In Cold Waters

The Doctor smirked, returning the raised eyebrow, "Hey a know-it-all?!" he proclaimed happily, "Nahh!!!" before yanking down the main lever and sending the TARDIS spiraling through the time vortex, racing off towards it's destination, the armada. Glancing down at the scanner, The Doctor smiled then peered over to Loren, "Impatient? Well you won't have worry about that with the TARDIS" he chuckled before walking down over to her, stopping once to a foot away from her. "Care to say hello?" He asked her, a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk on his head as he gestured over to the doors with a nod of his head and an extension of his hand and arm out to her to aid her in getting off of the railing behind her.

I look down at the offer of his hand and arm, biting my lip before slipping away from the railing myself. I step backwards towards the door, slapping his hand as if it were a high-five, though I know it wasn't. "I'd be happy to." I reply, grin and turn away, nearly skipping to the doors as I pull one open a small crack. But I don't move through it, instead, I turn back to the Doctor. "You haven't asked me my name. My first name. It isn't like I'm going to tell you, but people generally ask." I wrap an arm around my stomach and sigh. "Always ask." I correct myself, clear my throat, and pause for a moment. "Yeah," I breathe out, more for my own ears to hear than his. I fix my posture, smirk and open the door wider. "Where are we, anyway?" I ask aloud, my voice strained as I exit the TARDIS.

The Doctor smirked at Loren's ramble of sorts before dashing down the ramp, extending out his hand in front of her as she exited as if protecting her as the doors closed behind them. "The Draconian armada..." The Doctor mumbled, allowing the reply to slip out of his mouth as he gazed out onto several Draconians standing firmly and intimidatingly in front of them a few feet away. Glancing around his surroundings, The Doctor quickly realized which kind of ship he was on and corrected him, "Make that..a Draconian battle cruiser.." he said back to Loren as one Draconian stepped forward, "Why do you come aboard our vessel!?" it hissed.

The Doctor quickly, upon hearing the order, straightened himself, placed his hands nonchalantly into his pockets and stepped forward so that himself and the Draconian were staring straight at each other. "I could ask you the same about invading Earth..especially what you've done to the rain clouds" He replied in a hissing tone before spinning around and pacing around the room until finally finding his way back to Loren and leaning lightly on her shoulder with his elbow, "No! You see, the Draconian's are a very proud race. Honor, religion, that sort of thing. Very skilled in the art of poisons and potions and especially tactics, you see, that is what the water was mixed with. Used an atmospheric converter to inject the clouds with their solution..then let it rain more or less. Kill off the population before invading..better chance of winning." he explained to her much to the displeasure of the Draconian's in front of them.

I nod lightly, letting my eyes roam the first Draconian I see. "Ah... Well, it's smart. In a weird kind of way. But I wouldn't exactly label you a proud race for doing something like that. There's no honor or anything in that." I cross my arms over my chest, glancing at the Doctor from the corner of my eye before looking back at the Draconian who seems to be in the lead. "I'd call that cowardice. Your bravery isn't showing through that armor." I smack my lips together, willing myself to shut up, though it doesn't work like I'd imagine. Am I trying to get on of those things mad? "But still. Smart for a group of aliens not attempting to keep up a reputation. I give you props." Props? Am I nuts? Facing danger and making fun of it. Trent is right, I have a death wish. I look at the Doctor again, and he's close enough that I can nudge him in the ribs softly with my elbow. I don't want to talk anymore, but I fear I will. And I do, "I'd give your plan a B minus at best." I say and I dig my fingernails into my arm. "Hey, know-it-all, care to interrupt? I don't have a filter. I'll make fun of these guys all day." I whisper, and I know he can hear me, he's too close not to. A Draconian steps up, a hand placed gently on a gun resting at it's hip. I've never see a weapon looking so futuristic before, but questioning it aloud would put me deeper into a situation I'm squirming in already.

"Oh, yes, course" The Doctor said, snapping out of the gaze he was in as he watched Loren talk the Draconian's like they were fellow humans or animals that were mentally beneath her; stepping forward, The Doctor peered down to the blaster then back up to the face of the Draconian, "Basically what she is saying, is...you really shouldn't have let me find your beacon. Because! Now that i have it, i'm very, very, dangerous" he explained. Pulling the beacon out of his pocket, The Doctor flipped it around a bit nonchalantly before explaining further on his plan, "You see, this beacon is connected to your ships systems, which means, it is feeding information into this ship, information that it is being transmitted into the clouds. So! In theory, i could input a new transmission into the beacon, send it up to your ship and back down to the clouds..reversing everything you've done...making those cold waters warm again". 

