Yaz rolled on her side as the alarm on her phone sounded off. She rubbed her face into the pillow moaning, her soul still sleeping and her brain desperately trying to wake up. She was tossing and turning most of the night and would pay to be able to stay in bed for at least another hour. 

 

"Arrrh...fuck sake...shut uuuup!!!" she mumbled pressing snooze 

 

There was an unread message in her inbox. It was from Sandy, sent at almost 3 am and she felt a hole in her stomach opening it. Then smiled with relief seeing three rows of hearts and a short message at the end "Don't know what I'd do without you too 🍌+Y=❤️❤️" 

 

.... 

 

Sandy dragged her feet through the kitchen making breakfast. She too didn't have much sleep last night. She sat at the table with her cereal and texted her mother lying through her teeth how she was on a business trip. It only dawned on her last night how she forgot to text or call for almost a week. She was slowly getting lost between the time they’d spent on a ship and time which passed on Earth so she decided to make herself a little calendar to keep a track of it all or she will get tangled into too many lies with her friends and family. 

 

"Morning" Yaz walked into the kitchen and kissed the top of her head. 

 

"Heeeey" she smiled "Morning...What's that for?" 

 

"That message..." 

 

She blushed looking down into the breakfast bowl "I was only answering yours" she glanced up at her smiling shyly "You look tired." 

 

"I look like a puffer fish" she chuckled. 

 

"Little bit.... want some breakfast?" 

 

"Yes please...I'll just have whatever you're having." she said pulling a chair out. 

 

"I was just texting my mum...I forgot" she said pouring some milk over Yaz's cereal "Here you go babe." 

 

"Thanks...It's alright Sandy, it's only been 3 days on Earth since we left.” 

 

"Oh...I was just thinking today.... I’m losing track." 

 

"Yeah...it happens...but Doctor never let us stay away for long period of times. It could create mess in our own timeliness." 

 

"So how does this work in your case?" 

 

"Say Doctor left us for a day to see our families...It could be one afternoon for me but 6 months for her.... or a year...or more" 

 

"Omg...how do you keep a track?" 

 

"You don't...you try and then give up" she chuckled "I got stuck on Earth for a year once and thought I'd never see her again, turned out she was in jail for 25 years." 

 

"OMG...she was in jail?" Sandy almost choked on her breakfast "25 years?" 

 

"Yeaaaah" Yaz sighed "Long story, but anyways, you get the picture." 

 

"That's why she said she's got no clue how old she is" 

 

Yaz laughed "Yeah...She really doesn’t." 

 

.....

 

 

Sandy became distracted as she observed Yaz and the Doctor impatiently tapping their fingers on the console while waiting for the scan results. Except for the lack of sound from Doctor's fingertips, they appeared to be mirror images of each other. It was a tragically funny scene. They say that if you spend enough time next to someone, you pick up on their personality traits, but she wasn't sure who was picking up on whose personality traits in this strange combo, or if it was equal measure on both sides. Did they forget who they were years ago as time passed? She refocused her attention on the scanner. 

 

"Not bad this automatic mapping system" Doctor said haply "Quite detailed considering...Well the good news is, there's breathable atmosphere...the bad news, it's cold." 

 

"How cold?" Sandy asked. 

 

"Really cold..." 

 

"How cold is really cold?" Yaz asked "Shit" her jaw dropped when she realized. 

 

"Yaz?" Sandy asked concerned. 

 

" -37 degrees Celsius give or take" Doctor scrunched her face. I hope you got yourselves some warm clothes...Also oxygen levels are a bit lower, not enough to cause hypoxia but enough for you to feel headache or dizziness, maybe some fatigue, it will definitely make you tired faster...little bit...not a lot..." 

 

"Is there anything we can do to prevent it?" Yaz asked 

 

"I'm afraid not Yaz" Doctor said genuinely worried 

 

"I hope we park close" Sandy said 

 

"I wish I could just park inside" Yaz said deflated 

 

"I mean...you could do" Doctor said 

 

"Nooo...I don't feel confident enough yet" 

 

"I think you pretty much passed the driving test Yaz" 

 

"This isn't the Tardis...she's much bigger, it's like parking a whole ass apartment." 

 

"What's the difference?" Sandy asked...Sorry it sounds a bit stupid but..." 

 

"Well, Galifrey is not the only place in the universe using dimensional engineering only ours is far more advanced.... look at it as the difference between the first mobile phone and a smart watch Sandy...Or the first ever computer and a laptop...much smaller with far more capabilities...This is pretty outdated to be honest..." 

 

"Can it be upgraded?" 

 

"Could be...it does have its limitations though." 

 

"If I make a mistake, it won't be Graham's chair, I'll knock out half of the building" Yaz said 

 

"Oi...I did not make a mistake! " Doctor jumped "Not my fault the dematerialization circuit glitched." 

 

"However, I'm still not ready." 

 

"It's alright Yaz we’ll practice some more...On a happier note" Doctor said "It looks like this place has some pretty bad snow blizzards." 

 

"What's happy about that?" Yaz frowned. 

 

"There's none today" she grinned pointing at the weather scanner 

 

"There" Yaz pointed "Some sort of structure and that looks like a ship" 

 

"So, it is Yaz" Doctor hunched over the console "The system is picking up a lot of life forms Yaz...Only we have no idea what kind of life forms." 

 

"Or what this place is" Sandy added. 

 

"Going to an unnamed planet, in a part of the universe anyone normal avoids, exploring facility we have no idea what it is, inhabited by unfamiliar life forms... I always wanted to do that," Yaz said sarcastically. 

 

"It might be alright" Doctor said not so hopeful. 

 

"Might....it's a lucky dip" Sandy said "Hey what's that? Sandy pointed on a scan to one place radiating extreme heat. 

 

"It's a cold place Sandy" Doctor said "Could be just some sort of a heating facility.... Or not...Hard to tell..." 

 

"This reminds me of something...oh I know!" Sandy said and suddenly all eyes were on her. 

 

"What?" Yaz asked intrigued. 

 

"Alien 2" 

 

"Whaaa?" Yaz looked at her flabbergasted. 

 

Doctor scrunched her face disgusted "Couldn't you pick a better comparison?" 

 

"Did you have to say that?" Yaz looked at her horrified. 

 

"Sorry" she frowned. 

 

"Well, on a second thought, she does have some point" Doctor said "...cold place, big facility, unknown life forms..." 

