FOUR
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ANCIENT EYES
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AFTER THE FIRST CHRISTMAS EVE, THE DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY TRAVELLED TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
He, Hollie, and Kazran were all wearing Santa hats as they opened the door to Abigail's vault, her face lighting up with a bright smile.
"Merry Christmas!" they cheered.
"Doctor!" Abigail exclaimed. "What are we going to do this year?" she asked, watching the Doctor run down the row of ice boxes, holding a large harness meant for an animal.
"The Doctor's got a great plan!" Kazran shouted back to Abigail, trailing after the Time Lord with eager excitement. "Wait till you hear it!"
"Great plan?" Hollie echoed, following behind them. After hearing what the Doctor had planned when he was piloting the TARDIS to jump forward a year, she wasn't exactly filled with enthusiasm. "You want to fly a shark around like it's a reindeer!"
Abigail whipped her head around to face Hollie as they reached the TARDIS at the end of the corridor. "You're out of your mind," she said to the Doctor as he darted into the TARDIS, with the others following close behind. He dashed to the console, already starting to pilot the ship. "This is never going to work."
"I tried to tell him that," Hollie sighed, crossing her arms and leaning against the TARDIS, narrowing her eyes at the Time Lord when the TARDIS gave a sharp jolt in flight.
The TARDIS landed with a familiar thud, and the Doctor, completely ignoring Hollie's withering glare, stepped out of the box towards a carriage that was conspicuously lacking anything to pull it.
"Oh, don't think of a shark—think dolphin," he said, casting a glance at Hollie as he pointed his sonic screwdriver into the air beside the carriage.
"A shark isn't a dolphin," Abigail frowned.
"It's nearly a dolphin," the Doctor replied casually.
Hollie laughed, shaking her head, and Abigail shot back, "No, it isn't."
The Doctor paused, noticing Hollie's raised eyebrows from behind Abigail. He sighed. "Shut up," he muttered, pointing at Hollie past Abigail. "Are you really not coming, Hollie?"
"There's no way you're getting me on that thing," she laughed, shaking her head slightly. "I'll do some sketches instead, honestly, I'll be fine."
He frowned at her, clearly disappointed, but Kazran's excited voice distracted him.
"It could go anywhere! Will it really come?" Kazran asked, wide-eyed.
"No chance. Completely impossible," the Doctor smiled as the sound of the other half of his screwdriver echoed in the sky. "Except at Christmas."
Hollie watched from the TARDIS as the Doctor, Abigail, and Kazran took off on the shark-powered sleigh. She sighed, shaking her head and leaning back against the familiar blue box. "God help me," she muttered, rolling her eyes as the TARDIS wheezed in response. "I'm ignoring you," she said, casting a glance at the console.
The TARDIS wheezed again, but Hollie only rolled her eyes further. "Seriously, stop. I'm fine."
The TARDIS finally went silent, and Hollie sat cross-legged on the seat near the console, sketchbook in hand. She began drawing the sleigh from memory, with the shark harnessed to it, and by the time the Doctor came back through the TARDIS doors with Kazran and Abigail in tow, her drawing was nearly finished, all the details in place.
"Have fun?" she asked, glancing up at them.
The Doctor grinned, running up to the console, still breathless, with Kazran and Abigail behind him. "You should've been there, Hollie!" he cheered.
She shook her head, smiling slightly. "I'd rather not fly around with man-eating sharks, thank you very much."
He rolled his eyes at her, clearly unimpressed with her reluctance. "Right, let's get you back." He looked over at Abigail as he pulled the dematerialisation lever, setting the TARDIS back on course for her ice box.
"Best Christmas Eve ever," Abigail smiled as they walked down the rows of ice boxes after the TARDIS landed back in the cryovault.
"Until the next one," Kazran grinned, watching as Abigail stepped inside her ice box.
The Doctor shut the door with a soft smile. "See you next year, Kazran," he said, turning and heading towards the TARDIS. Hollie followed closely behind, frowning slightly. "How long are we going to keep doing this?"
The Doctor shrugged as he opened the TARDIS doors, stepping inside and moving to the console. "However long it takes so we can open up the cloud belt," he hummed casually, pulling down the dematerialisation lever as the TARDIS wheezed happily. "But the plan is working."
"It wasn't even your plan," Hollie smirked, crossing her arms.
He huffed, shooting her a slightly annoyed look. "Alright, fine—your plan is working." He sulked slightly, causing Hollie to smile. "Satisfied?"
"Very," she replied. "Where are you going to take them next?"
He shrugged casually, glancing over at her while expertly moving around the console. "Time and space is a big place. Any suggestions?"
She frowned in thought before an idea popped into her head. "Egypt?"
"Egypt?" he repeated. "Why there?"
"The pyramids," she added with a shrug. "It's space to them, and you could take them into the past. The view's probably stunning. He took loads of photos of Abigail and the fish."
The Doctor nodded in agreement, offering no further comment.
After that, the Doctor whisked Hollie, Kazran, and Abigail off to several destinations, starting with Egypt. Both the Doctor and Kazran sported fezzes, though Hollie flatly refused to wear one, insisting she'd look ridiculous—and the Doctor sulked about it for a full hour.
