Keeping you safe

The Doctor and Peri were once again running for their lives. This time the Doctor had insulted the local monarch, who then proceeded to send their musketeer-esque guards after them. The Doctor and Peri ran down the corridors hand-in-hand, turning corners in an attempt to evade their pursuers. By now she had gotten used to the constant dashing about for one reason or another, but what she wasn't used to was the Doctor's latest habit. When they'd put enough space between them and the guards the Doctor made a quick right turn and then another. He pressed Peri against the wall and peeked around the corner to watch the parallel corridor.

It's not like Peri really minded that the Doctor was so close, the fact that he was comfortable with their closeness was a comfort to her because it meant that he trusted her. What bothered her was that she couldn't figure out why it bothered her. Him being as close as he was was rather unnerving and Peri couldn't put her finger on why.

She pondered this while cooking dinner. Peri told the Doctor that he wasn't allowed in the kitchen for the next week due to his last display of accidental pyro techniques. I know that he's not too bad to look at, but why does my stomach flip, knot, or suddenly contain a kaleidoscope of butterflies when he does that? Suddenly she heard footsteps and shook her head to clear it.

The Doctor opened the door and looked in. "Am I allowed in if I don't cook?"

"Yes Doctor." She smiled at him before returning to the soup on the stove.

"May I ask what it is that you are making?" He sauntered over to his companion after acquiring her permission.

"I'm making crab bisque, and there's a small batch of red velvet cookies in the oven." She glanced sideways at the Doctor and saw him looking either surprised or impressed. "Does that suit your pallet?"

He used his most upper-crust sounding voice and straightened his back. "Yes, the crab bisque sounds most suitable." He leaned in a little. "The cookies sound even better though, how did you know those were my favorite?"

"I didn't know." She said as she opened the oven. "I made them because they're my favorite." She winked at him as she took the cookies out and walked them over to the counter.

The Doctor closed the oven for her then watched as she gingerly placed the cookies on a cooling rack and sprinkled powdered sugar on them. He smiled towards his companion and thought back to their most recent adventure. He remembered the TARDIS landing in another dark and dank room in the basement of a castle on the wrong planet, he'd tried to take them to the Eye of Orion again, and how at first all was calm and peaceful for once. As they ate their dinner he thought back to how things took a quick turn for the worst when he'd insulted the king's taste in clothing. Honestly, how was I supposed to know that something so simple would warrant a beheading? Then there were those few moments when he had Peri pressed to the wall with a gentle force.

The Doctor noted that he'd been doing that a lot lately. At first it was simply to keep her close and safe while he waited for the coast to clear. He did it again the next time they'd been running for their lives and that time he'd looked at Peri to make sure she was okay. She was and didn't seem to mind the close proximity; either that or she wasn't really paying attention. The Doctor continued to repeat this little maneuver whenever he was able to, and he had thought he was doing it solely for the purpose of protecting Peri. The position allowed him to shield her if they were suddenly attacked, catch her if she passed out, watch for any oncoming danger, and gave her a chance to rest and/or catch her second, or third, wind. But more recently he'd begun to feel stirrings of an emotion he'd not felt for two regeneration. Have I really come to care for Peri like I'll always care for her?

The Doctor looked to Peri as they sat in the library. She was reading a book from a series that wouldn't come out until a decade or so in her future. His 4th life had enjoyed the series as well. Peri was currently reading the third installment. Prisoner of Az…wait, did she shiver? The Doctor found this odd because the TARDIS was always the perfect temperature, but once he took notice of how cool it was in the library he was sure she'd shivered. Being the gentleman that he is the Doctor removed his brightly colored overcoat and walked over to Peri. "If you're going to stay up reading that here you should put this on." He extended his arm to offer her his coat.

She looked from him to the coat and nodded. "Thank you Doctor." She set the book on the ottoman in front of her favorite chair and stood. Just as she was about to take the coat from him he did the unexpected and helped her into it. She smiled gently at her Doctor and sat back down before returning to her book. She'd only read a line or two when she heard the door to the library open causing her to look up. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to have a look at the TARDIS' heating and cooling systems. She never gets this cool unless I have to run her on minimal power." He turned and explained to her. "I shall return when I've finished." When she nodded to show her understanding he set out to find the problem. What he didn't know was that there was no problem; it was simply the TARDIS meddling a little. This was the reason why he returned to the library an hour later with nothing to show for his wasted time and energy. He wanted to take his mind off of his failure and so decided to see where Peri was in the book. Just as he was about to ask though he found she'd fallen asleep with the book in her lap.