 

"You two just made me feel a whole lot more positive" she rolled her eyes 

 

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I never came across Xenomorph" Doctor said comforting 

 

"See!" Sandy grinned 

 

"Although that doesn't necessarily mean there's nothing out there similar" Doctor continued. 

 

Sandy looked horrified and Yaz just chuckled passing next to her smug, nodding her head towards the Doctor "See" Sandy looked at her more horrified 

 

"It would be interesting If I ever did come across something even remotely similar to it" Doctor continued. 

 

"Nooo....it wouldn't" Sandy shook her head "I like aliens...but your kind...not that kind" she said mortified 

 

"Come on Scully....let's get our Antarctica gear on" Yaz laughed 

 

"Anyone has a hot water bottle?" Sandy asked as they headed towards the hallway 

 

"I'm thinking more on the lines of that hydraulic thing Ripley used" Yaz said 

 

..... 

 

They landed and Yaz couldn't get the Alien out of her head. They should talk about mentioning things like Aliens before going on a mission. She also couldn't help but notice how Sandy could be seen from Google Earth in her hot pink jacket, but at least her shoes weren't blinking anymore. Not that she didn't compensate with other items of clothing. She then saw her standing next to the Doctor in her rainbow shirt and the two of them looked like they had dropped from the same planet. And that said a lot about her taste in women, which is not something she should be thinking about right now, but it was better than thinking about Alien. She opened the door.

A strong cold wind blew across her face, mixed with the blinding whiteness of the vast snowy landscape. The air was so cold that she had the feeling as if something was crushing her esophagus. 

 

"Let's get to this place as soon as we can" 

 

"I think we should" Sandy said and attentively pulled the woolly hat over Yaz's ears trying to smile but her teeth were chattering from cold "We shouldn't breathe that in our lounges" 

 

"She's right Yaz...Not very hospitable, is it?" 

 

"No, it's not" Yaz said pulling a scarf over her mouth "Let's go" 

 

It was only a short trek, but it felt like an eternity as their feet made their way through the snow. Yaz began to lose feeling in her nose and her ears were hurting. She turned looking at Sandy, her delicate pinky skin turning blazing crimson. Sandy's face was pricked by the wind, which felt like sharp needles. She could barely feel her toes, despite the fact that they had only been out for a few minutes. Doctor was concerned about both of them. The conditions were far too harsh, and she simply wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible. 

 

They finally arrived at the side entry, which was merely a little metal door bolted from the inside. There were no windows on the site, only solid walls constructed of a weird material that resembled white plastic. Yaz pry opened the door with a sonic, it nearly glued to her fingers from the cold. They all stepped into a narrow sterile white hallway. The walls were flawless white with bright light shining from the ceiling. The floor so glossy Yaz could swear she could see her reflection in it. It was warm, which was a big plus. 

 

"I disabled the security system here but further down we need to be careful" Yaz said puffing hot air over her frozen fingers 

 

Sandy shook the snow off her boots and opened the hollo map "This leads to another hallway I think this is just an emergency exit or something. The other hallways are wider, bigger and long. This place is like a maze. I'm not sure where to start to be honest. It's just a bunch of hallways leading to different rooms and then there's this big place here." 

 

"Right...you stay here. I'm gonna go and check around a bit..." Doctor said pointing towards the hallway. 

 

"Noooo...no you’re not!" Yaz jumped “I don't wanna get separated." 

 

"You can't..." Sandy said "There's cameras and security systems everywhere. Even as a hollo Doctor, it’s too dangerous." 

 

"Just a peak" she scrunched her nose 

 

"Nooo!" Yaz whined "We're staying together." 

 

"I won't be seen Yaz don't worry, I can put the perception filter on and go practically unnoticed...see" she goes almost transparent and something about it makes Yaz feel uncomfortable "Can't let you go in blind Yaz...too dangerous" 

 

"Doooctor" she whined "We always go in blind" 

 

"Well...Things have changed.” 

 

"How?" 

 

"Hollo hands Yaz" she puts  her arms out "Aaaa...seee what I did there...Hollo with hollo hands...I'll be back in a sec..." she said and disappeared 

 

"Doctooooo.....Arrrrhhh" she stomped her foot "Fuck sake!...I hate when she does that" 

 

"Hey, don't get upset. She's trying to protect you" Sandy said 

 

"I knoooow...But she also always runs off like that...this isn't a new thing" she said storming towards the end of the hallway "What do you see on that map?" She asked frustrated 

 

"Arrrrr...My thermal imaging is not showing much in this part of the structure...I have to work on it.... There’s no movement...at least it doesn't seem like there is any...I can't make out because of that heat source that Doctor thinks it's a heating system" 

 

"Don't look like heaters to me" Yaz said 

 

"No...it doesn't" Sandy looked at her worried 

 

"Come on...let's go" Yaz said 

 

"What? Without her?" She asked taken back. 

 

"She can always find me Sandy" she said putting her hand on her shoulder "I'm more worried about her at this point" she said pushing the door opened. 

 

They suddenly found themselves in a very different environment. Dark massive hallway with only green light shining from the corners of the ceiling. 

 

"Hiya!" Doctor glitched next to them giving both a heart attack. 

 

"Jesus!" Sandy jumped. 

 

"Sooorry" Doctor scrunched her face "I thought I told you to wait for me Yaz?" 

 

"Where were you?" Yaz said tense. 

 

"This is bad Yaz....Well not bad, wrong word…worrying" 

 

"What's worrying?"  

 

"Nobody is here..." 

 

"What do you mean?" she frowned "We saw life forms like two hours ago" 

 

"I know" 

 

".... all over the place" 

 

"I know" 

 

"And not just one...many...like loads" 

 

"I knooooow.... It’s strange...very strange Yaz...It smells bad...not that I can smell but it you know what I mean...Not a soul in site" 

 

"I'm not getting anything either" Sandy said looking at her map confused. 

 

Yaz pulled the sonic out and scanned "I'm getting jumbled readings...why am I getting jumbled readings...that's a bit worrying" 

 

"That's what I'm saying," Doctor said "Come on...Let's quickly see what's going on here and get out of here. This place is making my preceptors go funny. There's a main control room just around the corner. Maybe we can get more of an idea about what this place is... but I can't do anything...hollo hands...I must say, I'm starting to seriously annoy myself" 

 

"Come on...let's go" Yaz sighed 

 

She continued scanning the hallway, but readings were still off. It was making her nervous, and she just wanted to get out. She also knew they can't and she wondered if she was making the right decision. 

 

"There" Doctor pointed. She kept looking around and behind them nervously. 

