Hello everyone who reads this! I'm new here, and this is my first story. I hope you enjoy it! I tought it could be sweet 11th (The Ponds being still alive, but not traveling with him) returning to help Rose with his homework, so I wrote this. I may have some mistakes, as English is not my 1st language, so if you see anything, feel free to let me know it. Also, i'd like to know if you like it or not, but please, nicely. I leave you to it then.
The little girl was making her homework when he entered the library. She didn't even look at him while he walked between the small shelves reading the titles of the books. Still, he could hear her sweet childish laugh when he sat in one of the kid-sized chairs of the room.
- Oi! What's so funny, little girl?
- Sorry, sir, it's just that that chair is supposed to be for kids, and you look too big in it, like… a giraffe.
-A giraffe, huh? Well, these are the only chairs here, so, if you excuse me, young lady, I'd like to start my reading. –He tried to look serious as he opened the book he had chosen (The Little Prince). He noticed the little girl returned to her notebook, writing slowly and carefully. But soon, she stopped and stared at him.
- Sir? – She whispered after a while.
- Yes, little girl?
- Why are you here?
- Well, I like books, books are cool. And this is a library. It has lots of them.
- No, I mean, in the kid's section. Shouldn't you be reading something for grownups?
- I like these ones better. This, this is an amazing story.
- It's just a kids book. Just fairy tale, it's not real.
- Just a fairytale? Little girl, there is no "just" in any fairyta…
- Rose. –She interrupted, while he stared confused at her.
- What?
- Rose Tyler. That is my name, no "Little Girl". You keep calling me that, but that is not my name. And my mum says I am a big girl now. I'm 10.
- Well, Rose Tyler, nice to meet you. I am the Doctor. –The Doctor smiled sadly at little Rose.
- A Doctor? Of what?
- Ha! That is a good one, isn't it? Not a Doctor of that kind. Just the Doctor.
- Nice to meet you, too, then, "Just the Doctor"- She smiled at her own joke. – I'll let you keep reading, I need to finish my homework before my mum finishes at work.
- Homework? Homework is boring. Why would you do that in such a wonderful place? You are surrounded by thousands of adventures hidden in the pages of these books.
- They are not real. Homework is. And I will fail if I don't do it. And my teacher says you need to get good grades if you want a good future.
- That's not completely true, but I guess you have to do it. Humans! Thinking that this evil "homework" thing is going to make you kids learn something useful. Look at you, you don't believe in fairytales or adventures. And you want to be a big girl. No one should want to grow up when they are 10. You should be dreaming with being a pirate looking for a treasure, or an astronaut visiting new worlds.
- That things are for little kids. And you are human too, why do you speak like you weren't.
-Ha! –He almost yelled cheerfully. He stood up and, still whispering, approached little Rose and sat next to her. He looked at her with a happy grin in his face –What if I'm not, huh? What if I were an alien? I could have two hearts, and live in a spaceship. A spaceship that could travel through time and space. How would that be? –She soon smiled back at him, wishing to believe that things were possible, even if she knew for sure that they weren't.
- That would be fantastic if it was real. I would be talking to a real alien. From outer space. And, it certainly would explain the bow tie.
- Oi! Bow ties are cool! –He touched his bow tie.
- No, they are not. But you are an alien; you don't care about "cool".
- Yes we do! – He looked offended, but noticed that Rose was almost laughing. Not even a tiny bit concerned that she was sit next to a stranger claiming to be from another planet. - You don't seem to be worried that I am an alien.
- Even if you were, you would be an alien in the kid's section of a library, reading "The little prince". Why should I be worried?
- That is a very good point. So, as I have been distracting you, I think it is fair that I help you finish this homework of yours. What do you think? – She nodded her head yes, and took the books closer to the Doctor. – Now, what subject do we have here? Quantum physics?
- History and Math.
- Oh. Too easy. Let's see: Queen Victoria! Nice! We met her once. Saved her life, actually. Did you know she used to say "We're not amused"? Me and… a friend made a bet to get her to say it. The werewolf thing was a surprise, of course, but…
- Doctor, I don't think you can help me here… You couldn't have met her. She has been dead for hundreds of years.
- Weren't you listening? I live in a spaceship that travels through time! Fine, I'll skip my contributions to History. – But he didn't, and Rose didn't complain again. History was way funnier with this Doctor telling it. It was even fun to learn new things. One hour later, Jackie arrived to the library to pick her up. She saw her daughter speaking with a funny man, who seemed to be helping her with Math.
- Rose, sweetie, who is this? Are you ready to go home?
- Yes, mum. This is the Doctor, he was helping me with my homework.
- Oh, that is very nice of you, sir. I hope she didn't cause you any trouble.
- No, please, it was a pleasure. She is a very nice kid. A bit stubborn, but nice. –He turned then to speak to Rose -Before you go, Rose, I would like you to take home this. –He put "The Little Prince" in her tiny hands. - Read it, enjoy the adventure. Remember that there's more to see than can ever be seen.
-That's from The Lion King.
- Yes, yes it is. Still, it's a good quote. You'll be fantastic, Rose Tyler. –He ruffled her hair and shook Jackie's hand. - Nice to meet you, miss Tyler. And now, if you excuse me, I have to go, too. –He walked slowly to the library's exit, while Jackie and Rose went to the librarian to take the book home. The TARDIS was parked in an alley near the library, and, as usual, nobody even turned to look at it. "Humans!", the doctor thought, while getting in an starting the engines. He realized he left the door open, and while closing it, he watched little Rose passing by with Jackie. The little girl looked at him, in the TARDIS, which was starting to disappear, so he put his pointer finger over his mouth and winked at her, while disappearing completely.
She would never know if what she saw was real or not, and soon forgot the incident, because it was unlikely for it to be real. But she really enjoyed the book that strange man told her to read, and even got Jackie to bought it for her. And she really liked the ending, and loved to think that the little prince finally got to return to his home, with his dear rose.