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misaffection"Write what you know", they say. This is what I know today.
There was, Rose decided, only so long you could watch someone work. Especially when you had no idea what they were doing. Whatever it was, it wasn’t going well if the string of words was anything to go by. She may not have understood the actual words, but the inflection she certainly did.
With him so involved it was easy to slip silently out of the TARDIS. It was parked (if parked was the right word) on a slight slope that was green with what appeared to be grass. The sky was blue, as was the water in the lake that the incline sloped to. It could have been anywhere on Earth. Except it wasn’t.
Rose had been wandering around for a while when she found the bush. Its leaves were a deep green and it bore berries that were a glossy red. She stared at them, feeling suddenly hungry. Just one, to try. It was sweet and juicy and very tasty. Picking a handful, Rose went and sat by the water’s edge. She ate berries and skimmed stones by turn.
Time stretched and Rose was down to the last few berries.
“Rose?” She heard the Doctor call her. She brushed down her trousers and stood up. Her head spun and her vision clouded. The last thing she heard as darkness claimed her was the Doctor screaming her name.
He saw her fall and ran, her name on his lips. The Doctor skidded to a halt by her supine body. Then he saw the berries scattered over the grass. “Oh hell.” Not good, not good, not good. He picked her up. She was limp and her skin was already slicked with sweat.
“Were you never taught not to touch strange things?” The Doctor muttered at her. He got no response. It didn’t surprise him. He dumped her rather unceremoniously onto the TARDIS’ floor and immediately started going through his stores. Much to his relief, he found everything he needed and gave thanks to gods and fates he’d stopped believing in decades ago. He mixed the ingredients together in a metal cup then crossed back to Rose, who by now was tossing.
“Rose? Rose!” He smacked her face until she moaned faintly. “Here, drink”
Rose fought through the fog in her head. There was something cold against her mouth and she drank.
The liquid was very bitter. She tried to twist away but the Doctor held her firmly. “Drink it,” he ordered. She managed a couple of mouthfuls before she found herself gagging at the taste. She pushed herself up and stumbled to the door. The Doctor stood slowly and followed her out.
Rose only managed a few steps before her trembling legs wouldn’t hold her any more. She collapsed onto the grass and retched. She was shaking violently and her whole body hurt. Something heavy and warm was placed on her shoulders.
“Were you never taught not to touch strange things?” The Doctor asked her again.
Rose shook her head, unable to speak for the moment as she was sick again. “What?” She asked weakly when it was over.
“Those berries are poisonous. Very poisonous. You’re lucky I caught you when I did. A few more moments…” he trailed off, but it was all the warning Rose needed.
“Stupid,” she muttered, feeling weak and highly embarrassed.
“Really, yeah.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Shut up.”
“But – ”
“Shut up.
Rose sat back on her heels and looked at him. His face was bland, but she knew better. She’d panicked him, she could see it in the way he watched her. And if it was bad enough to frighten him… Rose felt her skin prickle.
“Life lesson,” she said faintly.
There was, Rose decided, only so long you could watch someone work. Especially when you had no idea what they were doing. Whatever it was, it wasn’t going well if the string of words was anything to go by. She may not have understood the actual words, but the inflection she certainly did.
With him so involved it was easy to slip silently out of the TARDIS. It was parked (if parked was the right word) on a slight slope that was green with what appeared to be grass. The sky was blue, as was the water in the lake that the incline sloped to. It could have been anywhere on Earth. Except it wasn’t.
Rose had been wandering around for a while when she found the bush. Its leaves were a deep green and it bore berries that were a glossy red. She stared at them, feeling suddenly hungry. Just one, to try. It was sweet and juicy and very tasty. Picking a handful, Rose went and sat by the water’s edge. She ate berries and skimmed stones by turn.
Time stretched and Rose was down to the last few berries.
“Rose?” She heard the Doctor call her. She brushed down her trousers and stood up. Her head spun and her vision clouded. The last thing she heard as darkness claimed her was the Doctor screaming her name.
He saw her fall and ran, her name on his lips. The Doctor skidded to a halt by her supine body. Then he saw the berries scattered over the grass. “Oh hell.” Not good, not good, not good. He picked her up. She was limp and her skin was already slicked with sweat.
“Were you never taught not to touch strange things?” The Doctor muttered at her. He got no response. It didn’t surprise him. He dumped her rather unceremoniously onto the TARDIS’ floor and immediately started going through his stores. Much to his relief, he found everything he needed and gave thanks to gods and fates he’d stopped believing in decades ago. He mixed the ingredients together in a metal cup then crossed back to Rose, who by now was tossing.
“Rose? Rose!” He smacked her face until she moaned faintly. “Here, drink”
Rose fought through the fog in her head. There was something cold against her mouth and she drank.
The liquid was very bitter. She tried to twist away but the Doctor held her firmly. “Drink it,” he ordered. She managed a couple of mouthfuls before she found herself gagging at the taste. She pushed herself up and stumbled to the door. The Doctor stood slowly and followed her out.
Rose only managed a few steps before her trembling legs wouldn’t hold her any more. She collapsed onto the grass and retched. She was shaking violently and her whole body hurt. Something heavy and warm was placed on her shoulders.
“Were you never taught not to touch strange things?” The Doctor asked her again.
Rose shook her head, unable to speak for the moment as she was sick again. “What?” She asked weakly when it was over.
“Those berries are poisonous. Very poisonous. You’re lucky I caught you when I did. A few more moments…” he trailed off, but it was all the warning Rose needed.
“Stupid,” she muttered, feeling weak and highly embarrassed.
“Really, yeah.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Shut up.”
“But – ”
“Shut up.
Rose sat back on her heels and looked at him. His face was bland, but she knew better. She’d panicked him, she could see it in the way he watched her. And if it was bad enough to frighten him… Rose felt her skin prickle.
“Life lesson,” she said faintly.