 

"I can't get the door open" Yaz shook the sonic "Oh come ooon you gotta be kidding me" 

 

"You need to do it old school Yaz" Doctor said 

 

"Wait" Sandy stepped in front of the door "Let me try" 

 

"I don't think you can hack this" Yaz said. 

 

"I can try" she said examining the security system on the wall. 

 

Doctor stood nervously looking around. She was struggling between her inability to do anything physical and anxiety about the whole situation in general. 

 

"Can you get that box off the wall for me Yaz?" Sandy asked. 

 

"I think so" she zapped it with the sonic and it fell off the wall 

 

"Aaaaaa...smart girl" Doctor jumped 

 

"Oh god.... what am I looking at?" Sandy squinted looking at the glowing white wiring 

 

"Be very careful...any sudden move can set off the alarm" Doctor said 

 

"They are all the same" 

 

"It may seem like it but, look closer.... see right there inside, those tiny itsy bitsy barely noticeable particles floating around in that tube?" 

 

"Yes...looks like glitter" 

 

"That's it Sandy...that's your wire" 

 

"Cool" she tugged on it ripping it from the main board and the door flew open "We're in" she smiled satisfied. 

 

"This doesn't seem right" Yaz said as they walked inside. She was becoming more anxious by the minute. Jokes about Aliens aside, this place was making hairs at the back of her neck stand up. 

 

"I knoooow" Doctor turned towards her "I wonder where everyone is? Maybe it's a dance night." 

 

"Whaa?" Sandy chuckled 

 

"Well, they must be getting board in this place, gotta have some fun" 

 

"Somehow I don't think they're dancing" Yaz said looking around the room "We shouldn't be able to just walk around like it's a shopping center" she said worried 

 

"We need to be fast" Doctor said 

 

"I can be fast?" Sandy said "...except I've never seen anything like this in my life" 

 

She stood baffled in front of the massive glass like panel floating suspended in the air. The surface of it was moving, silver, thick substance resembling mercury. 

 

"What is that?" Yaz looked at it confused, she felt like she could put her hand through it. Ten years ago, she probably would've. But Sandy had the same idea and she reached out. Yaz grabbed her wrist in mid air "Don't..." 

 

"Gotcha" she rolled her lips like a naughty child caught doing something they shouldn't "Don't touch stuff." 

 

"Exactly" she exclaimed letting her arm go 

 

"I must say...never seen anything like it" Doctor said walking around it "It doesn't seem to be connected to anything." 

 

"So how do you know it's a control room?" Yaz asked 

 

"This" she pointed to the control plate underneath "Not quite sure how it works though.... If I could just...." 

 

She hasn't finished the sentence before Sandy swiped her hand over it 

 

"Saaaandy!" Yaz yelled 

 

"Ups" Doctor looked up as the liquid suddenly started pouring out of it floating in the air. They all stepped back 

 

"Soooory" Sandy frowned apologetically as Yaz shot her a look 

 

"What's happening?" Yaz asked as the liquid hovered in the air above them. She took one more step back 

 

"Not sure" Doctor said "But I'm sure we're gonna find out sooner rather than later" 

 

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking" Sandy said stepping back. Her eyes locked on the strange substance 

 

Doctor stepped forward looking closer 

 

"Doctor" Yaz warned 

 

"It's alright Yaz, can't hurt me.... Hopefully" 

 

It was moving and shaping into something until it finally took some form and morphed into a face of the Doctor 

 

"Noo way" Sandy's eyes popped out 

 

"Aaaaaa....mimicking...that's cleaver" Doctor chirped exited "Can you hear us?" Can you understand?" She asked and the thing looked towards Yaz morphing into her face. 

 

"That's creepy" 

 

"That's creepy" it repeated her words. 

 

"Ok...I think we should go" Yaz said. 

 

"I think we should go" it repeated her words again giving her shivers down her spine. 

 

"I think it's just trying to detect our language Yaz" Doctor turned to her reinsuring her. 

 

"English" Sandy said enthusiastically "You think it can understand us?" she asked the Doctor. 

 

"England...Scotland” the thing replied 

 

"Woooow" Sandy's eyes widened "Can you tell us what this place is?" 

 

"Aaaaa....cleaver" Doctor grinned 

 

"This place" the thing answered. 

 

"Please identify this facility, name, what is it?" Doctor added. 

 

"Identification number 95600BL Blue line biogenetics" 

 

"Interesting" Doctor frowned "Do you happen to know by any chance who owns Blue line biogenetics?" 

 

"Confidential information, please state your security clearance number." 

 

"Must have forgotten it, old brains...never mind that. Where is everyone...you know employees?" 

 

"Total number of employees 250" 

 

"That's nice" Yaz said "Well where are they?" 

 

"Question not understood, please state your security clearance number." 

 

"What do we do?" Yaz asked "I don't think we're gonna get anywhere with this.... thing" she waived her hand in the direction of the creature. 

 

"Identification required, please state your identification" it kept repeating. 

 

"Dunno Yaz...it's some sort of AI assistance I suggest we do it the old school.” 

 

"You mean just snoop around?" 

 

"Yaz" Sandy called out for her 

 

"I guess..." Doctor shrugged "It's definitely not gonna give us any information without the clearance...which we obviously do not have" 

 

"No clearance, protocol CD engaged." 

 

"Ups" Doctor's eyes widened "Silly me...we do have it, just left it in me ship..." 

 

"Doctor...what's going on?" Sandy asked. 

 

"Aaarrrhh...what's happening?" Yaz pointed towards the creature morphing and spilling to the floor like the water and very quickly spreading around. She grabbed Sandy's arm pulling her backwards. 

 

"Woooow" Doctor jumped "Careful" 

 

"Doctoooor what's going on?" Sandy asked moving backwards. 

 

"Protocol CD I suppose" 

 

"And what's that?" She asked 

 

"Not entirely sure Sandy to be honest" 

 

"Oh shit..." Yaz looked freaked to the floor 

 

The liquid started spreading extremely fast. Sandy threw gummy bear packed on the floor and the liquid dissolved it in matter of seconds. "I think CD stands for - Completely dissolving" 

 

"Arrrrr....time to go" Doctor said "Run!" She yelled 

 

They ran outside and closing the door behind them. Yaz locked it with a sonic. 

 

"Yaaaz!" Sandy screamed pulling her by the jacket as the strange substance was quickly pouring underneath the door and Yaz almost stepped into it. 