Honestly, he was like a child.
Hollie found the trip to Egypt rather enjoyable. The Doctor took them all to see the pyramids, even managing to gain access inside after somehow convincing the Egyptians that he was 'best buddies with Cleo' (his words, not Hollie's). Hollie, however, stayed outside, taking the opportunity to relax in the sun. She still had a lingering headache from being tossed into the ice boxes, and with the Doctor being his usual insufferable self, she had been purposely avoiding him, hoping he would eventually come to her (not that it was exactly working). Despite his insistence that the TARDIS was "self-sufficient" and provided all the vitamins she needed through its air circulation, she refused to believe him. She was still craving proper sunshine—and she didn't trust the TARDIS air circulation for a second.
So, Hollie was relaxing in the sun, just outside one of the great pyramids, on a deck chair the Doctor had found while sulking before leaving for the pyramids. He, along with Kazran and Abigail, were only gone for a couple of hours before they came rushing back to her, their fezzes long gone and panic etched on their faces. Hollie sighed, closing her sketchbook after hearing the Doctor shouting from afar. She had only just begun to draw one of the pyramids when she was interrupted. Apparently, the locals hadn't taken too kindly to the Doctor lying about being 'best buddies' with Cleopatra...
However, it seemed Kazran and Abigail didn't particularly care about the ruined trip. In fact, they enjoyed the adventure to another time and place. Afterwards, the Doctor took them back to Sardicktown, and Abigail returned to her ice box for another year. Kazran showed Hollie some of the many photos he had taken, even showing one of her before they went inside the pyramids—her eyes closed as she lay back in her deck chair, basking in the sunlight.
They left Kazran soon after that, and without a word, Hollie followed the Doctor back into the TARDIS. They returned to Sardicktown a year later, where Kazran had grown noticeably taller, now fourteen years old and quickly catching up to Hollie. She only rolled her eyes at his playful teasing. She wasn't short, but she wasn't exactly tall either, so his teasing didn't bother her much.
"Where are we going this time?" Kazran asked, walking up to the Doctor and Hollie, the Time Lord leaning casually against the TARDIS in the cryovault.
"I was thinking we'd pay my good old friend Leo a visit," the Doctor hummed, raising an eyebrow at Kazran.
"Leo?" Kazran frowned.
"Da Vinci," the Doctor nodded. Hollie's eyes lit up instantly, matched by Kazran's excitement.
"The Earth inventor?" Kazran asked.
"The one and only," the Doctor nodded. "Sound good?"
"Hopefully, Abigail thinks so. Let's go get her," Kazran grinned, rushing down the cryo vault towards her ice box.
The Doctor chuckled, following him with Hollie at his side. As they walked, Hollie frowned slightly, noticing the number 'six' on the ice box. Her expression was puzzled, but before she could dwell on it, the Doctor placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jumped slightly at the unexpected touch, especially given how distant he had been lately, and turned to face him.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
"Nothing," she replied quickly, though her answer only deepened his frown. He didn't press her further, however, as Abigail's ice box opened and she stepped out, her eyes bright and a warm smile on her face.
"Doctor!" she exclaimed.
"Merry Christmas!" the Doctor, Hollie, and Kazran all cheered, making Abigail smile warmly.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her excitement clear.
The Doctor opened his mouth to answer, but Kazran had already grabbed Abigail's hand, dragging her towards the TARDIS. "It's a surprise! You'll love it," he grinned.
She laughed softly, and the Doctor grinned, following behind the pair with Hollie beside him. As they reached the TARDIS, the Doctor practically bounced with excitement as he ran around the console, pulling levers and pressing buttons. The TARDIS wheezed and groaned before quieting, leaving the hum of the engines and soft footsteps filling the silence.
The Doctor opened the TARDIS doors wide, gesturing dramatically. "Florence!" he announced with a flourish. People dressed in rich, flowing garments hurried along the narrow streets outside, the air alive with the shouts of vendors selling fruits, trinkets, and other wares. "The Renaissance! Art, innovation, and home to a bit of a genius I happen to know," he grinned.
Hollie stepped out of the TARDIS with Kazran and Abigail following close behind. The smell of fresh bread wafted through the air, filling her senses as they walked into the bustling scene.
"Is this really the Renaissance?" Kazran asked, looking up at the Doctor.
The Time Lord grinned, ruffling Kazran's hair. "The one and only! With your father's invention to tame the clouds eventually being yours one day, I thought it'd be perfect to meet one of Earth's greatest minds."
"Leonardo da Vinci?" Hollie guessed, her eyes bright with excitement.
The Doctor nodded, the grin still tugging at his lips. "Oh yeah, me and Leo go way back. He's a genius, and you'll see why."
Kazran's eyes roamed the vibrant streets, while Abigail's widened in awe. "It's beautiful," she breathed, her voice soft with wonder. "I've never seen anything like it."
"It's Florence," the Doctor replied with a proud grin. "It's supposed to be beautiful."
