In his nine hundred years of life, there were many things that he had forgotten. No matter how many years passed, he would never forget standing in front of the untempered schism at eight years old. Staring into the raw power of time had made an impression on him that lasted until this day. Standing there, he knew that he was supposed to be inspired. By what he wasn't sure, but on that day he did what he did best. He turned running as fast as his legs could carry him away from the schism. He didn't think about the shame that his father would feel at his actions or the fact that his older brother would be embarrassed by him yet again. All he thought about was getting as far away from the thing as possible. Now, all these years later he had tried to figure out how he could make the ceremony a reality for his daughter.
Kui'la's eighth birthday had come and gone. On Gallifrey, she would have been initiated into the academy shortly after her birthday before joining at the beginning of the following semester. In a way, he was thankful that she would never know the rigors of the academy. Never be subjected to the ridicule she would suffer from being half human. He was also sorry, that she would never recieve the education to become a full Time Lord. Still, he wanted to give her and her siblings a chance. So in the absence of Gallifrey, he tried to come up with his own initiation ceremony.
He had contemplated it for days, leaving the earth several times on his own to have secret discussions with others. Along the way, he found her a simple brown dress to wear for the ceremony as well as a burnt orange one to wear at the celebration following it. Leaving his two younger children with their papa, he took Kui'la alone into the vortex. Traditionally she would be taken to the hillside by the elders but since there were no other Time Lords he would stand in their place. Kui'la was nervous as she dressed in the brown dress with matching brown shoes. The Doctor helped her pull her hair back in a single braid that fell down her back tying it off with a brown ribbon.
"Are you ready?" the Doctor questioned her in Gallifreyan. She nodded.
"I'm scared, daddy," she responded.
"I know my baby but you must be brave," the Doctor told her. He leaned down, hugging her tightly. She let him go and he walked slowly in front of her. She kept her head up and her back straight, matching his pace as they entered the control room. The normally bright room was dark with what looked like candles lighting a path to the door. He opened the door leading her out onto a dark planet. Trusting him, Kui'la followed him keeping one step behind him. He took her to a small hill. At the top of the hill was a round frame with several women standing around it. "You must go on alone Kui'la. I will be right here waiting for you."
"Who are they?" Kui'la asked him as she stood staring up. She had reached out her mind to the strange women, trying to figure out who they were. Unlike everyone else she ever met, their minds were hidden from her. They scared her and she didn't want to go closer to them.
"They are the Sisterhood of the Karn," the Doctor replied. They had originally come from Gallifrey and they were the last ones who held a piece of the planet he both loved and hated. While they didn't have access to the untempered schism, they did hold a small window that allowed them to look into the vortex. He had pleaded with them on Kui'la's behalf to allow her to have a glance and they had agreed upon hearing about her telepathic abilities. In another time, she might have even joined their sisterhood due to her strength.
Taking a deep breath, Kui'la started up the hill alone. The Doctor stood at the bottom watching on as she reached the top. She stepped towards the window glancing into it. The Doctor couldn't help but feel proud as she immediately turned running down the hill. He knelt down catching her in his arms as she reached the bottom providing her comfort that he never got. He had been lectured for his running for his running as he stood staring at the ground.
"I'm sorry I ran, daddy," Kui'la apologized.
"Don't be sorry. Daddy is proud of you for running and I know that papa will be too," The Doctor informed her. He nodded his thanks to the women standing at the top of the hill. They didn't respond as he turned his back on them taking his daughter into the now well-lit TARDIS. He sent her back into the vortex as Kui'la changed into her orange dress with black sandals. Returning to the control room, she stood by the Doctor as he changed the ribbon in her hair from brown to orange. He had her help him to land the TARDIS. Going to the doors, the Doctor opened them wide to reveal the small Torchwood team waiting for them.
"Congratulations," they called out seeing her wearing the orange dress. Kui'la stepped off the TARDIS, the smile broad on her face as she joined the group.
"She ran!" The Doctor exclaimed happily as he followed after her.
"That's my girl," Jack laughed scooping her up in his arms. He kissed her on the head thankful that it had gone well as he knew how much the ceremony meant to the Doctor. Tonight would be a night of celebration for Kui'la before life returned to normal. Well, as normal as things ever were at Torchwood.