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“Open wide.” Squinting, the Doctor aimed the torch attachment on the tip of his sonic screwdriver into the back of Jamie’s mouth.
“Hm,” he muttered, his brow furrowed in thought. “Now, you said it’s on the upper right side…?”
“Ahhh,” Jamie replied with a slight nod.
“And this pain started ten minutes ago?”
AaaHHaahh,” he continued.
“I … can’t quite make it out. I’ll need to have a closer look.” The Doctor grabbed Jamie’s cheek, in an attempt to turn his face more towards himself.
“AAH!” Jamie cried in obvious pain.
The Doctor quickly withdrew his hand, doing a little hop up and down in alarm. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry. Now, hold still …” Jamie kept his mouth open as his friend switched the torch attachment back on to have another close look at his upper back teeth. “Ah, yes, I see it now …”
After what seemed like an eternity to Jamie, the Doctor switched off his sonic and stepped back with a frown. “Yes, that’s one cracked tooth, alright.”
The Highlander groaned.
“I told you not to go poking in that sack of sweets, Jamie!”
“But Doctor it was jist—ooh …” His hand quickly flew up to his cheek. “It was jist one piece ‘a Tablet!”
“Yes, a piece of Tablet that obviously had been sitting on the shelf for too long.” The Doctor shook his head wearily. He’d managed to land the TARDIS in mid-twentieth century Scotland, surprising Jamie with a visit to his homeland —despite the different era. They’d only spent a short while exploring the downtown area when this little mishap had occurred in a quaint confectionery.
“Now you know why I’m wary of anything marked ‘Clearance’, especially when it’s edible.”
“Och, come on, ‘twas fine.”
“That piece of Scottish Tablet was not ‘fine’. It was one of the hardest substances I’ve come across since my visit to Tryfaxis 3—”
“So it’s a wee bit hard.” Jamie puffed his chest out, trying hard to mask his overwhelming discomfort. “Naethin’ we Scots cannae withstand.”
“If it was nothing you couldn’t withstand, why did you crack your tooth?” Zoe inquired.
“Well, er um …” The Highlander trailed off and squeezed his eyes shut as an intense, stabbing pain socked him in the upper jaw, quickly crumbling his bravado.
“That’s it, we’re getting you to a dentist,” the Doctor insisted, dragging him down the street by the arm. “No arguments.”
“Wha’s a dentist?”
“Oh—erm, a surgeon, Jamie.”
Jamie’s eyes widened slightly in poorly concealed alarm. “Cannae you jist do it, Doctor?” He asked in a tight voice.
“No, Jamie. I’ve mastered many skills, but dentistry is not one of them. If it was, I could have done it myself and avoided all that unpleasantness with Doc Holliday …”
“Doc …?”
“Erm, nothing, Jamie.” The Doctor squinted at his friend and seemed to be considering. “Well … there is a first time for everything …”
“I could help,” Zoe said with a rather too eager look.
Jamie hastily slapped a hand over his mouth and stepped back a pace. “Let’s find th’ dentist,” he said through his fingers.
“Very well,” the Doctor replied with a resigned sigh as he located a certain row of buildings and led his two friends in their direction. One of the buildings featured a prominent sign reading “Dr Gordon MacLean, BDS.” Underneath it was a smaller sign that read, “Painless dentistry.”
Jamie gulped. Painless, his foot. He still remembered the serial tooth-yankers in his own village very well.
“It’ll be fine, Jamie,” the Doctor promised him as he opened the door and they stepped inside. “Things have come a long way in dentistry since your time.”
“I hope so,” Jamie muttered, wincing at the sudden clanging of the small bell attached to the top of the door.
The reception area was well-lit with light-grained wood paneled walls and olive-colored, plastic chairs. A young, pleasant-looking blonde wearing a crisp, short-sleeved, light blue blouse sat at the desk. She lifted her gaze and smiled at them. “Yes?”
“I was hoping you could help us,” the Doctor replied. “Our friend has a cracked wisdom tooth.” He pointed to Jamie, who was still trying to mask his discomfort. “Show her,” he urged with a nod.
Jamie stepped forward, opening his mouth. Leaning forward, the receptionist had a look and then finally frowned in sympathy, clucking her tongue.
