Title: Sweet dreams, sweet nightmares
Author: angelsstolemypolicebox aka Ria
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: T
Disclaimer: The doctor and the tardis are property of the BBC and the god that is Russell T Davies no profit is being made from this fiction and the above are borrowed with thanks. Hetty is all mine
Warning: Some violence and scenes of a harrowing nature which may be deemed unsuitable for youngsters and people of a nervous disposition.
Status: This is a work in progress.
Summary: This story carries on from where Hitched left off. Hetty leaves her humdrum life behind to travel with the doctor, but is the universe ready for Nurse Hetty Davies?
Part 1
Hetty vainly struggled with the holdalls zip. After some panting and pulling the zip hit home. She wasn't sure how long she was going to be away so she had to pack for every eventuality. What did they wear on other planets anyway? Did the doctor have a washing machine? She smirked to herself at the thought of the doctor under mounds of ironing.
He had given her a few days to get things in order, such as say goodbye to some people, pack and give up her job. Everything felt so final. This was the beginning of a new chapter in her life and she had to face it head on. The doctor had promised that he would come back for her, he wasn't going to let her walk out on him again. She remembered the way he looked at her when she said she would go with him. His eyes danced in the moonlight and he seemed happy for the first time in quite a while. They had spent the rest of the evening together.
Pam had left them to go back to their room for an early night. Hetty thought that was an excuse so that she could leave them on their own. They had sat by the fountain talking about what they had done since they had left each other. Hetty told the doctor of how weird it was settling back into life in Manchester after the hustle and bustle of London. She felt that after what had happened on Gavanair she could not be away from Pam. They talked until the sun came up and then parted and agreed to meet three days later.
Hetty looked around her room for the last time and sighed. So many memories still hung in the air in that room. A small part of her was glad to see the back of it again.
Pam put the kettle on to boil for her visitor. The doctor shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. He should have brought flowers, that's what you do when you meet someone's parent for the first time isn't it? Except on Laxentor where you bring the head of a Brifestat. Somehow he didn't think that Pam would appreciate a severed head as a greeting present.
"Do you take sugar Dr Smith?" Pam asked over shoulder as she popped some teabags into the pot.
"Actually I think I won't thanks, been trying to loose a bit of weight. Been putting on a few extra pounds this last couple of hundred……" Pam stared at him. "Anyway… erm how have you been since the party?" he said trying to change the subject.
"I've been fine. I'm worried about Hetty though she has had her head in the clouds since she agreed to go travelling around the world with you." the doctor smiled. He and Hetty had decided to tell Pam that they were going to the poorer parts of the world to help out with medicines and disease control. Well the second part might be right but he hoped not.
"Well she is a big girl now and she can handle herself." the doctor said with a smile. Pam glared at him.
"She will always be my little girl and you remember that! I was the one who had to pick up the pieces the last time you decided you didn't want to be with her." the doctor opened his mouth to correct her and decided against the idea. He had vivid memories and a few scars from scorned parents.
"I will look after her, that I can promise you!" he replied in a soothing voice. There was an awkward silence as he followed Pam into the sitting room. She had insisted on carrying the tray with the cups and teapot on. He sat himself down as Pam poured tea into the delicate china mugs. He took his cup and sat back.
"I've always known she was different!" the doctor nearly choked on his tea. "Oh I'm very observant doctor. She was always years ahead of all the others at school, she always had that far away look in her eyes and never seemed to feel like she belonged." Pam looked out of the window thoughtfully. "The other night when you said she was not of this life? You meant it didn't you? She doesn't belong to this earth does she?" the doctor sat in deep thought. If he said yes how would she react? Would she disown Hetty? How do you tell a mother who has such feelings for a child that she has looked after for 25 years; that she is an alien?
"Pam….." the doctor was interrupted by Hetty. He was obscured from her view by the door.
"Mum I'm all packed bar my pink bra have you seen it? He'll be here any minute…….why are you laughing?" Pam's face was red with laughter and pointed behind the door. Hetty closed her eyes and blushed. She couldn't look. Slowly she peered around the sitting room door to find the doctor waving at her. It was then they all collapsed into a fit of giggles.
Hetty swung the small rucksack onto her back and followed the heavily laden doctor out of the front door. She turned to say her last goodbye to Pam.
"Now you take care, you hear all these stories of young women going missing from places like that."
"I will mum I promise!" she said hugging her. When she stood back she noticed Pam was crying.
"Mum you'll have me starting in a minute!" Hetty croaked fighting back the tears.
"Pam I will personally make sure she phones you when she can! But we really must go or we will miss our train!" the doctor said taking Hetty's hand. Hetty felt herself being dragged out of her front gate.
"Love you mum!" she shouted.
"Love you too be safe!" Pam shouted after them.