Among The Stars

Bound in Blood

Lorelai coughed and rolled over in her bed. It was so cold but she couldn't stop sweating. Her throat felt scratchy, her head was pounding and everything hurt.

There was a knock on her door and she blinked her eyes open just as the Doctor walked in. "Hey, Love." He said gently as he moved to sit on her bed. "The TARDIS told me you weren't doing to good. How do you feel?"

She looked around her room before looking at the Doctor.

He started to worry when she looked at if she was trying to figure out where she was.

"Where." She finally croaked.

"You're in your bedroom, in the TARDIS. Remember?"

"TARDIS." She muttered to herself, trying to think. "TARDIS is Daddy's. Saved me from the cold. TARDIS is safe."

"Yes, she is." He agreed as he pushed her bangs off of her sweaty forehead. His face scrunched and quickly, but gently, grabbed her arm. "Low blood pressure." He muttered. "Fast heart rate."

"Hurts." She gasped.

"What hurts, Sweetheart?"

"Everything."

He placed a hand on her chest. "Can breath for me? One big breath. You can do it."

She tried to. But she only breath in small gasps.

The Doctor scooped her up from the bed and quickly walked out and down the halls door the medical room. The door swung open for him and he mentally thanked the TARDIS. He placed her on one of the beds and started running scans. "Fever, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, fast heart rate, mental confusion." He listed off symptoms as he looked at the scans.

"Daddy?" The little girl whimpered.

"It's alright, Love. You'll be alright."

"I want Daddy."

"I'm here, I'm here." He tried his best to sooth her. The scan stopped and the TARDIS sent him the results so he looked at a screen on the wall.

"Sepsis." He read and started the ramble. "Body gets sick. Body releases chemicals into the bloodstream to fight the infection. Body's response to the chemicals is out of balance, damaging multiple organ systems." He got up and started to pace in worry. "Her lungs and heart are damaged so she's already reached the second stage. I can whip up a cure but I don't have the time! She'll reach Septic Shock! That's total organ failure!"

A cabinet door swung open to reveal the contents sitting inside it, catching the Doctor's attention. "No." He said and TARDIS lights flickered, as if she was trying to argue. "I'm not...I can't just do that to her without her consent. It'll change her genetically! She won't be-" He was cut off by the cabinet door slamming shut then swinging back open again.

He stared at it, then glanced at Lorelai. She was panting and grasping the blanket and trying to curl up in pain. "Put on that lullaby she likes to help sooth her." He ordered as he grabbed the equipment and some Anesthesia to put her to sleep so he could get to work.

The TARDIS was happy to help anyway she could.

~~~

Lorelai woke up the steady beeping of the heart rat monitor next to her bed. She looked to her side so see the Doctor looking at something on a screen on the wall. He looked excited, but also a bit worried. "Daddy?" She spoke and winced at how bad her voice sounded.

He looked down at her and rushed to her side. "How do you feel?"

"Hungry." She said honestly, making him smirk. "Kinda craving pizza. Can we get pizza again? Love pizza."

'She's picking up my rambling.' The Doctor thought with a laugh. "We can get pizza again, but I need to talk to you first."

"Uh oh." She frowned. "That sounded serious. Am I in trouble?"

"No, Love." He reached out to hold her hand as she sat up and leaned against a propped up pillow. "You got sick. It wasn't anything serious, just the flue, but your body's immune system wasn't working right. It was damaging your organs."

"That's why my insides hurt right? Because when I get germs, by body hurts itself when trying to get rid of them?"

That wasn't entirely what happens but he nodded anyway. "It was killing you." He told her honestly. "There wouldn't have been enough time for me to make a cure."

"But I'm still here." She stated. "So I'm guessing you did something serious to save me and you're worried about how I'll react."

"Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant." He cooed with a soft smile, making her blush and puff up a bit at the praise. "I mixed my DNA with yours. It was the TARDIS' idea. I gave my blood, my DNA. Give you my regeneration energy and fast healing. I made you a..."

"A hybrid?"

The Doctor nodded. "Essentially, yeah. Part human, part Time Lord. I've been watching your vitals all night, making sure the healing actually worked." His face lit up like it was Christmas. "And it did! You're a Time Lord now!" He grabbed her and held her up in the air making her giggle. "Well, part Time Lord... and I don't actually know what you all got from my DNA but I can't wait to find out!"

"Does this mean I'm yours?" Lorelai suddenly asked, making him pause. "I have your DNA now. So, I'm yours right?"

He held her in his arms and kissed her cheek. "Yes." He agreed. "You're mine. My Little Lai. My daughter, and I'm never letting you go."

Lorelai just sighed happily and hugged him back.

"Now!" He suddenly exclaimed as he left the medical room with her in his arms. "Let's see if having my DNA enhanced how fast you learn!"