Amelia knocked loudly on the doors of the blue box. She had heard stories about her father every night before bed.
They were her favourite to hear and her mother always told them with such enthusiasm.
She checks she has her small suitcase. knocks again
" …Daddy…?"
The Doctor had his TARDIS landed on Earth his secondary and permanent well almost permanent home and he's far too busy.
To hear the first knock, running around the TARDIS' console room and around the console itself to keep the ship stable.
Amelia pokes her head in the small gap and sticks her small scarred hand through the gap handing him a note river had said.
" you need to read that…" she pulls her ginger curls over to cover her scar across her cheek " it explains things…"
The Doctor raises a barely visible eyebrow, gingerly taking the note from the person in front of him and reads what the note says.
"Doctor take good care of my little girl while I'm at The Library. I won't be long. Love River xxx"
The Doctor tilts his head when he finishes reading the note; confused, he glances back at the child in front of him. " we'll " said the doctor.
she nods and wipes away falling tears with the back of her hand. Her hands gripping her bag tighter.
" Hey, hey... what? No, no, no, don't do that." shakes his head upon catching sight of her tears.
" I want my mummy…" she whimpers quietly " I wanna go home…"
" No, no, River's okay. " there's a lump forming at his throat, and he thins his lips
" I can make the TARDIS your home."
she holds up her arms to the man she had been told stories about and knew was her father. " daddy…"
He blinks, head tilting to the right just a bit before he kneels down with both arms extending out. " Yeah. I'm... Dad."
she runs into his arms and clings tightly to him. " love you daddy…"
The Doctor makes a nervous laugh, patting at her back when she holds onto him.
" Daddy don't you know me…?" she pulls away looking at him.
" are you still travelling with Nana?
" Still traveling, yes! With, ah, "Nana"? Noooo, I don't... no."
" Daddy where are you…? " she reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out his diary, flicking through.
" Oi! Wha-what are you doing?" nearly flails his arms " I'm... I'm in the now."
" I'm on the same timeline as mummy…I know most things…have you done Manhattan?" she looks up at him with teary eyes.
His jaw clenches, eyes widening a bit " Yeah, I, uh, have... actually."
Tears begin to fall. " no! That's not fair! I wanted to see my Nana…that's so not fair!"
" I–it–I'm sorry, I just... it just happened. " Clear his throat, looking solemn.
" please don't cry."
she whimpers quietly and hugs her fathers diary to her chest.
" I've only met her once…when I was 3…I want my Nana"
Shakes his head gently, mumbling a little. "no You can't."
"Can you make mummy come and get me…? I wanna go home."
" I can ring her up. " nods, taking a thick gulp " I'm sorry"
" Will she be angry for me ending her expedition? She's been talking The Library for months…"
"The Library? O-oh. No, I don't think she... I don't think so, no."
she flicks through her fathers diary and drops it as she reaches the page about The Library.
" Hey, hey " The Doctor's eyes gazes at the contents of the diary, then yanks it from the ground in a hurried fashion.
" Mummy's dead…? " she sniffles " my mummy is dead?"
" It's– -he sighs deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose"
She bursts into tears, her small hearts now broken. " who will look after me…? nana is gone…mummy is gone…"
" I" he takes a long pause, breathing heavily through his nostrils. " I can take care of you."
" you don't want me" she hangs her head.
" But you need me." she holds up open arms to him
He brings out a smile and picks her up. " Come on."
she snuggles against him. " I love you daddy…you're my hero daddy…"
The Doctor thins his lips, nodding solemnly and pulls her into the ship with him.
"I wanna save the universe like you…like mummy used to…I'm gonna be just like you…"
" You... you want to?"
"I wanna save the world like you do and see the stars!"
" See the stars. It's lovely, but..."
" Am I not allowed…? " she bows her head.
" No, no, you're allowed!"
she looks up at him. " daddy…? Are you gonna look after me from now on…? Am I staying here?".
He nods profusely, making low hums. " Yeah, yeah. You are."
" Can I go to bed please…?" she rubs her eyes gently.
The Doctor nods and picks up the journal and her, carrying her to the nearest bedroom of his ship.
she snuggles against him, her small scarred hands clinging to his tweed.
He hums once more, walking closer to the neat, single bed of the room.
she scratches her scarred cheek gently. " daddy read me a story…?"
"Read you a story? What kind of story would you like to hear?"
" No…tell me a story…about an adventure!"
" An adventure! Now, have you got a preference?"
" No weeping angels. I like daleks!"
" No angels! Got it! ". bites at his lower lip, trying to think of one of the many adventures and combats he had with the Daleks.
Amelia holds out a small knitted dalek to him. " daddy take care of Rory"
The Doctor, in the midst of his thinking, is struck back into reality and looks at the knitted Dalek " Ah! Rory is his name?"
" Yeah…mummy said every Amelia needs a Rory. That's my Rory" said Amelia.
" Yeah... yeah. Every Amelia needs a Rory. " said the doctor nods lots, tucking the knitted Dalek into his jacket pocket. " How about that story?"
" yes please Daddy " said Amelia