“Not an uncommon sight for us,” she remarked. Her smile was back. “Follow me. We’ve got an exam room all ready for ye.”
Jamie turned back to the Doctor and Zoe with a wary look. The Doctor nodded encouragingly. “Go on. You’ll be fine,” he prompted. The Highlander sighed and then trudged after the woman’s retreating form, looking like he was heading for the worst torture of his life.
“He will be alright, won’t he, Doctor?” quietly Zoe asked the Doctor once their friend disappeared from sight.
“Oh, yes, I should think so,” he replied.
The petite scientist seemed unconvinced. “This facility seems quite primitive.”
“Well, now, Zoe, you haven’t seen all of it. I’m not sure you could make that judgment just from the reception area itself.” He then sighed. “Oh, what am I saying? Of course it would be from your perspective, given the advancements in technology during your own time.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “But I do think Jamie will be fine. Try not to worry yourself.”
Zoe considered this and at last nodded. Turning to her left, she noticed a stack of magazines on the adjacent table. In an attempt to keep her mind occupied and free of worry over Jamie, she picked one of them up and began leafing through it. It was obviously a women’s magazine. As she studied it, she found herself torn between being in awe at the different fashions of this time and place, and being terribly amused at the primitive technology on display in the advertisements.
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she was abruptly torn from her thoughts by a buzzing sound coming from the reception desk.
She looked up to find the receptionist seated once again and blinked in surprise. Had Zoe been that absorbed in her reading material not to notice her return? The woman in question pressed a button on a small black box on the desk.
“Miss Groves, could ye give us a hand a wee moment?” a man’s distressed voice called.
The nurse briefly frowned in bemusement before quickly rising from her chair. She glanced quickly at Zoe and the Doctor before disappearing into the back, leaving the two sharing a look of concern.
“I think we’d better see what’s happening,” the Doctor told her hastily as he rose from his own seat and hurriedly made his way out of the room. “Oh, but I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”
Zoe frowned as she rushed to keep up with him. His statement didn’t fill her with much confidence.
They followed the ensuing cries of alarm to an examination room at the end of the corridor. Upon opening the door, they were met with the sight of Jamie standing on the dentist chair with one foot braced against its reclined back, swinging at the white-coated employees as if defending a Highland hillock against an onslaught of Redcoats.
“Ye willnae get near me with that muckle needle, ye hear?!” he demanded, his face reddened with both fury and fear as he pointed to the ginger-haired, female assistant holding a large needle, most likely for novacaine.
The harried dentist turned to the receptionist. “Miss Groves?” He nodded toward the mask apparatus for the gas. “This should have some positive effect —if ye can get near to him, of course.”
“Wha’ is that??”
“It’s for gas, Jamie. It’s supposed to help you relax,” Zoe cut in.
Jamie’s eyes widened in terror. “Oh, no, ye’re nae gonna pump me fulla tha’ poppy poison, ye Lowland Jessie!”
Zoe turned to the Doctor in confusion. “Ah, he thinks it’s opium,” the little man explained quietly, leaning into her. “A common, pain-deadening tincture in his time. Highly addictive.”
“Don’t worry, Jamie,” Zoe said. ‘It’s merely nitrous oxide, a compound known for its sedative properties.”
“Zoe’s right, Jamie. There are no ill effects from this gas, apart from making you a bit drowsy. But that wears off quickly. Believe me, you will be fine.”
Jamie stopped in his attempt to ward off the doctor and his assistants, calming somewhat though still appearing worried. “Can ye promise I’ll wake up agin?”
The Doctor sighed, looking at him sadly. “Yes, Jamie. I promise you will wake up.”
Zoe nodded. “Yes, your chances of being brought out of the sedation without any complications are quite high, statistically-speaking, as various studies over time have indic—”
The Doctor quietly shushed her and nudged her with his hand. “Yes, Jamie. You will wake up,” he repeated. “You have my word.”
Zoe shot a quick glance at the Doctor and felt guilty, realizing her technical explanation wasn’t exactly helpful. She flashed Jamie a sheepish, contrite smile as she and the Doctor neared him.
“Lie back, now, if you please, sir,” the dentist prompted. Jamie looked to the Doctor once more for assurance before doing as told.