 

"Aaaaa!" Doctor shouted, "Persistent blob aren't you?" 

 

"That was close" she grabbed Sandy's hand, and they ran down the hallway only stopping when they were at the safe distance from the room. 

 

"Now what?" Yaz huffed trying to catch some air. 

 

"I do believe this place is empty Yaz" Doctor said "...If anyone were here, they would be all over us by now.... The question is why?"  

 

"Can I suggest something?" Sandy raised her hand. 

 

"Sure, go ahead" Yaz huffed and unzipped her jacket. 

 

"Since nobody is obviously here...why don't we just quickly go from one room to the next until we actually find something that will give us some answers.... You know...before they do return." 

 

"Good point" Doctor said "I didn't see the whole facility." 

 

Yaz sighed "Suppose you're right...come on. Let's do this fast. I'm just hoping this isn't a trap." 

 

Yaz entered the first room they came across. Inside, there were just four beds and small half-moon side tables protruding from the wall with a few personal possessions, but she had no idea what they were, it was technology she didn't grasp. 

 

"There's few things around but not much to go on" Yaz concluded after short inspection. 

 

"They look like sleeping quarters" Doctor said 

 

"There's some stuff here though" Sandy stated as she opened the wardrobe built into the wall, "Look, clothes, or uniforms...something," she said pulling out a light jumpsuit. 

 

"Long arms" Doctor scrunched her nose 

 

"Oh yeah" Sandy pulled the sleeve up "They are, aren't they?" 

 

"More questions" Yaz said "There's nothing here...let's go" 

 

They opened a new door. It appeared to be a vast greenhouse, with plants growing in pots on shelves beneath the artificial lighting. Rows upon rows of it covered the entire room. 

 

"Aaaaaa...they are growing food..." Doctor said exited hopping around "I know this one...nice berries...I made a pie once out of those...didn't turn out nice thought..." she continued talking and as walked around. 

 

Sandy took off on her own, all the way to the other end of the room. It was probably not the smartest decision, but her curiosity was always stronger than her fear. In her book, she discovered something far more exciting than the bunch of plants. Rows of glass dome-shaped bubble pods. "Holly bananas," she murmured as her eyes widened, "Hey, look what I found!" She yelled. 

 

"Sandy?" Yaz turned around "Where are you?" 

 

"Over here..." she yelled exited "I found something amazing." 

 

"Did ya?" Doctor smiled intrigued. 

 

"Do I wanna know?" Yaz shook her head and followed her voice, unable to see her from the plants. She had recently become way over enthusiastic about the whole space travel and Yaz began to worry that she's going to get herself into trouble. 

 

"Loook!" She smiled as she stood near one of the pods. 

 

"OMG what are those?" Yaz stood at the door, her gaze darting over at least fifty pods, each housing something. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what. 

 

"Aaaaa....incubators" The Doctor was ecstatic. 

 

"The whaaa?..." "What are they incubating?" Yaz inquired, but not with the same enthusiasm as the other two.  

 

"Loook," Sandy said again, grinning as if she had just won the jackpot. 

 

"Waaaaw...Look at that," Doctor said softly, as if looking at the newborn. 

 

"What's that?" Yaz asked, finally peering inside. 

 

"It's an egg, Yaz," Doctor said, frowning as if it were clear. 

 

"I know it's an egg...I can see that...What's inside the egg?" 

 

"How would I know Yaz?" It could be a number of things...This is exciting." 

 

"It won't be when it hatches and jumps on your face" 

 

"No, it will not...It's adorable." Sandy gushed 

 

"It's not" As Sandy pressed her face on the glass, Yaz shuddered at the thought of what might be inside. Alien comes to mind again, and she becomes concerned as she walks around peering inside each pod while Doctor and Sandy raved over them as if they were at the baby shower. 

 

"What if its something...you know...alien?" She asked as her fingers brushed over the glass carefully. 

 

"It is alien...it's an alien planet" Doctor said 

 

She took a step back from the pod as she imagined something nasty and slimy hatching out of it. 

 

"These are different, look" Sandy pointed 

 

"So they are Sandy...and a lot smaller. I wonder if they are indigenous to this planet. Cause that would be really interesting. I didn't think there's life on one of these planets" 

 

"Can we take one?" Sandy asked 

 

"Nooooo!" Yaz was horrified. She hoped Sandy's obsession with aliens would not turn into a collecting fetish. "We should move on," Yaz remarked as she walked towards the exit, hoping the other two would be prompted to follow. Whatever happened to, let's get this done sharpish. 

 

"There's a big room down this hallway and then another one on a left from it" Sandy pointed to her map 

 

"Let's get moving" Yaz waived her hand eager to get out as sooner than later. 

 

They kept unveiling one room after another, the majority of them were just sleeping quarters. Then they stumbled across what appeared to be the kitchen, complete with a large cantine. It was vacant and eerie, with dishes full of meals left on the tables as if the residents had fled in a rush. Half-cooked food remains undisturbed in enormous ovens. Yaz stepped between the counters in the back and discovered someone's personal stuff as well as what appeared to be some sort of bord game that the staff were playing at one of the tables. 

 

"This place was definitely abandoned in a hurry," Yaz said, touching one of the giant pots. "But all the food is cold and this.... god the smell is awful," she said, putting the lid back on a large pot. "A few days, I'd say." 

 

"But we saw people on a scan?" Sandy asked 

 

"I don't know...it's confusing" Doctor said "Maybe it wasn't them, maybe someone came to pick something up, investigate what happened...who knows." 

 

"What if they were all killed?" Sandy said and suddenly all eyes were on her "Just saying" she shrugged. 

 

"Sandy!!" Yaz looked at her horrified. 

 

"Well...she has got a point Yaz" Doctor added. 

 

"OMG...seriously?" she frowned "...Can we just move on" she shook her head as Alien popped in her head again, a last thought she wanted to have at this point in time 

 

"Just saying Yaz" Sandy continued as they walked out "...They can't just vanish." 

 

"Or can they?" Doctor lifted her eyebrow. 

 

"You two are a dangerous combination" Yaz said as they proceeded down the hallway. 

 

"It is possible Yaz. Once I came across this village in 1367 France...did I tell you that Yaz?" 

 

"Nope," Yaz said as he walked in front of them. As much as she enjoyed Doctor telling her a stories, this place was giving her shivers, and to be honest, she was more intrigued in what was down the hallway. 

