The Same |:| A Doctor Who Fanfiction Part I |:|

Tick-tock.

Tick-tok.

Tick-tok.

Tick-tok.

The only noise to be heard.

For months she'd been there...sleeping. Waiting. Frozen.

Tick-tok.

Tick-tok.

Tick-tok.

Tick-tok.

The clock drove him mad. He loosened the tie around his neck, so as not to suffer from choking on the irony and anxiety. He turned around and walked out of the room, closing and locking the door behind him. He was worried—the most he'd been worried about someone he didn't know in a long, long time. He'd only just found her—unconscious only in her nightie, when he did, he'd taken her to the infirmary of the TARDIS. Just a small girl, she'd been victim to a sleep ray—it shuts down every part of the body, except for the heart and lungs, and somewhat the brain. His main question was how and why she was involved with such disaster.

He sighed, leaning against the door—he just couldn't wrap his mind around it: why would anyone torture such a small child? What would she have done that warranted such treatment?

He walked back to the front of the TARDIS, alone once again, besides the girl. He fiddled with a few controls, reclining on the Captain's chair, letting his mind wander throughout his past: his own children, lost, his love, lost, family, people, species, lost.

Suddenly, he heard a creaking noise. He whirled around to see the girl up and awake standing on the staircase. He nearly fell out of the chair. “How? But—what?” he gasped. Slowly, he got up and walked over to her, reaching his hand out to her.

She flinched.

She was awake...and she had no idea where she was or what happened.

“Shh, shh...it's alright. I'm the Doctor. I'm not gonna hurt you, sweetheart. Just relax, alright?” he reached out his hands for her head, and gently scanned her mind. No damage was done, though she had a bout of amnesia. “Looks like you're alright. How do you feel?”

She nodded, frightened.

The Doctor smiled. “There's no need to be afraid. This is my ship, the TARDIS. It stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. What happened, do you remember why you were sleeping?”

She paused for a moment, then shook her head.

“Can you speak?” he asked, reading every bit of her.

“Yes,” she said.

“How old are you? What's your name?” he asked, pulling out his sonic screwdriver.

“I'm seven years old, and my name is Luz,” she answered.

“You're no stranger to alien activity, are you?” he said, more rhetorically.

“No, sir.”

He shook his head. “Don't call me 'sir', just Doctor,” he smiled.

She found a light smile upon her face.

“Now then, why don't you sit down, and I'll fix you a cuppa tea. Nice cuppa tea always does the body and mind some good,” he grinned. He escorted her to sit in the Captain's chair. “Now, don't touch anything,” he winked, “and I'll be right back.” He rushed up to the kitchen, fixing them both some tea.

Luz looked around the dashboard of the TARDIS, there was something very familiar about it, but it scared her. The Doctor seemed kind—something that seemed foreign to her. It scared her—everything scared her. Why couldn't she remember? What happened? What did they do to her? Who was 'they'? She pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face in her arms. Did she have parents?

There were so many questions running through her head, but the last thing she wanted was to think.

“Here we go!” the Doctor hopped down the stairs, carrying two tea cups on saucers. He saw Luz crying, and set the cups down. “Luz?” he called, gently bringing her head up. “Luz, you're going to be alright, I promise.”

She wiped the tears that came from her eyes, and tried not to cry more, but the harder she tried to keep it all in, the more she failed. She saw the Doctor's eyes—so old, fragile, kind and gentle. They reminded her of herself. She lunged forward and gripped onto him.

He was taken back at first, but then wrapped his arms around her. All she wanted was to be held. “There, there...it's alright. You got me, and I've got you,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “I'll take good care of you.”

“I'm all alone...” she muttered.

“So am I. Nice match, isn't it? We can be alone to-gether.”

“You don't know who your family are, either?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Nah, it's just that, they're all gone. They all died. I'm the only one left. All by me lonesome,” he smiled, letting go. “Now, you just stick close to me, you'll be alright. If you have a mummy, we'll find your mummy. If you have a daddy, we'll find your daddy. If you have anyone else, I promise you, we'll find them.”

“What if I'm like you? What if they're all gone?”

He paused, looking into her cold, frightened eyes. “Then we'll find someone who will love you just as much,” he nodded, wiping away the rest of her tears. He pulled her close and held her again. Somehow he had the feeling it was going to be him.

“Are you an alien? Or are you a human from the future?” she asked, suspicious.

He laughed. “I'm an alien from the future!”

“Really?” she asked, looking him over. “You look human...”

“No, no, no...You look Time Lord. We came first,” he winked.

“Time Lord?”

“That's me! And Luz, you're in for one heck of a ride,” he smiled.