Forged in Ice (Doctor Who AU Novel)

Chapter 18 Fun Stuff

The bass from the band speakers vibrated off the walls of the Kings Hotel's best party room  straight into Daniel's head. He enjoyed a good party as much as the next but after weeks of relative quiet, two in one weekend was proving more than he could handle. Nora beamed, almost everyone  on the dance floor dance  a version of the Chicken dance that he'd have loved to imitate, but at the moment, he only wanted to be somewhere relatively quiet.

 "I'll be right back," he whispered then kissed her cheek. Chairs scraped as guests scooted allowing  easier passage through the narrow space between the wall and the bride and groom table.  He waved away the offers of help and hobbled first to the hallway and  then  the men's room. A shrivelled old man stood up, nodded a greeting as he  held the door.  Silence descended almost immediately.

 "Thanks," Daniel muttered, as he collapsed with a heavy sigh onto a small sofa.

 "Are you all right, sir? Should I get someone? Are you in party room one-twenty-three?"

 "Yeah, I'm fine. The music just gave me a bit of a headache." 

 "Yes sir, from the scar, I can see why, and from the kilt, I guessing you are the groom. Best get your rest while you can, eh?" the old man said with a smile.

 "Right, suppose I should. Are you married, Mr --?"

 "Sneed, I was -- not now. I lost my wife during the troubles."

 "I'm sorry."

 "You adjust, and then .... You look a little pale, sir. Are you sure you're all right?"

 "Yeah," he said, leaning his head against the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. "I'm just knackered."

 "Well, I'll leave you to catch your breath." The old man resumed his seat by the door, watching as Daniel settled into the sofa and closed his eyes.

 Daniel ignored the sounds of people coming and going, letting himself drift. A hand, gently shaking him, snapped back. He blinked sleepily, briefly disoriented, then realised the antiseptic smell meant that he'd dozed off in the men's lounge. He flashed an embarrassed smile at Jake, who just stood there, waiting for the fog to clear. "You okay, Boss, you've been gone twenty minutes? Nora got worried."

 "Em, yeah -- right." Daniel sat up. "The boys teased me yesterday, saying I fall asleep in the oddest moments. Guess they were right,  I just needed a break."

 Jake handed him his crutches. "Why don't you splash your face, I think I can get you a way to bug out."

 "Right, I will, but don't do that, everyone is having fun."

 "The party keeps going whether your there or not. No one expects you to party all night, least of all Nora."

 "Jake, can I ask you a question?"

 "Sure, boss."

 "Is Rose okay? She hasn't said much to me. I mean she looks like she's having fun and she was beautiful, but -- is she okay?"

 "She's -- doing okay. The sadness has lessened, she's not so angry. Did she tell you that she's moving back to London? She wants to go back to school."

 "No, she didn't. We haven't talked all that much since she came back. That's good. She should do that." Daniel reached for help to stand, placed his crutches under his arms and hobbled to the sink and splashed cold water on his face then forced a smile. "Right then," he said, then turned on his crutches. "Allons-y."

 "What?" Jake laughed.

 Daniel pulled a face. "I have no idea why I said that."

 "The Doctor said that right before we made a jump from our Torchwood to theirs. Never expected to hear you say it."