Why had Nyssa decided to stop wearing her usual jumpsuit? On the one hand, Tegan could understand that Nyssa had likely gotten tired of wearing the same sort of clothing every day, but… good grief, Tegan’s heart was having a tough time seeing so much of the Trakenite’s legs.

It really wasn’t fair. Nyssa had always been pretty, but Tegan seemed to get distracted by her every other moment these days. It was as if her time spent away from the TARDIS had changed how she viewed the wonderful woman she shared a room with. Nyssa was her best friend, and she had developed a crush on her, probably from the moment they had first met on Logopolis, but now… that attraction had evolved beyond a simple crush. And Tegan knew -was absolutely certain- that Nyssa had no idea that Tegan saw her that way. More than that, Tegan was sure that Nyssa did not see her the same way.

So, here she was, in love with her best friend who didn’t realise that her feelings had grown beyond the platonic.

‘You sure you’re alright? We can pick up a thicker jacket for you from the TARDIS wardrobe if you want’

‘It’s fine,’ Nyssa said, smiling as she got to her feet. She picked a light waterproof jacket off the coat-stand nearby, her brown curls bouncing prettily. ‘Let’s go.’

Nyssa slipped the jacket on, and immediately linked one of her arms through Tegan’s. The Australian felt her heartrate escalate, as it always seemed to do whenever Nyssa initiated physical contact without warning.

Hoping against hope that she wasn’t blushing, Tegan allowed Nyssa to walk them out of their bedroom, and down the corridor towards the console room.

The Doctor was, of course, waiting for them, wearing an expression of excitement as he took readings from the central console.

‘Ah, there you both are,’ he declared, looking up as they entered. ‘Rather splendid planet, by the looks of things.’

Tegan exchanged a look with Nyssa, who giggled. The Australian ignored the giddy dance that her heart made at the sound, and raised a disbelieving eyebrow as she turned to look back at the Doctor.

‘Really?’

‘Oh, ye of little faith,’ the time lord, wagging his finger at her. ‘Come along, let’s go and have a look around…’

*

Tegan stared at the brooding forests around them, the dark clouds above that seemed to cast the entire landscape in a dim twilight, and could even hear the sounds of unpleasantly course birdcalls. The TARDIS had landed on what appeared to be halfway down a mountainside. In every direction, all that could be seen were dense forests with a scattering of towering cliffs inbetween them. If Tegan didn’t know any better, she would have assumed the Doctor had deliberately landed in darkest Germania during the dark ages.

‘Splendid planet?’ she repeated, with a frown in the time lord’s direction. ‘That’s one way of putting it. Doc, this place looks like something out of Grims Fairy Tales!’

The Doctor glared irritably at her, before unfurling his hat from his jacket pocket and setting it neatly on top of his head.

‘Always the pessimist, aren’t you, Tegan?’ he said. ‘Cheer up; you and Nyssa both have jackets, and I’ve got my umbrella, after all.’

‘What umbrella-’

Out of (apparently) a jacket pocket, the Doctor pulled out a long umbrella. The handle seemed to be formed into the shape of a question mark.

Smiling smugly, the time lord unfurled the umbrella, and put it over his shoulder.

Tegan gave him another glare. The Doctor ignored her, and set off along the path that weaved down the mountain towards a river, which streaked jaggedly through the forest.

Nyssa gave Tegan an encouraging smile, and the Australian allowed herself to be led along by the arm. She really wished she could say no to Nyssa when the Trakenite smiled at her like that, but she knew that it was impossible. Those soft grey-green eyes had a habit of burrowing into her soul. And the irritating thing was, not only did Nyssa clearly have no clue as to the effect she had, but that Tegan liked it. She would have stopped time if Nyssa asked her to. It was as if her heart had a massive “property of Nyssa” stamp on it.

Overhead, there was the distant rumble of thunder. In the horizon, Tegan could see rain falling over the forest trees. She felt gooseflesh erupt unpleasantly up her skin; every single atom of her being was telling her to get back inside the TARDIS now.

‘That doesn’t sound good.’

‘Oh, probably just a spot of light rain,’ said the Doctor, airily, from in front. ‘I find the weather isn’t nearly bad as initial impressions suggest.’

Tegan doubted this very much, but by this point they had reached the river. A small stone bridge lay across it.

There was another rumble of low thunder.

Nyssa slipped her hand into Tegan’s as they followed the Doctor across the bridge.

‘Nys?’ the Australian asked, softly, as she turned to look at the woman stood next to her. ‘You okay?’

Nyssa nodded, quietly.

There was another crack of thunder, and this time, Nyssa’s hand squeezed tightly against Tegan’s.

‘It’s okay,’ Tegan said, giving a soft smile. ‘I’m here.’

Nyssa smiled, cheeks dimpling.

‘Thank you, Tegan,’ she said, softly. ‘I always feel safe when you’re here.’

Tegan felt her heart well with love for the Trakenite. It was all she could do not to burst into tears right there and then, and throw her arms around her friend.

‘I’m sorry for leaving you,’ she eventually said, ignoring the lump in her throat.

‘Don’t blame yourself for that,’ Nyssa said, with a nod of her head towards the Doctor. ‘You weren’t to blame.’

‘I heard that!’

Tegan laughed, as the Doctor let out a huff and strode off at a faster pace.

‘You didn’t leave me, Tegan,’ Nyssa said, still smiling at the Australian. ‘I’m just happy that I managed to find you again.’

‘Almost sounds like you missed me.’

‘Of course,’ Nyssa said, with a gentle nudge of her shoulder. ‘I can’t have a universe without you, Tegan Jovanka.’

Tegan’s heart seemed to pummel against her chest. What the hell did that mean?

‘N-Nys,’ she stammered, feeling her face burn. ‘I… you don’t have to… I don’t deserve you-’

There was another loud rumble of thunder, and the two women startled, coming to a stop.

The path they had been walking along was stretching upwards across the other side of the valley. The Doctor, a few hundred feet in front, turned to face them and pointed up the path.

There was a crack of lightning.

On a rocky outcrop sticking out from the mountainside was a castle. Well, somewhere between a castle and a fortified keep. It must have been at least two hundred feet tall, with ramparts and several towers stretching up. Gargoyles of strange creatures adorned the outside and Tegan could have sworn that, in the afterglow of the lightning, they seemed to move.

The path led up to the main doors, which stood at least ten feet high.

There was another crack of lightning, and the heavens opened.

Near instantly, the rain seemed to crash down around them, turning the path into a mud pit. Tegan squeezed tightly on Nyssa’s hand to help them both stay upright.

The Doctor charged down the path, wobbling as he struggled to maintain his balance amid the mud and rain. His umbrella was barely keeping him dry. 

‘Over the bridge, now!’

The two women turned.

A horrible sight met their eyes.

Looking down the path towards the way they had come, Tegan let out a groan. The bridge had sunk beneath the rising water of the river.

The three time-travellers turned once again and, feet slipping, ran up the path towards the castle. The path gradually became stone-paved as they grew closer, and Tegan was glad for the change, as she could already feel her boots beginning to get dirty. As they reached the entrance, the Doctor hammered on the huge doors, which swung open with a horrible creak. The time lord hurried inside.

Scrambling inside out of the wet, Tegan pulled Nyssa by the hand after her. The Trakenite seemed to have been momentarily shocked by the sudden change in weather.

Looking around, Tegan now saw that they had entered into some sort of entrance hall. It was rather small and cluttered, with various suits of armour haphazardly shoved anywhere they could fit. Several pairs of walking boots had been left scattered nearby a large doormat, which was a tired burgundy colour and had clearly seen better days. The door, in front of which the mat stood, was in barely better condition.

The Doctor pulled the doors shut behind them, and put down his umbrella, wiping his brow with a damp sleeve.

‘Well,’ he said, with a bit of irritation. ‘I suppose you’re going to tell me that you told me so-’

‘Never mind that!’ Tegan exclaimed. ‘Look at Nyssa!’

