Chapter Two; A Christmas Carole
The Doctor pulled into Jackie's driveway and parked the car before he removed the car seat from the back and carried it up to the front door while Rose carried the diaper bag. Jackie was there to greet them at the door and greeted them with extra warm hugs and kisses. "There's my little Santa baby." She began after they stepped inside the house and she looked down at Rachel who was wearing a tiny red and white Santa hat with a matching coat.
"Yep and she's already been fed and changed so she should be a happy baby." Rose said as she placed the car seat on top of the couch and unstrapped the baby before hoisting her up inside her arms and then giving her to her mother.
"Well I think that's everything then. She's still on a bottle twice day along with her solid baby food. Just give her one in the morning and one at night. And she takes a nap a few hours after she wakes up each morning and right after lunch. Then she has a bath shortly after dinner and then you need to start getting her ready for bed." The Doctor explained. "And her baby toys and teething ring are inside her suitcase." He added. "Do you think you can manage everything?" he asked her.
"Oh, I'm sure I can." Jackie assured him.
"Good, now give me a call if there are any problems at all." He said before he glanced back down at his daughter. "Alright Rachel, Mummy and Daddy have to go bye-bye's now. I love you and be a good girl for Grandma." He told her before he took her back from Jackie and raised her up into the air. The baby started to giggle as The Doctor grinned and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Alright c'mon Doctor, we have to go." Rose told him as he breathed a heavy sigh and reluctantly passed her back over to Jackie.
"Alright love, say goodbye to Mummy and Daddy." She told her as she took ahold of her tiny fist and was about to start waving it for her until she pulled it out of her grasp and beat her to it giving them a tiny wave as they went back out the door. Jackie smiled and kissed her cheek before she started carrying her away.
….
Meanwhile another little girl with dark hair, dark skin, and amber eyes was busy walking along the street when all of a sudden she stopped when she heard a loud whooshing sound and quickly gasped and turned her head. A rather large blue box was appearing in front of her and a few moments later a couple of people stepped out of it a man and a woman. "Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I've flown that thing." The man said as the woman grabbed ahold of his sleeve and yanked it before pointing over at the girl.
"Doctor look, we're not alone." She told him.
"Oh man really? I was hoping that we would be able to have a chance to make out." He said before he turned his head and looked down at the little girl. "Oh hullo, what's your name?" he asked the little girl who remained silent and just continued staring at him. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. I have a little girl myself." He told her and waited for a few moments. She continued staring at him before finally giving him a response.
"Carole." She replied.
"Well hullo there Carole. I'm The Doctor and this is my wife Rose. We're friends." He began. "That's a very pretty name by the way. How old are you Carole?" he asked her as she held up one of her hands. "Five? I see, well where are your parents?" he asked her as she just simply shrugged.
"Oh dear, Doctor, the poor little girl's lost." Rose said as she turned to look at her husband. "We can't just leave her here all by herself."
"I know, but we can't take her with us either. We best take her down to the police station. I'm sure that they'll be able to help her find her family." He told her before he glanced back down at the child. "C'mon Carole, we'll help you." He said but the little girl simply backed away from him.
"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She said as The Doctor nodded.
"And that is a very good rule. Your mummy and daddy taught you well. But like I said, we're your friends now so we're not strangers anymore. You're safer with us. C'mon let's go." He told her as he stretched out his hand towards her. She looked at it with uncertainty for a moment before finally deciding to take it and started walking down the street with them.
"What was that thing?" she asked him while glancing up into his face.
"Oh you mean that great blue box back there? That was my time machine, it's called a TARDIS." He began. "It takes me anywhere I want to go in time." He told her as her face suddenly lit up with excitement.
"That's cool!" she exclaimed as The Doctor chuckled.
"Yes I know, I've always thought so." He told her.
"What's your daughter's name?" she asked him.
"Rachel." He replied.
"Oh. I like that name." she said.
"Thank you, so do I. That's why I chose it." He told her.
"Why isn't she with you?" she asked him.
"Because she's with her grandmother. She'll be with her grandfather and Cousin Tony too once they get back from bring your child to work day." He began. "You're awfully talkative for someone who didn't want anything to do with me a few minutes ago." He finished as they came to a stop at the end of the sidewalk and waited for the traffic to stop. Carole simply just shrugged again.
"I don't have too many people to talk to. None of the other kids like me much." She explained.
"Do you mean your brothers and sisters?" The Doctor asked as he turned over to look at her.
"No. The other orphans." She told him as The Doctor looked anxiously back up at his wife before back down at her.
"You mean you're an orphan." He said.
"Yeah. My mummy and daddy left me when I was a baby and I never knew why." She told him as The Doctor felt his heart start to break. He could never imagine abandoning his own daughter and couldn't believe that somebody else could.
"Well don't you worry Carole," he began. "I told you that we're going to help you and that's exactly what we're going to do. I never break a promise." He told her.
"But what about our mission?" Rose asked him.
"That's just going to have to wait, this child needs us. And I'm not about to abandon her on Christmas." He told her with a shake of his head before all the cars came to a stop and they quickly raced a crossed the street.
