Title: Reflections
Author: CptnSuz
Chapter Rating: K, All Ages
Chapter Summary: The Fifth Doctor has a moment of reflection during cricket practice with Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan.
Spoilerage: none
Beta: No beta, as this is my first foray into Doctor Who fanfiction. Cross-posted to 'Teaspoon and an Open Mind'.
Disclaimer: I make no claims of ownership on or money off of Doctor Who or its characters. No infringements intended.
"Well bowled, Adric!"
The boy waved back at the Doctor, beaming at the fifth wicket he'd more or less destroyed.
"Yes, well bowled," Tegan echoed. She stripped off the leg pads and handed them to Nyssa along with the bat. "Why don't you give it a try, Nyssa?"
"Oh, I don't…"
"Come now, Nyssa. We wouldn't want Adric's new-found skill to go to his head, would we?" The Doctor cajoled.
"Alright."
While Tegan helped her gear up, the Doctor set up a new wicket and trotted back out to the field. It was a completely splendid day, on a completely deserted planet. The green was perfect; a gentle breeze was rolling off the nearby pond. A beautiful day for cricket. Adric, to the Doctor's surprise and despite Adric's own incredulity, had taken to bowling like it was another form of mathematics. It was quite pleasant to see him grin about something that didn't involve lengthy calculations.
Nyssa, however, was playing stubborn. Her first swing missed entirely and Adric had another wicket down. He smiled gloatingly at her as he prepared to bowl again. That was too much for the Traken girl. Her expression narrowed, and focused her concentration on the incoming ball.
Her second attempt resulted in a resounding CRACK! And she watched through the end of her swing as the red spheroid went sailing out across the green.
"I'll get it!" The Doctor went bounding off after the stray cricket ball. Nyssa had certainly given it a good wallop for the red ball went pelting over the embankment before he could catch up, and made a little splash as it rolled into the pond and stopped.
Leaning over, the Doctor extended his hand to reach it, but halted at the sight of his own reflection in the water, short blonde hair, blue eyes, reflecting back up at him. That was an old, old, old memory, even for him. So long ago, he closed his eyes for a moment trying to recapture it.
There had been a pond, much like this one. But it had seemed bigger, and he was smaller. Tiny hands pulling at the grass. The water was so sparkly. He was leaning forward on pudgy baby arms to stare at it.
"Come here, you!" Long arms swept around his middle, lifting him off the ground. There she was, reflected beside him in the water. Short, straight blonde hair. Blue eyes glinting with laughter. She set him on her knee and nuzzled her nose against his cheek, making him coo.
"Ah!" Another pair of arms encircled them both. The corresponding face appeared beside his reflected in the water. Wild curling feathers of brown hair, a large nose rather like some of his own, inquisitive brown eyes. A great sense of happiness welled up inside him. It seemed like his little body was entirely filled with the joy of just existing, here, with his mother and father…
"Doctor?" Tegan's hand appeared inches for his face, holding the sopping cricket ball. "Couldn't find this right under your nose?"
He snatched the ball back from her, standing to dry it on the tails of his coat. "I was just reflecting for a moment, that's all."
"Reflecting on what?" Nyssa asked from the top of the embankment.
"On a reflection," he answered quietly.
"Come on." Tegan jogged up to Nyssa and said conspiratorially, "We'll never get a straight answer out of him." Then in a louder voice she added, "Coming, Doctor?"
In response, he tossed her the cricket ball. "If Nyssa keeps batting like that," he bestowed the curly-haired girl with one of his enormous grins, "Perhaps I should stay out here."