The Draconian laughed along with his guards standing firmly behind him, "And what kind of transmission could possibly do this?" he snorted as The Doctor flipped out his sonic screwdriver, activated it then shoved it onto the side of the plaque, "A sonic transmission". Immediately sparks flew from the control panels in front of the ship, systems glowed red as everything began to shut down, the transmissions to the clouds severed. The Draconian's knelt down, their hands over their heads as sparks flew around and over them while The Doctor stood still and focused, "One minute until your life support systems crash..two until your engines shut down. You have an option...you can pack up shop, leave this solar system..leave this planet alone. Let it's people live in peace..".

The Draconian peered around his ship several times before finally, a huge spark from the main control panel sent him a clear message to take the deal. Standing up cautiously, he nodded, "Yes. Yes! Deal, please!" he pleaded. The Doctor lowered his sonic screwdriver and glared them down coldly, "Know this Draconian empire. This planet...these humans..are protected! Every single living thing on this planet is under my protection..you so much as come back and touch a tree and i will be there. Is that understood?!". The Draconian nodded, lowering his head before The Doctor turned around and began heading back to his TARDIS, the cold gaze still on his face while, unbeknownst to him, the Draconian withdrew his blaster and pointed it at The Doctors head as he walked away.

I had unfocused myself, allowing the voices to take over my mind. But then they stopped, sparks flew, and they pick up again. My head shoots up as the Doctor goes back to the TARDIS. Then I'm not watching him, my neck turns to face the Draconian. And the blaster in his hand. I move quickly, stepping into their path feeling like there are stones in my stomach. I push my hands out cautiously because I know I'm not a proper shield for the Doctor. With my height, I just about reach his shoulder. "Guns would be irrational and cheating." I say sternly, taking a step towards the Draconian. "As would a deal with him." He replies, spitting the words out as if they are poison in his mouth. Maybe they are. From his point of view, that'd be obvious. The Doctor is the enemy. And so am I. I mentally freeze, thinking back to any other time I've dealt with a fight. I don't like hurting people, not physically, so what would cause a moments hesitation, but not permanent pain? I have several options spinning in my head, but I don't act on them. I step forward and face the blaster down, "a deal with him is what keeps you alive. So, my question is, would you want to die because he's going to protect the people of Earth or do you want to die later knowing you had the chance to survive? Or maybe surviving now would be a better option." I whisper and the barrel of the gun is no longer inches from my forehead. It is at the side of the Draconian. But I know he isn't giving up. Not yet. And even in this state, I don't want them to die. Any of the aliens I'm facing. Death is too real.

The Doctor spun back around, immediately noticing the quick action by Loren, a person he barely knew, she barely knew him. And yet, she was willing to put her life in the line for his, how curious life was...he thought as he turned around, peering over his shoulder to the prominently aggravated Draconian. The Draconian contemplated his position in the event before finally speaking once more, "To die, allowing the febrile humans to survive from our attack.." he muttered shamefully, "That is the more noble path". 

The other Draconian's behind him nodded their heads in agreement only to be silenced by the wave of the leaders hand as he began to speak once more, "However. Our regimen shall continue! If Earth cannot be used for our purpose..then other planets will" he proclaimed proudly, only to be downsized once more by The Doctor's cold gaze, "I won't let that happen." he hissed. The Draconian snorted angrily before withdrawing his blaster and pointing it directly at Loren's forehead, his finger inching down on the trigger, "Now you must choose Time Lord! You precious human...or stopping us. You decide..but one movement..one twitch..and i will kill her. I promise you that".

My jaw tightens, my hands clenching into fists at my side. My body grows cold and numb again. I haven't thought this through... Why haven't I thought this through? But I stare at the blaster, an inch from my skin. "Kill me then. I mean, stopping you would save everyone, wouldn't it? I trust him enough to believe that." I say softly, my voice betraying the little bravery I actually have. I straighten my shoulders, exhaling softly as I look at the Draconian. "And never call me 'precious' again." I add, my eyes going cold and hard. My expression is flat as I look at the Doctor, careful not to move my head. "Choose, Doctor. Now." The Draconian snaps, and I wish I at least knew his name. It seems reasonable; a name before this blaster goes off. The expression I've been trying so hard to keep emotionless twists into frustration. "Doctor," I say gently.

The Doctor's eyes widened partially at the sudden withdraw of the blaster from the Draconian's belt. As it pointed at Loren's forehead, The Doctor thought, just momentarily before his mind finally slapped him back into reason, Why am i thinking about this!?. Slowly The Doctor's hand extended out towards Loren's and his fingers entangled in with her's, "Come on" he said softly, giving her a slight tug as he opened up the TARDIS door with his free hand, his eyes locked on the Draconian as he lowered his weapon with a chuckle.