Hollie smiled as they continued walking through the Renaissance streets, her gaze shifting from market stalls to a group of artists sketching on the cobbled sidewalks. The atmosphere was filled with creativity and history, and she found herself momentarily lost in the beauty of it all. Kazran and Abigail were equally captivated, their wide eyes full of wonder.
After a few minutes, they arrived at their destination. The Doctor knocked on the door, and after a brief pause, it swung open to reveal the organised chaos of Leonardo da Vinci's workshop. Sketches and plans covered the walls, and tables were littered with various prototypes of inventions. The air was filled with the scent of parchment and wood shavings.
Hollie's jaw dropped as she tried to take it all in. Her eyes were quickly drawn to the man standing in the doorway—a man with greying hair and a long white beard, his presence commanding but warm.
"Doctor!" Leonardo exclaimed, his rich Italian accent filling the air as he stepped forward, clasping the Doctor's hand. "What a pleasant surprise!"
The Doctor's smile widened. "Hello, Leo," he greeted warmly. "It's lovely to see you again."
"And you!" Leonardo beamed, his gaze shifting to Hollie, Kazran, and Abigail. "And who are your friends?"
"Hollie, Kazran, and Abigail," the Doctor said, introducing them. "Meet Leonardo da Vinci."
Abigail smiled warmly while Kazran, completely absorbed in the various inventions scattered about the room, barely acknowledged the introduction. Hollie, meanwhile, blinked in surprise as Leonardo stepped forward, greeting her with a light kiss on each cheek. The gesture caught her off guard, but she quickly smiled.
"Please, come in," Leonardo said, motioning for them to enter. Kazran and Abigail immediately wandered off, their eyes wide with curiosity as they explored the workshop. Hollie, however, found herself drawn to a sketchbook on one of the tables.
"These are beautiful..." she whispered, her fingers lightly tracing the intricate lines of one of the drawings. "The shading, the charcoal..."
"Ah, are you an artist yourself?" Leonardo asked, stepping closer.
Hollie glanced up from the sketch, smiling softly. "I am."
Leonardo's eyebrows rose with interest. "And what kind of work do you do?"
"I sketch in my spare time," she shrugged, "but I'm more interested in scenery. The Doctor's taken me to some amazing places. I take photos so I can recreate them later. My collection's huge now."
The Doctor, who had been quietly observing the exchange, smirked. "She's also got quite good at drawing the TARDIS. And me, from memory."
Hollie's cheeks flushed, but she smiled, her embarrassment softened by the Doctor's playful tone. Leonardo nodded approvingly. "You have a good eye, signorina. Perhaps you would like to learn a few techniques from me?"
Hollie's eyes lit up at the offer, excitement bubbling inside her. "That would be incredible," she said, her voice filled with awe.
Kazran and Abigail, overhearing the conversation, perked up. "Can we watch?" Kazran asked, his interest piqued.
The Doctor cleared his throat. "What about the inventions, Leo?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Kazran here is going to inherit quite the machine. Maybe you could show him and Abigail some of your own designs?"
Leonardo smiled, nodding. "Of course. Follow me, young Kazran. I have much to show you."
Kazran's face lit up with excitement, and Abigail was equally as curious. They followed Leonardo as he led them deeper into the workshop, gesturing to various sketches and prototypes scattered across the room.
As they moved off, Hollie lingered, her gaze briefly meeting the Doctor's. There was something in the tightness of his posture, the way his arms were crossed just a bit too rigidly, that made her pause.
"Are you okay?" she asked, concern on her face.
"Fine," the Doctor replied quickly, his tone a bit too sharp for Hollie's liking and she raised her eyebrows at him.
"Doctor..." she dragged out.
"Hollie..." he mimicked her tone, his voice strained, but there was no warmth behind it. She could almost smell his tension , his posture stiff, as though he was holding something back.
She huffed softly, crossing her arms in front of her, no longer interested in sugar-coating things with him. She had been way past sugar-coating when they hit month five of him avoiding her and being different with her. "Why are you acting like this now? Right in the middle of meeting Leonardo da Vinci, of all people? Can whatever problem you have with me wait until you drop Abigail and Kazran off?"
The Doctor's frown deepened, the defensiveness in his expression clear. "I'm not acting like anything!" he retorted, his voice rising, too defensive for Hollie's liking. His gaze darted away from hers, unwilling to meet her eyes.
"Oh, really? Because it seems like you've been sulking ever since we got here," Hollie shot back, her patience wearing incredibly thin. "If you've got something on your mind, spit it out."
The Doctor's grip on his jacket sleeves tightened, his knuckles white. "I'm fine," he insisted as he tightened his jaw. "It's nothing, Hollie."
Hollie's expression hardened, the disbelief turning into a cold stare. "Right," she muttered, her voice flat and completely unforgiving. "If it's nothing, then you can enjoy your 'nothing' with Kazran and Abigail. I'm going home."
She turned on her heel without another word, her movements sharp. She didn't give him another glance and the Doctor blinked, opening his mouth to call her back, but before he could even form the words, she was already storming out of the workshop.
"Hollie, wait—" his voice wavered, practically feeling her anger simmering, but she didn't stop. She kept walking, her back stiff with frustration threatening to snap at any second.
