Through All This Time

by megaplatypus

There is a woman who sits on a bench in London, knitting. She has always been there, even before there was a London. She is the Doctor's one confidant, though he knows not her name. She is so much more than meets the eye. She is Elizabeth Granger, Hermione's twin, thought to be dead, but simply hidden. This is her story. Love, loss, friendship, magic, and family. Maybe some danger.

The woman sat on the park bench in the very center of London, quietly knitting a sweater. She didn't so much as glance up from her work as the plastic Santa Clauses walked through the crowded streets shooting at panicked people and causing general mayhem. She knew the man who called himself the Doctor would take care of this one. There was no need for her to lift a pinky in assistance to the humans running amok like mindless animals.

The woman did not pause in her work as a man in a leather jacket sporting overly large ears ran by her bench with a blonde girl following loyally behind. Minutes later, the Nestene Consciousness became lifeless. Some more minutes later, the woman sensed his presence moments before he plopped himself down on her bench beside her. She still did not pause in her knitting. For the next hour, two of the oldest beings in that universe sat side by side in silence, the only sound the clacking of the woman's needles. Only when the deep blue sweater she was knitting was complete did she turn to the man beside her.

"Hello." The Doctor with the big ears and leather jacket spoke. The woman simply quirked an eyebrow at the alien. He sighed, and turned so he was facing straight ahead, not looking at her, but the people getting on with their lives.

"Still not speaking to me then. Well, I'll just talk." And talk he did. He poured out his heart to the woman, as he had done so many times before. Just as she always had, the woman simply listened. Her expression betrayed none of her thoughts or emotions, if she even had those anymore. She spoke not a word. When he was done speaking, he turned to her and stayed true to the ritual the two had.

"Who are you?" The woman, as always, smiled softly at the man, handed him the completed sweater, and began to knit. As always, the Doctor took the sweater and walked back to his TARDIS without another word.

This was the interaction of two of the oldest beings in the universe. She knew all there was to know about him, and he had yet to learn the sound of her voice, let alone her name.

Unbeknownst to the Doctor, the woman paused in her knitting when he closed the door to the TARDIS. She regarded the blue box that was oh so much more for a moment before softly uttering a single word.

"Soon."