The Game

"Now it's your turn Doctor!" Yaz, Ryan, Graham and the Doctor just came back from a very exhausting and dangerous adventure. It was still very early and the timelady as well as her friends had to much adrenalin running through them to even think about going to bed.

The couches and armchairs in the cosy room were comfortable and looked totally different from the console room. They were old and definitely used a lot. The room itself was lit by a big fireplace and a few tiny lamps that were scattered around. Ryan said that it reminded him of the Gryffindor common room in Hogwarts.

"But I still don't get how I have to play the game."

Yaz rolled her eyes. The Doctor was very clever when it came to technology and aliens but she was a bit behind when it came to socialising. Especially since she's somehow been poisoned on their latest trip. Nothing life-threatening but it still slowed her down quite a bit.

"Look it's simple. You say a word and we have to say the first thing that we think of when we hear the word. You got it?"

"Yea, I guess. Any word?" The three humans nodded.

"Okay ... space."

"Tardis"

"Stars"

"You"

"Aw, Yaz you think of me when you hear the word space? That's very flattering."

"Yea, well you are showing us the universe after all." Yasmin was blushing and hoped that the Doctor or anyone for that matter didn't notice.

"What do you think of when you think of Space, doc?"

Graham thought that the alien might have to think a bit longer about her answer but she surprised him when she spoke as soon as he said the last word.

"Life. I think of life itself when I think of space"

"Seriously? That sounds very sappy even for you Doctor."

"Well, it's true Ryan." The Doctor was looking at Ryan with what she deemed her serious face but it was in truth simply adorable.

How did they all end up here? In a bigger on the inside police box sitting together and playing silly games with a mad woman . Oh and let's not forget that said mad woman was poisoned by an alien and was still a bit out of it.

"It's your turn Ryan"

"Alright! Okay this isn't as easy as I thought. I am going to go with something all of us love.", Ryan smiled and looked in the intrigued faces of his 'fam', " Food."

"This is totally not as epic as I thought it would be but I'd say sandwiches."

"Is that why you carry them around with you when we go on adventures grandpa?"

"Yes and also because we never get any food. By the way Yaz what do you think of?"

"Me and my sister fighting over the last piece of cake or biscuit. We've always been very passionate about food."

The Doctor smiled but her eyes also showed some sadness.

"It's good to have a passion and a family." Towards the end of the sentence her voice got quieter but then her face lit up and she gave her answer.

"I think of biscuits! Lots and lots of biscuits and fish fingers and custard but not of apples or pears. Stay away from those!"

Graham laughed because only the Doctor could actually distrust some fruits and vegetables.

"Is there some backstory that we have to uncover?"

"Maybe but not right now. Right, I believe it's Yaz's turn now."

The humans looked at each other but they chose to ignore the doctor's obvious change of topic and the way her face fell as she seemed to remember the origin of her feud. They probably have to reach a higher level of friendship to unlock all of the tragic backstory.

"Good I am going to try and think of something more interesting than Ryan. Fun."

Yaz looked quite smug as she saw her friends thinking about their answers. Graham was the first to come up with something.

"A quite night watching some TV or reading a nice book. I am getting old and after all the running I actually appreciate some down time."

"Seems fair enough, old man. Sorry grandpa you said you were old yourself. I think of a nice night out with my friends away from my boring work. Just being able to let go. Celebrating and maybe having a drink. Doctor?"

"Fun. I don't know. There are so many things that are fun. Maybe laughing. It doesn't matter with who. As long as everyone is laughing an earnest, happy laugh or at least smiling then that is fun for me. Of course is traveling through the universe always number one but I wanted to choose something more relatable."

"Very kind of you, doc."

" That's what I try to be. Never cruel, never cowardly. Always kind."

The Doctor focused on something on the wall behind Graham and starred at it without even blinking. Her expression was normally cheerful and hopeful but now it was suddenly filled with sadness and doubt. The mood change happened so fast and unexpected that it shocked the companions a bit.

" Doctor? Doctor!"

"Huh? What?"

"You kind of drifted of."

"Oh yea. That must be the aftermath of the poison it makes me somehow emotional."

"Do you want us to stop playing?"

"No! I won't spoil your fun Ryan. It's not like I've never been poisoned before."

"Why am I not surprised? Let me guess it was another alien race with creepy teeth or you ate some soil or plant that was actually poisonous."

"No it wasn't one of those things."

The sad wistful smile returned. And because it was better then the reaction to the food Yaz decided to dig deeper.

"What was it then?"

"Not a what, Yasmin. It was a who."

"Well?"

The timelady lost focus again. Her eyes were wide open as though they were trying to process her surroundings. Only that the Doctor wasn't scanning her surroundings . She looked around in her memories and saw a smile. The most beautiful smile. She looked at it every day for nearly 70 years while it was sitting on her desk at the university. It was captured moments after the Doctor was poisoned.

Unintentionally the Timelady's facial expression softened and began to mirror the one she saw before her inner eye.

"I didn't think that thinking of being poisoned could actually get you to smile so widely. But then again you eat soil."

"The poisoning was painful and I actually died but the person that committed my "murder" makes me smile."

"You died? The person killed you and you still smile when you think of the person ? Was it an accident?"

" Oh no. She actually set up a trap to get to me. Definitely not accident that one. It was not even her first attempt. I was able to avoid being shot."

"Okay, doc. I think that today messed more with your head then you want to admit. If this was a planned murder how can you even forgive such a thing ?"

"Oh, Graham. I always forgive. That's probably my greatest weakness. I always hope and I always forgive. But that one time it was the best thing I ever did. But let's continue with the game. I got distracted."

"Oh, no Doctor. You are not getting of the hook that easily. I want to know how the story ends."

"The end of the story? Death."