The sight of Peri's sleeping form instantly calmed him. He walked over to her and picked up the book, and before closing it he looked to see where she had left off. "'Owl Post Again' well at least she doesn't have much left to read." The Doctor placed the book on the table next to the chair that also held a unique and ornate lamp he'd found on a distant planet a few lives back. He then turned his attention to Peri. Should I wake her or simply carry her to bed? He decided on the latter and was quite happy with his decision when she curled into him and her head rested over one of his hearts.

He carried Peri to her room, occasionally needing to gingerly shift her to open a door, and gently placed her on her bed. The Doctor removed her shoes, careful not to wake her, and put them with the others. Just as he made it to the door he heard Peri make a small sound, it sounded like a whine. He turned and saw her stir. The Doctor tilted his head to the side and waited to see if she was alright.

Peri rolled to her side and whined again. "Doctor." He was at her side in an instant. Judging from her facial expression the Doctor could tell that she was having a nightmare. He thought back to what worked best to calm Susan and began to gently stroke her hair and made soft shushing sounds. Unfortunately that didn't seem to help. The Doctor then removed his shoes and moved Peri so that he could sit on the bed leaning against the pillows while she rested against his chest.

He held her like this while stroking her hair and making soft shushing noises again. Eventually the young woman calmed, but as usual after a nightmare, she also woke.

At first Peri was confused as to where she was. She blinked a few times to focus her vision and saw that she was back in her room in the TARDIS. But hadn't I fallen asleep in the library? She then noticed that even though she was in bed there was something off. Peri glanced down and noticed that she was currently nestled in the Doctor's arms. She made to sit up, and the Doctor let her. She crossed her legs and looked at him. "What are we doing in here?"

He chuckled, she seemed to be alright. I wonder if she remembers the dream. "When I returned to the library I found that you'd fallen asleep, and instead of rudely waking you I decided to simply carry you to your room." He kindly explained. "As to why I'm still here, and also why you woke on my chest; that's because you began to have a nightmare as I was about to leave. I might have left you to sort it out yourself had you not said my name in your sleep." He brushed a strand of Peri's soft brown hair out of her face and placed it behind her ear.

Peri blushed looked down at the comforter. "Thank you for carrying me Doctor." Why can't I look at him?

"It was my pleasure dear Peri." He smiled gently while wishing she look at him again.

"And thank you for comforting me; I'm sorry for being so childish." The nightmare played in her head, and now that she was awake she knew just how silly it had been.

"Peri," he lifted her head with two fingers under her chin "there's nothing childish about nightmares. Many adults have them, Time Lords included." He kissed her forehead softly before removing his two fingers. "And I'm just happy I was able to help calm you. May I inquire as to what the nightmare was? If you say no I promise to drop the subject." He crossed both of his hearts to prove it.

"I don't mind telling you." She glanced down in embarrassment. "But could I…" Could I lay my head on your chest again? "I mean, could you…" Could you hold me?

The Doctor smiled when he figured out what she meant. He sat up just enough to wrap his arms around Peri and bring her close to him again then leaned back against the headboard. She laid her head on his chest and heard his hearts beating, that sound was one of the most calming sounds in the world.

Peri then began to tell the Doctor about her nightmare. "In my dream I woke up in a dark and dingy dungeon. I know if it was real that wouldn't have been anything new." She glanced up at the Doctor and winked when she saw him frowning. "But with this being a nightmare things seemed scarier. I was really scared and all alone. When the guards came in my fear increased and I cried for you, but you weren't there. My heart was racing; I heard it pounding in my ear as if I actually had two like you. I was taken to another room and placed on a table." Peri shivered at the memory. The Doctor rubbed her arm comfortingly while he replayed his actions from earlier that corresponded with the events of her nightmare. "They strapped me to the table and when they turned their backs I cried out for you again. They blindfolded me and told me to hush. All of a sudden though there were thumping noises and you were there taking off my blindfold, holding me, and comforting me." She finished and curled into the Doctor a little more.