The Highlander seemed to relax for a moment until the assistant adjusted the chair to lean just further back than was natural. Jamie stiffened and sucked in a breath. He held his arms tightly against his sides and fisted his kilt in an effort to keep himself from swinging at the dentist.
Zoe, who just happened to be standing closest to him on the other side of the chair, noticed Jamie’s white knuckling and put a hand over his.
Jamie glanced at her in slight surprise. Zoe gave him a soft, encouraging smile and Jamie’s look of surprise melted into a small appreciative smile of his own. Warmth bloomed across Zoe’s cheeks; her heart gave a little jump and she wondered at herself.
What was that?
“Three, two, one …” The dentist’s voice quickly brought her back to reality.
Jamie’s grip slackened as the gas took effect, sedating him. The giddy butterflies that had been fluttering in Zoe’s stomach were suddenly drowned in a wave of anxiety. She was still not very confident in the technology and medicine of this period. She tried hard to dash her worries aside and leaned over, brushing Jamie’s fringe off his forehead before leaving the room with the Doctor.
“Are you sure he’ll be alright?” she asked the Doctor once they returned to the waiting room.
“Oh, I do think so,” the Doctor replied with a little smile. “The gas will make things easier for both Jamie and the dentist.”
“I suppose,” Zoe returned with a nod, wishing she could share his optimism. “Nitrous oxide is just such a primitive sedative. On the Wheel, the medical staff developed and administered a compound that was free from side effects of any kind, especially drowsiness.” A pensive frown knitted her brow. “I’ve read about complications associated with the side effects of nitrous oxide.”
“My dear, I think you’re worrying just a little too much,” the Doctor said as he leaned over and patted her on the shoulder. “The drowsiness and any complications arising from it should be temporary. I assure you, nitrous oxide is much more advanced than anything that was available during Jamie’s time.”
The petite astrophysicist hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, point taken. I suppose it’s the best option available to him …”
A decent amount of time had passed when the receptionist emerged from the back corridor, greeting them with a thin smile. “The extraction was successful. Your friend is in recovery at the moment. Ye can visit him, if ye like.”
The Doctor and Zoe rose simultaneously from their seats and shared a look before following her into another room toward the back. Inside, Jamie sat upright in a soft chair, holding gauze inside his mouth, his right cheek a bit puffy.
“Uh? Docta, wha’ happened?” he asked groggily around the gauze.
“The dentist removed that cracked wisdom tooth for you,” the Doctor replied, nodding toward a bloody, ugly-looking molar sitting atop the small table.
“Uh-huh …”
Zoe approached him gingerly. “How are you feeling, Jamie?”
“Uhh ….” Jamie trailed off, appearing quite disoriented. He suddenly turned to Zoe and grabbed her hand, holding it close as he gazed up at her with a loopy, happy smile. Zoe’s stunned surprise turned into self-conscious embarrassment as the butterflies resurrected themselves in full force.
Zoe decided to resign herself to the situation and wondered why she was enjoying it so much.
The dentist reentered the room, appearing calmer than just minutes earlier. He gave the Highlander a quick once over before turning back to the Doctor.
“I’m dischargin’ yer friend.” He handed the Doctor two small bottles. “These are painkillers and an antibiotic. The instructions are here.” He also handed over a small sheet of paper and then looked around, as if realizing something was missing. “I’ll give ye some more gauze …”
“Oh, no, that’s not necessary,” the Doctor interrupted. “I’ve got plenty of that in the—” He uttered a small cough as he caught himself. “... In the First Aid kit at our hotel.”
The dentist nodded. “Miss Groves will take care of the rest.” He then quickly shooed them out of the room, the Doctor awkwardly leading the way with his young companions following.
About half an hour later they reached the TARDIS. The Doctor smiled as he fished his key out of his pocket and then sighed. “Well, this little visit didn’t turn out the way I’d anticipated …”
“I don’t think any of us anticipated it,” Zoe added. She half expected to hear a groan from Jamie but when she turned to face him he had a serene smile on his face, his hand still clasping hers. She gazed at him in concern.
“Yes, well, at least we were able to get the situation taken care of,” he says, nodding at Jamie with a slightly concerned frown of his own before unlocking the TARDIS doors.
