I Like Smoke and Lightning...

[The First Doctor]

"No cheating in this game." She teased softly as she kissed him on the tip of the nose.

"But isn't all fair in love and war?" he teased back.

Shivers racing through her from the scrape of his teeth on her fingers. She narrowed her eyes at him, staring at him with those icy hazel depths.

Thete smiled back, trying his best to maintain his innocent expression. The corners of his mouth kept trying to tug their way into a lopsided grin, spoiling the effect.

Then she smiled brighter as she kissed him on the forehead. "Don't worry, I won't lead you on for too long. But I want this to last. I want to be with you for a long time."

She chuckled and then popped a berry in her mouth, she finished chewing before she leaned in and kissed him again. The taste of berries in her mouth as she nuzzled her mouth against his. Great Rassilon, she wished she hadn't made that deal. But she was going to stay with it. "I want this to last, not burn up with the passion of youth." She whispered against his lips.

"It will," he whispered back, still acutely aware of the taste of her lips. His voice turned serious. "All teasing aside, it will. I will always love you, Libby. Always." He kissed her then, long and tender, as if he were trying to express something he couldn't quite say.

The kiss ended, and the mischievous gleam made its way back to his eyes. "On the other hand," he grinned, touching her nose with his, "I don't think I'll ever be able to look at berries in quite the same way again."

[Seren Ash]

Libby watched him, her eyes melting further, as she heard his words. Her fingers laced into his hair as she pressed his forehead to his. The tears that came were hot, and happy. A small smile was on her face, as she just let her forehead rest there. She loved him, she really did. Hearing those words from him, really scared her. She knew that what he said was the truth, but what if their paths did part. Would he still love her, would he hold her as he was now, and whisper his feelings and how much he had missed her?

Or would he forget her, as regenerations went one? As she let hers reach a full age cycle, and then allowed herself to regenerate. She was planning on being around for a very, very long time. She needed to know that he wouldn't forget. But likely he would, she knew the likeliehood that if they parted ways, he would actually remember her. But she didn't say this, she just clutched on to him for dear life.

Her eyes remained closed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him again. The salty tears mixing with it all. It was beautiful, the sensation of the joy, but there in the background was the shadows of doubt.

[The First Doctor]

Tears?

Thete was utterly at a loss. He could feel the joy (tinged with doubt and fear) radiating off her, but tears?

Women, he thought. But even as he did, he tightened his arms around her as she clung to him. He met her lips, tasting salt and the trace of berry and her own unique flavor, trying to let her feel his own love and joy (and yes, fear as well - fear that he would drive her away, fear that she would leave him).

The fear overwhelmed him for a moment, and he held her like a lifeline. Don't leave me, he thought, Don't ever leave me.

[Seren Ash]

Libby held him, her head resting on his shoulder now as she clung to him like a lifeline. She never wanted to leave him, but something tinged this joyous moment. Sometimes a Timelord could get echos of their future selves. She felt the echo of something painful, in the future. She felt his words, rushing through her as she let herself just cling to him. Almost forgetting the deal she had set up with him. She wanted to be with him, there and then.

In this beautiful place, where he had shown her she wasn't an Ice Queen. That she wasn't just The Archivist. Where he had shown her he was a real person. Know that if I do leave you, ever, in the future. It's because I didn't want to, but because I had to. I swear that to you. I will never, ever leave you unless I need to. She whispered as she nuzzled her cheek against his and kissed him again.

Come on, let's eat something more. Stop focusing on sad things. She whispered to him as she nuzzled her lips against his ear. Her breath passing over his ear as she resisted the urge to nibble him. She'd behave, but only because she had set the rules and the bet. Kissing and cuddling, that was this date. Perhaps on the next it would be a little more, but she wouldn't let herself rush into things.

[The First Doctor]

As he held her he could feel her inner turmoil, as well as her urge to break the ground rules for the "game". And a strong and distinct hope that she would surged through him, setting his nerves aflame.

