In Which They Are Stubborn

Author's note- Haha. Er. Please don't kill me. I know, I know, it's been 50 million years. I'm sorry! But hey, I graduate college in a week! So that's a thing.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her the regret kicked in. Not for what she'd said, of course- he needed to hear that. It was important. Or is it….? She was losing her resolve. What if he decided that she was too much to handle? Too bossy and annoying? Was she really going to give up the TARDIS for her sense of independence? And she just had to do it seconds after she got back….great. He's going to knock on my door and tell me to leave. Any second now.

But the knock never came. Hours past- or it felt like hours, anyway, as time passed strangely on the TARDIS- and there was no sound. She felt silly to have left in such a huff. For the sake of her pride she couldn't leave her room, not without finding the Doctor and…..and what? Apologizing? She wouldn't take back what she said. She couldn't. She was in the right…aren't I? Or should it be his TARDIS, his rules? She threw herself back onto the pile of pillows on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She could see the dream catcher out of the corner of her eye. The gold thread twinkled. She closed her eyes, trying to think of anything but the Doctor.

"You know, you're very stubborn."

There was a golden light coming from her right. She turned her head to see what it was, but had to shield her eyes. It was too bright. She could feel someone sitting next to her, though, someone with a long, full dress.

"Of course, so is he. My thief. It's why I thought you would make such a good pair, you know."

"But I yelled at him. He must hate me." The words came out of her mouth without her consent, unbidden. She sounded like a petulant child.

A woman laughed beside her. "I've never believed that you should find people who balance you out. There should be competition in the best friendships. And he needs to be yelled at. He has such an ego on him!"

She could feel the woman move next to her, moving away. She spoke again and her voice sounded far away.

"He's my thief. He stole me and I do believe he stole you too. He's not going to give you back any time soon. And unless I'm mistaken, he's stolen your heart too, hasn't he? The rascal…" The rest was drowned out in laughter and golden light…

The Doctor wandered the TARDIS, feeling empty. He had no purpose, besides a vague desire to go to the library. It was his favorite haunt for times when he needed to think, or to be alone. But right now he didn't want to think. His only thoughts were of Sarah, and how he'd hurt her, and how he had thought his intentions were so good. And he didn't want to be alone. He wanted Sarah. She calmed him, she made him laugh, she was fascinating, she was so….but he didn't want to finish that thought. He sighed and pushed open the door, but it was not the library that he found. It was the observatory- Sarah's favorite haunt. He ran his fingers through his hair, hating that his unconscious mind took him here, of all places.

He meant to leave. Meant to, but his feet didn't seem to agree with him. They walked him forward, to the glass that separated him from the expanse of space in front of him. Somehow he sat down, without meaning to. He meant to leave, go to the library, curl up, pretend he hadn't messed everything up. How had everything gone so wrong? He'd meant to admit his feelings for her, to confront a situation head on, for once in his long life…but he'd done everything wrong. Maybe I'm not supposed to be happy. And how could she be happy with me? She's got just one life to live, and so much potential….why waste it on a 900 year old time traveler? Why waste it with me?

He didn't know how long he sat there. It could have been minutes. Or hours. Or days. Finally, though, he stirred at a noise behind him.

"Oh. I…didn't think you'd be here."

He whipped around. There she was, clothes slightly rumpled, as though she'd been sleeping in them, hair mussed and tumbled down around her shoulders. He stood immediately, and awkwardly.

"I- I'm sorry, I can go, if you like…" He felt as if he was intruding, in his own TARDIS.

"No, please, stay…I….I should probably talk to you, about what I said earlier." She moved an uncertain step closer.

"Or you could just stay here." He blurted it out, quickly, and without thinking.

"I- what?"

"Avoiding uncomfortable topics is my specialty. So, you could just…stay here. For a while. And we can pretend that nothing happened."

Her eyebrows furrowed, but her mouth twitched. Good signs. Signs that she thought he was an idiot. Signs that she was forgiving him. "Isn't that unhealthy?"

"Probably. But you know, I think that's the one thing I'm unfamiliar with, a healthy relationship. Friendship, I mean. Healthy friendship."

"Right. I don't know how those work either…healthy friendships, I mean."

She moved to stand beside him, and both turned to look out at the stars and galaxies. He felt that he could communicate his feelings better to one of those stars than to the girl standing beside her. But he had to try, didn't he?

"Sarah, I need to tell you something. I've been thinking this for a while and I haven't said anything but I really think you need to know. I think I—"

"Look, Doctor—"

"I know, I know, you probably don't feel the same way, but just hear me out, please—"

"No, I mean look, Doctor!"

He turned. Out among the stars, and coming ever closer, was a ship. A long, oval metal disc, lights flashing, coming way too fast…

"Doctor? Doctor? What are we going to do?"

He turned back to her. "We're going to run."