so ... vulnerable in a long time. "Something's coming for me." She mumbled, head tilting to the side like she was still trying to work out what it was and you shot off the bed so quickly that you almost fell over. "I can feel it. The Master, Jack and now ... Ruth," The Doctor hunched over the bench and held onto the edges with a grip that caused her knuckles to turn white. "And I don't know what to do."

You stepped up next to her then and leaned your head against her shoulder. You had never been one to shy away from touch, the only time was when you had just met someone and even then ... a pat on the shoulder or a handshake had to occur. Torchwood had taught you a lot of things about dealing with aliens and the strange supernatural, how to deal with galactic size threats and what to do in an emergency but it was Jack that taught you how to deal with the Doctor. He was the one that told you stories about his Doctor and the wonderful adventures they had gone on, how, if you ever come face to face with the old alien, to act around him. And now, to suddenly be standing next to her was something of an achievement for you.

You felt the Doctor shudder beneath you and eventually, you turned, wrapping your arms around her waist, burying your head into her shoulder. Jack had said that previous Doctor's hugged almost all of their companions, hand-holding and body shielding. You noticed that this regeneration was very hesitant, only the occasional shoulder touch and never ever any hugging. But you couldn't stand to see her so lonely, so sad. The blonde was hesitant for a moment, her arms held out to her sides for a couple of seconds, before she relaxed and wrapped them around your shoulders.

And you almost cried. Taking a deep breath, you shifted and rested your chin on top, allowing the Doctor to just ... enjoy the moment. "I'm not going anywhere." You mumbled into her ear. "We're not going anywhere." You corrected yourself because there was no way the fam would leave her, you'd have to kill them to get them to leave. The Doctor took a moment and took in a deep breath before she turned her head slightly and buried her nose into your hair. A hand reached up and cradled the back of your head.

Nails digging into your scalp and fingers tugging lightly on your hair, but you didn't mind. Just the contact alone was enough to quell the pain and any nervous feelings that had started to form in the bottom of your stomach.

"Thank you ..." Your name sounded so soft leaving her lips and you never wanted her to stop saying it.

"You're welcome." You mumbled.

You didn't know how long the pair of you stayed like that ... just in each others embrace, holding onto each other for dear life. You could tell that the Doctor appreciated it. A lot.