Zoe’s gaze was back on Jamie who hadn’t budged one inch. “Come on, Jamie,” she coaxed softly as she took his arm with her free hand.
“Where’re we goin’?” he asked, his voice making him sound about a thousand miles away.
“Back inside the TARDIS,” she replied pointedly, nodding up at it.
“Oh,” she barely heard him say as she effortlessly pulled him inside.
“Alright, shall we be on our way, then?” the Doctor asked, smiling as he stood in front of the console.
Zoe nodded with a pert smile.
Noting his other young companion’s dazed expression, the Doctor frowned. “How are you feeling, Jamie?”
“‘m fine,” he drawled, the corner of his mouth tugging into a lopsided smile.
The Doctor eyed him skeptically. “Hm. Perhaps a lie-down will do you some good.”
“No, ‘m fine here,” Jamie slurred in protest.
The Doctor’s eyebrows flew up to his hairline, the Highlander’s insistence taking him by surprise. He finally sighed in resignation. There was no point arguing. “Alright.”
“Oh, Doctor?”
“Hm?”
“I noticed some faulty circuits underneath the console.”
He turned to the petite astrophysicist, bemused. “When were you studying the console, Zoe?”
“Not long after we left the Wheel—after your thought projection presentation.”
“Ah. I see.”
“Anyway, I was wondering if I could study them further to see if any improvements could be made?”
A quick flash of indignation colored the Doctor’s eyes. He’d only recently made improvements to them, and quite sufficient ones, he might add. Any further attempts would certainly be a fool’s errand. The young girl’s earnest expression was wearing him down, however.
“Well, I suppose it can’t hurt,” he finally conceded.
Zoe nodded and smiled in thanks. He wordlessly handed her a small tool satchel before retreating into the corner of the room, watching nervously as she opened the bag and peered inside. He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake.
Zoe’s smile grew as she located a hand-held instrument with a narrow probe “Yes, I believe I’ll start with the …”
She suddenly trailed off as she felt someone staring at her. Turning to her left, she discovered Jamie hadn’t moved an inch and was still holding her hand. “Erm, Jamie? Would you mind …?” She nodded toward their hands.
“Nae, I dinnae mind,” he replied.
Zoe bit back her frustration, trying to maintain a collected facade. “I was about to say, ‘Would you mind letting go of my hand’? I need it free to study these circuits.”
She tried to wrestle it from his grip but he wouldn’t give it up. He only continued staring at her with a dream-like smile.
She desperately searched around the room. “Doctor?” she squeaked.
The Doctor quickly approached.
“Please tell Jamie that I need both hands free to conduct my study and make any necessary repairs.”
“Jamie, why don’t you give Zoe a little break? This work is important to her. You would only hinder her progress.”
“Eh?”
“She’d like to work and you’re preventing her from doing so. You can stay here and watch, but please let go of her hand and step back.”
But Jamie clutched her hand tighter, almost possessively. His loopy smile was gone and he leveled a pout at the Doctor, much like a disappointed child.
Zoe desperately tried a new tactic. “Oh!” she suddenly moaned, her face scrunching in distress.
“What’s the matter, my dear?” the Doctor asked in alarm.
“Doctor, I’ve got to …” She trailed off and crossed her legs.
“Ah, answer the call of nature?”
Zoe nodded tightly, biting down on her lip.
“Let her go, Jamie. It’s urgent.”
The young Scot finally seemed to notice her distress. “Och, alright. But come back quickly, eh?”
Zoe failed to respond as she ran out into the corridor.
Several minutes later she strolled back toward the console room, a smile of relief brightening her face. It turned out she actually did have to visit the toilet and was thankful Jamie had finally let go of her hand.
Her smile suddenly faded as she realized what awaited her: the Highlander seemed to be developing a possessive streak as he insisted on staying with her and holding her hand. She tried hard to come up with ideas to discourage him from impeding her work.
Nothing seemed to come to her and she quickly grew frustrated. There had to be something—
She was thrown from her desperate ruminations by a soft impact to her side. She jumped as she realized she’d nearly knocked into the Doctor.
“Oh, Zoe,” he started. “There you are. Jamie was wondering when you’d come back, you know.”
