The TARDIS screamed as it tore through the fabric of reality, her usual wheeze and groan warped into something broken—something wrong. Sparks erupted from the console, lighting the room in bursts of gold and orange as the Doctor held fast to the controls, jaw clenched, eyes wide.

“Come on, come on…” he muttered through gritted teeth, flipping levers and twisting dials with desperate precision. But it was no use. She was falling. They both were.

The impact hit like a thunderclap. The floor lurched beneath him, and the Doctor was flung into the console with brutal force. A crack echoed as his shoulder met metal, and he collapsed to the grated floor with a sharp breath.

He didn’t move at first. The world tilted, spinning at the edges. Blood trickled down from his hairline, warm and persistent, but he barely registered it. Slowly, he forced himself upright, gripping the rail with one hand, the other pressing to his side where the pain throbbed.

“Still with me?” He rasped, eyes scanning the dimmed lights and flickering panels. The TARDIS gave a soft, static-laced hum in reply—there, but barely. Her heartbeat was faint. Struggling.

He limped toward the console and laid a hand gently on the surface, fingers splayed as if trying to soothe her. His voice was quiet. Raw.

“Easy now. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

The monitor flickered—cracked, sparking, but functional enough to confirm what he already suspected. They’d crashed. Badly. And judging by the image barely holding on-screen—a garden, porch lights, the outline of a house—they were somewhere they weren’t meant to be. Not even close.

The Doctor exhaled slowly, straightening with effort. His body protested, but he refused to show it. Not now. Not when something—or someone—might be watching. Vulnerability was a luxury. And he wasn’t in the mood for luxuries.

He moved toward the doors, hand on the frame. For a moment, he considered stepping out. Just a peek. But he stopped himself. No. Not yet. Not until he was sure.

The TARDIS gave a low, worried groan behind him, as if pleading with him to get help.