Chapter Text
In the darkness of Anne Travers' bedroom, Ralph Cornish started suddenly awake. For a moment he couldn't tell what had woken him, but then the same sound came for a second time, then a third, and then he realised it was the telephone. His eyes were starting to adjust to the shadowy dark of the room, and he could tell that Anne was not lying down beside him. He pushed himself into a sitting position and looked around, only to be blinded as she opened the bedroom door and turned on the light of the living room beyond. She must have got up on the first ring.
"Anne?" Ralph whispered.
But she was too close to the ringing phone now to hear him. He got up and found a t-shirt and underwear to put on - clearly nobody was going to be in the living room right now, but he'd formed a habit - and followed her out. He put his hand on the shoulder of her robe as she held the phone to her ear, and felt the tension in her. It was like her shoulder-blade was ready to pierce through his palm.
"This is Anne Travers," she said into the phone. "Is anything the matter? … Oh… Good evening, Brigadier. Why yes, indeed, he's right here. Just a moment."
She swivelled around and her tension melted, replaced by a pair of raised eyebrows.
"There's a man for you, darling," she said, handing him the receiver. "I wonder what on Earth he wants at this hour."
Ralph, gladder than ever to have gotten dressed before leaving the bedroom, took the receiver with a perplexed frown. He was not in the habit of getting booty calls from the Brigadier, but if Anne and Liz were going to kiss from time to time, perhaps it was an avenue to at least explore.
"Hello, Brigadier?" he said.
"Ah, Cornish, there you are. I called you at home first then realised this was my next best bet. I have a request for you."
Well, it didn't sound like flirting, but with the Brigadier, would you be able to tell the difference?
"Go on, Brig."
"I was wondering if you could head over to UNIT Headquarters-"
Ralph's eyebrows shot up.
"- and see if you could intercept the Doctor on his return."
"Oh," said Ralph. "I mean, oh? He didn't stay in Wales with you and Jo? What, did he have another urgent appointment on Metabilis III?"
"There was… a development," the Brigadier said. Ralph realised that perhaps he shouldn't be treating this phone-call so flippantly.
"What's the matter, Brig?" he said.
"Miss Grant won't be returning to UNIT with the Doctor. She… Well, she's getting married for a start."
"Did Mike propose again?!"
"Pardon?"
"Ignore me. I'm sleepy and a terrible gossip."
"Hmm… Well. Anyway, no, this new gentleman of hers is a young Welshman by the name of Cliff Jones. He's quite excellent in his field, I'm told. And he and the soon-to-be Mrs Jones are to travel to the Amazon in an attempt to refine an alternative food source he's been researching."
"Oh, wow," said Ralph, who'd been under the impression marriage was the last thing on Jo Grant's mind. Maybe she just needed the right man to come along - poor idiot Mike. He was also intrigued by said right man. "You know, Brigadier, I think I might have read about this Jones. Hippie lad, trying to stop some experimentation or other down those mines?"
"That's the badger," said the Brigadier.
Ralph smiled. "Honestly, sir, that sounds like a perfect fit. They'll take this world by storm. The new Curies! But then, what's the matter?"
"Well, Ralph, you know the Doctor."
The Brigadier paused, and in the silence Ralph felt as close to him as he'd felt since the day they waited in nervous suspense for the Doctor to come back from the Davhunian spaceship.
"Yeah. Yes, Brig, I know exactly what you mean."
"I happened to be taking a look at the moon - have you seen it tonight, Cornish? It's gorgeous - and as I peeked out from behind the curtain I saw old Bessie rumbling away along the path out of the commune, with a sad, silent Doctor sitting at her wheel."
Ralph lifted the phone cable so he didn't get tangled as he stepped around to sit down on the couch. He hadn't noticed that Anne had stayed in the room, just at the doorway, and he gave her a little smile as he caught her eye.
"Poor Doctor," said Ralph. "After all that."
"I know. It took such a long time for him to adjust to Miss Grant."
"And so much strength," Ralph added, knowing exactly how painful it had been for the Doctor to contemplate getting close to anyone.
"So, given that we're agreed this is a difficult moment for our mutual friend, and since you're geographically much better placed, I was wondering if you would meet him when he arrives. He'll undoubtedly head straight for his TARDIS. Perhaps you could stop him leaving. Or at least, extract a promise that he'll come back. I'm not saying he has to stay here on Earth forever, especially not now that he seems to have a touch more freedom in his operations, but this would be a rotten way to say goodbye."
"It wouldn't be a goodbye at all."
"Indeed."
"Course I'll go," said Ralph. "Leave it with me, Brigadier."
"Excellent. Thank you, Cornish, knew I could count on you. Now, I must head off. They want me to adjudicate a game of musical statues."
Ralph laughed aloud, releasing the sadness that had been building in his chest. "No problem at all, Brig. See you soon."
"Goodnight, Cornish."
They hung up and Ralph swivelled his head around to face Anne. "Well that, I assume, is not what you were expecting when you sprang from the bed like that."
Anne strolled over to the couch and sat down on his lap. She draped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his nose. "It sure was not."
"What did you think?"
"You can't guess?"
"Well, I thought perhaps it reminded you of when you got the call about Ed's mini-stroke."
Anne grinned. "Got it in one."
Ralph smiled, glad she could feel light about it now that she knew that was not in fact the meaning of the call in the night. But still, he wrapped his arms around her mid-section and gave her a hug.
"So," he said. "Are you joining me on my late night excursion to UNIT HQ?"
"Oh, hell no," she said. "I'm going back to bed. Give the Doctor my love and tell him he's an idiot if he thinks he doesn't have any friends."
Ralph smiled and kissed her. "That was largely my plan, yes."
She kissed him back, then dragged herself to her feet and went back through to bed. Ralph finished getting dressed, then headed out into the night.