She marched through the streets of Florence, the lively energy of the Renaissance world around her doing nothing to lift her mood. She probably would have enjoyed it too if it wasn't for that Time Lord. She didn't look back, her mind racing as she made her way back to the TARDIS. The Doctor wanted to sulk and play games? Fine. He could sulk by himself.
The journey to her art room was a bit of a blur. She supposed her feet had just carried her there out of habit, finding comfort in the familiarity of the room on the ship. She didn't need to grab a blanket; it was already there from when she last left it. She sighed heavily, and set herself down, curling up and pulling the blanket around her tightly.
The silence of the room felt suffocating to her, and for a while, she just sat there, motionless, her knees drawn up to her chest as her thoughts began to bubble and swirl. At first, it was just a dull hum of frustration, but soon enough, the irritation started to sharpen into anger. She was furious.
"That dick," she muttered under her breath, the words slipping out before she could stop them. Immediately, the TARDIS let out a disapproving groan, a soft rumble reverberating through the ship, as if it was scolding her.
Hollie winced. "Sorry..." she apologised, though there was still a trace of bitterness in her voice.
The TARDIS hummed in a way that sounded almost comforting, as though trying to soothe her. But Hollie wasn't so easily calmed. She sighed deeply, rubbing her face with her hands, exhaustion pulling at her.
"I just can't deal with him right now," she admitted, her voice breaking the quiet of the room. "I know you'll always pick him—I get that, I do—but he's being so stupid. He's acting completely different with me, and he won't even try."
The TARDIS didn't respond, and Hollie found herself staring at the soft, glow of the lights in her art room. Silence. She wasn sure what she had expected. It didn't make her feel any more at ease though
"I'm not going to get a response, am I?" she asked, not even surprised when the silence lingered on. She sighed again, shaking her head.
"Honestly," she muttered to herself, "why do I even bother sometimes? Like he'd actually talk to me about what's going on in his head." She let out a frustrated huff, pulling the blanket closer around her. "Why does he have to be like this? Everything's fine one minute, and then suddenly it's like I'm a stranger to him."
The TARDIS let out a soft hum, almost as if it was agreeing with her, and Hollie couldn't help but chuckle dryly.
She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. "I'm just... I'm tired," she murmured quietly. "I'm sorry if I upset you by calling him that. I just... I need a friend, and right now, my two best friends are stuck in the clouds on a spaceship, and they could die at any second. They don't know what I'm going through, and I don't know how to reach out to them, or River, or the triplets... I just—" she trailed off, her voice cracking slightly.
"Voice Interface."
Hollie's eyes snapped open at the sound and familiar voice. She frowned, sitting up as a flickering image of the Doctor wearing his usual tweed appeared in front of her. "Hello?" she called out cautiously, standing up and approaching the hologram. She waved a hand in front of his face, but the figure didn't react and the image fizzed very slightly.
"What is this?" she asked, confused.
"I am the TARDIS Voice Visual Interface." the hologram replied in a flat, monotone voice.
Hollie raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Why can't I just talk to you like before?"
"Long conversations are not possible through our telepathic communication."
"Right..." she muttered, frowning. "This is creepy. It's like you're him, but you're really... not."
"I can change my image to better suit your needs. Would you like that?"
Hollie glanced at the hologram, eyeing it warily. "Yeah..." she said slowly. "That's probably for the best."
The image shimmered and shifted, and Hollie took an involuntary step back as she found herself staring at a version of herself—the one who had died at Stonehenge, buried in the dust of the Pandorica. "I wasn't expecting that," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Apologies. I can adjust further if necessary."
"No, no," Hollie said quickly, shaking her head. She eyed the projection warily. "No, that'll do, I guess." She grumbled as she returned to her seat, pulling the blanket around herself again. "Hello... me."
"Hello, Holliaet Aria."
Hollie cringed, her face twisting in annoyance. "Can you not call me that? You know I don't like my full name."
"But that is your name."
She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Yeah, but when do I ever get called that?"
"The Doctor—"
"Hasn't cared since I changed from you," Hollie cut in, her tone sharper than intended. "And even when he did, I never liked it."
The hologram flickered, and then suddenly, a recording began to play.
"I really like you, Holliaet," came the sound of the Doctor's voice, echoing through the room.
Hollie groaned as she heard her previous self reply, "When you're being all serious or honest, I'll allow you to call me that... because when you say it, it sounds kinda sexy."
The recording cut out, and Hollie slumped in her chair, rubbing her temples. "Do you record everything?" she huffed.
"I only replay what is required."
"So that's a yes," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "I should have known after finding out you get into our heads without asking." She let out another frustrated sigh.
"I apologise for any offence caused," the voice interface said calmly.
Hollie looked at her projection, shaking her head. "It's so weird being annoyed at myself."
The TARDIS didn't respond, and Hollie narrowed her eyes. "Why did you even show up?"
"You said—"
"I know what I said," she cut the voice interface off sharply. "But talking to you isn't helping. You're not a person, and you're just going to side with the Doctor."
"I do not side with his rescuer or her idiot in a box."
Hollie snorted, despite herself. "He's not my idiot in a box. He's just an idiot in a box."
