Doctor Who_ Rip Tide - Louise Cooper [65]
Nina's heart gave a colossal, thudding leap under her ribs, and she scrambled off the rock so fast that she grazed her heels and elbows. Unaware of it, she jumped down to the sand and sprinted in the direction of the trio. One of them saw her; they all stopped, looked
'Nina!'
She uttered a wordless yell of delight and hurled herself into the Doctor's arms.
'Hey!' He swung her round, almost losing his balance, then dropped her back on her feet and held her at arm's length. His companions smiled politely but said nothing, and all Nina could do was gasp over and over again, 'You came back, you came back!'
'Of course I did. Did you expect anything else?' He let her go at last
and smiled into her eyes. 'I'm sorry about my abrupt departure, but I know you understand –'
'Yes, yes, of course I do!' She hadn't doubted it for a moment, she lied to herself; how could she have done? 'Oh, I'm so glad to see you!'
'Flatterer!' The Doctor glanced at the crowded beach. 'Is Steve anywhere around?'
'Over there.' She nodded.
'Ah, good. When I saw the lifeboat go out I was afraid we might have missed him. I have two friends here, Nina, who want to meet you both. May I introduce ...' He extended a hand towards the politely smiling couple, 'Ruth's parents?'
Nina did a double-take. She should have thought of it, of course; should have guessed – but they had looked like any ordinary people, and in her excitement at seeing the Doctor it hadn't even occurred to her to wonder who they were.
'Oh!' she said. 'I, er, hello.'
'Hello, Nina.' The woman – or at least, she looked like a woman – extended a hand. 'We are very glad to see you.'
'And to thank you for what you did for ...' The male uttered a hissclicking sound that, Nina belatedly realised, must be Ruth's real name. Now they were at close quarters she realised that there was something strange about them. Both wore sunglasses, hiding their eyes. Both wore hats, and what she could see of the hair beneath looked artificial, suggesting that their disguise was more cursory and more temporary than Ruth's had been.
'How is ... Ruth?' She resorted to the alias, knowing she could never wrap her tongue around their language.
'Recovering and regenerating,' the female told her. 'We are all greatly grieved by the death of' – here came another hiss-clicking – 'but she, at least, is safe.'
'And aware that she has done wrong,' the male put in.
'Ah ...' Nina looked down at her feet, then squared her shoulders and faced them again. 'Please ... don't be too angry with her. I know she shouldn't have done what she did, but she's suffered enough already, without ...'
Her voice tailed off as she realised what she was doing. Lecturing an alien — sticking her oar into something that was, literally, worlds apart from human standards and culture. It was crazy, ridiculous; she had no right.
'I think,' the Doctor said gently, 'that we all understand you, Nina. And there's no need for you to worry.' To Ruth's parents he added, 'Nina, like Ruth, is young, and ... well, perhaps something of a rebel.'
'Rebel ...' The male paused, thinking, then smiled. 'Ah, yes. It is a trial that we all undergo.'
'And is sometimes hard to remember when we grow older,' said the Doctor, returning the smile.
'Do not fear,' the female told Nina. 'There will be no punishment. As you say, she has suffered enough.' She held out her hand again, and clasped Nina's fingers for longer this time. 'We will always be grateful, and we will always remember you. And now, I think we should speak with your brother.'
Nina stood very still as the Doctor led the alien pair away to find Steve. She watched them approach him, saw him start at the sight of the Doctor and then start a second time as the visitors were introduced. Her teeth were