But an equally strong and distinct part of him knew that she wouldn't, and that he didn't want her to. Not now, anyway. No need to rush things, he thought, we have Time.

Know that if I do leave you, he heard her say, uncertain and unconcerned if the voice was in his ears or in his mind, ever, in the future. It's because I didn't want to, but because I had to. I swear that to you. I will never, ever leave you unless I need to. She whispered as she nuzzled her cheek against his and kissed him again.

Come on, let's eat something more. Stop focusing on sad things. She whispered to him as she nuzzled her lips against his ear.

Her breath, gentle against his ear, was far more distracting than he would have expected. So much so, that it took him a moment to register what she had actually said.

"All right," he said with a delicious feeling shudder. He opened the basket, withdrew two glasses, and handed one to her. Then he produced two bottles, one containing a mixture of fruit juices, the other containing water, both dewed with condensation.

"What would you like to drink?" he asked.

[Seren Ash]

Libby sat back now, staring up at the sky. Her eyes closing as she laid back on the blanket, next to him. "Fruit juice, please." She said cheerfully as she allowed herself to feel the way that the nature moved through her. "You know, people are bothered by me..." She finally admitted to him, as she sat up on her elbows.

"I'm surprised I have a boyfriend. I scare people, especially those in the Library." She whispered as she lowered her gaze. She was nervous about admitting this to him. "People think I'm a freak. I ... I'm getting better at what I do. I've archived a lot of the books, and most of them are here..." She whispered as she tapped her head.

"Your teacher thinks it's amazing, but everyone else, seems to think it's a bad sign."

[The First Doctor]

Libby sat back now, staring up at the sky. Her eyes closing as she laid back on the blanket, next to him. "Fruit juice, please."

Thete poured two glasses, handed one to Libby, then leaned back as well. Overhead, the sky looked like honey streaked with cream. He let himself relax, enjoying the breeze, the warmth of the sun, and the sense of rightness that came from sharing it all with her.

A comfortable silence settled in, broken only by the breeze, the distant sounds of wildlife, and the occasional clink of ice.

"You know, people are bothered by me..." She finally admitted to him, as she sat up on her elbows.

He smiled, eyes a little sad. "That's sort of a way of life for me..."

"I'm surprised I have a boyfriend. I scare people, especially those in the Library." She whispered as she lowered her gaze. She was nervous about admitting this to him. "People think I'm a freak. I ... I'm getting better at what I do. I've archived a lot of the books, and most of them are here..."

She whispered as she tapped her head."Your teacher thinks it's amazing, but everyone else, seems to think it's a bad sign."

"Well, first of all," he said, twining his fingers with hers, "I'm surprised you don't already have a boyfriend. Which is probably just as well. I think I'd be incredibly jealous."

His face turned serious. "But, aren't you supposed to be an Archive? I mean, what you're describing... it's what an Archive does. Isn't it?" He sounded concerned, now.

[Seren Ash]

"Thete, I don't think you quite understand what I mean. I'm faster then most of the computers my parents have. I can do calculations, translations. So long as I've read it, and I understand it, I can use that knowledge faster then anyone. It's scaring me." She said as she sipped the fruit juice, staring straight at him, the whole time she said these things. Mostly because she wanted to see the gravity of the situation set in on him.

"I'm like a dang computer, and that's what scares me. Because I'm not the only one, there is two others. A boy and a girl. The Library people call us the 'Academ'." She said as she pressed her hands together in confusion. "Do think it's possible for kids to be messed with in the initiation?" She contemplated out loud, and then laughed. "Nah, that ain't possible!" She said as she shook her hand.

"It'd break every rule that was set out about Initiations and the Schism."

[The First Doctor]

"Thete, I don't think you quite understand what I mean. I'm faster then most of the computers my parents have. I can do calculations, translations. So long as I've read it, and I understand it, I can use that knowledge faster then anyone. It's scaring me." She said as she sipped the fruit juice, staring straight at him, the whole time she said these things.