 

"Oh...Anyways" Doctor continued "...1367 France...everyone was gone...vanished into thin space. And the houses like frozen in time" 

 

"Aaaand?" Sandy's eyes grew wide, and she turned into one big ear. Yaz laughed rolling her eyes. Her enthusiasm reminded her of herself. 

 

"All people gone Sandy, animals, humans...not even birds were singing...I did come across a nice pie though it was very nice" 

 

"And...and?..." Sandy hopped next to her intrigued 

 

"Turned out that every living creature in that place was pulled through this rift...ended up in a 34th century" 

 

"OMG...what everyone?" 

 

Yaz ignored them and concentrated her attention on a double door, which she imagined led to the room Sandy mentioned. 

 

"Yap...everyone..." Doctor nodded engulfed into conversation with Sandy ".... Confusion it caused I tell you...having to explain the cows and chickens...not to mention the embarrassment for those taking a bath at that moment or...you know..." 

 

"Oh noooo" Sandy laughed "Did you manage to get them all back" she asked as they both automatically followed Yaz into the second hallway. 

 

"Most...I think I lost some birds though..." 

 

"Hey, you two..." Yaz opened one of the doors "Are you two gonna chat or?" 

 

"Alright....grumpy" Doctor rolled her eyes making Sandy laugh at them to constantly bickering. 

 

"Shit" she opened the door and choked on her breath as she stepped inside the room. She wasn't sure was it the bad smell which hit her face or the absolute horror of what she was seeing. 

 

"Woooow..." Doctor took a step back as she looked inside "Yaz!" She automatically reached out to move her out of the way, but her arm went right through her "Yaz get out!" She yelled, her eyes filled with panic 

 

"What is it?" Sandy shouted making a step forward 

 

"Stay there Sandy" Yaz said 

 

"Yaz get out" Doctor yelled 

 

"Wait!" She pulled the sonic out 

 

"Yaz!!!...Shut that door!!" Doctor screamed "It could be toxic get out" Doctor panicked unable to move her or do anything leaving her with feeling of complete helplessness and frustration. 

 

"Yaaz...Doctor? OMG What's that smell?" Sandy asked confused covering her face with her arm 

 

"It's clear" Yaz said looking at the Doctor who sighed relieved 

 

"Don't ever do that again!" Doctor scolded "It could've been a virus or poisonous or..." 

 

"It's alright.... it’s alright...it was already open, it wouldn’t make any difference. At least I would know what it was" she said as Doctor shot her a look shaking her head "But It's not...so it's alright" she said softly. 

 

"That was totally reckless Yaz..." 

 

"Can someone pleeease tell me what's going on?" Sandy pleaded from the hallway and started walking towards the room frustrated at everyone ignoring her 

 

"Don't come inside Sandy!" Yaz warned, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her away from the door. 

 

"What, whyyy? What's going on?" She asked confused trying to see over her shoulder. 

 

"Just trust me on this one...please stay here" she said pushing her all the way out into the hallway as far away from the room. 

 

"Nooo...Tell me!" She started jumping on one spot frustrated 

 

"Pleaseeee banana" 

 

"What's going on, what toxin? What are you two going on about? Tell me!!" She asked as she was still trying to look towards the room 

 

"You know when you said they might be dead" she said not taking her eyes of her 

 

"OMG!" 

 

"Just please.... wait here...There's no reason for you to see that..." she said and was about to turn around, but Sandy grabbed her wrist 

 

"Pleaseeee be careful Yaz..." 

 

She just smiled in response and walked back into the room. It was unmistakably a lab of some kind, similar but not identical to the one on their ship. Bodies were piled on top of one other on the floor. It initially reminded her of dystopian medical disaster movies. They almost appeared to be sleeping, which she wasn't sure if she was grateful for or if it made things even worse. They belonged to a race she'd never encountered before. Tall, slender bodies with virtually transparent, pale skin, elongated features with small noses and thin lips. As she made her way through the bodies in the direction of the Doctor, a lifeless hand landed on the side of her ankle, and she barely restrained herself from screaming. 

 

"You alright Yaz?" Doctor asked visibly shaken herself 

 

"Yeah...let's do this" she said and pulled the sonic out of her pocket "who are this people, Doctor?" 

 

"I am not familiar with this race Yaz...There's no visible wounds on them" Doctor said as Yaz examined one person 

 

"No... I wonder what happened to them" 

 

"It looks like they all died at the same time" Doctor said 

 

"I think the life forms we saw were definitely not these people" she looked at the readings on a sonic "They died 5, 6 days ago." 

 

Doctor stood up and walked around the room "Who ever did this made sure they wiped this place clean" she turned over her shoulder "Nothing is left." 

 

"There's something sonic is picking up...remnant of something on their clothes" Yaz said scanning over the person "What's this?" 

 

Doctor leaned over to read the sonic "Dex trine 569?" 

 

"What's Dex trine?" 

 

"Oh, now it makes sense.” 

 

"What does?" 

 

"How they died...It's highly toxic gas Yaz" she said as her eyes darted worriedly around the room and up the ceiling 

 

"God...I will never be like you...I would literally hit the wall now." 

 

"Don't know what you're talking about Yaz, you're exactly like me" she glanced at her with a subtle smile then looked up to the ceiling "You would just find another way, you're very resourceful Yaz" 

 

"If you say soo" 

 

"I know so" 

 

"Anyway...Are you saying they were gased?" 

 

"That's exactly what I'm saying Yaz...it has no taste and no smell, it puts you to sleep and once you faint it will slowly overdose you and you will never wake up. Similar but not the same as 

Nitrous oxide" she hopped to another side of the room looking at the ventilation grid on the ceiling 

 

"What?" 

 

"I was just wondering Yaz..." 

 

Suddenly the door slammed shut 

 

"What's going on?" 

 

"Shoot..." Doctor looked towards the door "Must have short circuit.” 

 

"Yaaaz!" Sandy yelled from outside "I didn't do anything!" 

 

"I know...Hold on" Yaz yelled over the glass window separating them "We think the door short circuit." 

 

"Try with the sonic Yaz" Doctor said 

 

Yaz tried and failed to open the door "I can't open it!" 

 

"Hmmm...that's odd" Doctor scrunched her face "...Ok off to the plan B... oh wait I don't have a plan B... or maybe I do...give me a minute Yaz" 

 

"Oh, this is not good" Yaz shook her head looking at the control panel on the wall. 

 

"What's going on? Sandy asked 

 

"Sonic won't open it..." 