"Apologies."
Hollie stood up from the chair, shaking her head. "This isn't helping. I'm going to wait in the console room because this is just making me more irritated."
"Apologies again," the voice interface said before disappearing.
Hollie shook her head one final time before leaving the art room.
When Hollie returned to the console room, the familiar hum of the TARDIS engines greeted her. She sighed, her fingers brushing over the console's smooth surface as she leaned forward, typing into the scanner to check their location.
She frowned as she read the screen. They weren't in Florence anymore. They were on a planet she had never heard of. Adjusting the scanner, she looked outside, her frown deepening as the view filled with jagged mountains, their peaks shrouded in mist.
"Great, just great," Hollie muttered to herself. "He didn't even bother to tell me where we were going. Again." She crossed her arms, sinking into the seat by the console. "What's the point of travelling together if he's just going to leave me out of everything?"
She huffed, staring out at the misty mountains. "I bet he's off doing something ridiculous with them and hasn't even thought about me."
Hollie sat in the console room, staring out at the strange planet visible on the scanner. The Doctor, Abigail and Kazran were still nowhere to be seen after another thirty minutes had passed.
"Why does he always do this?" she muttered to herself. "Just runs off, with them as well. It's like I'm not even here half the time."
She let out an exasperated sigh, tapping her fingers on the console absentmindedly. "I bet if I never changed he wouldn't be like this. He never treated the old me like this."
The TARDIS made a low hum, as though trying to offer some reassurance, but Hollie wasn't in the mood for comfort, the TARDIS had already tried that and it didn't work well.
"I mean, it's not like I'm asking for a lot, right?" she continued, talking more to herself than to the ship. "I just want him to actually see me for once, not treat me like some afterthought."
She kicked the side of the console gently with her foot, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "I love him and he clearly knows that." She sighed and shook her head. "At least I think I still love him." She muttered as tears stung her eyes at the thought.
After another forty minutes passed the TARDIS doors opened, and the Doctor walked in with Kazran and Abigail. Hollie raised her eyebrows at the identical long scarves the Doctor and Kazran were wearing. She couldn't help but smile slightly at how tall Kazran had grown—he was probably around fourteen now.
"Hollie!" the Doctor cheered, spotting her and completely missing the annoyed look on her face.
"You said she was tired?" Kazran frowned, looking up at the Doctor.
The Time Lord gave Kazran a sheepish look. "Never mind, she's here now. We'll get you back home and see you next year."
Kazran frowned as he watched Hollie, who kept her eyes fixed on the Doctor, observing him as he moved around the console. Kazran and Abigail stood silently, watching.
Hollie stayed inside the TARDIS while the Doctor, with Kazran's help, put Abigail back in her ice box.
When the Doctor returned, Hollie crossed her arms, still watching him in silence. It was almost painful to see him moving around the console, pulling levers and turning dials. She frowned softly, noticing how he lacked his usual flair. It wasn't massively noticeable, but enough for her to pick up on it.
He didn't say a word as the TARDIS engines grew louder, groaning and wheezing, and that hurt her more than anything.
"Was Leonardo nice?" she asked suddenly. He glanced over at her, blinking as if he'd almost forgotten she was there.
"Sorry?"
"Was Leonardo nice?" she repeated, standing up now. "Did you have fun?"
"Erm, yeah." He nodded, slightly taken aback as Hollie walked towards the console and leaned against it. The Doctor busied himself with the controls, clearly trying to distract himself. "Going to pick them up again... you coming?"
She shot him an annoyed look. "Do you really have nothing else to say?" she scoffed. "What was that back there?"
"What?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.
"Leonardo da Vinci." She raised her eyebrows. "What was your problem?"
"Nothing," he replied quickly, refusing to meet her eyes. "I'm fine."
"You're lying," she stated, narrowing her eyes at him. "Don't lie to me, Doctor."
He huffed in frustration. "It's nothing, Hollie, honestly."
She shook her head. "Whatever," she muttered, quietly following the Doctor as he headed out of the TARDIS.
They were back in the Cryovault now. The Doctor walked down the rows of ice boxes, and Hollie trailed behind. She blinked as she spotted Kazran standing by Abigail's ice box. He had grown dramatically and definitely hit puberty by now. He would have been unrecognisable if she hadn't seen him a year younger just minutes ago.
"Kazran!" Hollie smiled as he waved at them. She shook her head fondly. "You've shot up!"
He ducked his head, smiling shyly. "Thanks, Hollie."
"Has he?" the Doctor frowned.
"Yes," Hollie rolled her eyes. "You're all grown up, Kazran. How old are you now?"
"Sixteen."
Hollie nodded as Kazran input the code to open Abigail's ice box. The ice began to melt, and the door opened. "Kazran," Abigail breathed, looking at the now young man.
The Doctor grinned, and Hollie shook her head with a small smile. "Come on, then!" the Time Lord cheered, heading back towards the TARDIS.
The others followed silently. "You've grown," Abigail commented, glancing at Kazran.
"Yes," he nodded slightly, ducking his head as he blushed.
"And now you're blushing," Abigail pointed out.
