KIND OF WOMAN THAT'LL HAUNT YOU

Chapter Twelve

After the Doctor bid Rose goodnight, he walked into his bedroom and walked around it, examining the room. The room was decorated in Southwestern style but there were a few personal mementos as well including some photographs on a dresser by the window. The Doctor walked over to them. They were all in silver frames and he picked them up carefully. Most of them were of Stevie when she was younger including some with her parents. And there were a few with Lindsey. He picked one up and chuckled when he saw a photo of her, Lindsey and another young man. The young man was standing in a doorway at the back and Lindsey was in the room giving Stevie an odd look while she leaned in from the side with an open mouthed look of surprise on her face. There was another of Stevie and Lindsey dressed in Halloween costumes. Stevie was dressed as a witch complete with black pointy hat. Lindsey had his short hair from his tusk period and was dressed as a priest. While he stared at them, he sensed someone behind him and turned his head.

"Couldn't sleep," Stevie said softly from the doorway.

"I don't sleep very much, hardly ever, in fact," the Doctor said. "Another example of how I'm not like humans. I was just looking at your photos."

"I have tons of them," Stevie said, coming into the room. "They're all over the house. Seems strange to have some in my guest bedrooms but Sharon thought they'd be decorative."

"I love this one of you being silly," he said, showing her the one of Lindsey, Stevie and the young man. "Where was this taken? And who is the other man?"

"The other man is Walter Egan. Sang Magnet and Steel?" Stevie said.

"Oh yes, I love that song," the Doctor said.

"He's a very close friend of me and Linds. That was taken in the house we shared together before we joined Fleetwood Mac. We were just being silly, I guess. You can tell Lindsey is thinking what the hell am I doing," she said while the Doctor chuckled. "We didn't have much back then but he had our friends and each other."

"That's worth more than money any day," the Doctor said.

"I agree," Stevie said.

"And is these your parents?" the Doctor said, putting that one down and pointing to another.

"Yeah, mom's still alive but dad's dead," Stevie said wistfully. "What about you? Do you have photos?"

"Not really. Not on me anyway," the Doctor said. "I keep my memories in the TARDIS databanks. Other than that," he tapped his temple. "I keep my memories here."

"You must have a ton of them if you're over 900 years old," Stevie said.

"I do but there are memories I keep tucked away in the deepest recesses of my mind where I can't remember them."

Stevie snorted.

"Wish I had that talent," she said. "There are many things in my life that I'd love to forget. It amazes me sometimes that I've made it to my sixties."

"Ditto," the Doctor said. "Well, I mean I've made it this far. I passed my sixties centuries ago."

"God, you're amazing," Stevie said. "I thought I'd seen it all in my life but then you come along and add a whole new dimension to my take on the universe. And to travel through time and space…how do you keep from messing up history?"

"I know what I'm doing…most of the time," the Doctor said when Stevie gave him a wry look. "But that was what I was born to do, travel time and space just as you was born to be a great singer."

"Yeah, but I'd still give anything to travel with you," Stevie said. "God, I sound pathetic, don't I? I keep hinting for you to take me with you when you leave," she said while the Doctor chuckled. "But that planet you took us to…that whetted my appetite for more. You never should have done that."

"Nah, I enjoy taking people on my journeys and showing them the universe. It keeps things fresh for me."

"Like Rose?"

"Like Rose," the Doctor said with a nod.

"I hope she stays with you for awhile, especially since you love her so," Stevie said. "You make a cute couple."

The Doctor grinned and thanked her. Stevie patted his arm fondly and told him she was going to try to go back to sleep.

"By the way," the Doctor said when she started to walk out. "I noticed your book collection there."

"Oh yeah, I have tons of those too," Stevie said, looking at the books.

"I noticed that you have many classic novels there and I was thinking of giving you the gift of a first edition of one of them," the Doctor said. "I have first editions of many books and if not I know where to get them."

"Doctor, you don't have to do that."

"I know but I want to. As thanks for letting us stay here," the Doctor said.

"Thanking me? I should be thanking you for visiting us. Your being here is thanks enough, you don't have to give me a gift on top of it."

"Sure?" the Doctor.

"Very sure, my friend. You and Rose being here is more than a gift for me."

The Doctor nodded and Stevie bid him goodnight before leaving the room. When she got back to her room, she walked over to a full length antique mirror in the corner and stared into it. Suddenly her eyes glowed again and the Ban'shi cursed under her breath. The Ban'shi had hoped to catch the Doctor in bed asleep and kill him. She didn't know the Time Lord barely slept and now she was going to have to think of something else to get him out of the way.

Although, the Ban'shi thought as a smirk crept over Stevie's face. I could always possess him instead of this weak, old human.

She got a sudden shock when she felt Stevie's consciousness try to take back over her body.

You won't hurt him, she heard Stevie think to her, I won't let you hurt him or Rose or whoever else you're thinking of hurting.

The Ban'shi chuckled at that but she staggered back when she felt the angry human's mind fighting the intrusion.

The Doctor will stop you, she thought to the Ban'shi, and so will I.

There was another jolt and the Ban'shi nearly lost her grip on Stevie's mind but she forced the consciousness back into the deep recesses of Stevie's mind and giggled insanely when she regained control.

"You are strong, human, but not strong enough," she said to the reflection. "And now, I think it's time for both of us to go to sleep. Because tomorrow I have work to do."

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