 

"Want me to try?" Sandy asked 

 

"I know" Doctor snapped her fingers "Pull that off the wall Yaz, will ya" she pointed to the control panel 

 

"Hold on Sandy...let me try" 

 

"Alright... " Sandy huffed and went on her toes trying to look what they were doing 

 

"See that there" Doctor pointed "...zap it with a sonic Yaz" 

 

She did, but apart from few sparks the door wouldn't move. 

 

"Arrrrh...what is this?..." Doctor whined. 

 

"Are you sure you don't want me to try?" Sandy asked. 

 

"Might have to" Doctor said hunched over studding the wires "I don't understand...it should work, nothing is broken." 

 

As she was looking at what they were doing Sandy noticed air wobbling in a strange way by the ventilation on the ceiling. 

 

"Yaaaz!" She banged on the glass "Doctoooor .... behind you" she pointed hysterically "What’s that coming out of the shaft?" 

 

"Bigger shoot" Doctor said looking at the ceiling. 

 

"Is that the gas?" Yaz's eyes opened wide in panic "Please tell me that's not the gas" 

 

"Aaaarrhhh .... looks like it" 

 

"I thought we're alone here?" 

 

"Well, it looks like we're not.... Don’t panic Yaz just try to pull that wire for me, will you?" She pointed. 

 

"It's not working!" she yelled frustrated and looked back towards the ceiling. 

 

"I really think it's time for me to try now" Sandy panicked. 

 

"Hold on Sandy...Let me just try..." Yaz stepped back and tried to smash the glass with the sonic failing miserably yet again. She stomped her foot on the floor "Aaaarrhhh...what the hell!" 

 

"Sonic proof...that's a new one" Doctor scrunched her face "Right...Sandy...I'm coming over" Doctor tried to hop out of the room and just glitched smashing into the wall “Wooooow" she wobbled "...hollo proof as well...that feels funny. She scratched her ear and shook her head.  

 

"Fuck this" Sandy ripped the controls off the wall "Doctoooor...can you tell me what to do?" 

 

"Yes...yes I can..." she hopped to the door 

 

"You better do this fast" Yaz stumbled, her vision became fuzzy, and she became disoriented. For a brief moment, she wondered if she would die on the outskirts of the universe, and no one would ever know. She worried that if she died, Doctor's hollo would perish with her. And Sandy, what about Sandy, she has no idea how to get home. She was dizzy. Why did the Doctor's hollo glitch so much more than usual? 

 

"Oh no no..." Doctor looked at her hands glitching then shifted her focus on Yaz who suddenly looked pale and wobbled trying to keep her balance "Not now! Yaaaz...wake up darling!" She yelled "Yaz please Yaz wake up!" Doctor looked up towards the door "Sandy...you have to reverse it...I think..." she went quiet as she realized her voice made no sound anymore. Desperate, she went back to Yaz. 

 

"Doctoooor...what's going on" Sandy looked through the window petrified "Yaaaz!...she yelled "Hold on Yaz...I'll get you out I promise" she scrambled panicked and ripped her little suitcase of her shoulder "Breath Sandy...breath...it's gonna be fine..." she was pulling the wires with a shaking hand and closed her eyes for a moment "Music I need music...I can't...Yaz...hold on...pleaseeee" she looked through the window and saw Doctor fading trying to talk and Yaz stumbling "...Arrrrh fuck this" she connected the wires 

 

"I'm sorry" Yaz grabbed the table, and as the room swirled about, something dropped on the floor, and she realized it was her. As Doctor's image faded, she held out her arm trying to touch her face. She looked so worried "Why are you so scared darling?" she asked, trying to keep her eyes open and then suddenly it was dark. 

 

Sandy figured if Yaz managed to open it from outside then maybe, just maybe the room had a safety locking mechanism like in some labs on Earth where in case of an outbreak the only way to open it was from the outside. That was under the assumption she could do it herself without the Doctor's help. It should only take a moment if she really concentrates, which wasn't easy at this point. She fiddled with it and in a few seconds the door opened up. 

 

"Yaz!!!!" She screamed and went inside, "Shit....shit.... wake up Yaz" she grabbed the lapels of her jacket and dragged her outside, then ran back and locked the door 

 

"Yaz....breath...Come ooon!" She slapped her cheek, but Yaz didn't respond. "Don't do this to me...No no no... shit Yaaz!" she yelled before ripping her jacket open and listening to her heart. It wasn't beating and she wasn't breathing, and Sandy suddenly felt as though the floor opened up underneath her. She wasn't sure she even knew what to do, but in utter desperation, she began administering CPR, praying to God that it would work. 

She was frantically trying to blow air into her lungs and listening to her heart for what seemed like hours... Finally, finally Yaz opened her eyes sleepy. 

 

"Yaaaaz" she whined as tears ran down her cheeks stroking her face and pulled her onto her lap 

 

"Hey banana" she smiled 

 

"Oh god" she cried out "You scared the shit out of me" she stroke her face 

 

"It's alright" she smiled faintly "It was kinda worth it for this" 

 

"I'm gonna slap you again" she laughed through the tears "Doctor...she disappeared" Sandy said worried. 

 

"Cause I passed out...she'll be back" Yaz smiled "Help me up..." she said trying to sit up. She had a banging headache, but she was coming around. 

 

"Maybe you should just wait for a moment Yaz." 

 

"Noo...someone's here Sandy, we need to get moving." 

 

Suddenly the lights went out and they found themselves in pitch darkness. 

 

"What the hell?" Sandy looked up 

 

"We need to get out" she tried to get up and stumbled. 

 

"My suitcase" Sandy grabbed the belt and pulled it as she was helping Yaz to stand up 

 

"Shhh" Yaz put her hand over her mouth and stumbled a bit pushing her in the gap between the two supporting columns a bit further from the lab. 

 

She saw a man walking down the hallway 

 

"Who is...?" 

 

"Shhh" Yaz nodded closing her mouth. She came around enough so she could stand up on her own but still holding on to Sandy feeling dizzy and weak, she also felt nausea and was hoping she wouldn't throw up. Her head is pounding and footsteps down the hallway echoed in her ears. 

 

"I know you're here" the man said "I've been waiting for you" 

 

Sandy looked at Yaz panicked and whimpered into her palm. 

 

"Come on Yaz...give up...Doctor isn't here this time what are you playing at" 

 

The voice was different but the tone familiar, too familiar....and she felt her blood run cold. She reached for her sonic and leaned over whispering into Sandy's ear "Stay here...what ever happens do not move" she couldn’t stress enough. 