Hollie watched them both with her arms crossed and a smile on her face as Kazran blushed even harder. "I'm sorry," he apologised.
"That's okay," Abigail replied. Kazran shifted awkwardly under her gaze before looking at the Doctor by the console. "So, Doctor, where to this time?"
"Pick a Christmas Eve," he announced cheerfully. "I've got them all right here."
"Might I make a request?" Abigail asked.
The Doctor paused his work on the console and nodded, smiling softly. "Of course."
"This one."
The Doctor nodded and moved the TARDIS, parking it in one of the streets of Sardicktown, that same year. Abigail stepped out first, and the Doctor gestured for her to lead the way.
Abigail led them through the streets, walking slightly ahead with Kazran, while Hollie hung back, watching the Doctor with a sigh. He didn't seem bothered at all that he had upset her. If this had been months ago, before the Pandorica, he would have been all over her, making sure she wasn't really mad. She wasn't the only one who had changed that day, it seemed.
It wasn't long before they stopped outside a small house. The curtains were open, and as the Doctor and Hollie approached, they watched Abigail gaze at a family inside, finishing last-minute Christmas preparations.
Kazran looked at Abigail and then walked back towards the Doctor and Hollie, who had stopped a little further away to give Abigail some space.
"Who are they?" Kazran asked.
"Her family," the Doctor nodded, glancing through another window. "The lady is her sister. We met her once, when she was older."
Kazran glanced at Abigail before looking back at the Doctor and Hollie. "Abigail's crying."
The Doctor nodded. "Yes."
Hollie groaned slightly. Idiot.
"When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?" Kazran asked uncertainly.
"I have absolutely no idea," the Doctor admitted.
Hollie rolled her eyes and elbowed the Doctor slightly, making him wince. She hadn't even elbowed him that hard, but he glared at her nonetheless. "Yes," she replied, shooting the Doctor an annoyed look. "Girls appreciate that, even if you don't say much—just listen and comfort them. The Doctor is usually rubbish at it."
The Doctor huffed at her, and she smiled a little more softly. "But I suppose he has his moments."
The Doctor blinked at her, surprised, as Hollie rested her head on his shoulder. He tensed slightly at the contact but then smiled down at her. "I'm sorry."
Hollie frowned, lifting her head. "For what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. There was a lot he had to apologise for lately.
"Just," he shrugged, "getting you mixed up in all this." He gestured around.
She shook her head as a pang of pain hit her chest. Out of everything that had happened, that was the last thing she wanted him to apologise for. It was nothing compared to everything else. "I don't care where we are, Doctor."
"Yes, but—"
"But nothing. I don't care," she replied, trying to sound sincere.
"Are you sure?" he asked, not noticing her slight glare. "Because I can find you a spa planet. I know one where the air's basically infused with serenity. Imagine hot springs heated by a dormant supervolcano, but instead of lava, it's fizzy, therapeutic bubbles—volcanic bubbles that calm your nerves right down—"
"I'm fine," she cut him off, giggling slightly, unable to help herself at how energetic he sounded just talking about a spa planet. "I promise. I want to stay here. I'm trying here, even if you're making it incredibly difficult." She shot him a slightly annoyed look. "Because you wind me up by getting all sulky and snappy for being jealous of Leonardo da Vinci."
"I was not jealous," he huffed, trying not to glare at her.
"Okay, I'll just ask Kazran to tell me what I didn't see," she teased, moving to walk away. Her heart raced when he grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. Suddenly, they were almost nose to nose, their chests touching as his hand tightened around her wrist. He stared down at her with intense green eyes.
"Holliaet," he warned telepathically, his gaze so intense it made her swallow hard. She hated how easily he could make her knees weak with just a look or the way he said her name. She could spend a week being annoyed at him, and then it would all crumble in two seconds when he spoke like that. It was infuriatingly attractive, and she hated it.
"Doctor," she tried to mock his tone, but failed miserably as her voice wavered slightly.
"I was not jealous," he stated firmly. Hollie stared at him, but then the Doctor's gaze shifted away, and he loosened his grip on her wrist, glancing over at Kazran and Abigail, who were talking quietly. It was as if the tension between them had never existed. She sighed in frustration.
"Come on," he whispered, pulling her away. They quietly walked around the side of the house until they came to a wooden door. The Doctor huffed slightly. "It's wood."
Hollie raised an eyebrow and pulled two hairpins from her pocket. "Good job you've got me around, isn't it?" she smirked as she began picking the lock.
The Doctor raised a curious eyebrow. "Since when did you know how to pick locks?"
"Mels taught me," she shrugged.
"Mels?"
"Friend of mine, Amy, and Rory. She was in care with me," Hollie explained. "I swear I've mentioned her before."
He frowned. "Seems like a bad influence if she's teaching you to pick locks."
"She is," Hollie chuckled. "But I haven't spoken to her in a while. I think she ruined Amy and Rory's wedding."
"How?"
"She got herself arrested so she wouldn't have to go. She hates weddings, but you could always knock, you know?"
The Doctor blinked. "Why did you say about picking the lock, then?"
She smirked. "Because it's funny to wind you up."