The Trakenite was shivering under her jacket. Damp curls lay against her face, and Tegan was horrified to see that Nyssa’s cheeks had turned a cold pink colour. 

Without thinking, Tegan unzipped Nyssa’s jacket and helped her friend out of the wet garment. She wasn’t sure why she herself wasn’t feeling the cold as much; perhaps Traken had a much milder climate? Whatever it was, Tegan didn’t like how cold Nyssa was to the touch. She immediately put her own hands around Nyssa’s and began to rub them, trying to get some warmth into the younger woman’s skin.

‘You bloody stupid time lord!’ Tegan said, glaring now at the Doctor. ‘I swear, if she gets hypothermia…’

‘She’ll be fine,’ the Doctor said, feeling Nyssa’s forehead with his palm. ‘Although I don’t recommend that we go back out into that storm anytime soon. Perhaps if we see if the inhabitants of this place can put us up for the time being…’

The Doctor stepped over to the door, and wrapped smartly on the wood with his knuckles.

‘Hello?’ he called. ‘Anyone home?’

Tegan quickly pulled off her jacket and was glad to find that, aside from a little bit of rain on her trousers, she was mostly bone dry. Her boots, of course, had been waterproof anyway. She was immensely thankful that she had decided to wear a warm wool jumper over a blouse, with thick winter trousers; why on earth she had ever thought that a pair of shorts and matching tube-top was a suitable outfit for rainy cold Amsterdam was beyond her.

Well, actually, she had thought it was cute and decided to wear it on the off-chance that she might meet Nyssa again, but that was beside the point. 

She immediately wrapped an arm around the young woman’s shoulders, rubbing her side. With her other hand, she continued to rub Nyssa’s hands.

Nyssa gave a shiver, before sneezing.

‘T-thank you, Tegan,’ she said, a little nasally. ‘Sorry, I’m not normally this bad when it comes to rain.’

‘Hey, don’t worry about it,’ Tegan replied, as softly as she could. ‘We got caught unawares by that storm; let’s just focus on getting you warmed up, okay?’

Nyssa nodded.

At this point, the door opened

‘Oh, hello!’

The speaker was an elderly man. He was balding, but with large tufts of white hair around his ears. A large pair of spectacles was perched on his nose, and he wore a long white lab coat over a battered suit. He looked like the textbook definition of “mad scientist” but his eyes -magnified through his glasses- were kind and gentle.

‘Good evening!’ exclaimed the Doctor, hurrying forwards and shaking the man by the hand. ‘My apologies for the intrusion, but I’m afraid we have become separated from our craft in the storm.’

‘Oh, another storm?’ said the old man. ‘Those are always terrible at this time of year. I tend to stay inside mostly… can’t deal with the cold at my advanced years, I’m afraid.’

‘Understandable,’ the Doctor agreed. He then looked back at Nyssa and Tegan. ‘Er… my young friend here is somewhat the worst for wear; could we get her some warm blankets?’

‘O-oh, yes; please, come in…’

Nodding encouragingly to the two women, the Doctor followed the old man inside. Grimly, Tegan squeezed Nyssa’s side in a supportive manner, and followed. The door creaked shut behind them.

‘Welcome to my home,’ said the man, as they walked into a large sitting room. It was a rather cluttered place, filled with bookshelves crammed haphazardly with old tomes. A couple of slightly dusty-looking sofas adorned the middle of the room. Several test-tubes lolled on a desk, which was covered with scattered papers. ‘I’m afraid I don’t normally have visitors, so you’ll have to excuse the mess. You know how it is, being on your own and focused on work.’

‘I know the feeling,’ the Doctor replied. ‘I’m the Doctor, that’s Tegan, and the young woman who is currently feeling the worst for wear is Nyssa.’

‘Professor Brockenfeld,’ the old man said, smiling kindly at Nyssa and Tegan. ‘And it’s a pleasure.’

‘Oh, you’re a scientist?’ exclaimed the Doctor, now squinting at the titles of the books on the shelves.

‘Yes!’ exclaimed Brockenfeld, eyes widening in excitement. ‘My current field of specialty is preventative medicine, you see. All throughout the galaxy, people want to live longer and healthier. So I’m currently researching scientific means beyond the usual diet-and-exercise that is normally recommended.’

‘Fascinating,’ said the Doctor, keenly. ‘Gosh, it’s wonderful to meet another scientist. Nyssa, weren’t you looking into preventative medicine a while back?’

In response, Nyssa gave another squeeze. Tegan glared at the Doctor reproachfully. However, the time lord didn’t seem to notice, and instead launched into a lengthily discussion with Brockenfeld about the various aspects of his research.

Tegan rolled her eyes.

‘Can you understand what they’re saying?’

‘Mostly,’ Nyssa said, thickly. ‘But I’m afraid I won’t contribute much to the conversation.’

‘That’s more than I can. C’mon; let’s see if we can find a kitchen and get you warmed up; that rain chilled you to the bone…’

*

The kitchen was thankfully not too far away.

It was a bit tidier than the rest of the house, and reminded Tegan somewhat of recreations of Victorian-era kitchens that she’d seen during history class in school. Well, except the various machines that kept steaming randomly. Tegan gently eased Nyssa into a chair, and then doubled back to an airing cupboard they had passed on the way.

She pulled several thick, warm blankets out from the wooden shelf sat above the boiler, and hurried back to Nyssa. She quickly wrapped several of the blankets around Nyssa, who gave a contended sigh of gratitude.

Now… hot drinks were in order.

On the plus side, the kettle did not steam randomly, and barely a minute later, Tegan had poured out two mugs of hot chocolate, one of which she gently placed into Nyssa’s hands.

The Trakenite gave a soft moan as she slowly digested the warm drink.

‘Better?’ Tegan said, smiling as she sat down next to the younger woman at the table.

Nyssa nodded.

‘Thank you, Tegan,’ she said, returning the smile. ‘You’re always so lovely to me.’

Tegan shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious.

‘Hey, what are best friends for, eh?’

Nyssa’s cheeks turned a healthy pink hue as she grinned.

‘Oh, Tegan…’ she said, eyelashes fluttering. ‘Am I really your best friend?’

Tegan wished Nyssa would stop smiling at her like that; it wasn’t doing her heart any good to see the undisguised joy on the younger woman’s face.

‘No-one better,’ Tegan said. ‘I… you mean so much to me, Nyssa.’

‘I imagine probably roughly the same as you do to me.’

Tegan doubted that very much, but she decided not to say anything. It wasn’t Nyssa’s fault that Tegan had fallen in love with her, after all. Well, technically, it was her fault, but Tegan could hardly hold that against Nyssa. If anything, she held it against herself for continuing to pine for the sweet, kind woman who clearly saw Tegan purely as her platonic best friend. 

*

Once they had finished their drinks, and when Nyssa was thankfully warming up, Tegan had suggested that they head back to the Doctor and Brockenfeld. However, Nyssa had then suggested that they take a detour.

‘Are you sure it’s alright for us to be walking around?’

‘I don’t see why it wouldn’t be; Brockenfeld did welcome us in, after all.’

Tegan looked around. The corridors of the castle were uncomfortably dark, even with the pale electric lanterns that dotted the walls at regular intervals. The darkness was… heavy here, as if the light was intruding on it at its own risk. Tegan also felt uncomfortable speaking loudly. It almost felt like the castle itself was listening in on them. An uncomfortable shiver went up her spine.

‘You’re braver than me, in that case.’

‘I’m not as brave as you, Tegan.’

‘You always say that, but didn’t you hold up the high council of Gallifrey at gunpoint?’

Nyssa flushed. In the half-light, the effect was rather wonderful.

‘How did you-’

‘The Doctor told me,’ Tegan said, trying not to think about how cute Nyssa looked whilst blushing. ‘You’re a bit of a dark horse, aren’t you, Nys?’

‘What… what does that mean?’

‘A bit different than initial appearances would suggest.’

