The Girl in the Box (Doctor Who)

Nightmares

I had slept for nearly an hour before a puff of cold air from the TARDIS told me that the Doctor needed me. So I crawled out of bed in my pajama shorts and oversized t-shirt and started towards his room.

He was groaning and moaning in his dreadful sleep, obviously not a pleasant dream. I gently sat down at the foot of his bed and he immediately woke up, since he was a light sleeper.

"Tell your nightmares to go away, you're supposed to be sleeping well," I pulled my legs up and hugged them close to me.

"Already did," the Doctor moaned groggily. "Can't leave me alone, can they?" He rubbed his eyes with his fists and blinked them open slowly.

"Life doesn't work that way, Doctor," I laid down next to him and rested my head on my arm.

"I loved Rose. I tried not to, but I just couldn't stop myself," he frowned and propped his head up on his arm like me. I knew he had loved the girl, he just didn't seem to care to admit it. I still had the slightest twinge of jealously, even though Rose was lost.

"She's safe. That's the best you could've given her," I assured him. Most of his companions didn't have pleasant endings, Rose was lucky.

"I know, but that's almost worse. I lost her, but there's the tiniest little voice in my head telling me I could do more," he complained softly.

"There isn't. Now go back to sleep, you need it," I tried to coax him to sleep peacefully and plastered on a worried expression.

"Will you stay with me?" he begged and held my wrist as I tried to get up.

"Bit cliche, isn't it?" I joked and managed to make him grin. He gave me the most sad eyes I've ever seen, and I was laying back in the bed with him in seconds.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and nuzzled his face into my hair while pulling me closer to him.

I stayed utterly still until I heard his breathing transition into quiet snores. I stealthily turned towards him, trying to control my urge to take a picture. His hair was mushed against the pillow and the hand that wasn't still holding me close was nearly in his mouth, collecting the subtle drops of drool.

I saw the easy smile on his sleeping face and concluded that he was having a nice dream. I felt satisfied enough to turn back over, closing my eyes and begging for them to open again if the Doctor had bad dreams.

~~~~~~

I woke up again to my mental alarm clock, reminding me that I had slept a good night's rest, since there was no day or night in the Vortex. The Doctor was in the same position as he was a few hours prior, his hand now covered with his drool. I knew I should've waken him up, knowing he would've preferred to be up and about with me, but I had work to do.

I crawled out of the bed carefully, paying attention to not touch the Doctor. I successfully landed on my feet and bent down to kiss the Doctor's nose gently.

I planned on cleaning up Rose's things after changing into my usual getup. Putting every trace of her in her room, where the Doctor could visit if he wished, instead of finding her things all over the TARDIS.

~~~~~~

It had been an hour of me cleaning up Rose's belongings before I heard the TARDIS hum lower than the usual purr, telling me the Doctor was waking. I tossed the last box of her things onto her unmade bed before rushing to the Doctor's room. Rose had almost all of her things agree across the TARDIS, and I was glad I had gotten to all of it before the Doctor woke up.

I opened the door slowly to see the Doctor putting on his slippers, wearing only his trousers. I tried my best to hide the blush as the door creaked and brought the Doctor's attention to me. I wasn't the kind of person to let emotions get to me, never would a life form see me cry, nor would the Doctor see me blush.