 

"Mmmm" Sandy mumbled into her palm. 

 

"Just trust me" she whispered. 

 

Sandy stared at her in terror, then turned to face the man as his footsteps echoed through the darkness. 

 

Yaz stepped out into the hallway and away from her. She couldn't help but think that this was a horrible decision. And she was puzzled as to why she'd go up to him on her wobbly feet, armed only with her sonic. 

 

 

"Well, well, well...Yasmin Khan" he smirked "Long time no see...How's life treating you?" 

 

"Never better" she said sarcastically. 

 

Sandy looked over the corner of the column, just enough to catch a glimpse of a strange man approaching Yaz slowly but confidently. His swagger and tone of voice conveyed arrogance. It was too dark for her to see his face, but he made her feel uneasy, and she was concerned about Yaz. 

 

"Miss her?" 

 

"Do you?" She replied, "Must be boring for you now...or you're trying to find her?" 

 

"Mmmm...you mean him?" 

 

She felt her stomach flip and her knees buckle 

 

"...Oh, didn't you know? He smirked diabolically "He's busy at the moment...Got a new pet...did you know?" 

 

As tears collected in the corners of her eyes, she felt her heart fracture into pieces. She might simply end it here, shoving him inside the room and locking the door. Watch him panting for oxygen as he bangs his fist against the glass, gasping for air until his body catches fire, like he watched her when she helplessly screamed her name behind the glass. A part of her wanted to do it so badly, a part of her that scared her. 

 

"Cut the crap...what do you want?" She said 

 

"Hey...you're hurting my feelings Yaz...Why would I want something?" He grinned 

 

"Cause you always do...you're like an annoying case of diarrhea..." she said as he circled her. She was trying to see his face, but her vision was still blurred, and the hallway was like a black hole.  

 

"I thought I give you heads up. Fair...cause you know...I'm a fair person Yaz" 

 

"Right...sure...Mother Theresa you are...then why you tried to kill me back there?" 

 

"Neah...that was just a bit of fun...I knew you’d be fine...I like you...you got spunk...I like that about you" he put his hands into his pockets. 

 

"You're a sick fuck, you know that?" 

 

"I know...but it's fun.... Stay away from this Yaz. Your way over your head this time" he leant into her ear "And you wouldn't want your new girlfriend getting hurt now, would you?" 

 

"Over my dead body," she responded, turning to face him. He looked different and it was strange, bizarre, but he smelled the same, and for a brief minute she wondered if the Doctor smelled the same as well, and she could feel her heart splitting into pieces. 

 

"It can be arranged" he smirked "But I would hate to do that" he stepped back and walked away. 

 

"See you around Yaz" He yelled down the hallway. She heard his footsteps as he walked farther down into the darkness, and she inhaled deeply before stumbling as her knees gave way and her hands shook. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins. 

 

"Yaz" Sandy ran to her and held her up "You alright? 

 

"Yeaaaah...I'll be fine" she said gripping Sandy's waist 

 

"Pleaseeee...can we just get out of here?" Sandy asked, terrified. 

 

"Yeah, I think we should...I don't think we're gonna find anything except dead bodies anyway" 

 

"Who was that Yaz?" 

 

"Someone from my past...he was...." The explosion burst down the hallway, and the ground shook so violently that it knocked them both into the wall. "Fuck!"..." Yaz gasped and pulled on her hand. 

 

Sandy pointed to the exit, "We can't get out that way." 

 

"Then we go the other way...come on" She fought to run, slipping her grip every now and then and nearly collapsing on her face if it hadn't been for Sandy's firm grip on her. 

 

Another explosion, this time closer to them, blew the double door from the wall, landing inches away from them. They made their way through the darkness. Sandy was following her map, which was the only thing providing light through the maze of unending corridors. 

 

 

"Through here" Sandy replied "It's a cut through...there's a side entrance through this room...can you open it?" 

 

Yaz disabled the security system and Sandy kicked the door. 

 

"Holy bananas!" she gasped as they walked into the room. More bodies were stacked up on the floor. But they didn't have time to think, no time to take in the horror of this morgue they found themselves in. Sandy grabbed Yaz's hand as they crossed to the other side. 

 

"Wait look," she says, pointing to a small piece of equipment on the floor next to one person, and she immediately bends down to pick it up. 

 

"What is it?" 

 

"No clue...but I thought..." she had not finished her sentence before another explosion rocked across the area. Following the squeaking sound of the metal, Yaz shoved her out of the way as the big chunk of the ceiling crashed down between them, 

 

"Sandy!" She yelled as dust filled the room, making it even more difficult to see. 

 

"Arrr...I'm fine..." she coughed "You?" 

 

"Fine...let's get out of here" She grabbed her hand and drew her to the door. 

 

They were finally outside, but the walk back to the ship would be difficult because they were now on the opposite side of the facility. As if that wasn't enough, it began to snow heavily and thickly. They heard blasts behind them as they tracked through the snow. The entire complex was blasted to pieces. Yaz felt annoyed at herself. She definitely needed additional flying lessons. This was not only inconvenient, but also dangerous. She looked over at Sandy, her face hidden behind a scarf, and she gripped Yaz's hand, looking down, trying to conceal her face from the cold wind. When they arrived at the ship, Yaz sighed relieved as the door closed behind them.

 

 

.... 

 

Yaz couldn't sleep, so she went for a walk around their Antarctica base before reclining on some rocks and marveling at the peaceful nature and the millions of stars in the night sky. Something was pressing against her heart. There was more pressing on it now and she didn't know how to shake it off, and a speck of doubt was slowly creeping into her head. Was she really in over her head, or could she pull this off? She was no longer certain of anything. She wondered if the Doctor ever felt this way. She undoubtedly did, many nights when she tinkered with the Tardis while everyone else was sleeping. She smiled as she heard footsteps behind her. Her adorable shadow followed as usual. 

"Hey banana" 

 

"Heeey..." She ran her hands down her shoulders and Yaz felt thousands of tingles running down her spine "What are you doing out here? Didn't your but freeze enough today?" 

 

"Sorry," she giggled, looking up and reached for her hand. "I just needed to clear my head," her tiny fingers were so soothingly warm and Yaz had a dying urge to kiss them 

 

"And did you clear it?" 

 

"Nope" she chuckled "But I love the sky" 

 

"I can make us popcorn...we can watch a movie" she suggested hoping Yaz would agree. 

 

"I'd like that" she smiled as Sandy's heart just made a somersault. 

