Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/27355
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

The bast way to deal with this issue is to explicitly acknowledge it, show that it isn't an issue, and move on.

A superb example of this is found in the Dr. Who story, Partners in Crime. The Doctor has just asked Donna if she will accompany him on a journey in his time machine, the Tardis:

> **Donna** : I don't need injections, do I? You know, like when you go to Cambodia. Is there any of that? Because my friend Veena went to Bahrain, and she- [cuts off, noticing the Doctor is silent] You're not saying much.
> 
> **The Doctor** : No, it's just. It's a funny old life, in the Tardis.
> 
> **Donna** : You don't want me.
> 
> **The Doctor** : I'm not saying that.
> 
> **Donna** : But you asked me. Would you rather be on your own?
> 
> **The Doctor** : No. Actually, no. But the last time...With Martha, like I said, it got... complicated. And that was all my fault. I just want a mate.
> 
> **Donna** : [alarmed] You just want to mate?!
> 
> **The Doctor** : I just want a mate!
> 
> **Donna** : You're not mating with me, sunshine!
> 
> **The Doctor** : A mate! I want a mate!
> 
> **Donna** : Well, just as well, cos I'm not having any of that nonsense! You're just a long streak of nothing! You know... Alien nothing!
> 
> **The Doctor** : There we are, then. Okay.
> 
> **Donna** : I can come?
> 
> **The Doctor** : Yeah. Course you can, yeah. I'd love it.

Original score: 9