‘Oh,’ Nyssa said. ‘Er… what is my initial appearance, then?’

‘Cute as a button and twice as adorable. Too good for this world.’

‘Oh, Tegan…’

Nyssa was now smiling fondly at her. Tegan felt her own face flush.

‘W-well, it’s true,’ she stammered. ‘You are cute. Cutest woman I’ve ever met, and all…’

‘I would have thought you were cuter, Tegan.’

‘Now you’re just trying to make me flustered.’

‘Is it working?’ Nyssa giggled. ‘You do look pretty when you’re blushing, Tegan.’

‘Oh, ha ha…’

Tegan reached out and put her arm around Nyssa’s shoulders, pulling the younger woman closer to her. The Trakenite let out a happy sigh.

‘Thank you,’ Nyssa said, softly. ‘You’re so sweet, Tegan.’

The two walked in silence for a while, before coming to the end of the corridor. A large door -open- stood in front of them.

Nyssa smiled at Tegan, and the Australian found herself being pulled by the hand into the room.

*

The room -or laboratory, as it clearly seemed to be- was mainly covered in large work benches, which were themselves covered in all manner of scientific instruments. On one long wall, bottles of brightly coloured liquids bubbled away, as if on a slow simmer. Tegan bent down to examine one of them; even from a distance, it smelled vaguely of gone-off cheese.

‘Geez, what do you reckon all this stuff is?’

‘I suppose it’s part of the professors research,’ Nyssa replied. ‘If he’s trying to prevent diseases, then it would make sense to investigate animals with different immune systems to humanoid creatures.’

Tegan nodded, as she continued looking. There appeared to be two huge vents in the ceiling, one of each end of the room. At present, both seemed to have grates covering the entrance to each. Strange, Tegan thought. For ventilation, perhaps?

‘Bit Hammer Horror, isn’t it?’

‘Er… what?’

Tegan cursed her own ignorance.

‘Sorry, Nys; it’s a series of films on Earth.’

‘Oh.’ Nyssa said, with a nod. She didn’t seem hurt by Tegan’s forgetfulness. That she’d forgotten Nyssa wasn’t human, again. ‘Are they any good?’

‘The TARDIS probably has some; I don’t know if they’d be your thing, though. Bit scary.’

‘Scary?’

‘I… oh, I’m explaining this badly. Horror films are films that you watch to deliberately scare yourself.’

Nyssa stared at her, perplexed.

‘Why would you do that?’

‘Er… it’s kinda thrilling, I guess,’ Tegan replied, lamely. ‘And… well, when you watch it with friends, it can be fun.’

‘Oh, I see!’ Nyssa said, eyes widening with apparent understanding. ‘It’s an earth bonding activity, yes? Well, I’d be happy to do that with you, Tegan. As… as long as you don’t mind me holding your hand during?’

Tegan knew fully well that she wouldn’t mind that at all.

‘S-sure,’ she stammered. This was bad, this was bad. ‘I’d gonna go check this bit out…’

There was a portion of the room that was separated off from the rest. Almost like a bunker of sorts, with thick panels. The door stood open.

Tegan headed inside. There was a panel located just inside, looking out over the room. The panel itself was covered in buttons and levers, all of which seemed to be connected to different wires, that ran down into the ground.

TEST 3624 ENGAGED!

Tegan swung around, shocked at the robotic voice that had spoken out of the speakers set into the roof of the booth. The door slammed shut behind her.

Nyssa hurried over, and stared at her friend through the glass of the booth.

‘Tegan?’

‘Nys, there’s some sort of test happening!’ Tegan yelled, through the thick glass. ‘You need to find Brockenfeld and get him to turn it off!’

‘I will!’ Nyssa said, eyes wide with concern. ‘I’ll be back soon!’

The Trakenite hurried across the room but, as she got halfway to the door, there was a horrible… horrible sound.

The sounds of the grates being opened, as if automatically. The door to the laboratory swung shut. 

Nyssa spun round, confused, and her eyes met Tegan’s.

And then they heard it.

Out of one of the huge grates, there was a noise. It was low level at first, but it grew louder by the second, increasing with each passing moment. It was a ghastly, haunting sound. It was a sound that gnawed at the primordial corners of the human psyche. The sound that had terrified Tegan’s distant ancestors, way back in the mists of time. Of a multitude of animals all screeching at once.

Before Tegan’s horrified eyes, a black cloud of bats erupted from out of the duct. Hundreds of them, wings flapping wildly, each of them screeching at the tops of their voices. And heading straight for the Trakenite woman stood in the centre of the laboratory.

‘Nyssa!’

The bats swarmed around the Trakenite, who gave a great cry of surprise. The bats were so great in number that Nyssa vanished inside the buzzing mass of them all. There was a sickening thud as the Trakenite dropped to the floor.

Tegan cried, banging her hands on the glass, ignoring the pain that came with it. She had to do something! Her mind buzzed with terror.

Thinking widely, she turned and began to press buttons on the control panel.

TEST 3624 TERMINATED!

The bats fled out of the second shaft, leaving the crumpled form of Nyssa lying on the ground.

The door to the control room (as Tegan now understood it to be) swung open, as did the main door of the laboratory, and Tegan charged out, running straight for Nyssa.

Dropping to her knees, Tegan turned the Trakenite over. Was… was she…

Tegan’s brain refused to contemplate the end of that sentence. A universe without Nyssa was too horrible a prospect to consider.

Nyssa’s head lolled on her shoulders, eyes closed. Her face was horribly pale, but…

Thank goodness; she was breathing!

Tegan’s pulse calmed slightly, but only a little. Nyssa was clearly much the worst for wear, and she needed medical attention immediately.

No broken bones…no bruises aside from the one on her leg from where she had landed on the stone tiles… no visible signs of trauma…

Tegan’s eyes swept over her friend, quickly assessing the situation.

Unfortunately, maybe a little too quickly.

Because, as she checked Nyssa’s breathing, Tegan failed to notice the marks. Barely visible, just under the collar of Nyssa’s shirt, were several bite marks in the white flesh of her neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tegan immediately turned round. Nyssa, wearing the dressing gown Tegan had left outside the bathroom, had reappeared. She did look a little better, although Tegan was startled to see that, if anything, she looked even more pale than before.

‘Feeling better?’ the Doctor asked, as she entered the room.

Nyssa nodded, absentmindedly.

Without thinking, the Australian hurried across the room and put an arm around her friend’s shoulder, giving her a rub on the upper arm. The Trakenite seemed to freeze slightly where she stood, and blinked quickly.

‘Nys, you okay?’ Tegan said, gently. ‘Good grief, you’re freezing cold! That bath barely warmed you up at all; let’s get you another mug of hot chocolate…’

Nyssa nodded, and allowed herself to be steered into a nearby chair.

A few moments later, Tegan returned, carrying a large mug of hot chocolate.

‘Here you go,’ she said, quickly passing it into Nyssa’s hands and sitting down beside her. ‘Get that down you, and then I think we all best turn in for the night.’

‘Thank you, Tegan,’ Nyssa said, quietly. ‘I… I really appreciate it.’

Tegan smiled, and nudged the younger woman gently with her shoulder.

‘Hey, what are best friends for, eh?’ Tegan then turned to Brockenfeld. ‘Professor, do you have any spare bedrooms that me and Nyssa can use for the night?’

‘Oh, you can use the room that my daughter stays in when she visits,’ said the professor, shooting a kindly smile at Nyssa. ‘I’m afraid it’s the only other room, but the bed is quite large, so I’m sure you’ll both be comfortable.’

‘I… I see,’ Nyssa said.

‘J-just the one room?’ Tegan said, with a slight stumble. The Australian’s face had suddenly turned a little pink. ‘I-I mean, of course I don’t mind but where will the Doc sleep-’

‘Oh, Time Lords don’t need much sleep,’ the Doctor said, airily. ‘I’ll stay up and read my way through these books. Fascinating subject matter by the way, professor.’