 

"Hey...C'mere..." she tugged on her hand "Let's take a piccie”

 

"Whaaaa? Why?" 

 

"Why not? Look how pretty it is...Go on...pleaseeee" 

 

Yaz giggled rolling her eyes "Oh, Alright then...silly. I suppose it's nice" 

 

"Here look..." she raised the phone up and huddled next to her "Smile captain Khan" she giggled and snapped the photo. 

 

As Sandy walked towards the ship Yaz picked up a handful of snow and threw it at her. 

 

"Whaaa" she turned confused. 

 

"Well, that was easy banana.” 

 

"Is that a challenge?" She raised her eyebrow "I grew up with two brothers you know." 

 

"Oh really...and that makes you tough?" Yaz grinned while making another snowball and threw it at her. 

 

Sandy chuckled as she bent down to pick up the snow. Yaz wanted to break out laughing watching her making a cool expression, but all she looked like was a adorable pink marshmallow. Sandy launched a snowball, striking her right in the head, and she quickly regretted her boldness. She stood for a second after she was rendered speechless. 

 

"OMG...I'm soooorry...you're supposed to duck down.” 

 

Yaz laughed and ran for her, "Your dead banana." 

 

"Neah...!!!" She yelled and ran towards the ship as snowballs pounded her back. "Ceasefire !!" She yelled and bent down to pick up more snow, but she was pulled to the ground by hands from behind. 

 

"Ceasefire!!" She laughed as Yaz shoved snow down her jacket, "Aaaaaa...No you won't!!" She grabbed some snow from the ground and tossed it on Yaz's head. 

 

"Aaaaaa! You fucker" Yaz sat on her, pressing her hands down into the snow. 

 

"Ceasefire!!" Sandy laughed, then became silent as her chest heaved. 

 

Her cheeks flushed, and she relented. Her heart began to race as she simply stared at Yaz as their eyes connected, and Yaz realized what she'd done as they both went silent, with no words needed to communicate what they both so much want. She looked down at her flushed cheeks and red lips as her hands entwined with hers in the freezing snow, and she felt her breath beneath her shoot through her stomach as it churned. And it was the most incredible sensation. But what was she doing? 

 

"I'm cold" Sandy said. Her words breaking the silence. 

 

"Yeah...me too" Yaz snapped out and released her hands getting up then pulled Sandy's hand "Sorry about the snow" 

 

"That was fun Yaz" Sandy smiled and brushed snow from Yaz's hair "I haven't done that in a while" 

 

Yaz smiled back and tucked Sandy's hat over her ears "I can’t even remember when was the last time I did that" 

 

"Popcorn?" 

 

"Definitely...and cocoa..." she said as they walked towards the ship 

 

"We can watch Alien" Sandy grinned cheeky. 

 

.... 

Chapter continues after the artwork

 

They changed into their pajamas, made some popcorn, and huddled beneath a blanket on a large sofa. Sandy somehow ended up leaning on Yaz at some point, and Yaz wasn't sure when. Sandy wasn't sure when Yaz's arm wrapped around her, drawing her closer till she was nearly lying on her with her head on Yaz's shoulder.

They remained silent as the credits rolled, and Yaz's fingers played with hers on a blanket. When did that happen? She didn't want to move, nor did she want Sandy to leave. She felt so light for the first time in years. 

 

"Yaz" 

 

"Mmmm?" 

 

She pressed her fingertips gently to Yaz's then ran them down her palm and Yaz shivered from the tips of her toes. She will probably regret this, but she couldn't take another minute of this agony. 

 

"I'm really into you Yaz..." she said quietly. 

 

Yaz choked staring at the bowl of popcorn on a table listening to Sandy's heavy breathing in perfect silence. She should be saying something, anything or at least look at her rather then suddenly wonder how much popcorn could be in a bowl.

 

"I just can't keep up with this anymore Yaz. It's eating me from inside...I just...I don't think you feel the same way and that's ok...I just had to get this off my chest...I'm sorry..." 

 

Then Sandy's hand moved from hers and it felt as though something had been ripped out of her. She looked down and saw her looking back at her widely, her green eyes floating across her face searching for confirmation, something anything before she starts to feel like a complete idiot for saying what she just did so bluntly. Her cheeks blushed and Yaz wanted to press her lips on them but instead she smiled and ran her hand down the side of Sandy's neck watching her close her eyes to the touch and pressed a small kiss to her lips. They looked at each other in silence. Yaz's thumb brushing over her cheek, subtle and gentle made Sandy's whole body tingle. 

 

"Hey banana" Yaz smiled, and Sandy leaned into her palm. 

 

"Hey" she smiled back and brought her hand to the nape of Yaz's neck pulling her into another kiss, deeper, longer, and painfully intense making Yaz forget her own name. 

She imagined kissing her more times than she wanted to admit to herself. She imagined kissing Sandy as much as she imagined kissing the Doctor. It was confusing, can you love two people at the same time? She wasn't sure but it felt like that. She left that thought somewhere unanswered and kissed her deeper cause kissing her felt like flying or jumping on fluffy clouds. They pulled apart and Sandy rested her head on her shoulder playing with their hands as they both fell silent. She wasn't sure where this was going but happy with what just happened.

 

"Yaz" 

 

"Mmmm?" she hummed and brushed her fingertips over her arm 

 

"I'm not trying to compete..." she lifted her gaze "With your friend" 

 

"What?...That didn't even cross my mind" she said with a smile moving a lock of her hair from her forehead 

 

"I would never do that Yaz I just..." 

 

"I knoooow...and you don't have to" she said placing a long kiss to her forehead "That's complicated...it's also very different from this" she said reaching for her hand intertwining their fingers 

 

"Different how?" she asked lowering her gaze focusing on Yaz's fingers as they brushed between hers slowly 

 

"It's my past Sandy...I just need time to accept that. What was...or should've been...or what we both so desperately wanted is now long gone. We are just trying to find our way. I'm trying to find my way" 

 

Sandy looked up at her with teary eyes "I'm so sorry Yaz..." 

 

"I have to move on...I know that now...A part of me wants to and a part of me is struggling so much...I just don't want to hurt you in a process...It's my mess to take care of" she looked down at her softly "I care too much about you banana" she smiled dropping tiny kiss to the tip of her nose "You deserve better" 

 

"But I want this, for a long time now" she said "If you do?" 

 

Yaz gave her long look, bringing her finger to her chin raising her gaze "I do..." she said and kissed her again slow and tender sinking into the sofa. 

 

 

....