He huffed at her before knocking on the door as she pocketed the hairpins. "I hate you, Hollie Aria."
She rolled her eyes as he knocked on the door in a strange, nonsensical rhythm. "So you say, Doctor."
The door opened to a confused-looking woman who took in the Doctor and Hollie's appearance. The Time Lord quickly shoved his psychic paper in her face, making up some excuse about Abigail winning a lottery to be allowed out of her icebox.
His explanation and lie seemed to work, as Abigail's sister, whom they learned was named Isabella, let them into the house. Minutes later, the Doctor was waving Kazran and Abigail inside from a window after he threw the curtains open.
Not long after, Hollie found herself sitting beside the Doctor at the kitchen table. A young boy she learned to be Abigail's nephew—Ben—was being forced to participate in the Doctor's card trick, while Abigail and Isabella sat at the other end of the small family table, talking quietly. Kazran had somehow been roped into helping Eric—Isabella's husband—finish putting up the Christmas decorations.
"Pick a card," the Doctor instructed Ben. "Any card at all."
"This isn't going to work," Hollie teased from where she sat between the Doctor and Ben.
"Oi!" He huffed. "Yes, it will."
"Sure," she rolled her eyes.
"How does it work?" Ben asked curiously as he eyed the cards the Doctor held out towards him.
"You memorise the card, then put it back in the deck," he nodded when Ben took a random card and tilted it up slightly to look. Hollie raised an eyebrow over the boy's shoulder to see the card he picked. "Don't let me see it," the Doctor reminded.
Eric frowned, glancing at his wife, who was still talking quietly to her sister at the other end of the table as she peeled potatoes. "Is this what it looked like last year?"
"It doesn't have to be exactly the same," Isabella shook her head.
However, Erica was not having any of it. "I'm starting again," he told his wife, then nodded at Kazran. "Come on, Kazran, we're starting again."
The Doctor suddenly pulled a card out of the deck, grinning proudly. "The three of clubs!"
Hollie giggled, shaking her head, and Ben smiled, shaking his own head. "No."
The Doctor's smile fell. "You sure?" he questioned. "Because I'm very good at card tricks."
"It wasn't the three of clubs."
"You're rubbish!" Hollie laughed.
"Oi!" He playfully narrowed his eyes at her. "You're cheating!"
"Am not!" she denied.
"Are too!" he shot back.
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
The Doctor didn't reply and suddenly pulled a card out of his pocket, making Hollie blink. He winked at her before turning to Ben. "Your card was the seven of diamonds."
Ben laughed at him again. "No."
"Oi, stop it," the Doctor scolded lightly, "you're doing it wrong."
"Or you're doing it wrong," Hollie teased. The Doctor huffed, sticking his tongue out at her like a child.
She shook her head, giggling at him. "Maybe you're not as good as you remember?"
"No, I am good," he reassured. "I used to be excellent at card tricks."
"Just like how you're excellent at flying the TARDIS?"
The Doctor gave her a mock-offended look. "You've been spending far too much time with River Song."
Hollie shrugged. "Am I wrong?"
"You know my answer to that question," he shot back.
Isabella suddenly stood up. "Tomorrow's Christmas dinner is cancelled, as my sister refuses to attend," she announced.
"Isabella—" Abigail tried to cut in.
However, Isabella smiled. "Instead, we'll have it tonight."
The look of relief on Abigail's face was something Hollie wished she could paint for the young woman. Instead, she helped set the table and dish up the dinner once it was prepared. She sat beside the Doctor, who held a Christmas cracker out to her, grinning.
"Three, two, one," he announced loudly, his arms crossed, one hand on a cracker he shared with Hollie, his other hand holding a cracker with Ben. "Pull!"
Everyone pulled on their crackers, cheering. Hollie grinned, winning her half between herself and the Doctor, making the Time Lord pout dramatically. She shook her head, bumping her shoulder into his before she began to eat the Christmas dinner in front of her. Her movements slowed as she spotted a playing card in Ben's hand—the one he got from the cracker with the Doctor.
"How did you do that?"
"Your card, I believe," he smirked.
Hollie let out a loud giggle when she saw the card in Ben's hand. The Doctor pouted again while Ben laughed, holding up the eight of hearts.
"No."
The Doctor huffed at Hollie, glaring at her playfully. "Oh, shut up."
Kazran suddenly held up his glass, proposing a toast. "Er, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," the Doctor agreed along with everyone else, the group raising their glasses into the air.
The rest of the dinner went smoothly, and, to Hollie's surprise, the Doctor even seemed to enjoy talking to her, going so far as to slightly flirt throughout the evening.
Eventually, though, Abigail had to return to her icebox before it grew too late, and Hollie found herself in the cryo-vault with the Doctor, Abigail, and Kazran.
"Best Christmas Eve ever," Abigail announced, pulling away from her hug with the Doctor.
"Ah. Till the next one," he grinned.
Abigail nodded. "I look forward to it." She stood there for a moment, her eyes shifting to Kazran, who stood awkwardly to the side. "Now I'd like to say goodnight to Kazran."