Deciding that any hopes of not sharing a bed with Nyssa were not futile, Tegan swallowed her flusteredness, and quickly changed the subject.

‘Professor, are there any other night-things that I could wear?’ she asked. ‘I hate to impose, but-’

‘Oh, no need to apologise,’ Brockenfeld replied. ‘Yes, my daughter keeps a lot of nightdresses in that room; I believe they were all washed just the other day, so you’re welcome to borrow one for the night.’

‘That’s good. Tegan’s feet do get ever so cold in bed if she’s not wearing thick nightclothes,’ Nyssa said, before turning to Tegan. ‘Do you remember I said about it last week; your feet were like icicles…’

Tegan felt her face burn. However, neither Brockenfeld nor the Doctor seemed to find Nyssa’s phrasing remotely peculiar, so she didn’t object. She instead picked up one of the professors books that had been left on the table nearby, and began to flick through it. Not being to focus on any of the words, of course.

On a few occasions, yes, she had shared a bed with Nyssa. Normally when one of them was having bad dreams.

That was what Tegan told herself, every time. Otherwise she’d never be able to get a wink of sleep. Of course, the sounds of a gently sleeping Nyssa was pretty relaxing, but her heart did ache nonetheless.

Well, it wasn’t Nyssa’s fault that Tegan had a one-sided longing for her. For all Tegan knew, it was a perfectly acceptable part of Traken culture to share a bed with your best friend. After all, they had shared a bed on Castrovalva, and they had barely known each other for a day by that point.

Tegan tried not to think too much about that last one. It had an irritating habit of making her hope for… well, something that she knew would never happen-

‘Ouch!’

Tegan placed the book on the table, and stared at her finger. Bloody papercut.

Nyssa’s eyes focused on the trickle of blood dripping down Tegan’s finger. The Trakenite seemed to freeze, taking a sharp intake of breath.

‘Shows you how unlucky I am’ Tegan said, with a playful nudge at Nyssa. ‘The Doctor reads a whole library and doesn’t get a single papercut. But I only have to look at a single page and I’m practically bleeding out..’

Tegan trailed off because, at that moment, Nyssa had put her lips around the papercut and sucked.

Her huge grey-green eyes fluttered shut as she did so, and a look of contentment passed over her face.

Tegan’s heart seemed to fly into her mouth, and she stared -utterly awestruck- as Nyssa continued to suck on her finger. Oh, no. This was bad. This was bad.

‘Er… N-Nyssa?’

The Trakenites face instantly turned a shade of deep magenta, and she pulled away, wiping her mouth.

‘S-sorry, Tegan,’ Nyssa stammered, looking away. ‘I don’t know what came over me.’

Tegan felt her heart continue to beat furiously against her chest. Something was definitely up with Nyssa.

*

The bedroom was surprisingly opulent. Tegan had, truth be told, expecting a rather ratty looking spare room, the sort used by people who had guests stay over maybe once a year; more used for storage than as a comfortable living space. But this room was possibly the least scuzzy room in the castle that she had seen thus far.

A large four-poster double bed dominated the room, with curtains withdrawn, revealing an invitingly soft red ensemble, with multiple throw pillows dotted around. Two bedside tables accompanied it. A chest of drawers of rich mahogany -and a matching wardrobe- completed the set. There was even a large screen stood near the wall for changing. Of course, one wall -the one against which the bed was placed was made up mostly of windows, against which the rain and sleet outside hammered.

Tegan placed the lantern on one of the bedside tables, and quickly drew the dark red curtains.

Nyssa sat down on the large double bed, and began to remove the dressing gown she had wrapped around her. Tegan ignore the explosion of butterflies in her stomach, and quickly marched over to the chest of drawers. She rooted through a couple of compartments, before finding the one containing the nightdresses that the professor had mentioned.

She pulled one out, and turned, where-

Tegan’s heart gave a stutter.

Nyssa was brushing her long mane of hair, the warm brown tresses laying softly against her neck and shoulders. Her eyes were half-closed as she worked, and… Tegan had to make a conscious effort not to stare down any lower. Tegan had known that the nightdress she had left outside the bathroom door for Nyssa was of a pale white, but she had never expected it to be so… sheer. And… was the front really that loose?

 Tegan swallowed.

‘Er, I’ll just…’

She awkwardly motioned to the screen. Nyssa looked up, and nodded. Despite the two of them sharing a room, the Trakenite didn’t think anything of Tegan’s bashfulness.

A few moments later, Tegan slipped the nightdress over her head, and pulled it down. It was mercifully not as sheer as the one Nyssa had one, although Tegan did make sure to do up the front as much as she could. Granted, it probably would have looked nicer on Nyssa, given how pretty and womanly she-

Tegan ignored the spike in confused emotions that temporarily overwhelmed her gut, but she knew the mix well. Attraction mixed with a certain amount of self-loathing. Nothing new there.

She brushed her short hair out of her eyes, and stepped out from behind the screen, carrying her clothes in her arms. She had already brushed her teeth earlier, so that was one less thing to worry about.

Nyssa was already lying under the covers, and gave a small smile as Tegan appeared. The Australian quickly placed her clothes on the dresser nearby, and approached the bed. She then turned the lantern down and crawled under the covers. Without a moments hesitation, the Trakenite moved over, so that she was lying directly next to Tegan, with barely a few inches between them.

Tegan ignored the way Nyssa’s scent became entangled around her, but it was rather difficult, given the situation.

‘So… Tegan said, turning on her side to face Nyssa. ‘Weird day, huh?’

‘I suppose.’

Something about the younger woman’s tone grew Tegan’s attention.

‘Nyssa, are you sure you’re alright? You’ve been quiet ever since you had your bath.’

‘I-I’m fine,’ Nyssa replied, quickly. ‘Just tired, that’s all-’

‘Good grief!’ Tegan said, putting a hand on Nyssa’s arm. ‘Nys, how have you managed to get colder?’

‘I feel perfectly healthy.’

‘No, you bloody well don’t!’ Tegan exclaimed. ‘Hang on, let me grab another blanket; you’re practically frozen already…’

‘No, Tegan; it’s not necessary!’

But the Australian duly climbed out from under the covers, crossed the room to the wardrobe, and pulled out several blankets stored in the drawers. She quickly hurried back to the bed, and proceeded to lay each down over Nyssa. She then drew the curtains of the four-poster around the bed, and slipped inside, closing them behind her.

‘There!’ Tegan said, triumphantly, as she climbed back under the covers and assorted blankets. ‘You’ll be warm in no time.’

Tegan moved along the mattress, and wrapped her arms around Nyssa, bringing their bodies close together. Her earlier flusteredness had gone, in the face of needing to help Nyssa get warm. There was nothing wrong with this, surely? After all, body heat was an excellent way of warming someone up. Besides, the two of them had cuddled in the past, so this wasn’t new territory for them.

The younger woman seemed to let out a low sigh, and leaned back into Tegan.

‘Better?’ Tegan whispered, into Nyssa’s ear.

There was a pause, and then the Trakenite nodded softly.

‘Thank you,’ she breathed. ‘I… oh, Tegan, you really do care far too much for me.’

‘Nothing’s too much for you,’ Tegan replied, her voice barely audible. ‘Nothing, Nyssa. You understand?’

In the half-light, Tegan could have sworn that Nyssa’s cheeks had flushed. But she knew that it was just wishful thinking.

*

Nyssa was dimly aware of a warmth somewhere her stomach.

As she dwelled on this thought, it occurred to her that she was not alone.

Tegan’s arms were around Nyssa, and their lips were pressed against each other.

The Australian was soft and gentle against Nyssa’s mouth, and their legs were intertwined, arms laced behind the others backs. Tegan seemed to be sat in Nyssa’s lap, and their nightdresses were hanging loosely from their shoulders, although Nyssa didn’t remember undoing the front of hers.  

Nyssa’s heart swelled to bursting point, and her brain whirled as she tried to understand what was happening.

