The Doctor stepped out of the Tardis with a jump, smiling and looking around. He locked the Tardis quickly, stashing the key back in his breast pocket. "Come along Ponds-" He stopped, staring back into an empty Tardis. The smile left his face and was replaced with a deep frown. The Ponds weren't travelling with him anymore. A very pregnant Amy had been forced to admit defeat to Mother Nature and the couple was at home with Amy on bed rest with the instructions to call the Doctor when the thing was ready to pop. Of course Amy was furious at having to leave the Tardis and the Doctor, but Rory was perfectly content as long as he was with Amy, so at least half the couple was happy.
The problem that none of them—not even blunt, little Amy—wanted to address was the future. They never discussed it, but all three of them knew that a baby meant the end to their travels. They couldn't carry a baby and save the world! Which meant that their adventures were over. Maybe they could have a trip or two while the child was at school in a few years, but the Doctor and the Ponds had run out of time. This band split up because the drummer is having a baby. A part of the Doctor wanted to ask if one of them wanted to come at a time and leave the other to care for the baby, but he didn't want to ask for two reasons. One, it wasn't fair to the child. And two, he wasn't sure who he'd pick.
Yes, he loved them both, but in different ways. Amy was fire and she was beautiful and witty and so carefree. She complimented this new form well. But Rory. Rory was dependable and was courageous and he was Rory the Roman! How could he choose between the Girl Who Waited and Rory the Roman? It couldn't be chosen, and so he didn't choose. They would split up, and the Doctor would be alone again.
The Doctor walked down the narrow road, glancing at the houses every which way. He grinned. Humans, so strange but so familiar and loveable. They struggled to fit in and they struggled to be unique. They all wanted the same type of houses but insisted on styling them different. They all bought different cars but they personalized them with strange license plates and bumper stickers. Just like Rory and Amy. They both dressed in what the Doctor would refer to as 'mainstream' clothing, but they both strove to be exemplary and to see the world as none had seen it. And somewhere, in this giant universe, one Rory and Amy were preparing for their child. A little farther along, they were teaching it to walk, then talk, then yell at it for not coming home within curfew. And all of this would be done within the walls of a house that probably looked similar to the ones on this road.
He looked around in utter confusion. By now, his Time Lord senses should be prickling, or an alien should be attacking. Something should be wrong! He, the Doctor, the last of the TimeLords, was walking around a street and nothing was wrong! Why would the Tardis bring him here if he wasn't needed?
The Doctor strolled around the streets some more, but for once in his life, nothing was unordinary. Everything was perfect and happy and human. No aliens, no monsters, no demons. It was a normal day. And the Doctor couldn't be more disappointed.
With a heavy sigh, the Doctor slumped back to the Tardis. He snapped lazily, and the doors swung open. He dragged his feet, glancing back at the doors several times before drooping his shoulders and pushing all the right buttons, pulling all the right levers, and turning all the right knobs to get the Tardis going again. He stared at the wall opposite him. Was it that the Ponds weren't here? But no, the Tardis had taken him on adventures without his companions, without the Ponds! What was the matter?
He trudged down the steps to the ground floor, but gave up midstep and sank onto the middle step. He pulled up a knee, rested an elbow on it, and sat his chin up his hand. He blew his bangs out of his face.
"Sir?" A small voice came from behind him. The Doctor jumped up and swerved around so fast he fell, tumbling down the steps to the ground floor. He landed with a thump, cursing a bit quietly. When he looked up, it was to see a young girl sitting in the swinging seat underneath the Tardis console that he so often sat under. He stared at her for a bit, then seemed to realize he was still on the ground and scrambled to his feet. He shoved his bangs out of his eyes and peered at her. She was in the shadows, just unclear enough to not be able to make out her face, but he could tell she was between ten and sixteen. What was she doing here? And how did she get in? He'd actually remembered to lock the Tardis this time!
"Who—or what—are you?" The Doctor asked, leaning to the side to see around the stairs. "Are you human?"
"Of course," replied the girl, stepping forward. "Why wouldn't I be? We're on Earth."
The Doctor gave a slight nod but added, "I've seen plenty of non-humans on Earth though. And a few of them even looked like humans."
"I know," she answered. She knew? "But I am in fact human. A human girl of fifteen, in case you were wondering." Though he still couldn't see her face, the Doctor could hear in her tone that she was smirking. Was she playing with him?
"And how did you get in?"
"The door," she replied sarcastically, coming out of the shadows. The Doctor's eyes took in the sight of a small, teenage girl with brownish red hair that was down to her waist with round cheeks and a big smile on her face.
The Doctor looked her over. "Hmm, you seem human. But how did you get in? I locked her."
"Her," she said quietly with a small smile. The Doctor ignored it, waiting for an answer. She sighed as though annoyed at his stupidity and held up a small object. "I have a key."
He stared at it. It did indeed look like a Tardis key. But what on Earth was a fifteen year old girl doing with it? He didn't give out keys to just anyone! "How did you get the key?"
"My mum gave it to me. She told me about you too. She told me all about her adventures with the mysterious Doctor. She even drew the Tardis for me. She described it in detail, and when I saw it in the street, I knew what it was. So I knocked. You didn't answer, so I stepped inside." She had been moving slowly forward all this time, and now they were only a bit apart. They could reach out and touch each other quite easily.
"Why would she give you the key though? Wait—who is your mum?"
The girl smiled but didn't answer. The Doctor tried again. "Fine, well whoever you claim it was, I don't believe you. I know my companions, and none of them would just hand the key off to their teenage daughter! They know how important the keys are, they wouldn't give them away. I don't think you really are just an innocent little girl, no matter how much you look like one."
The girl raised her eyebrows and smirked, looking at him like he was silly and amusing. The Doctor felt his blood pressure rise a bit. He opened his mouth, but before he could speak she spoke solemnly. "She told me you wouldn't believe me if we ever met. So I was told to tell you something instead." She paused.
The Doctor was getting impatient. "What then?" He shouted a little too loudly, a little cross. The girl was unfazed.
"Fish fingers and custard."
A/n: So this is a one shot for now. I might continue it, I haven't decided. I'm leaving it marked complete for now, but that may change.
I know we don't know what's happening with Amy's pregnancy and everything, but in this version it all somehow works out well and everyone is happy again and Amy doesn't have the baby until they are home. Hope you enjoyed it :D As always, reviews are appreciated. Thanks for reading!