Tell Me You Love Me (short story)

Tell Me You Love Me was the fourth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: The Ghosts of Christmas. It was written by Scott Matthewman. It featured the First Doctor, Susan, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.

Summary
During an air raid, Sarah Miller and her mother Julia take shelter at home. Meanwhile, other citizens use the community shelter. Air raid warden Alfie Wilkinson brings in four strangers, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan. They are welcomed by Mabel Clutterthorpe.

When Susan starts to discuss the war as an historical event, Barbara loses control and runs out of the shelter. Mabel and the Doctor convince Ian not to follow her, with Mabel saying Alfie will find her. The Doctor and Ian remember that Barbara's father died during World War II, and that's why she was so upset.

Sarah has wished for her father to come home from the war for Christmas. To her surprise, he does show up and hugs her.

As Barbara runs through the streets during the air raid, she sees her father. He hugs her and comforts her.

Julia is surprised to see her husband, Leslie, home from the war. They embrace.

When the air raid is over, everyone leaves the shelter. Barbara is still missing, and Alfie informs the others that the Miller home was hit, and Sarah is trapped in the rubble. The Doctor and his friends decide to help with the efforts to rescue Sarah, then they will try to find Barbara.

Meanwhile, Barbara's father keeps asking her to say she loves him, but she rejects him, knowing that he isn't really her father. He starts to attack her but is weakened, revealing an alien form. At the Miller home, Julia is worried about her daughter, but her husband keeps hold of her and asks her to say she loves him. She screams at him that their daughter is trapped and he doesn't seem to care. He attacks Julia, but like the other one, becomes weakened. Barbara appears, carrying her wounded alien. The two aliens are laid together, but it's clear that they are dying. One of them informs the watchers that they are Bansharai. They crashed on Earth and were separated. The Doctor realises that the Bansharai live off the endorphins from love.

Suddenly, Ian climbs out of the rubble, carrying Sarah. They are followed by a third Banshara, who also appears as Leslie. When the three Bansharai unite, they change from their human forms to white forms of light. They apologise for any distress they caused, and they give the assembled people visions of happy moments. Then they fade away.

Characters

 * First Doctor
 * Susan Foreman
 * Barbara Wright
 * Ian Chesterton
 * Sarah Miller
 * Julia Miller
 * Mabel Clutterthorpe
 * Edith Brearley
 * Alfie Wilkinson
 * Three Bansharai

Worldbuilding

 * Edith sings "The Lord is My Shepherd". The group in the shelter sing Christmas carols, including "Silent Night".
 * Sarah's teddy bear is named Mr Barnabas.
 * Edith complains about Hitler and the ration.
 * The Millers live at 17 Gable Street.

Continuity
to be added