‘Nyssa…’

Nyssa blinked and, with a shock, she realised that Tegan was no longer wearing her nightdress, even though Nyssa could have sworn that she had been wearing it barely a few seconds before.

‘Nyssa…’ the Australian breathed, huskily. ‘I’m ready for you…’

Nyssa found herself quite unable to tear her eyes away from the woman in front of her. Tegan sat, quite comfortably, in Nyssa’s lap, and Nyssa was suddenly struck by the realisation that she was also no longer wearing her night-things. The Trakenite felt heat pool between her legs, drifting downwards from below her stomach. The combination of her close proximity to Tegan and the lack of any clothing between them was… well, Nyssa exactly what it was, and the Australian clearly did too.

With a gentle giggle, Tegan leaned backwards, landing softly on the mattress, and pulling Nyssa with her.

Tegan’s neck extended as she lay down fully, wrapping her hands around Nyssa’s back, and Nyssa leaned forward, feeling her teeth extend. As the older woman gave a soft moan, Nyssa’s fangs sunk into the gentle flesh of Tegan’s-

No!

Nyssa awoke with a start.

Her body felt it was on fire. She could feel every pore of her skin covered in sweat. Outside, the storm continued, with clashes of thunder and lightning every few seconds, and the rain pounded against the windows.

Gasping, Nyssa sat up in bed, throwing the covers off and hoisting the four-poster curtains aside. That was not a normal dream! While she had dreamt of Tegan before, both of them had always been fully clothed before, and certainly there had never been any biting involved. Good grief, the… the way that the two of them had…

Had she really dreamed about biting Tegan on her… on her…

Nyssa felt her face flush.

She turned up the flame in the lantern, and took a large mouthful of water from the glass on the bedside table.

‘Nys?’

Slowly, Nyssa turned to look at the woman lying next to her. Tegan looked beautiful in the soft light of the lantern, and the Australian was staring at Nyssa with concern. Nyssa ignored the way that the soft fabric of the nightdress hung off of Tegan, and the way her hair was now adorably bed-rumpled. It really wasn’t fair, Nyssa thought, butterflies dancing in her stomach.

‘You okay?’ Tegan asked, leveraging herself up on her elbow.

Nyssa nodded, and swallowed the water. She turned back to Tegan, who put her hand out to rest on Nyssa’s arm.

‘I… I had a rather strange dream.’

‘Not surprising, given where we are right now,’ Tegan said, softly. ‘It’s okay, I’ve got you…’

Nyssa put her arms around Tegan, and rested her head on the Australian’s shoulder, letting out a sigh.

‘Oh, Tegan…’ she breathed. ‘I… oh, I don’t know how to explain it.’

‘You’re smart as anything, Nys; I’m sure you can.’

‘No,’ Nyssa sighed, before taking her head off Tegan’s shoulders and looking her friend directly in the face. When would she ever get a chance like this again? ‘Unless… unless it’s a common platonic Earthling practice to dream about kissing your best friend.’

The effect was instantaneous. Tegan’s whole body went rigid, and her hand on Nyssa’s arm froze. In the half-light of the room, Nyssa saw the Australian’s eyes widen, and her mouth half-open.

‘P-pretty sure it isn’t, Nys.’

Tegan’s eyes then flicked down and away, and Nyssa felt her heart ache again.

‘Tegan, you’re doing it again.’

‘Doing what again?’ Tegan asked, still resolutely looking down at her lap. ‘C’mon, let’s get back to sleep-’

‘Tegan! Will you just… look at me, please?’

The Australian looked up at the sound of her earnest tone, and Nyssa fixed Tegan with a pleading stare.

‘Nyssa?’

‘We’re sharing a bed together, I’ve got my arms around you, I just admitted that I dreamt about kissing you, I can hear your pulse accelerating and you… you…’

Tegan began to look away again, but Nyssa gripped her tightly.

‘Tegan, stop…’ Nyssa whispered, softly. ‘Please… whenever I try and make my feelings clear, you always pull away…’

The Australian froze.

‘N-Nyssa, what do you mean?’

‘Tegan, I… do you really not see how much I care for you?’ Nyssa said, feeling tears already forming in her eyes as she moved to stare at Tegan. ‘I’ve seen the way you look at me-’

‘W-what?’ Tegan exclaimed, face suddenly flushing. ‘You… you know?’

‘Tegan, of course I know; I have eyes!’ -Nyssa’s cheeks were now streaked with tears- ‘It’s the same way that I look at you, for Traken’s sake! I know that your time period insists that the way you love is shameful, but it isn’t, Tegan! It isn’t! And I’m sick of you hating yourself for something that is so… so wonderful!’

Tegan was staring at her, eyes wide and mouth open.

‘Nyssa…’

‘Can’t you let yourself be happy? P-please?’

Tears began to slowly drip the Australian’s cheeks, and she wrapped her arms around Nyssa, one hand on the back of her head. The two women pulled tight together. Tegan cradled Nyssa to her, as if terrified to be parted from her.

‘Oh, N-Nyssa…’ Tegan sobbed. ‘Oh… oh, god…’

‘It’s okay…’ Nyssa replied, tears still sliding down her own face. ‘Oh, Tegan…’

The two women cradled each other for a while, softly murmuring each other’s names, drawing comfort from the presence and care of the other. The only other sounds they could hear was the pounding of rain against the windows, and the claps of thunder and lightning outside.

‘Sweet Tegan,’ Nyssa said, once both their tears had stopped falling. She cupped Tegan’s cheek with her hand. ‘I… I didn’t know that your culture was so… unkind. I was so horrified when I discovered the full extent of it.’

‘I… I didn’t want to bring it up,’ Tegan mumbled, miserably. ‘That I felt something more for you. Thought I was just hoping for something impossible.’

‘Never. Tegan, I’ve adored you from the moment we first. You remember, back on Logopolis? I thought you got all flustered when we shared that bed on Castrovalva but… you always avoided talking about it. I understand now that you thought it was… wrong somehow. I’m… I’m sorry if I ever tried to push you when you weren’t ready.’

‘I am ready,’ Tegan said. ‘I… oh, Nyssa; I’ve adored you since then too. Thought I was losing my mind when the Doc left me at Heathrow; it was as if I’d lost you forever.’

‘You didn’t,’ Nyssa said, before pressing a gentle kiss to Tegan’s cheek. ‘Oh, my darling…’

Their eyes met.

There was a peck of lips against lips. The two women giggled softly.

‘Wanted to do that for a long time,’ Tegan chuckled.

‘Me too. Oh, Tegan…’

Their lips met again, and this time it was far less chaste. Tegan’s hands began emmeshed in Nyssa’s hair, while Nyssa’s hands worked at the front of Tegan’s nightdress. A few seconds later, the material was loosened, and the nightie slipped off Tegan’s shoulder, exposing soft, tanned skin. The Australian gave an excited shiver as Nyssa’s hands began to explore.

‘Tegan…’ Nyssa breathed, voice husky. ‘I… I need…’

Tegan gazed at her, chest heaving under Nyssa’s wonderfully adept hands. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears.

‘W-what do you need?’

Nyssa stared at the woman in front of her.

The answer was obvious.

Nyssa leaned over, and laid her hands softly on Tegan’s shoulders, and pressed a kiss to Tegan’s neck. The shocked Australian gave an exclamation of shock, but was unable to resist the Trakenite as they fell together onto the mattress.

‘Tegan…’ Nyssa breathed, pressing kisses to Tegan’s neck. ‘Tegan… Tegan…’

The Australian stifled a moan. Nyssa’s hands began to roam again, one slipping down her side while the other became emmeshed in Tegan’s hair.  

‘Nyssa…’ she gasped. ‘I… are you sure…’

‘There… is… no… shame… in… this,’ Nyssa breathed, punctuating each word with a kiss against the older woman’s neck and shoulders. ‘Tegan… let… yourself… be… happy…’

‘Nyssa… I…’

‘So hungry…’ Nyssa said, with a moan. ‘Oh, Tegan, I’m so hungry… why am I so hungry…’

There was a crash of thunder, and lightning struck, illuminating the room.