“I expected he would be,” she returned with a sigh. “Doctor, what’s wrong with him? I’ve never seen him like this. Granted, I’ve only known him a mere fraction of a—”
“I believe the nitrous oxide is still affecting him.”
“But I thought the effects were temporary and not a concern!”
“Usually they are, but it’s possible the dentist administered a stronger dose due to his behavior.”
Zoe nodded thoughtfully, recalling the scene he’d caused at the dentist’s office.
“I’d suggest you just go along with it for the time being.”
Her eyes widened in dismay. “Go along with it? Why?”
“Well, he has been through a very harrowing experience. I’m sure the effects will start wearing off soon.”
‘I hope you’re right,’ she grumbled to herself. She was really eager to get started on that project without any interruptions or impediments.
As she neared the room, she caught a glimpse of Jamie casually leaning against the console and staring at her.
Entering, Zoe forced a thin smile.
“Ah, there ye are. Was wonderin’ if somethin’d happened to ye.”
Zoe coughed. “Oh, no, I just had to …” The Doctor’s earlier words come to mind. “... Had to answer the call of nature.” She momentarily frowned, realizing how strange that sounded coming from her. She covered it with a slight shrug.
“Oh, aye. Are ye alright now?”
Relieved he seemed to have accepted it, Zoe sighed. “Yes, I’m fine. And eager to get to work,” she replied, emphasizing the last sentence before she reached down to grab the satchel the Doctor had earlier given her.
Jamie quickly saved her the trouble as he knelt down and retrieved it, handing it to her.
“Oh, thank you, Jamie,” she said, her smile more sincere this time. She expected him to look proud, but instead he ducked his head shyly.
“Aw, ‘twas naethin’.”
Kneeling, she proceeded to take apart one of the console’s panels and made a cursory study of the jumble of circuits. Hm, interesting indeed. Actually, embarrassing. How could the Doctor make any sense of this absolute chaos …?
Her thoughts were intruded by the sensation of Jamie’s hand closing around her own non-dominant one. This time, he wasn’t holding on as tightly as before. Zoe arrested the sigh of annoyance she had queued up. As long as he wouldn’t distract or impede her work much …
She frowned in concentration as she returned to where she left off in her study of the circuits. Once she had her plan in place, she nodded firmly and reached for the probe tool.
Hopefully this would be easy. If she did discover the circuits were fine and at optimal performance, she’d confirm the Doctor did a very good job with their maintenance. Surely he’d be pleased to hear that. And if there was room for improvement …well, surely he would come round. If she could frame it in terms of safety, she could at least prove herself as a helpful addition aboard his ship.
“Ye dinnae have tae prove yerself, ye know,” said a soft voice next to her.
She nearly jumped and wheeled around, coming face to face with Jamie. He was still staring at her but a solemn expression replaced his loopy smile.
“I, erm … what do you mean?” she flustered. How did he know what she was thinking??
“Ah mean, tae me or the Doctor.” He gestured to the innards of the console with his free hand. “Ye dinnae have tae do all this tae show us ye belong here.”
Zoe uttered a small cough. “Jamie, what made you think that?”
“Naethin’,” he replied coyly, a twinkle of a smile peeking at the corners of his mouth. “I could jist see it in yer face as ye were starin’ at those circuit things.”
“Oh,” she squeaked, reaching up to cool the blush that had warmed her cheeks. She turned back to the circuits. Hm, perhaps he could give her a hand. She quickly spotted a ledger in the satchel with a pencil attached. She jotted down a heading, made some rough columns and then numbered them.
“Would you mind taking down the numbers as I call them out?”
Jamie appeared perplexed and Zoe was about to tell him to forget it when his confusion suddenly cleared. “Oh aye. Of course,” he said with a nod.
Zoe smiled uneasily before taking a reading with the probe. “First reading: Five-point-one-four.”
Jamie nodded as he jotted down the reading. Zoe had a quick look over his shoulder. Well, it was legible; that was the important thing. She flashed him a quick smile before turning back to the circuits.
“I’m jist now noticin’ how pretty yer hair is.”
She froze as she felt a hand smoothing over her hair. Risking a glance at him, she found he was all charm.
Zoe smiled awkwardly and tried in earnest to get back to work, ignoring the butterflies that were once again swarming in her stomach.
“Ye look so bonny when ye’re really intae yer work… when ye’re concentratin’ on that stuff.”
