A Crack in Time [I] (The Rescuers Encomium)

Broken Hearts

It's been a short while but I'm back!

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The Doctor easily found Hollie exploring one of the many small forests inside the TARDIS, the blonde blonde sat on a bench, hands in her lap as she stared at her fingers, a blank expression on her face while clearly deep in thought.

The Time Lord swallowed hard as he then saw a tear drip down into her hands before he coughed slightly causing Hollie to jump and quickly wipe her eyes before she looked up and forced a smile.

"Er, Amy suggested to me to come and find you." He fixed his bow tie in hope of removing the awkwardness from the room.

"Was that before or after you guys had your fun?" She asked slightly bitterly, looking back down at her hands.

The Doctor sighed and sat down on the bench beside her. "I don't know what you heard Holls but nothing happened." He explained making her look over at him, waiting for the Doctor to continue on.
"Amy has Rory and I'm not going to get in the way of that- not that I would go for her if she was single- or that I like her at all-." He stopped talking and snapped his mouth shut in fear that he would say something he didn't mean if he kept saying every word that came into his head. "What I mean is that I jumped into yours and Amy's life before disappearing again before coming back for a second time."

"I know." Hollie chuckled slightly. "I was there."

He slowly nodded and continued. "Hollie I don't know if you heard but I'm nine hundred and seven years old."

"So we look like babies to you." She shrugged.

"That's not what I'm saying." He replied. "If you cannot already tell I don't exactly look nine hundred do I?"

"You moisture?" She joked.

The Doctor winced slightly. "Sorry, old, not very funny joke." He waved it off. "Anyways, I change Hollie, it's called regeneration and to tell you the truth it hurts."

Hollie swallowed hard and slowly nodded.

"I have a new person that isn't me wondering around in my clothes, taking my place. That's what happens when I die. That's one of the reasons I didn't 'do it' with Amy. Because it's unfair on her."

"And because she has Rory?" Hollie chuckled.

"Yes." He nodded. "And that."

"Right. And what if it was me?" She quietly asked.

The Doctor stared at her. "I don't-" he stopped himself for a moment and sighed. "Maybe, maybe not." He admitted. "Hollie you're confusing and amazing and I don't want to hurt you, I don't usually explain regeneration straight away but there's something about you." He squinted his eyes slightly.

Hollie swallowed hard. He was right and was only looking out for her, so why did it hurt so much?

The Doctor looked around the forest he could see before he looked over at Hollie. "Amy told me you draw me a lot. I guessed that from what you mentioned in Leadworth but I didn't think you drew me that much."

"Great." Hollie grumbled.

"No, no." He reassured her with a smile. "I loved the drawings."

Hollie shrugged. "It was how I coped with you possibly being a dream. Amy would force Rory to dress up as you, I would draw."

The Doctor nodded in understanding. "Can I ask you something Holls?"

"Mhm." She nodded.

"Do you know River Song?"

"The weird blonde woman with the book?" She asked just to double check. "No, could it be a bad thing?"

The Doctor sighed. "Possibly." He then stood up and held out his hand. "But don't you worry about that, I won't let anything hurt you."

"I thought I was your rescuer?" The blonde raised a brow.

The Doctor chuckled. "Oh you are."

Hollie smiled and made the Doctor blink when she threw her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you."

"What for?" The Time Lord asked.

"For letting us come with you, and for not ruining Amy and Rory's relationship."

The Doctor warmly smiled and hugged the blonde back just as tightly as she hugged him. "You're welcome Holls."

Hollie hummed and the Doctor smiled happily spotting Amy walk into the forest before she nodded and turned back around to leave the two. "We're getting Rory next."

Hollie frowned and let go of the Doctor. "For Amy?"

He nodded. "Amy needs to remember that it's not just time and space, it's more than that, she can't run away forever."

"Alright." Hollie grinned and grabbed his hand. "Let's go!"