Nyssa’s mouth arched open, and the Trakenite gave a husky growl.

Oh… Tegan thought, feeling her thighs tremble. Oh… oh god…

Before Tegan’s mesmerised eyes, Nyssa’s canines began to lengthen, growing larger and larger until they resembled fangs.

‘Nyssa?’

‘Tegan…’ Nyssa breathed, huskily. Her eyes were alight with adoration, and her hands were as gentle as silk against Tegan’s skin. ‘Oh, Tegan…’

Tegan’s heart ached. Trembling with anticipation, she reached forward and intertwined her fingers with Nyssa’s. The warmth between her legs was growing stronger by the second, sending fire throughout her body and causing her heartrate to accelerate further.

‘Nyssa, what do you want?’

‘I…Tegan… I… I want…’

It didn’t really need to be said.

Tegan swallowed, and then nodded. She pulled her head upwards, extending her neck. Nyssa’s eyes widened, and her hand squeezed Tegan’s fingers.  

‘But… Tegan…’

‘It’s okay,’ Tegan said, voice raspy. ‘Please… I want you to…’

Nyssa slowly bent down, pressing kisses to Tegan’s jaw line and slowly working her way down. Her other hand cupped Tegan’s hip, fingers pressing into the soft flesh under the nightdress. The Trakenite gave a moan against Tegan’s skin, as her mouth continued its exploration. Down she went, pressing kisses and breathing Tegan’s name like a mantra.

Slowly, pressing one last kiss to Tegan’s jawline, Nyssa pulled back slightly, and her other hand slipped up Tegan’s side, to finally rest on her neck. Her touch was gentle beyond comparison, with barely any weight to the gesture at all.

Nyssa’s fangs glinted in the half-light given by the lantern.

Tegan nodded, shivering with anticipation, and her eyes fluttered shut.

Nyssa gave a deep husky growl, and Tegan felt her move.

As the teeth broke gently through Tegan’s skin, the Australian’s head gave an involuntary jolt. A low moan escaped from her mouth, and Tegan’s back arched in ecstasy, Nyssa’s hands now slipping around her to support her, one slipping down to the small of her back; the sensation did little to reduce Tegan’s exhilaration.  

‘O-oh, god…’ Tegan gasped, feeling her toes curl. Her hands gripped the back of Nyssa’s nightie, and the ecstasy became stronger with the feeling of Nyssa’s skin against her own. ‘N-Nyssa… oh, god…’

Nyssa responded with another growl, her mouth warm against Tegan’s skin. Tegan felt her skin tingle deliciously as Nyssa began to suck. Ooh…

Tegan took a heavy breath, and lay back down on the mattress, feeling her heartrate begin to calm. That had been… good grief…

She raised a hand to her brow and wiped the sweat away. Her other hand rested softly against Nyssa’s curls, as the Trakenite slowly removed her fangs from Tegan’s skin. It was only at that moment that Tegan realised that Nyssa had bitten down on… well, it was a little lower than her neck, that was for sure. She supposed that her scrambled brain hadn’t been able to process exactly where on her body that Nyssa’s mouth had landed on. She didn’t seem to be bleeding that much, and it certainly didn’t hurt.

Oh, she could get used to this.

Nyssa’s head pulled away, and Tegan’s hand dropped down onto the mattress.

The Australian opened her eyes.

Nyssa was sat up on the bed. Her own nightdress was now loosened around the front, and the sight of Nyssa’s long curly hair dangling gently against her pale skin was mesmerising. Blood began to drip down her face and neck, staining the nightie a dark red. Her eyes were hungrily trained on Tegan. The Australian gave an enticed shiver, reaching for the spot where Nyssa’s fangs had broken through the skin. It did hurt slightly to touch.

However, as Tegan looked back up, Nyssa blinked and gave a sob.

‘Nys?’

Tegan sat up, and scooted closer, cupping Nyssa’s cheek with her hand. The Trakenites fangs had shrunk somewhat but were still visible, the ends dripping with Tegan’s blood.

‘I… I hurt you…’ Nyssa quavered, and Tegan was horrified to see self-loathing in the Trakenites eyes. ‘I… I’m so sorry, Tegan… I’m a monster…’

‘Nyssa, no,’ Tegan urged, leaning forwards. ‘You’re not a monster. C’mere, don’t worry, let me-’

‘N-no!’

Nyssa scrambled off the bed, almost in a panic, her eyes wide and fearful. Tegan had never seen the young woman so terrified.

‘Y-you need to stay away from me, Tegan,’ the Trakenite sobbed, trembling. ‘P-please, I… I don’t know what’s happening to me and I… I…’

‘Nyssa!’ Tegan exclaimed. ‘You haven’t hurt me, and I was fine with you biting me regardless; please, it’s okay.’

Nyssa’s eyes flickered and, a few moments later, the young woman rose a few feet off the floor. Her nightdress billowed slightly below her, as if caught in a wind. Tegan stared at her, mouth hanging open in shocked mesmerisation. 

‘G-goodbye, Tegan,’ Nyssa said, tears still streaking down her cheeks.

‘Nyssa!’