The others laughed in a whole heart laugh, smiling from ear to ear as if they had won some great battle, the leader eyed The Doctor carefully before quickly extending his blaster to fire at Loren. Yanking her towards him, The Doctor held Loren close to his chest as he turned side ways, extended out his sonic screwdriver and activated it. The blaster sparked just as the plasma bullet went through the barrel causing the blaster to explode, sending the leader back into his grunts, his armor and face covered in black smoke. "That's you're only warning" The Doctor spat coldly, looking down at them, "If you have any honor left. You will head my warning and do as i said...leave this galaxy and never return. I won't say it again..".

I drag in a shaky breath, pressing my forehead to the Doctor's chest as I steady myself. Once I regain my balance and my legs don't feel like rubber, I lift my head, stepping backwards into the TARDIS. My fingers are still entangled with the Doctor's, and I gently pull him in after me. The Draconian leader stares on with distaste, but I know there aren't many more options. Persuasion isn't my strong suite, criticizing and distracting are. If they do decide to attack, I don't plan on being on their ship. "Doctor," I say again, my voice softer than before. I feel like breaking, dropping onto the floor and not getting back up, but I stay planted on the ramp inside the TARDIS, the doors still open and my fingers still curled around the Doctor's.

The Doctor shut and locked the TARDIS doors behind him with his free hand before turning his body and attention over to Loren, placing both of his hands on her shoulders, "Everything is going to be fine..." he told her softly, "Trust me". Patting her shoulders lightly, The Doctor made his way up to the console and slapped the plaque down onto the controls, yanking down the main lever once the plaque lay flat on the controls. The TARDIS de-materialized from the Draconian ship and materialized beside the white picket fence, over next to the fountain. Running his sonic screwdriver over the plaque, it returned it's previous color of black after the light inside of it shut down, "There we are..beacons gone. Disconnected for good...and in the process, disconnected the Draconian's from the clouds" he told Loren, tucking his sonic screwdriver back into his breast pocket.

Dashing down the ramp, and quickly opening the doors, The Doctor proclaimed, "Only one thing to check now" as he exited and immediately gazed up at the night sky. Running over to the fountain to get a better look, a pair of engine lights up in the sky shimmered like stars, looming over the TARDIS in the distance before vanishing with a flash of light. The Doctor smiled, "Now we can only hope they abide by the rules..and they will..Draconian's, very good at those sort of things" he mumbled, not sure if Loren was standing next to him or not, "Anyways! All in a days work..suns coming up..give it a few hours. You should get back home..parent's must be furious by now".

When his voice dies out, I nod. "Parent. My dad's dead." I say it more like a fact, but my voice still wobbles. I sigh and walk towards the door. "Anyway, my mom is probably mad, yeah." I look out at the dark street, only faintly lit by street lights. "My name is Loren, by the way. Loren Prior." I mumble without looking at the Doctor, stepping out of the TARDIS and onto the cobblestone. It feels foreign under my feet, but I ignore it as I remind myself on my next task: get Trent. I rub my arms, not risking a look at the Doctor as I take slow steps to the sidewalk. I can't look back. My mind is still trying to process all of the events that had taken place only moments ago. But it's hard. I run a hand over my forehead and smile gently. "Oh, and thanks, Doctor." I call over my shoulder, bowing my head as I look at my shoes.

"My pleasure" The Doctor replied with a grin and a slight chuckle, turning his eyes down to Loren, "Nice to finally meet you properly Loren" his sentence was stopped as he glanced down the street where he had last seen the boy from whom she was with, "Best get that friend of yours. Might get lost...or worse, picked up by Draconian's" he joked. Walking back towards his TARDIS, his placed one hand on the frame of the door, stepped in with one leg then peered back out to Loren, "You ever need help..or someone to spy on, give me a call" he told her before rushing inside of his TARDIS then coming back out with the plaque and extending it out towards her, "I've rerouted the circuits so it communicates directly with the TARDIS..well..not directly but it can send signals. Haven't worked everything out with it but...i think you'l figure out in due time".

The Doctor watched Loren walk until finally she was out of view, disappearing to the cover of the darkness of the night. He smiled brightly, as he glanced up at the stars and stood there for several minutes before finally a word slipped from his mouth, "Prior", he still had trouble finding out/ figuring out what it meant or why it had been imprinted into a plaque. He knew it was the girl's last name, but why was it so important to the Draconian's? Why did they choose her instead of anyone else? Who was she really? He thought to himself.