The petite scientist stopped again, her face flushing to the tips of her ears.
“Those wee wrinkles in yer forehead …” Jamie trailed off with a giggle.
Zoe cleared her throat. “Next reading: five-point-one-eight.”
The Highlander merely stared at her.
“Jamie, did you hear me? Five-point-eight!” she repeated in exasperation.
The dazed smile was abruptly wiped from his face and he startled. “Oh, aye. Five-point-eight,” he repeated, hastily scribbling in the ledger. Once he finished, his gaze was suddenly drawn to his other hand, still holding Zoe’s. He abruptly let go of it, acting almost as if he’d been burned.
“What’s happened?” he asked.
Still reeling from her shock at his entire about-face, she sputtered. “You don’t remember?? You cracked a tooth in Scotland and we had to take you to a dentist—”
“In Scotland??” he interrupted incredulously.
“Yes! We had landed in … oh, never mind,” Zoe huffed. “You caused such a scene they had to sedate you.”
“Oh, aye,” he remarked, his eyes narrowed skeptically. “Well, why was I holdin’ yer hand?”
“I don’t know! I should be asking you that!”
Jamie stood silently, looking much as if he were trying to come up with a reason for all this.
He apparently didn’t have much success. “Daft lassie,” he finally muttered, wrinkling his nose at her before walking away.
Once he’d left, Zoe shook herself out of her daze and touched her hand. She was surprised to find herself so sad that the whole incident was over. The comfort of him touching her hand, the things he said … no matter how unlike him it seemed.
She also realized the Doctor was right: it was probably the gas that made him act the way he did. Goodness, it must have been quite a high dose they’d administered to get him to relax.
She was hit by a barrage of conflicting feelings. It was odd to see Jamie behaving this way, especially after his usual antagonistic behavior when they first met on the Wheel and her subsequent request to travel with them. She was also concerned that the effects of the gas hit him so strongly.
But she also found herself flattered by the attention. And both touched and mystified by his frank comment about not having to prove herself to anyone.
Don’t make yourself mad over this, Zoe. Just continue your work.
“Well, after all this I think we could use a nice holiday. And I’ve got just the place in mind.” The Doctor smiled, manipulating some controls on the console.
“Oh, good,” Zoe said, deep down hoping it wasn’t Scotland again.
“It’s a little island on a planet called Dulkis,” the Doctor continued as if reading her mind. “Perfect for a beach holiday, so lovely and tranquil.”
“Aye, we could all use some o’ that.”
“Now, if I’ve got this set correctly we should be—-AAH!”
The TARDIS suddenly gave a sharp lurch and Zoe tried desperately to steady herself. She nearly startled as she suddenly felt Jamie grab her hand.
“Just a bit of turbulence; I’m sure it will pass,” the Doctor said uneasily.
Several moments later, the disturbance ceased and a much-welcomed sense of calm returned to the room.
Jamie then seemed to notice he was holding Zoe’s hand. “Och, sorry,” he said sheepishly, letting go.
Zoe smiled gently at him, taking his hand. “No, it’s alright. I-I don’t mind.”
Jamie briefly appeared surprised but it quickly passed and he gave her a gentle smile back.
Zoe’s smile widened, enjoying this little moment between them before a rudely intrusive thought dampened her mood. “I suppose those circuits did need some work,” she fretted. “Oh, if only I’d studied them further …”
“Hey, now, ye dinnae need tae prove yerself,” Jamie lightly admonished her. “Nae tae me or the Doctor.”
The echo of his earlier words took her by surprise. But he was under the influence of the gas then!
Refocusing her gaze on Jamie, she found his gentle, encouraging smile quickly evaporated her obsessive thoughts.
Her smile was back. “Oh, well. At least the Doctor’s happy I didn’t question his expertise any further.”
Jamie chuckled in amusement. “Aye, that’s all we need.” He patted her shoulder fondly and then turned to find the Doctor kneeling in front of the console. He’d removed one of the panels and his head was buried in circuits.
“Oh dear, oh dear,” he whimpered. “I thought I had fixed that pesky little circuit …”
Jamie’s eyebrows jumped up to his hairline as he looked at Zoe questioningly. She simply smiled at him.
THE END