Fleeing from Tegan’s outstretched arm, the Trakenite turned in mid-air and surged through the window with a crash of glass, disappearing into the horrific maelstrom of the storm outside.

~~~~~~~~~

Dun-dun-dun!

Stumbling slightly as she hurried into the room, Tegan tenderly laid Nyssa down on the sofa.

‘Tegan, what on earth has happened?’ The Doctor gasped, rising from the chair he had been sat in, cup of tea forgotten on the floor. ‘What’s wrong with-’

‘A swarm of bats, that’s what happened!’ Tegan exclaimed, eyes flashing dangerously as she turned around. She pointed an accusatory figure at Professor Brockenfeld. ‘What the hell kind of scientist are you, Brockenfeld? Do you normally have bats attack people during your experiments?!’

The professor, looking utterly confused and startled, looked between Tegan and the unconscious Trakenite.

‘My apologies,’ the professor said, looking horrified. ‘I’m normally the only person here, so I didn’t think to warn you not to enter my laboratory.’

‘I’m sure Professor Brockenfeld didn’t intend to cause any harm, Tegan,’ the Doctor said. ‘Now, I really think you need to calm down-’

‘As soon as the storm lets up, we are leaving,’ Tegan said, jabbing a finger against the lapel of the Doctor’s jacket. ‘Goodness knows what else is knocking around this planet; we are getting back to the TARDIS and making sure Nyssa hasn’t been infected with any weird viruses, before anything else happens to her!’

‘Alright, alright…’ the Doctor said, placing hands on Tegan’s shoulders and gently pushing her away. ‘As soon as the rain and wind let up, we’ll be right across the river and back to the TARDIS-’

The River Will Be Impassable Until Tomorrow At The Earliest.

Tegan swung round in shock, at the metallic voice.

A robot had entered the room. It was vaguely human shaped, with two arms and legs. A small circuit pad at its front marked it as some sort of medical droid.

‘Oh, this is Franklin 7,’ explained Brockenfeld, with a rather pointless gesture in the metal creatures direction. ‘My assistant, you see.’

‘Fascinating,’ the Doctor said, staring at the robot. ‘I didn’t realise you were an expert in cybernetics as well-’

‘Nevermind that!’ Tegan exclaimed. ‘What was that about the bridge being out of commission?’

Brockenfeld approached the robot, and pressed a couple of buttons on its front. A few moments later, a piece of paper had been printed out through a slot. Brockenfeld scanned the report, and passed it over to Tegan, whose eyes narrowed as she read it.

‘The bridge is designed to withstand the river bursting its banks,’ the professor said, explaining further. ‘But it will be impassable until the rivers waters subside. I imagine it will take at least twelve hours; that’s a fairly standard amount of time for floods to die down here…’

‘Can we at least contact the nearest town?’ Tegan asked, looking up from the print-out.

‘Afraid not,’ Brockenfeld replied, sadly. ‘All communications tend to go down during storms; I believe it’s something to do with the circuitry for the systems.’

Tegan took a deep breath, and squeezed the bridge of her nose.

‘So, let me get this right,’ she said, slowly, as she turned back to the Doctor. ‘We’re separated from the TARDIS until at least tomorrow morning, in a draughty old castle with no way of communicating the nearest settlement, and with Nyssa possibly infected with an alien disease?’

‘She’s probably not infected-’

‘Then check!’ Tegan yelled, glaring at the time lord. ‘Make sure she’s fine, or so help me, Doctor-’

‘Alright, alright,’ the Doctor said, raising his hands in a calming gesture before turning to Brockenfeld. ‘Er, professor, do you have a medical kit anywhere?’

‘Oh, I believe so, yes; let me just grab it…’

As the professor hurried into the next room, Tegan kneeled down on the floor in front of Nyssa. The younger woman was still unconscious but her breathing seemed to have become a little better.

Tegan reached out and squeezed Nyssa’s hand. She still felt unusually cold to the touch.

‘Your sense of urgency is commendable,’ said Brockenfeld, as he placed the medical kit next to Tegan. ‘You must care for the young lady a great deal.’

‘Of course I bloody do!’ Tegan exclaimed.

‘Tegan, please don’t bite the professor’s head off,’ the Doctor said, setting to work with the stethoscope. ‘And kindly stop yelling; Nyssa needs a calm atmosphere right now.’

Tegan bit back her angry response. Instead, she settled for squeezing Nyssa’s hand softly, staring down at the Trakenite.

The Doctor checked Nyssa’s pulse.

‘Heartrate is a little fast,’ he said, before removing the stethoscopes earpieces. ‘Possibly due to the shock. Did she hurt herself when she fell?’

‘I think she bumped her leg.’

‘That would explain the slight bruise,’ the Doctor said, tilting Nyssa’s chin gently up to clear her airway. ‘Hmm, couple of bite marks here on her neck-’

‘B-bite marks?’ Tegan exclaimed, horrified. ‘Those bats bit her?’

‘Well, it was either the bats or you,’ replied the Doctor, not noticing Tegan’s face suddenly flushing at his words. ‘And, given that humans don’t often bite their close friends, I’m given to suspect the bats are the cause of this.’

‘W-well, yes!’ Tegan stammered. ‘I mean, obviously!’

‘The bats don’t have any venom,’ said Brockenfeld. ‘So you needn’t worry about your friend getting any diseases or infections from the bites. The bats around these parts actually have very good regenerative abilities, hence why I based myself here for research. So it may well be that the young lady finds herself recuperating very quickly.’

‘That’s good to hear, professor. Look, Tegan, I think Nyssa’s through the worst of it,’ said the time lord, climbing back up to his feet. ‘See, she’s coming around already…’

Nyssa’s head moved as she stirred. She gave a small groan of confusion, and her grey-green eyes fluttered open. Her gaze landed on Tegan, and a small smile spread over her face.

‘Oh, thank goodness!’ Tegan said, tears springing to her eyes. She clasped Nyssa’s hand in hers. ‘I… I thought…’

‘You’ll be fine, won’t you, Nyssa,’ the Doctor said, cheerfully. The two women startled, as if realising that they were -in fact- not the only people in the room. ‘Shouldn’t be anything to worry about; some rest and recuperation, and you’ll be right as rain!’

‘I… I suppose I do feel better,’ Nyssa said, nodding at the Doctor. ‘Thank you, Doctor- oh, Tegan, you’re crying!’

‘I-I’m fine,’ Tegan croaked, quickly wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her jumper. ‘Really. You probably need to have a wash after all that; I’ll find a bathroom for Nyssa to get freshened up in. Professor, is there one nearby…’

She removed her hand quickly from Nyssa’s, leaving the Trakenite clutching air. With a brittle smile, the Australian hurried out of the room, Brockenfeld hurrying behind in her wake.

Nyssa frowned slightly, staring after Tegan. Oh, dear…

 This always seemed to happen.

‘How did I get in here?’ Nyssa asked, turning her gaze back to the Doctor, who was examining one of the professors bookshelves. The time lord didn’t appear to have noticed the awkward scene that had played out between his two young friends. ‘The last thing I remember were those bats circling me…’

‘Oh, Tegan carried you here,’ the Doctor said, airily. ‘Gave us quite a shock, she did; bursting through the doors with you in her arms. She was very concerned about you.’

‘O-oh,’ Nyssa said, slowly. ‘I… I see. I ought to thank her.’

Nyssa sat up, and gingerly felt her forehead.

‘Still a little clammy, I expect,’ the Doctor explained. ‘Shock, most likely. Do the bite marks hurt at all?’

Nyssa absentmindedly reached a hand to her neck, and felt at the small wounds on her skin. She didn’t seem to be bleeding, but she felt a spasm of mild pain as her fingers brushed against the bite marks.

‘A little, yes,’ Nyssa said, slowly swinging her legs down onto the floor. She got to her feet, feeling a little unsteady but otherwise fine. ‘Is there any antiseptic cream in the medical kit?’

‘I believe so,’ the Doctor said.

Nyssa searched through the kit, before locating the cream and gently applying it to the bite marks. The pain didn’t go, but the irritation seem sooth somewhat.

‘I best go find Tegan…’

The Doctor nodded, and Nyssa left the room, feeling better with every step.

*

Nyssa passed Brockenfeld in the corridor, and he directed her further along. Nyssa had to admit, she was finding this place less and less enjoyable to be in by the moment. While her chill from earlier had mostly gone, she still felt rather out-of-sorts.

After a minute of walking along, she found a half-open door.

And Tegan Jovanka bending down on the floor. Nyssa felt her cheeks flush and she hastily looked away, giving a soft cough to indicate her presence.

The Australian had clearly been doing some cleaning around the bathroom she had found, and she smiled quickly at Nyssa as she climbed to her feet.

‘Toothbrush and toothpaste is just here by the sink. I made sure to get the place all spick-and-span for you,’ Tegan said, pulling the bath curtain aside. ‘The professor mentioned that his daughter sometimes stays here, so I asked him if you could use one of her nightdresses.’

Nyssa nodded, with a small smile, as she noticed the garment laid neatly nearby.

‘Thank you, Tegan,’ she said, quietly. ‘You’re so kind to me.’

Tegan waved a hand airily.

‘It’s fine; you’d do the same for me, after all.’

‘Of course I would.’

Tegan reached out and gently squeezed Nyssa’s upper arm. She leaned forward, eyes gentle.

‘You sure you’re okay?’

Nyssa nodded, feeling her face flush at the sudden physical contact.

‘I think so,’ she said. ‘Like the Doctor explained, I think I’ll be fine once I’ve rested and gotten over the shock.’