The Doctor nodded and gestured towards the young man. "Of course, yes. Well, on you go." Hollie shook her head at him, and the Doctor blinked while Abigail remained in her spot.
"Honestly," Hollie muttered under her breath.
"Oh..." He looked at Hollie briefly, who continued to shake her head, now looking pointedly at him.
The Doctor frowned, his eyes darting between Kazran and Abigail. "Oh." His eyes settled on Abigail as he shifted uncomfortably. "Yes. Right. Sorry. I'll, er, I'll go, then." He waved them off. "Goodnight, come along, Hollie." He turned to Kazran. "Good luck." He quickly shook his head, correcting himself as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Night. Good night."
Hollie sighed as the Doctor backed into another icebox. He jumped, spinning around to stop it from falling over. "Sorry," he muttered.
"Smooth," she sighed quietly, shaking her head as she followed him towards the TARDIS.
"Shush," he shot her a playful look over his shoulder.
"Doctor," Kazran hissed quietly, quickly following, leaving Abigail alone. "I, er," he glanced back at Abigail, who smiled softly. "I think she's going to kiss me."
"Yeah..." The Doctor nodded and turned Kazran back towards Abigail, giving him a gentle push in her direction. "I think you're right."
The Doctor continued walking away. Hollie watched in amusement as Kazran followed him like a puppy. "I've never kissed anyone before," he whispered to the Time Lord. "What do I do?"
"Well," the Doctor put his arm around Kazran's shoulders as if coaching him, "try and be all nervous and rubbish and a bit shaky."
Kazran frowned. "Why?"
"Because you're going to be like that anyway. Might as well make it part of the plan; then it'll feel on purpose." He lightly patted Kazran's cheek. "Off you go, then." He turned the young man back to Abigail.
Kazran looked at Abigail fearfully and ran back to the Doctor. "What, now?" he asked. "I kiss her now?"
"Kazran, trust me." He huffed slightly. "It's this or go to your room and design a new kind of screwdriver." Hollie raised her eyebrows. The Doctor shifted uncomfortably, noticing her lingering gaze on him before leaning over and whispering something to Kazran too quietly for her to hear.
She crossed her arms, watching as the Doctor quickly slipped past her into the TARDIS. She rolled her eyes, pushing herself off the side of the box and following him inside. "Is that why you were suddenly dancing around with that cane a few days after Venice?" she questioned in a slightly teasing tone, her voice lighter than the weight that seemed to hang in the air.
The Doctor's back was turned to her as he faced the console, but she noticed his body go rigid at the mention of Venice. The tension was unmistakable. Hollie sighed, her teasing fading into something more thoughtful. What happened after Venice?
"You're an idiot, Doctor," she said, deciding not to press further just yet. Instead, she chuckled softly, walking toward him. Her voice had a gentler edge now. "Why didn't you say something?" she questioned, stopping a few paces away, and giving him some space.
But he remained silent, gripping the edge of the console tighter than before. She could see his jaw clench from where she stood, his face reflected on the rotor of the console, squeezed tight as if bracing for a blow. Whatever internal conflict he was wrestling with, it was clear he was losing.
Silence grew between them, a heavy thing Hollie had no idea how to break. Even after months of facing the Doctor like this, it was still painfully hard to battle with. She watched him carefully, her heart aching for him, wanting to comfort whatever troubled him, but knowing that if she tried, she'd only push him further away.
"I'm going to go and shower... maybe sleep," she said quietly, leaning around to catch his eye, trying to offer a small, reassuring smile. His features softened slightly as he looked down at her, finally meeting her gaze. She bit her lip at how sad his eyes seemed. They never appeared so old to her as they did when they were sad and slightly glossy, and it took everything in her not to pull him into a hug and run her hand through his hair to comfort him.
"See you later?" she asked, placing her hands behind her back to keep them from betraying her, her voice attempting to sound hopeful but not too insistent.
"Yeah," he nodded, his voice low. "I'll call Amy, see how they're holding up. We need a backup plan... then we can take Kazran and Abigail somewhere else."
"Okay," Hollie nodded in agreement, her smile tinged with sadness that matched his eyes. "See you later, Doctor."
"Have a good sleep, Hollie," he murmured, though there was a lingering distance in his words.
She smiled sadly at him before turning to leave, feeling the weight of his unsaid words and unspoken battles hanging in the air behind her as she made her way down the corridor, leaving him alone in the console room.
But she couldn't help but smile very slightly as she went. Finally, she thought to herself.
Because while it seemed cruel to smile and feel a tiny bit of happiness while he looked so troubled, she was finally getting somewhere. Even if it was a small win, it was still a win to her.
─── 。゚☆・*.☽ .* ☆゚. ───
So here I am saying I won't write a thing while on my holiday yet I managed to write an entire chapter that I was struggling with at the start of the week... I am completely ridiculous. What's worse is that I'm editing this on only two hours of sleep in the last twenty-four hours so I will not be surprised if there are errors at all in this because you should have seen the words coming out of my mouth when I was finishing this chapter, good lord.
How are we enjoying the new flow of this book? I feel like it's a massive improvement, there's not so many scene breaks now, it all flows together quite nicely. (Go me!)
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