THE ADVENTURES OF THE DOCTOR'S AMAZING HAND
Chapter Seven The hand lay inside the tent beside his former owner who had crawled back inside for a short rest. The Doctor looked his way and smiled when he saw the hand lying flat on the straw. He reached out and stroked the hand's back. He knew it was odd doing that since he was stroking what was once a part of his body but at the same time, it gave him some comfort almost as if the hand really were a faithful dog. He hated to send the body part back to the solution since he now knew it was alive and sentient but he also knew that the solution was a preservative and he was worried that if the hand stayed out of it too long he might start to decay. Thinking of that worried him and he hoped that if that were true, the hand would be able to get back to the jar before something happened to him. The Doctor turned his eyes back to the top of the tarp and he became lost in his thoughts. He felt the hand get up and watched while the hand came closer to his body and lay back down. "Better not get too close, mate. I might roll over on you during the night," he teased. He smiled when he saw the hand quiver again and he resumed stroking him, feeling his stress and anxieties melt away while he did it. "I wonder what Rose would say if she saw me doing this?" the Doctor mused while he stroked his hand. "After all, she watched you fall off the Sycorax ship and now here you are, beside me like a pet dog getting rubbed. I bet she'd have quite a few interesting things to say about this whole situation." He felt the hand quiver again and grinned. "You know, I was just thinking that you probably will have to spend most of your time in that jar." The hand rose up and the Doctor could sense his distress at that. He explained his theory of the preservative to him as gently as he could. "I'm not saying you have to stay in it all the time," the Doctor added when he was done with the explanation. "I'm just saying that you need to bathe in that preservative so you won't rot. I know you're alive but you're still a severed hand." The hand considered that for a moment and then flipping onto his wrist, nodded in agreement. "I've actually become quite fond of you which is a weird thing to say but then again you're not like a typical severed hand," the Doctor said. "I don't want to see you decay and rot, seeing as how you're a friend and all." The hand walked over to the Doctor's face. The Doctor chuckled when he nuzzled the side of his hand up against his cheek. "You're quite an affectionate little chap," the Doctor said when the hand laid back down beside his shoulder. He thought for a moment. "But you need a name, you know. A proper name. I can't just keep saying, "Hey, you!" when I want your attention," the Doctor added. "If you're a living being then you need a name. Any suggestions?" The hand drummed his fingers while he and the Doctor thought. "What about John Smith?" the Doctor finally said. "Or is that too boring for you?" The hand stopped drumming his fingers while he considered that. He pushed himself up on his wrist. John is okay, he signed to him. "You sure?" The hand nodded. "Okay, John you are then," the Doctor said. The hand lay back down beside him. "Yup, if Rose could see me now," the Doctor said while John quivered with laughter. Eventually, both the Doctor and John drifted off to sleep. The Doctor fell into a deep sleep, exhausted by the stress that had been put on his aged body. John dozed on and off but eventually, he decided to take a little walk around the room and explore a bit so he could see if there was a way he could help his friend escape. He came around his body and went out the flap. The room was semi dark. There were a few lights over the top deck and near the back by the elevator but that was all. The hand slowly walked around, looking at the immaculate room thinking to himself how a month ago there had been complete chaos inside it. He hated that his former owner had been aged to the point of infirmity and he was determined to find a way to help him. Hatred burned within him thinking of the Master and how he had tortured him and he wanted so much to do to him what he did to Jack when he first escaped. He trembled with laughter imagining him pouring salt in his coffee and pulling down his trousers and making his life a general hell before he and the Doctor finished his reign of terror. The other concern was Jack and Martha's family. He knew they were imprisoned somewhere inside the Valiant but he had no idea where. Suddenly, he heard the elevator going back down and he knew someone was coming up. He quickly ran back to the Doctor. Entering the tent, he noticed he was still asleep. He fell back on his wrist and began to shake and nudge his shoulder, trying to wake him so he could prepare for whatever was about to happen. It didn't do any good so he resorted to desperate measures. Hopping to the side of his face, he raised his hand up and slapped him hard on the mouth. The Doctor grunted and his eyes snapped open. "Oi, John, what's the meaning…" Someone's coming, John signed quickly. The lift! "Oh no, that'll be the Master coming to interrogate me again," the Doctor groaned, struggling to sit up. He sat up and smiled sadly when the hand walked up to his side. He could sense his worry for him and smiled at that. "Don't worry, John. I'll be alright, I swear. Just get under the straw and stay out of sight, alright?" John flexed his fingers, allowing him to nod while standing up. The Doctor stroked his back fondly and then watched while he scurried around him and dove into the straw. The Doctor quickly threw some straw over him while he listened to the elevator door open and the Master giving instructions to his minions. He had just enough time to cover him up before the Master was at the flap demanding he get out and go with him. The Doctor, resigned to his fate, slowly got up and out. John lay under the straw, burning with hate while he listened to the Master tease and taunt him about his old age. Finally, after what seemed like ages, the Master, the Doctor and the guards were gone. John came out of the straw and walked over to the flap. He glanced out and made sure no one was around before he headed back towards the door. He paused a moment, staring at it in silence and then he fell back on his wrist and began to bounce. He bounced faster and faster and faster until he'd gained enough momentum to make a huge bounce up to the door handle. He tried it and was relieved when he found it was unlocked. He held on to the handle, keeping it down while the door slowly, agonizingly fell open. When it was open enough for him to get his fingers through, John dropped down, hopped over and opened it enough to get out. He checked his surroundings and finding no one was around, he quickly headed down the hall, determined to find where the Master had taken the Doctor and help his new friend.
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