‘That’s good. You… you really scared me,’ Tegan said, quietly. ‘I… I thought I’d lost you for a minute there.’

Nyssa was startled to see tears form in Tegan’s eyes again.

‘Oh, Tegan…’

Without thinking, Nyssa pulled her friend into a close hug, wrapping her arms around the Australian’s back. Shaking slightly, Tegan’s own hands moved around Nyssa, holding her close.

Thump.

Nyssa bit back a gasp. Why… why had her heartrate suddenly increased? She’d hugged Tegan many times in the past, and her pulse had never risen that sharply. Something felt… different.

‘S-sorry,’ Tegan sobbed, clearly not noticing Nyssa’s internal confusion. ‘I… I just-’

‘It’s okay,’ Nyssa said, pulling back slightly and cupping Tegan’s face with her hand. ‘I’m here, Tegan. I’m not going anywhere.’

The Australian gave a watery smile.

‘Okay. I’ll… I’ll leave you to have your bath.’

‘Thank you, again,’ Nyssa said. ‘I… I really do appreciate all you do, Tegan. Truly.’

The Australian smiled, leaning slightly into Nyssa’s left hand, which was still softly cupping her face. But a moment later, she seemed to realise what she was doing, and pulled back. With a quick (but brittle) smile, Tegan left the bathroom, the door closing behind her.

Nyssa stared after her, brain awash with emotions.

Of course, she knew that Tegan could only let herself be happy for a while before she pulled away. Yet again. Nyssa was sadly becoming used to this, and she hated it.

Sighing, Nyssa set to drawing herself a bath. Once the tub had been filled to a decent amount, Nyssa folded her clothes neatly into a stack on top of the wicker basket nearby, and then climbed into the bath.

She let out a long exhalation of breath as she sunk under the wonderfully warm water. She could already feel the cold in her bones slowly receding, and her eyes fluttered shut.

Unfortunately, her brain refused to relax as well, and instead lingered on the image of Tegan’s face contorting as she had removed her head quickly from Nyssa’s hand.

It was all so complicated. Nyssa knew that Tegan cared deeply for her, and sometimes she would catch the older woman staring at her, eyes full of a softness that took Nyssa’s breath away. But every time, Tegan would quickly look away once she realised she had been discovered, as if terrified of what that could mean.

This had puzzled and upset Nyssa for a while. She had even gone to the TARDIS databanks and looked up courtship rituals for humans from Tegan’s time period, just to make sure that she was making her intentions clear. Hand-holding, close physical contact, words of affection; it was all textbook. So why was Tegan seemingly so hesitant for Nyssa to know that her own feelings for the Australian were requited?

Of course, Nyssa was a scientist first and foremost, so she had researched more into the culture of Tegan’s homeland. Surely, there must have been some reason why Tegan seemed so hesitant to make her feelings overt? A reason why Tegan didn’t think that romantic feelings between two women could be displayed openly?

There was a reason.

Nyssa had been reduced to tears over the TARDIS console.

Oh, Tegan…

No wonder the older woman was seemingly so terrified. She had come from a culture where, not only was romance between two women not considered acceptable, but was also the subject of persecution and outright hostility.

Nyssa felt her heart ache. When she had returned to her room on the TARDIS, she had pulled Tegan wordlessly into a hug and broke down completely on her shoulder. The Australian, utterly shocked and confused, had simply patted Nyssa on the back until the Trakenite felt able to speak.

Nyssa had wanted nothing more than to tell Tegan right-there-and-then that love -her love- was not shameful and was instead a thing of great beauty and wonder. But… but she knew that it wasn’t that easy. Tegan had grown up in a culture that had repeatedly told her that simply being herself was not an option. It would take a long time for that mindset to change.

Even if Tegan clearly cared for Nyssa in much the same way as Nyssa did for her.

It broke Nyssa’s heart.

*

As the water began to become lukewarm, Nyssa stood up and pulled out the plug. As the water began to recede, she climbed out and began to dry herself off with a towel.

She did feel a lot better now, although she still found her heart beating uncomfortably. Nyssa supposed it was probably due to a mixture of the shock from the days events, as well as her heartache over Tegan.

I just wish I knew how to help, she thought, sadly.

She wiped away the layer of condensation away from the mirror, and-

Nyssa gasped.

No. No, it wasn’t possible.

The mirror must be broken.

How else could she not see herself reflected in it?

Surely it was some sort of joke mirror that the professor had bought by mistake. Because mirrors were generally not in the habit of not showing people who were clearly stood right in front of said-mirror.

Nyssa frowned. Oh, well.

She pulled her pocket-brush out of her shorts, and set to work on her hair. Nyssa had always found her hair rather difficult to manage but, since travelling on the TARDIS, she had gotten better at getting it to cooperate.

Of course, she had also had Tegan’s help with that. The Australian always knew how to reach those annoying parts around the back that Nyssa had always found impossible to tame. Nyssa smiled at the thought; she wished Tegan was here now, but -given that she was only wearing a towel- maybe it was for the best that the Australian wasn’t here. Poor Tegan had a habit of turning scarlet whenever she saw Nyssa in a state of undress. And Nyssa had noticed that, since she’d been wearing her shorts, Tegan’s eyes often trailed down her thighs, seemingly of their own accord.

Nyssa ignored the happy tremor in her heartbeat as she spread toothpaste on the brush. She knew it wasn’t fair, but she couldn’t help but enjoy the clear effect she had on Tegan.

Nyssa sighed. She wasn’t given to vanity, but… oh, if only Tegan could realise that -not only were her feelings for Nyssa perfectly wonderful- but that they were also returned wholeheartedly by Nyssa herself. It would be so lovely-

Crack!

What the-

Nyssa pulled the toothbrush from her mouth. The head of it was hanging by a thread. But she had only closed her mouth slightly to reach the teeth at the back. She automatically looked at the mirror, before remembering that it was malfunctioning and gave an irritated huff. She threw the mangled toothbrush into the bin; probably made with subpar materials, she supposed.

Nyssa felt her mouth. It almost felt like…

Had her canines grown?

That wasn’t a Trakenite characteristic, she was fairly certain. But, then again, she was the last of her people; it was entirely possible that secondary and tertiary characteristics were being activated due to her time aboard the TARDIS. She should probably ask the Doctor.

Nyssa spat out the toothpaste, dried her mouth with a hand towel. and pulled the nightdress over her head. It had been a very long day; she was probably just tired.

She had just turned to face the door when-

Her sense of smell exploded. She was suddenly keenly aware of a strong fragrance, wafting underneath the door. It was… flowery, and yet mingled with sweat. Human sweat.

Stumbling slightly, Nyssa found her mouth widening. She put a hand on the door, steading herself and letting out a gasp. What… how… why…

The scent was getting stronger, and the Trakenite felt her heard swirl as she struggled to stand. Nyssa could now make out hints of shampoo mingled with mud, of saliva mixed with strawberries, and of… of…

Tegan.

It was Tegan’s scent.

An animalistic growl escaped Nyssa’s lips, and she crammed her hands against her mouth. She could feel a deep hunger growing within her, and her thighs gave a shiver under the thin, flowing material of the nightdress. Her palms began to sweat and Nyssa screwed up her eyes, feeling her body continue its heady mix of sudden emotions and exhilarating urges. Wrestling with this, Nyssa felt her fingers scrape against the wooden panelling of the door. She could almost hear… splinters flying off?

Surely, that was impossible. Trakenites internal strength was roughly similar to that of humans, and Nyssa was positive that humans were not in the habit of causing wood to break apart with minimal effort.

‘Nyssa?’

The Trakenite froze. Her mouth seemed to automatically open, ready to growl again, but she stifled that urge. She instead coughed and then spoke.

‘Y-yes?’

‘I’ve found a dressing gown you can put over the nightie,’ Tegan said, from the other side of the door. ‘Shall I pass it through-’

‘N-no, thank you!’ Nyssa stammered. She wasn’t sure why but she did not want Tegan to see her like this. Or… rather, she was aware that all that stood between her and the wonderful, kind, beautiful, sensuously scented woman in the corridor outside was a few inches of wooden door and Nyssa’s own force of will. ‘I’m not quite finished in here yet; I’ll-I’ll see you in the sitting room in a few minutes.’

‘Okay,’ Tegan replied. ‘Nys… you sure you’re alright? You sound a little out-of-breath; was the bath too hot?’

‘A-all fine,’ Nyssa exclaimed, in what she hoped was a light-hearted tone. ‘Thank you for your help, Tegan.’

‘Well, if you’re sure…’

As the sound of Tegan’s footsteps echoed away down the corridor, Nyssa pressed herself up against the panelling of the door. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes fluttered shut. Tegan’s scent did not leave; instead, it seemed to snake up around Nyssa, enveloping her entire body. It seemed to absorb through her skin, and Nyssa took a deep breath, feeling her senses drown in the cocktail of Tegan Jovanka that she was unable to resist. The Trakenite felt her legs tremble, and she let out a shaky breath.

What was happening to her?

~~~~~~~~~~~