Just Like Old Times

Chapter 4

"Steady now, Sergeant, he knows what he's doing ... at least I hope he does."

That was the Doctor's voice – 'his' Doctor's voice – coming from inside the TARDIS. Jamie finally turned away from the space formerly occupied by Jo and the current Doctor and found Sergeant Benton, appearing equally frustrated as he eyed the empty space. Heaving a sigh, Jamie looked at him and shrugged before the two of them went back inside.

"I tried tae stop them, Doctor, but they --"

"That's all right, Jamie. He had to do this."

"But what about Jo?" Benton asked.

"Yes, a pity she ran after him like that," the second Doctor fretted. He then turned to face Jamie, a hint of disapproval in his expression. "As did you, Jamie. Blundering into trouble, like always." He trailed off and uttered a humorless chuckle.

Jamie frowned. "I only wanted tae keep them out of danger," he protested, feeling a bit indignant over the Doctor's scolding him.

"Yes, of course," the Doctor conceded. As Jamie met his gaze, he noticed the Time Lord's expression turned a bit apologetic. There also seemed to be a bit of relief there as well, perhaps that Jamie himself hadn't been swallowed up by that thing. The Doctor appeared on the verge of saying something more but simply shook his head. "Now, let's have a look, shall we?" he said instead, looking up towards the scanner.

Following his gaze, Jamie was able to make out the red and black organism in the corner of the lab, lurking near the TARDIS. The thing seemed to have grown even more and was pulsing as it moved.

"Well, where are they?" Benton broke in. The Doctor seemed too transfixed on the image on the screen to hear him. "Doctor!"

The Doctor finally seemed to snap out of his reverie. "Well, as far as I can see, that stuff's gone to a great deal of trouble just to find me – er, him, so whoever or whatever it was that sent it can't merely want to kill him. No, they've been transported somewhere!"

"Transported? Well, what d'ye mean, transported?" Jamie asked incredulously. "Transported tae where?"

"No, just wait a minute," the Doctor replied distractedly, eyeing the scanner screen once more before turning to Sergeant Benton. "You know, Sergeant, I think our friend has gone off the boil, so to speak."

"Right, then. I'll take this chance to blow it to bits," Benton replied. "I'll get a grenade."

"Aye, I'll go with ye --" Jamie started just as the Doctor held out a hand to stop them.

"No, I think we could try a more subtle approach. Let's turn off the force field and open the doors first, shall we?" The Doctor bent over the console once again, manipulating the appropriate controls.

"Right." Benton headed for the door. Jamie was about to follow when he gazed back at the Doctor, hopeful that he knew what he was doing.

"Wait a minute. Let me go first," the Doctor told them, moving past them towards the now open TARDIS doors.

Jamie cautiously followed the Doctor out into the lab, Benton bringing up the rear with a sub-machine gun. The organism lurked a bit further away in the corner, completely still except for a very slight pulsating.

"What's it doing, Doctor?" Jamie whispered, leaning into him.

"Hmm. Awaiting further instructions, I would think," the Time Lord mused.

Without warning, the organism crackled to life, lashing out at them. Jamie's eyes widened in shock and he felt the Doctor grab his arm before the three of them dashed back into the TARDIS.