"I thought I told you not to wander off," the Doctor reminds her but she ignores him.
"I changed my mind," Cherry muses, a small smile playing on her lips.
"You want to go home?" The Doctor assumes and she shakes her head.
"No, of course I don't,"...
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"You're wearing a dress?" The Doctor raises his eyebrows, a pleased smile gracing his lips as Cherry appears in the console room. She looks absolutely stunning in a white summer dress with sweet red flowers printed onto the fabric, matching the red bow in her hair, her red high tops and the red rubies on her necklace.
Cherry pauses at the top of the steps, frowning as she smooths out the floaty skirt and glances down at the dress. "Don't you like it?"
"I love it," the Doctor speaks so quickly he almost trips over his words, grinning up at her. He takes her by the waist when she walks up to him, thumbs caressing her ribs as he pulls her close to him. "I mean... really. Yowzah."
Cherry breathes out a laugh, pressing their chests together. "Good. I wanted to look nice."
"You haven't worn a dress for a long time," the Doctor points out, snaking his hand round to the small of her back. Cherry shrugs her shoulders, straightening his bow tie, which he has changed from blue to red.
"Didn't feel like it," she says casually, but there's weight to the statement and the Doctor raises his eyebrows.
"And now you do?"
"Well, I wanted to dress up. I think the occasion is worthy of a Yowzah moment," Cherry says lightly and the Doctor brushes his lips against her forehead.
"You always look beautiful to me," the Doctor whispers and her face burns bright red.
"Really?" she asks as he cups her face with his hand, brushing the pad of his thumb along her cheekbone.
"Cross my hearts," he nods his head, tilting her face up so that their lips are almost touching.
"Doctor," she speaks softly, her lips touching his as they move. "Uh..."
"What is it?"
"Were you really going to leave me behind?" She asks him and he raises his eyebrows, drawing back a little.
"Only if you asked me to," the Doctor tells her. "I wanted you to have the choice."
"But not Amy and Rory?"
"I can't keep them safe, Charlotte," the Doctor admits, eyes flickering down to their shoes. The rubber toes of her converse are touching the end of his leather lace-up boots.
"I know you can't," Cherry whispers, feeling awfully guilty for saying it out loud. "You can't keep me safe."
"No," the Doctor agrees. "I can't keep anyone safe."
"So why am I still here? You could have just left me with Amy and Rory."
"I could have," the Doctor says. "But I didn't want to."
"Why?"
"Because, Charlotte," the Doctor says firmly, pressing her up against the console. Her back is up against the console and he has an arm on either side of her, leaning against the control panels. "I told you. I'm selfish. I can't leave you. Not unless you ask."