The Doctor shook his head and stepped halfway into his TARDIS before taking one last glance out to the street in front of him then with a nod, he stepped fully into his time machine. The door creaked shut behind him as he walked nonchalantly up the ramp, then hovered over the cotnrol console once he was over it, glaring down at the controls, pondering what he was going to do next. Well...do what i always do, go somewhere..anywhere in time and space and then go from there..who know's maybe i will find something good prior to-...prior..there it is again. With another reluctant shake of his head, The Doctor yanked the main lever then placed his hand nonchalantly into his pockets then gazed up at the time rotor as it roared up then down and up again, the TARDIS disappearing from the street corner with each roar from the rotor.

The sweatshirt feels more like a dress on my body, but I ignore it and skip down the steps. What do you plan on doing? Where do you plan on going? My conscience tells me to stay where I am, don't move and wait till Mom comes to retrieve me from the porch. But my feet keep moving. I pick up pace until I'm running down the sidewalk. Then I stop, breathe in loudly, and walk slowly to the slide. I smooth down the wrinkles in the sweatshirt and it drops another inch, covering my shorts with its baggy, thick fabric. It looks like I'm wearing a dark purple dress, and I can't restrain the laugh it creates. I sit on the edge of the slide and squirm up, pulling my legs to my chest in my usual fashion. My arms are tight around my legs and I rest my head back. The plastic feels damp under me, but I block it out. Why are you in the slide? Go home, idiot. "Shut up," I whisper softly to myself, though I know I'm the one person my own mind won't obey. I feel the plaque dig into my side. The plaque. Why did I bring that? Did I bring that? I don't remember grabbing it. I pull it from the sweatshirt's pocket and set it next to me, tucked under my right leg. In the distance, I hear a noise, something close to a wheezing. I shut my eyes to the wind, closing my senses to the sound. I feel like I'm waiting for something.

The TARDIS stopped, completely halting in the middle of the time vortex and began to go back, pulling, forcing itself back to the place it had just left. The Doctor frantically tried to stop it from performing this action, yanking over the screen and fiddling with the controls for several minutes, "What are you doing?" he asked the machine, "Why go back there?! I didn't get a signal from the plaque, why are you going back?!?!". The TARDIS simply replied with a groan and the constant roaring of the time rotor as he pushed up and down until finally it landed with a thrust, sending The Doctor back, only stopping himself from falling down by grabbing the side of the control console.

Peering up at the scanner, The Doctor released a sigh, lowering his head with a slight shake, "Alright. I'll play along, where have you landed?" he asked his TARDIS before the doors creaked open and The Doctor peered down the ramp, flipping on his glasses as he saw a form hovering over a curb. He stood firmly in front of his TARDIS, his glasses on and arms crossed, "Hello?" he asked, calling down to the seemingly lonesome figure that sat down on a curb a few feet from the opened doors of his ship.

I blink, rubbing my eyes as I look around. A voice has pierced the dark, somewhere close, as well as soft light. It'll go away. It has to. If you don't reply, it'll go away. I shift the plaque from under my leg, feeling the indents in my skin. It burns to move it, though I ignore it, just as I ignore the voice. Until my phone goes off, vibrating in my pocket abruptly. I pull it out, the screen flashing as I squint my eyes. Too much bright light. I groan softly, allowing time for my eyes to adjust before sitting up. But I can't read it, I can't read the message. It isn't English, nor is it any language I've seen. It swirls and curves, bending around in circles around each other. I drop the phone beside the plaque and debate rubbing my eyes more. "Hallucinating. Or dreaming. I'll wake up. This is crazy." I whisper under my breath, feeling the goosebumps on my bare legs as I stumble to stand up. I look around for the bothersome voice again, and I see it this time, the outline of the TARDIS and the man before it. My eyes have adjusted and now it's all visible. I cross my arms over my chest, raising both eyebrows. "Come back for seconds? Sorry, don't think those guys are coming back. Nor is anything else." My voice sounds rough, as if I hadn't used it in quite some time. Had I fallen asleep? I shake my shoulders, my eyes scanning the dark for any midnight walkers.

"Oh.." The Doctor mumbled, making his way down the ramp and down to Loren, "No. Sorry, i..i didn't mean to come back. The TARDIS.." he paused as he gestured back to the control control with his thumb, "Sort of came back here..tracking a signal it said. Don't know what it was going on about". Halting his reply before it spiraled into a ramble, The Doctor peered his eyes and attention down over to the plaque that was beneath her body, "Did..did you activate that?" he asked her curiously, pointing down to it with an eyebrow raised, finally stepping out of the TARDIS and onto the cold, wet, cobblestone street, "Maybe..accidentally hit it or..i don't know. Maybe the TARDIS sent you something..code or message..." he began to go over the possibilities deep inside of the consciousness of his mind.

