DOCTOR WHO

ANY WAY YOU WANT IT

WRITTEN BY ZARIUS

(Contains Spoilers For "Kerblam!")

The moon aboard the TARDIS had been altered considerably from just a few hours ago.

Earlier everyone had been witness to an energised, happy and active Doctor as she paraded around the console sporting her freshly delivered fez and leaping head first into another adventure.

And, like every other adventure, it left them scarred and changed.

Good people had died, and the hell paved well intentioned had joined them in the hereafter, unable to be judged by humans keeping each other in line, but by the higher beings.

The Doctor cursed herself for again underestimating the volume of danger.

She glimpsed over at Graham as he played with the contents of her box, she folded her arms and shook her head.

She had warned him about this.

As she darted off to confiscate the box, Yazmin and Ryan watched on.

"I can't believe he was fooling around with that bubble wrap right in front of her" observed Yaz.

"She doesn't let on that much, but she's worried the most when he gets up to things" Ryan said.

"He needs a word in his ear" said Yaz.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked the Doctor as she took the box away from Graham.

"Relax Doc, it's mostly harmless" said Graham.

"Oh Douglas Adams reference, you think that'll pacify me? Get a bit palsy with me to lighten the mood? You're dicing with death, not wise advice for someone still grieving"

"I don't think you're being fair to me here Doc" said Graham, his face expressing genuine hurt.

"Fair? I've fought some very long battles in my day to establish the fairest of play across creation, some of the wars were endless and I had to ultimately do what I could and show myself the door, I've seen the very real harm people cause when they treat weapons like toys. For goodness sake Graham we've only just walked away from tragedy, don't bring it through those doors into my home"

"I'm sorry Doc, I wasn't thinking...you're right, it's the grief, it has to be, part of wanting to be with Grace again, part of me wishing something could take me back to her" Graham said, his hands visibly shaking as he clenched them into fists. He walked over to the TARDIS console and leaned on it, his head leaning down and staring at the gorgeous crystalline structure.

The Doctor put the box down and walked over to him, gently placing a tender touch across his back.

"I told a young girl many years ago that we all have our own terrors to face in the universe, you don't have to deal with them on your own terms, you can share with us the horrors that you sense. Her fears were alien, but in some ways, yours are too, grief is always alien, always taking different shapes, overwhelming us in different ways. My grief changed me, and they changed others around me, but I never forgot, as you must never forget, that grief is not forever. I learned I could be happy again if I really wanted it"

"I guess that wraps that up then eh Doc?" Graham said, wiping small tears from his face.

The Doctor was slightly offended by his phrasing.

"Graham, don't you dare use gallows humour on me when we're having a moment" she said, smacking him on the shoulder.

"Oh spruce up a bit Doc, you want a smile on your face again? I'll give it to you, any way you want it"

Graham smiled and gave the Doctor a tickle to provoke much needed laughter from her.

"Not like that, not like that" she said.

"Sorry Doc never could hear too well with this right ear, afraid I can't hear you over all that laughter" he said.

Ryan and Yaz continued to observe the pair, shaking their heads at the sight.