At the touch, she stiffened visibly, turning her head to look at the Ranger with obvious surprise. She should have expected this by now, but in reality comforting her was not what happened. Most tended to keep away from the Doctor, at least emotionally, and she was used to that. And yet when his hand wrapped around hers, she glanced at it and then glanced away, feeling a heat touch her face.
After a moment, she lightly squeezed his hand with her own, biting down on her bottom lip. At first, she said nothing, and let silence settle heavily between them. But then the quietest reply parted from her lips to him, still looking out.
"Thank you."
After that, she didn't speak much else, apart from directions to the droid towards Aida's apartment. When they arrived a thin Human woman was pacing in front of the grimy building, wringing her hands and staring out into the cityscape. As soon as the speeder would pull up, however, she sprinted over, and at waking to see the woman, Keela immediately perked up. "Aunty Aida!"
The Rodian woke up with a jerk, a hand where his blaster could have been.. but finding none and no threat, relaxed ever so slightly. The woman peered through the window, and when Ilana lowered it, she merely gave the woman a nod. Aida nodded in return, hugging Keela close to her side as soon as she was out of the speeder. But then eyes flicked back from the Doctor to her companion, and brows raised.
At the slightest shake of her head, the woman shrugged, then stepped back. "I'll treat them at my place. I'll comm when her mom gets here," she replied in crisp, light tones, "and bill you later. We'll take care of Talos too."
And just like that, Keela had gone. Swallowing thickly, the Doctor forced herself to turn away. Let Keela be wrapped up with someone more adept at comfort; she wasn't as maternal as Aida would be. But she kept watch from the corners of her eyes until all three were in the building, with no other sounds, and didn't relax until a minute of silence resumed before exhaling, visibly relaxing into her seat.
She still hadn't let go, but she wasn't conscious of it yet.
"Mind if I go back with you?" she asked quietly, still staring up at the building. She would have wanted to be alone, but she felt like she had been alone enough the last few years. Perhaps having company... someone good around her... wouldn't be such a bad way to end the remainder of the early morning after all. She still couldn't process everything that had happened. Not yet.
@TerranSteel
After a moment, she lightly squeezed his hand with her own, biting down on her bottom lip. At first, she said nothing, and let silence settle heavily between them. But then the quietest reply parted from her lips to him, still looking out.
"Thank you."
After that, she didn't speak much else, apart from directions to the droid towards Aida's apartment. When they arrived a thin Human woman was pacing in front of the grimy building, wringing her hands and staring out into the cityscape. As soon as the speeder would pull up, however, she sprinted over, and at waking to see the woman, Keela immediately perked up. "Aunty Aida!"
The Rodian woke up with a jerk, a hand where his blaster could have been.. but finding none and no threat, relaxed ever so slightly. The woman peered through the window, and when Ilana lowered it, she merely gave the woman a nod. Aida nodded in return, hugging Keela close to her side as soon as she was out of the speeder. But then eyes flicked back from the Doctor to her companion, and brows raised.
At the slightest shake of her head, the woman shrugged, then stepped back. "I'll treat them at my place. I'll comm when her mom gets here," she replied in crisp, light tones, "and bill you later. We'll take care of Talos too."
And just like that, Keela had gone. Swallowing thickly, the Doctor forced herself to turn away. Let Keela be wrapped up with someone more adept at comfort; she wasn't as maternal as Aida would be. But she kept watch from the corners of her eyes until all three were in the building, with no other sounds, and didn't relax until a minute of silence resumed before exhaling, visibly relaxing into her seat.
She still hadn't let go, but she wasn't conscious of it yet.
"Mind if I go back with you?" she asked quietly, still staring up at the building. She would have wanted to be alone, but she felt like she had been alone enough the last few years. Perhaps having company... someone good around her... wouldn't be such a bad way to end the remainder of the early morning after all. She still couldn't process everything that had happened. Not yet.
@TerranSteel