I shrug. "Maybe I did. Accident." I grab my phone from the slide, leaving the plaque where it is. "Glad it works. Won't be needing it." I say softly, turning away from the Doctor with a sharp intake of air. "Sorry about that then. For the inconvenience." I sound too harsh, rude for no reason. My mother would be furious. I laugh at what my mind says and I bite my lip, turning back to look at him slowly. "To be honest, I'm not sorry. I'm still trying to figure out what just happened and I left the plaque at home. It just... Showed up in my pocket." I mumble, nodding to the plaque on the ground. I raise my eyes to his face, lifting my chin so I can get a good look. I haven't actually just looked at him yet. I sigh, "then there's my mom's notebook and..." I trail off, shrugging as I try to grasp for words I can't seem to find.

The Doctor glanced down at the plaque as he picked it up and looked at it then turned his attention over to Loren, "You know" he began, "Being a thousand year old time traveling alien gives me the unique pleasure of seeing many things. And i've learned..that the universe..if it wants something to happen..it will keep pushing something to happen until it finally happens. Humans call it destiny". He rose his eyebrow as he extended the plaque out to Loren, "Now..i'm not saying that you're destiny is to come with me..but i know it's not to sit out here in the cold all alone, especially on a night like this, when coincidentally a meteor shower is set to happen".

Gazing up at the night sky, a series of streets streamed across the sky, weaving past stars that lit up the streets. The Doctor smiled, "Twenty times better when you're with someone" he mumbled before glancing down at Loren, "It's always better when you have someone..".

"So what exactly are you asking me? To come with you?" I cross my arms, nibbling on my bottom lip as I take a step towards him. "I hardly know you." I look up at the sky, and without looking at him, I take the plaque. "I don't believe in destiny... Or fate." I kick at the ground softly, staring at the stars. But I feel myself caving in. Slowly, but surely. I look back at the Doctor quickly. Brown eyes. Don't look at them, you'll cave... "Twenty times better, huh?" Darn it, Loren. "Fine. I guess I can be the plus one for a little bit. Putting aside destiny or fate having anything to do with it. Because it doesn't. And I better not be standing in front of guns for you everyday." I stare back at the sky, dropping my arms to my sides as I curl my left hand tighter around the plaque.

"And i hardly know you" The Doctor replied in a witty tone as he glanced back down to Loren with an eyebrow raised and a sniff, "Though it seems like i've known you for a while now..years even. I hardly know you and yet i give you the trust of traveling with me. You hardly know me and yet you stood in front of that gun". He reviewed the circumstances in his mind, playing them back like old movies in a projector, he's eyes being the screen it was projected onto. "You saved my life from the Draconian's" The Doctor finally said before offering his open hand out to Loren, "Now let me save your's..from that curb and that house you live in".

A big risk? Definitely, letting on board a woman be barely even knew, didn't know her back story, her deepest fears, wants, dreams, goals, past boyfriends, none of it. But that's how it always went, picking up people on a hunch that they were good people. Usually that hunch was right, but this time, she was as hard to read as she was; in all matters of the sense, she was more like him than anyone who had ever set foot into the blue box.

I glance down at his hand, refusing to hesitate. I slip my hand into his much larger one. "Fine. I guess we'll be even. I don't like being in anyone's debt." I look back at the sky, slipping the plaque into the pocket of my sweatshirt as I smirk, dragging the Doctor to the open doors of the TARDIS. "So don't make me save you again without getting something in return." I pause right outside the TARDIS, letting my grip on his hand slack. "Oh, suggestion numero uno: pudding." I poke him in the shoulder. "Soilse dhó." I whisper under my breath, staring at the sky again as I lose my focus. "Irish for 'burning lights', I think. I flunked that class."

The Doctor smirked as he let go of her hand with a slight tug to the inside of his TARDIS before making his way up the ramp and around the control console itself. "So, i'm guessing there is going to be more than one of this spanish suggestions then" He asked with a chuckle and a shake of his head as he peered down to the controls and yanked down the main lever; immediately, the time rotor began to forcefully move up then down and up then down, the light above the TARDIS exterior flashing with each rotation. The coordinates were yet to be set and The Doctor pondered the course we would take before his mind connected with the last words Loren had just said a few moments ago.

A smile crept upon his face and an idea roared through his mind as his hands furiously typed over the keyboard and input the coordinates. Glancing down to Loren who still stood outside of the TARDIS, The Doctor motioned her inside with his head, "Come on then, i've got just the place" he said, holding his smile as his hand rested around the main lever handle.