Fic: Once More for Old Flames (Four/Sarah)
Title: Once More for Old Flames
Pairing: Four/Sarah
Rating: Teen
Prompt: Four/Sarah and old flames - done as a continuation of the short story Old Flames, but you don’t necessarily need to have read that to read this...
The Doctor was silent on the walk back from Lady Huntington’s manor house to the TARDIS. Sarah could tell from the way he tromped through the forest that he was brooding. Over what, she had no idea, although a few suspicions came to mind. There was something in the way he reacted to seeing Iris Wildthyme, like being faced with a past he’d rather forget. He called her an old friend, nothing more, yet Sarah was sure there was a story there. And of course once something occurred, he pretty much relegated Sarah to the background, choosing to fight alongside Iris and wrap the situation up in his own unique way.
So, nothing different there then.
Sarah wondered why she did it. Why she put up with him. As she concentrated on his retreating back, his head down and hands shoved in his pockets, she had to almost run to keep up. He was thinking. Or pouting, but it was hard to tell from her vantage point. Which was often the problem with him. Here was a man, no, Time Lord, she corrected herself, who could stare down the scariest of adversaries, then turn into a petulant child in zero point two seconds.
He wasn’t like this before his regeneration.
That thought brought her up with a start. It had been quite some time since she’d thought about his previous incarnation. She’d gotten so involved in the excitement of their travels. Constantly whizzing about, righting wrongs, saving civilisations. They’d gotten caught up in the moment, and in each other. It was certainly a change from the way things used to be with his older grey model.
She continued to watch him as he stomped ahead of her. Her brain thought back to the last time they were in the TARDIS. Alone. The way he looked at her, his eyes reaching depths no physical touch ever could. Sometimes she wondered if he were looking right through her, if every thought and memory was laid bare for him to absorb. It would never last, she told herself, but she was determined to enjoy every moment and treasure it. Would he react to her one day the way he did Iris? Would he regret their involvement? It was not a train of thought she wanted to dwell much on.
Sarah could see the TARDIS up ahead of them. As they approached, she briefly wondered whether if she were in her correct time, it was time to stop. To go ahead and leave while things were good. The last thing she wanted to do was for them to have some sort of fight or falling out so that their parting would be uncomfortable. However, this wasn’t her time, so when the Doctor opened the door for her, she didn’t hesitate to cross the threshold.
The Doctor strode up to the console and started punching in coordinates. Punching them in, Sarah noted, not just simply setting them. He was definitely aggravated. And she knew it wouldn’t be long before he would let her know exactly why.
He didn’t let her down. Only a moment later, he turned to her, his voice harsh, but his eyes looked hurt. ‘Uncle! He thinks I’m your uncle!’
His tone made her instantly argumentative as she put her hands on her hips in defence. She knew exactly who he was talking about. Captain Turner, Iris’s companion. ‘What did you expect me to say?’
‘Well...’ the Doctor started, then his thoughts trailed off.
Sarah walked over and put a hand on his arm, her voice softening. ‘We were in the 18th century. Somehow calling you “my alien best friend and sometimes lover” doesn’t quite flow off the tongue so eloquently. It would also get us a few stares.’
‘Well...’ he tried again, but drifted off. Sarah only lifted an eyebrow in response. He stared out into space for quite some time, before turning and giving her one of his large Cheshire cat grins as he took her face in his hands. ‘I suppose discretion is the better form of valour.’ He ran his fingers along her cheekbones as he gave her that look that burned through her.
Sarah bit her bottom lip as the question nagged at her subconscious. Unable to hold back, she finally asked. ‘Iris is a Time Lord?’
‘Yes.’
‘And Turner was her companion.’
‘Apparently.’
‘Why would she leave Turner, then?’ She couldn’t hide the nervousness in her voice. 'Is that something Time Lords do? Abandon their companions in some strange place?'
The Doctor caught it immediately. 'No, of course not!' He slid his hands down her arms and took her hands in his. 'Time Lords are a different sort, of course, but Iris and I obviously aren't the same. You know that, don't you, Sarah?'
She gave him a nod and a small smile. 'So where to next?' She turned to look at the coordinate panel.
The Doctor shifted to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. ‘Do you have a preference?’
‘Some place warm?’
His voice was low as he smiled. ‘I thought maybe the beaches of Valarnian Seven. They have turquoise waters comparable to Earth’s Caribbean, but with no equivalent to sharks.’
She tilted her head to lean against his, covering his hands with hers. She closed her eyes, content to live in this moment, committing every second to memory.