Fight or Flight ( Doctor Who Fanfiction )

Excerpt from the Vampire Inn

"Amelia?" I knocked on her door softly, and she opened it right away. "Hey, the Doctor said - "

"Why do you call me that?" She had the strangest look on her face.

"What?"

"Amelia. Why do you call me Amelia when I've asked you not to?"

"I'm sorry."

"I don't care if you're sorry," she said, looking confused by my response. "I asked you why you do it."

"Okay," I thought about it for a moment. "I guess it reminds me of the time before I messed things up. Between us."

She pressed her lips, and I couldn't tell if she was frustrated or concerned.

"Anyway," I continued slowly. "Dinner's soon, and the Doctor said we should wear those silver prayer beads because we're like, ninety-six percent certain that the barmaids are vampires."

"Are they going to try to kill us?"

"Unclear," I said, and then retroactively heard how insane it all sounded. These little moments of absurd self-awareness happened quite a lot since we started travelling with the Doctor. I shook my head to myself in disbelief. "How did my life turn into this? Anyway, see you down there. I'm going to sneak into the galley and look for some garlic. Don't tell him, he told me not to. If you don't hear from me, I might have been turned into soup. Seriously, sometimes I just have to tune myself out when I talk."

She smiled softly and and I started walking towards the staircase.

"It wasn't all your fault, you know."

I stopped walking. Slowly, I turned around and looked at her.

She was standing in the hallway now, door open beside her. "I really, really messed up, 'Mara. In so many ways."

I nodded, and gave her a crooked smile. "I let it go a long time ago, Ames. I have enough things to be angry about, and you... you aren't one of them. You don't need to worry."

"Well, then can't we... can't we both not worry about what we did?" She walked up to me and grabbed my hand in both of hers, holding it close to her stomach. "I don't blame you either. I'm just glad you're here now. Your world was hell, and I was young and so stupid and I didn't see it. I saw you climb out of limousines and helicopters with the newest phones and wearing brands I dreamed about... so of course your life had to be better. I was so wrong."

I stared back at her, startled. Those huge hazel eyes were so earnest. I cursed myself for every time I made her cry.

"Of course," I nodded. "Of course."

She took a deep breath and reached over to close the door. "All right, then, let's go. You didn't think I would let you get turned into soup on your own, did you?"

She shrieked and jumped into the bed. swearing about how cold it was.

"Well hurry, they left some hot coals in pans by our feet, and there's plenty of blankets."

She curled up next to me, and poked me in the rib with her toe. I yelped and shoved her away, almost sending , earning a round of bell-like laughter.

I grinned and flipped open my phone to check it.

She settled back in. "You need a better phone, Mars. That thing is ancient. Drop it the wrong way and it'll snap."

I shook my head, chuckling, and chose to ignore a missed call.

"Is she still calling you?" Amy asked, rolling over on her side to face me. Her hair fell in soft waves over the pillow and over her neck. The ginger appeared a deeper shade of red in the candlelight.