He held her close and kissed the top of her head. "I must say that sounds a little too much like something that would or could happen to you, but I assure you that I will never let you be hurt, and I don't wish for a repeat of Varos."

"I know Doctor. I know you would never allow me to come to harm, not if you had any say in the matter. I trust you." She looked up at him and he saw that she really did trust him. Though they may bicker and disagree half the time, the other half is them worrying, and caring about each other.

"I trust you as well. Your face was the first one that the new me saw. You stuck with me even after I tried to kill you and during my manic phase while I settled into this new body. I realize now that I never thanked you for that." He spoke with a gentle voice, one rarely heard from this Doctor.

"That's because you love the spot light and usually we little people are simply there to entertain you or make an attempt at keeping you out of trouble; as if that's even possible." She giggled.

The Doctor sat up straight and gently forced Peri to do the same so that he could look her in the eyes. "You are not, by any definition of the term, a little person." He corrected sweetly. "You're one of my best friends, and you do keep me out of trouble most days. I don't expect you to entertain me, though there have been times where you managed to. All I ask of you on most days is that you be my friend and trust me." The Doctor's words gave Peri a warm and fuzzy feeling. "And you should know that it's not always easy keeping you out of trouble either." He tapped the tip of her nose playfully with his finger.

She giggled again and the Doctor smiled. He learned early on in their friendship that he liked making Peri laugh. Whenever she laughed because of something he'd done, whether or not he'd meant to do it in the first place, made him happy. He may not always have seemed happy, but that was only when he had to save his ego.

Peri look at her Doctor…wait, my Doctor? Since when did I start considering him mine? Her eyebrows twitched into a furrow and back to normal as the thought when through her head. She tried to shake the thought but it wasn't going anywhere. I know that I really like the Doctor, I might even love him, but I can't really say that he's mine. Can I? This incarnation is mine in a way I suppose. I'm the only one that this Doctor has traveled with, but does that make him mine? No, no it doesn't, but I wish it did.

The Doctor looked at his companion who appeared to be deep in thought. My dear Peri, what is going through that lovely head of yours? He noticed her lips were pursed and wondered what could be troubling her, and then he wondered what it would be like to kiss those lips. When she looked at him again it seemed as though she'd resolved her problem, but she didn't seem happy about it. "What's wrong Peri?"

"Huh?" She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him. He looked concerned. Crap, what do I say? I can't tell him the truth. "The nightmare is still going through my head, that's all." She glanced diagonally down.

"Oh, is that all?" He hugged her in his usual manner. "There's no need to worry, you're safe and sound here in my arms."

"I know I am Doctor." Wait…did he say what I think he said. She pulled away to look at him. "Doctor, could you repeat what you just said?"

He quirked an eyebrow but decided to humor her. "I said that you're safe here in the TARDIS."

"No, you said that I'm safe in your arms, not the TARDIS." She warily corrected.

The Doctor blushed. Did I really? He thought about it and found that he had. "Well, both are true are they not?"

"Yes, but is there one that's safer than the other?" She was giving him an out, but it also allowed him a way to hold her again.

"Oh my dear, sweet Peri, you should know by now that staying near me is dangerous, and therefore the TARDIS is much safer," he took her in his arms again and whispered in her ear "but you've never really strayed away from danger now have you?"

The Doctor's warm breath ghosting over her ear sent a shiver down her spine. Peri looked into those beautiful blue eyes of his and whispered gently. "Why would I when I know you'll keep me safe?"

The Doctor smiled before kissing her tenderly. She was a tad shocked at first, but it didn't take long for her to reciprocate. The sat and kissed each other slowly and sweetly until Peri needed to breathe. The Doctor kissed a trail along her chin and down her neck to her collarbone. She leaned her head back and sighed softly in pleasure. He slid his coat off her shoulders as he made his way back to her lips.

Peri slid her arms out of the coat before wrapping them around the Doctor's neck and kissing him again. He returned the kiss and pulled her close. He placed his hands on her waist and pressed her down on to the bed without breaking the kiss. He trailed his hand up Peri's sides and over her stomach before cupping her breasts. She gasped in surprise and the Doctor took this opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth and begin exploring while he fondled her chest. She let him do so while she ran her hands down his chest to undo his waistcoat.

