Pairing: 11th Doctor/Nefertiti

Rating: PG-13 (this chapter)

Author: CorvidaeTigris

A/N: This chapter picks up soon after "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship"

Nefertiti tired of Riddel quickly. He could be charming and exciting sometimes, but the rest of the time, he was stubborn, arrogant, and uncivilized. Before long, she found herself looking to the sky, to time and space, and whispering, "Come take me back."

She didn't have to wait long.

Out of the glowing door he stepped, and suddenly she remembered all the things that had charmed her: the clever smirk, the excited glint in his eye, his restless hands that were always gesturing or toying with something, the brain that never stopped. She assumed - and regretted - that she would probably never share a bed with him. All the same, this wouldn't stop her from imagining.

"My Lady of the Two Lands!" He greeted her enthusiastically. "Tired of Riddell already, are you? "

Nefertiti smiled smugly as she stepped into the blue box, a spark in her eye. "I never truly knew what it is to love and hate someone at same time until I met Riddell. He is charming and obscene, vulgar and attractive… Rather different for my taste. "

"And what is Nefertiti's taste?" he inquired playfully, shutting the door behind him.

She gave him a knowing look. "I should think you might know something about that."

"Oh, that's right; you have a thing for bowties."

"Riddell is smart in a primitive way: he knows how to hunt, he can capture things that he wants, he's even a little too much like me." She began to circumnavigate the room, all the while coming closer to him. Her eyes glinted but the expression bore no signs of attempting to manipulate. "But you…you are mad, yet you civilize with intellect, and you have a good heart. I have learned that anyone as alive as you is worth having shared myself with. You live with the vigor of a dying star. That is my taste. "

The Doctor stared back awkwardly for a moment. "…Aha, yes, well."

"You are blushing…" she teased.

"I'm the Doctor; I don't blush."

"You are, though."

He was embarrassed to admit it, but he was, in fact, a bit red. "Well, what do you expect?" he retorted petulantly, fidgeting with TARDIS tech. "When a beautiful woman, who also happens to be the most famous queen of Egypt in all of history, gives me a compliment like that? What do you think I'll do? Stare back with indifference? "

She smiled softly at him as she watched him toy with switches and dials, revealing his anxiety as always with his hands. There was a moment of quiet.

"I did not wish to discomfort you, my friend."

"Discomfort me? How?" He exaggerated his voice in the way that he did when he wanted to be less than serious. His grinning countenance turned to look at her and he met her gaze for a moment before he sobered down, suddenly earnest." Oh, Neffi… You extraordinary woman, you do not make me uncomfortable. No, the fault is mine. My less than chivalrous attitude comes from centuries of problems and regrets. There is not a cell in your body that is not attractive to me."

"What is it you fear?"

"People around me…tend to suffer the consequences of my actions."

"I have met the people you bring along; they are aware of the danger that they put themselves in by traveling with you. I was, the girl Amy was, Riddell certainly was. Do you not then respect our choice? "

The doctor looked off into the distance with a furrowed brow and a sigh.

"It was my choice to go with that man Solomon to save the rest of you. Is that not the kind of choice that you would've made in my situation? And wouldn't you have asked me to respect it? "

"Yes, but I was there to save you."

Nefertiti smiled sagely. "Yes, you were. And I was there to save all of you."

He narrowed his eyes. "Don't turn this around on me."

She smiled at him haughtily. "I'm Queen. It's my prerogative."

"Yes, ma'am," he smirked.

She looked back with a zealous gleam in her eye and he realized they were flirting. "Ah…right! So! Where are we off to? The Mughal court of the 16th century? New Bermuda? The home world of the Crillion?"

He felt sorry to see some of the fire in the Egyptian queen's eye diminish as she lowered her eyes; she looked back up at him with her usual assertive gaze and answered, "I hope we may continue to have adventures together, Doctor. But after my time away, I must return to my people."

The Doctor hid his disappointment well, but it was made apparent by his forced cheer. "Ancient Egypt! Never dull. Mummies and pyramids, mysticism and early science! Hard to imagine what could have pulled you away."

She was looking pointedly at him when he looked back up at her.

"Ah, yes. That was me, wasn't it…"

"How could I resist getting to know a man able to defeat the alien threat to my empire?"

"Well…I had an extremely intelligent, strong, deviously-minded monarch giving me a hand."

"Devious?" she inquired, narrowing her eyes.

"The traps you had set for the alien scouts? Devious. And clever."

She tilted her head elegantly, studying him. "People compliment me all the time, you know. I'm Queen. I don't think I've ever heard even one given to me in earnest by someone who had no ulterior motive or fear of my displeasure." She approached him to look him in the eye. "It's gratifying to hear one from someone who has no fear of me and no interest in my politics. Thank you."

Surprised by this sentiment and her frankness, he felt his cheeks start to burn again. "…You're welcome," he answered softly, noting how close she was. When did she get that close? "You deserve it more often."

"Is something wrong, Doctor?"

"Wrong? What's wrong?"

"Your hands…" His hands were fidgeting and fumbling restlessly, clueless what to do. She grasped them, clammy in her warm ones, and looked up at him in disbelief. "Surely I cannot frighten the Doctor."

"Who said anything about fear?" he retorted.

"The saying is unnecessary," she answered softly.

He swallowed and stared hard into her eyes, deliberating. Finally, he whispered, "It's only that I've…I've not had much practice."

There was warmth and serenity in her smile. "Doctor…for you, I will not be a monarch, but a patient and giving woman whose only wish is to bring you and herself a few hours of happiness."

He inhaled nervously and stammered, "I just don't wish to be…y'know…disappointing or –"

She stopped his mouth. The Doctor let out a surprised grunt as he suddenly found himself participating in a forceful, desirous kiss. His discomfort was slowly eased by Nefertiti's fingers stroking the back of his head. He assented slowly but surely, becoming less and less uneasy. Once he no longer seemed ready to flee, her hand subtly lowered to stroke the back of his neck. A shiver ran through his body as she continued to caress his mouth with hers. Slowly, she pulled away. A rush of excitement swept through her at the way he was panting now, how flushed his face and neck had become. With a knowing smile and a husky voice, she asked, "Shall we find somewhere more suitable? Or shall we take each other right here?"

TBC!