He frowned as he listened. "I... I don't quite understand," he confessed. "I mean, that sounds like a good thing. Absorbing and comprehending information, I mean." He paused, thinking. "Why would that scare you?"

"I'm like a Rassilon computer, and that's what scares me. Because I'm not the only one, there is two others. A boy and a girl. The Library people call us the 'Academ'." She said as she pressed her hands together in confusion.

"The Academ?" He thought about that for a moment. "Kind of like me and Kos, and Ushas and Millenna and the rest of the gang. The 'Deca', they call us." He snorted, amused and dismissive. "At least your group has some reason for being lumped together - we got it from just hanging out a bunch."

He fell silent, as he realized how much this subject seemed to bother her. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Do think it's possible for kids to be messed with in the initiation?" She contemplated out loud, and then laughed. "Nah, that ain't possible!" She said as she shook her hand.

"It'd break every rule that was set out about Initiations and the Schism."

Thete looked horrified at the very suggestion. "Of course it isn't," he insisted, sitting up and taking her hands. "I mean - why? Why would someone do that? And if they did, surely the Keeper would learn about it..."

Even as he said it, he thought back to the events of his own Initiation. How he'd had the burning drive to see things, experience things, ever since. How he and Kos had become almost inseperable, how Magnus had begun to see the universe as a chessboard, and the Meddler began to withdraw and listen to things nobody else could hear, and...

He shook his head. "That's impossible," he insisted. "Impossible."

[Seren Ash]

"Why would it scare me, Thete?" She whispered as her eyes closed, her mind running over all the information in her brain. She even felt like she was selecting it, like some sort of dang computer system. "Because, I think I can do things others shouldn't be able to." She said as she twisted her palm a little, pushing her mind to try and show him something that she meant. "I at first only knew things that I had read. Then, I started realizing I had something like files in my mind. I remember everything, anyone has said, since my initiation." She whispered.

"The girl and boy that are like me, are nothing like this. The girl is better at mimicking anything related to art, and the boy music. But me, me... I'm pure knowledge, and it scares me because of how I process it. I can give answers to any question asked by teachers. I can process all the probabilities of what the question a teacher will ask, is. It's scary Thete...." She said as she gripped his shoulders and stared at him, her eyes misting over for a moment.

"It makes me feel like a freak." She whispered as she pressed her forehead to his. She shook her head a little, and laughed with him. "Impossible, right? They couldn't have messed with us." She murmured softly as she pressed herself closer to him. She didn't know why she wanted him to fix her, the feeling the need for him to be her Doctor. Just HER Doctor. No one else, just her.

[The First Doctor]

Shuddering, feeling her fear wash through him with her memories, comprehending her concerns on a level impossible to mere words. He held her close, feeling tears begin to start from his (her) eyes as buried anxieties reared up and threatened to overwhelm him (her).

"It makes me feel like a freak." She whispered as she pressed her forehead to his.

"I've always felt like one," he whispered back. "But we all seem to be like that, don't we? I can get into and out of anything. Kos and Rallon are more advanced telepaths than most Academy graduates. Ushas does the same thing you do, only with biodata. Millennia and the Meddler have precognition and temporal theory cold. And it goes on and on."

He shook his head, wondering if he was trying to convince himself or her. "It has to be coincidence. I mean, the Specialist would know if something had been done to us, right?"

"Impossible, right? They couldn't have messed with us." She murmured softly as she pressed herself closer to him.

"Right," he said, only half-convinced now. "Of course."

She didn't know why she wanted him to fix her, the feeling the need for him to be her Doctor. Just HER Doctor. No one else, just her.

A few minutes ago, that thought might have prompted some playful joke. But right now? Right now he just held her close, rocking gently, allowing feelings of love and comfort to flow into her.

