* 𝙈𝙄𝙎𝙎 𝙒𝙍𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 .ᐟ

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀she can help 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓, if they'll let her. she knows enough first aid to patch them up. ⠀⠀

" susan spoke a little about their home. he is very ellusive, of course, as he is in most things. " she pauses. " we are aware enough that it is no home we would find familiar. "

"i see. " he speaks with such certainty ; barbara, ever the curious soul, remains unconvinced. " you cannot look so different, surely? "

" oh, i'm certain that's not true. we all remember our friends to an extent, even in age. " they still, of course, think of the doctor as human, to an extent, albeit a man out of time.

" he has a knack for that, " she agrees, brows raising a little. " are you going to say hello? he might be pleased to see you. "

she thinks she recognises fondness in the laugh, relieved that they are on the same page of the strange man's story, as it were. " did you mean to find him here? is this a fortunate coincidence? "

she's sure - he is slow to change, she is learning. " — i suppose he must have been a child, once. but it's difficult to imagine. he's the kind of man you expect to come out fully grown. white hair and unreliable morals. "

" school friends? " briefly, she is incredulous ; the image of their crotchety old man as a schoolboy quite unfathomable. " goodness. you understand i struggle to picture it now? "

" a tot . . . " startled, slightly, by the revelation, though curiosity takes precident, in narrowed eyes, pursed lips. " so you're an old family friend? "

" you're in luck. " ever prepared barbara. she reaches into her satchel and offers out a flask. " it's for my husband, but i'm sure he can wait until we are home. hopefully this helps. "

" we don't talk about it. we don't have that kind of friendship, although ian and i often wonder . . . " the thought lingered, quietly. " we both miss her. to, i imagine, a lesser degree. "

" we speculated so. though we think he tries less now, since losing susan - his granddaughter. though i expect you know that, " she remarks. " he feels things deeper than he wants us to know. "

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ﾞ i hadn't lost him. he's perfectly safe, ﾞ she assures. but his interest piques her curiosity, and she narrows her eyes, slightly bemused by his eagerness to assist her. ﾞ i'm quite well. thank you. can 𝘪 help 𝘺𝘰𝘶 .ᐣ ﾞ

a relief, though barbara released a small sigh, no closer to a solution for her and ian. ﾞ i suppose i'm almost glad. i'd rather it be true that he can't get us home, than the alternative. ﾞ

" it's greatly appreciated. " she pauses in thought, her lips pausing as she reflects on their discussion. " . . . can he genuinely not fly the ship? is that the truth, at least? "

" he's tremendously good at that. i suppose it must be ingrained in him, " she admitted ; and it was less of a surprise than she would have liked to say. " though we're fond of him now, ian and i. i'll thank you not to tell him. "

" oh? " barbara frowned at that, perplexed by the thought. " i thought he'd been changing for the better. slowly, but surely . . . we all have. "

" strange. it's hard to imagine him as a child. " though she's picturing it now. that's the thing about their travels ; she's far more open to accept the unimaginable now. " was he always so stubborn? "