Once she'd gotten it open she ran her hands over his chest. Peri could feel both his hearts beating faster than usual. The Doctor loved the feeling of her hands on him and wanted to feel more of the woman beneath him, but at the same time he was worried she'd expect more out of him than he could give. Peri sensed his sudden hesitation. She broke the kiss and looked up at him. "Doctor, all I want right now is right now. I know that a real relationship with you is impossible." She pecked him on the lips. "You needn't worry about me getting clingy either."

He smiled when he realized that she understood and kissed her heatedly. She returned the kiss with equal passion. They had each other stripped to their under garments in no time and were memorizing the topography and feel of each other's body; learning where and how the other liked to be touched. The Doctor nibbled on Peri's earlobe while he undid her bra and tossed it to the floor with the rest of their clothes. He pinched and roller her nipples and was rewarded with a beautiful moan of pleasure. He took one bud into his mouth and continued to play with the other.

When he was done with one he switched to the other and then planted kisses on her stomach before stripping Peri of her last piece of clothing. She in kind removed his rainbow striped thong and tossed it off the bed. While they returned to kissing she began stroking the Doctor's warm shaft. He groaned into the kiss as she set a rhythm. It didn't take long for a long forgotten feeling to return and he instinctively knew that he wouldn't last much longer if she kept going.

"Peri." The Doctor said in a strangled whisper as he grabbed her wrist. "I want you, no; I need you my dear Peri." He released her wrist and cupped her face as he kissed her gently.

She ran her fingers through his blond curls and smiled softly. "I need you too."

The Doctor positioned himself and looked into Peri's chocolate brown eyes before slowly pushing forward. Her head fell back and she moaned as he entered her. Once he was fully seated in her warm body he stilled to allow her time to adjust to his fair size. When Peri began to rock her hips he took that as his cue to move.

The rhythm they set was slow and sensuous. They were finally together and wanted to enjoy the moment. They relished the feeling of how well their bodies fit together as they slid against each other. Their kissing mirrored their love making; it was easy but still full of passion. The Doctor changed the angle of his thrusts and hit her spot and the tempo increased.

The speed and power of his thrusts and her rocking hips rose. Their kissing became more fiery and impassioned. They ran their fingers and hands through and over each other's hair and neither felt as though there was enough air. The Doctor trailed kisses and nips down to the crook of Peri's neck. He laved one spot in particular with his tongue before sinking his teeth in. This nearly sent her over the edge.

"Doctor, I'm so close." She said breathlessly.

"As am I." He continued thrusting and trying to bring them both the release they needed.

Peri started kissing the Doctor's neck and found a spot that, when licked, made him moan. She licked the spot a few times before marking him as he had done to her. When she bit him he growled. The sound sent a shiver down her spine and nudged her closer to completion. Peri ran her fingers through the Doctor's soft curls again and brought him in for another kiss. It was fierce and rough. The Doctor increased the tempo once more and pounded into his companion harder and faster. Peri rocked with him and wrapped her legs around his waist. The new position allowed him to go deeper and it wasn't long before her walls tightened around his member and she was crying his chosen name. The sound of his name falling from her lips in such a way sent him over the edge calling hers.

They collapsed as their orgasms ended. The Doctor moved to the side as soon as he was physically able and pulled Peri close. They held each other as they caught their breath and regained the strength to speak.

Peri spoke first. "That was amazing Doctor." She still sounded a bit breathless, but also quite satisfied.

"I must agree. Though I'd not done that in a few centuries I must say that I can't complain." He smiled and tried remembering the last time he'd actually had sex this great.

Peri smiled to herself and curled more into the Doctor's embrace. Same old Doctor. She yawned and layed her head against his chest and listened to his hearts.

"Sleep dear Peri, I'll still be here when you wake." He stroked her mused hair.

"You will?" She asked sleepily.

"Of course, you made need me to fend off a nasty nightmare again." He used his other hand to take hold of one of hers. "I promise to keep you safe be you awake or asleep." He kissed the back of her hand before holding on his chest.

She smiled softly before drifting off to sleep. The Doctor laid his cheek on the top of her head and followed close behind.

Peri didn't have another nightmare.