[Seren Ash]

Libby clutched to him now, shaking as she buried her face in his neck. She just wanted him to be hers, no one elses. As selfish as that was, she wanted just her Doctor for this moment. She wanted her Thete, she didn't want to lose him. Not ever, and all this fear and the name calling had built up in her. "At least your group is looked on kindly. I'm looked on as some kind of machine, by the elders." She whispered softly as she gripped his waist now.

She shook her head a little and frowned. "The Specialist thinks it's odd, she's been watching all of us, for the last nine years. She always has a look of fear and pain in her eyes." She whispered as she pulled back to stare at him. "All of us that had issues with the initiation, you know she lost four children in that one ceremony? FOUR. That's unprecedented. " She whispered as she scrubbed her face and tried not to cry again.

"I'm scared Thete, I'm scared of the future, and what it may hold."

[The First Doctor]

Libby clutched to him now, shaking as she buried her face in his neck. She just wanted him to be hers, no one elses. As selfish as that was, she wanted just her Doctor for this moment. She wanted her Thete, she didn't want to lose him. Not ever, and all this fear and the name calling had built up in her. "At least your group is looked on kindly. I'm looked on as some kind of machine, by the elders." She whispered softly as she gripped his waist now.

"Some of us are, anyway," he said, nestling her up against him. "But even that just means extra work, and getting pushed harder and further." He sighed. "But I guess even that's better than being treated like a machine."

She shook her head a little and frowned. "The Specialist thinks it's odd, she's been watching all of us, for the last nine years. She always has a look of fear and pain in her eyes." She whispered as she pulled back to stare at him. "All of us that had issues with the initiation, you know she lost four children in that one ceremony? FOUR. That's unprecedented. " She whispered as she scrubbed her face and tried not to cry again.

"Four?" he echoed, shocked. "That's... wow."

He stroked her cheek. "I know a number of us had problems. Tyler's girlfriend made it through reasonably intact, but she has blackout spells and terrible headaches still..."

He felt like he was standing on the edge of a precipice, watching the abyss yawn as his mind began putting pieces together. He shook his head. It had been a spectacularly bad initiation, but... no, there had to be a reasonable explanation.

"I'm scared Thete, I'm scared of the future, and what it may hold."

Thete wrapped his arms around her again, holding her tight. "Whatever it may hold," he said to her, "we'll face it. Together."

[Seren Ash]

Libby clung to him tighter, burying her face in his shoulder again as she shook. She had let her fears out around him, and her mind was reaching an odd sort of calm. She rather happily rested against him, as she began to allow herself to fall into a more normal mindset. She released a long breath again, and then pulled away slowly. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together." She murmured and kissed his forehead.

She laughed softly and fully withdrew from his lap as she began sipping her juice. "I don't usually cry like that, to be honest. Ice Queen, The Archivist. You know? Not supposed to be anything other then a machine to them." She said with a wry smile as she stretched out a little and then allowed her back to hit the ground, staring up at the sky now.

[The First Doctor]

She released a long breath again, and then pulled away slowly. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together." She murmured and kissed his forehead.

He smiled, enjoying the sensation of her returning good spirits.

She laughed softly and fully withdrew from his lap as she began sipping her juice. "I don't usually cry like that, to be honest. Ice Queen, The Archivist. You know? Not supposed to be anything other then a machine to them."

"I think that's all any of us are to them," he said, surprisingly bitter. He sipped his juice as well. "Cogs, expected to fit in, belong, obey. But not think. Not question. Oh, no, never question."

She stretched out a little and then allowed her back to hit the ground, staring up at the sky now.

He stretched out beside her, taking her hand. For several moments he just watched the clouds drift by. "And I don't care what they say, Libby. Ice queen, half-breed, Academ, Deca, it doesn't matter. Let them think what they want." He grinned his lopsided grin. "We'll show them. You, me, the Deca, the Academ... we'll show them all."

"Someday," he said, giving voice to the wildest of his flights of fancy, "Someday, when we've finished traveling, I'll be the Lord President. I'll change Gallifrey forever."