Fifth Doctor one-shot

[TheCakeIsAlive]

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, nor the BBC. Bummer...

Recently it came up in a conversation that - although his companions have been known to possess sneezy qualities, the good Doctor himself has (to the best of my knowledge) never sneezed in the series. It was then brought to my attention that the Fifth Doctor has mentioned that rosemary makes him sneeze.

Even though I don't presume I'm any good at writing the 5th Doctor, as I've never seen more than a few minutes of his episodes, I gave it a try in the hope that you might like it. As always, comments will make me insanely happy.

The story is set during the period where the Doctor and Nyssa were travelling alone. Wikipedia wasn't conclusive on her character, so I've assumed her to be ladylike and able to handle herself in diplomatic situations (as she is the daughter of a consul).

Rosemary and thyme

As always, he let his curiosity get the better of him. It was a very bad habit, one he should shed, had he been able to.

En fin, they now found themselves at a diplomatic banquet. Which in itself wasn't so bad, were it not that they were under close surveillance by the – if he were allowed to say it – very suspicious natives. There was also another slight problem...

Nyssa was placed next to the Doctor and she had heard his progress with growing concern. As soon as the first course had appeared on the table, he had grown a little sniffly. She had never heard him sniffle before. It couldn't be good. As the main course was presented, the sniffling grew progressively more frequent, and less silent. When she hazarded a glance sidewards, she found that his nose had gained a distinctive pink touch to it. At that exact moment he was deftly dabbing at his mouth with his napkin, subtly rubbing his nose in the process.

Definitely not good. When, a few minutes later, she hazarded another glance, he had a quite desperate look on his face, softly pinching the bridge of his nose in a gesture that suggested he was thinking, though she knew it was to quench the growing itch in his nose.

She was not completely sure how she knew that for certain, despite the quite obvious signs something was wrong. Through a sense she didn't completely understand, she felt the itch growing worse and worse, until it got so bad that she was unsure even the Doctor would be able to stop from sneezing.

Worriedly, she whispered from the corner of her mouth 'Doctor, what's wrong?' As soon as he opened his mouth, she knew it was a mistake. He couldn't even make it past the first word without his breath hitching softly. 'It..ehh... ehhehh... there is... ihhheh... Rosebary ib all the food.'

His breath didn't stop hitching after he stopped talking. Though, to his credit, he still managed to keep up the illusion of being fine. Except for those who watched him very carefully, as she was doing. Now the pleasant taste that seemed to cling to every dish was explained, she knew they were in trouble.

The Doctor had once said that rosemary made him sneeze. That might have been a gross understatement. At least when this much rosemary was involved. He wasn't going to sneeze, he was going to break into a fit, right in front of the assembly. Why hadn't he excused himself?

Ah, yes, he couldn't talk without his... indisposition showing. She sighed inaudibly and shook her head almost imperceptibly. She called one of the guards to her side - the one that faced away from the Doctor – and whispered in her most alluring voice 'I'm terribly sorry, but it appears the good Doctor is having a negative reaction to your food. Could you please excuse us?'

Her youth as the daughter of a consul had prepared her for this kind of situations. It didn't take much effort to convince the guard to excuse them to their host and escort them back to the TARDIS. The Doctor glanced at her with a mixture of severe annoyance and gratefulness.

They barely made it out of the room. As soon as the doors of the TARDIS closed behind them, the hitching breaths escalated. 'Ehh... hehehh... eehh.... eeeeeh.... ehhhhh.... aaah.... aaaaaahh....' They grew in pitch, from severely suppressed 'eh's' to the more vocalised 'aah'. He remained stuck at that point for a while, a tortured look. Then, suddenly, he raised his hands up to his face and cupped them over his nose and mouth. He started sneezing, and sneezing, and sneezing, without any indication it would stop any time soon.

Finally, after at least ten minutes has passed, the tickle had dissipated completely, leaving him puffy-eyed and red-nosed, but sneeze-free.

'Thank you, Nyssa', he finally said. 'We could have been in a real pickle back there.'

She nodded. 'It's fine, Doctor. Just try to avoid races that bake everything with a healthy dose of rosemary.' He smiled indulgently. 'I will.'

[obsessed]

...

You're evil.

<3

[Merino Sheep]

I've never seen any episodes containing the fifth Doctor, well unless you count the one were four regenerated into him. However I did very much enjoy the plot and thought you did an awesome job. =]

[count tiszula]

Excellent story and fine use of allergy and interaction between the Dr and companion. I have to admit I have little recollection of the programmes of that era; my whowatching being intermittent [though Davison was perhaps the cuddliest doctor with his attire of an undergraduate cricketer].

However, I have finally consulted my brother who I know had a signed fan photo of Nyssa. Her appearance [it being the 80s] was very New Romantic, even to wearing a tiara and puffy skirts. But most importantly, in Terminus, she comes down with a disease; she feels feverish and removes her skirt, remaining scantily clad thereafter; then stays on the place to help the sufferers cure the disease....!

Well, I know that it would be heretical to interfere with canon, but this would seem to offer endless opportunities for top sneezy scenarios; in fact, what if after she is left there, a new symptom of the disease appears and she catches it.....?

[snuffle-bunny]

I think the Fifth Doctor actually sneezes from rosemary in a drink in the episode "Castrovalva". Well, it's either a sneeze or a very hasty stifle.