Broken: A Time Lord's Story (Doctor Who Novel)

Chapter 38: Putting the Broken Pieces Back Together

A/N warning this chapter contains images which some may find disturbing as Thete remembers his horrible assault.

o0o

 

The Doctor stared up at the mass of wiring and cables hanging over his head, trying to remember when he started maintenance work or why he had a mallet in his hand. He had a massive headache made worse by a light so bright that he had to squeeze his eyes shut to ease the nauseating pain. He wasn’t supposed to have headaches. He didn’t get headaches, especially one this bad. He raised his right hand to feel for bumps only to discover he was too weak to do more than flop it across his chest. He tried his left hand only to clunk himself in the head with a cast. How did a cast get on his hand? What happened to the mallet that was just there? Amy and Rory had to be somewhere close. Maybe Sexy should find them. He didn’t think he had the strength to climb out from under the console to get to the med bay. Help old girl, I need help.

“Damn it!” were the first mumbled words the Doctor spoke in the thirteen hours since G’Na had broken his bond with K’Nar. His eyes clamped tight to keep out the blinding light, he groaned his way back to consciousness.

G’Na, Amy and Rory all jumped at the unexpected profanity. “Doctor, can you hear me?” Rory asked. “Do you know where you are?”

 “Rory, please don’t shout. Cor blimey, I have a terrible hangover! How did I get pissed? I don’t remember getting pissed. Don't like it; don't like it all,” he moaned while trying to roll over.

 Rory and Amy looked each other grinning from ear to ear. He recognised Rory’s voice.

Now it was Amy’s turn. She kept her voice as low and gentle as possible. “Doctor, you’re not drunk. You’re in hospital. Can you open your eyes and look at us?”

“Amy, tell Sexy to turn the lights off.”

“You’re in hospital; open your eyes.”

 Confused, Thete cracked open one eye and immediately shut it again. “Amy? Amy ... my head. My head is killing me. What happened? Was I in an accident? Did I regenerate?”

 “Yes, you were sort of in an accident and no you haven’t regenerated. You’ve been really, really sick. Don’t you remember? You’re in Kentucky -- in hospital.”

“Hank, I remember Hank. Amy?”

“Yes?”

“Sick... gonna be sick.”

“I’ll get Abby and Martha.” Amy ran, leaving Rory and G’Na to hold his head as he immediately rolled over and emptied his stomach.

 

 

"Thete, follow my finger," Martha ordered as she examined him. "Good, now squeeze my fingers. Okay, touch the finger of your right hand to your nose." Martha smiled at him as he failed both tests.

 "Martha, why is my head hurting? Why can't I raise my hand right?" His words slurred.

"Abby is going to give you something for your headache. You had a seizure, and you have been really sick. Do you remember what happened?"

 "No, where's Hank?" He cracked his eyes slightly, trying to focus, but couldn't stand even the dim the light. "I dreamt K'Nar was here. I thought that I heard her," he mumbled.

"It wasn't a dream. She is here. She is safe and very worried about you. Her mum is with her. Do you remember meeting her?"

"No, where is K'Nar? Did she hurt her?"