11 Months
"Mumma!" Maia cried from her crib in Clara's bedroom, aboard the TARDIS. Clara walked in and smirked at the girl who was stood up and was slapping the top of the bars. "Mumma," she called again reaching out her arms to Clara.
Clara bent over and lifted the little girl into her arms. In the month of them being on the TARDIS Clara had gotten used to being woken up at all hours. She'd gotten used to doing jobs with the girl hanging off her hip. Within the first day of being on the TARDIS the doctor did a full body scan on her. In this they learnt that Maia was only 10 months old. 10 months, she was still a baby.
"Mumma," Maia cried out happily as she set her head down on Clara's collar. Clara laughed quietly and walked into the control room. The doctor was sat on the stairs reading a book. He gave a small smirk from behind the pages as Maia squealed with delight at him. He closed the book and gently threw it under the stairs.
"Hello Maia," he said. Maia ducked her head into Clara's shoulder with shyness.
"Mumma," she said as she clutched Clara's top. Clara used her free hand to smooth down the mossy brown curls that were appearing at the top of her head.
"Yes Maia I'm Mumma." Clara said with a smile on her face. Maia hummed in approval, and then she began to babble. It didn't make sense to Clara, but she looked to the doctor who was grinning indefinitely. "What's she saying?" Clara asked.
The doctor looked up at Clara. "Sorry wasn't listening, was just grinning to play along, like you do."
Maia interrupted him with a loud shout. She gave a small moan as her hands found the edge of Clara's cardigan; they gripped the material before Maia brought it up to her mouth to chew it.
"Someone's hungry," the doctor murmured, gesturing a Maia.
Clara looked down at the infant and groaned. "It's like she thinks im edible. Come on you, let's get you some milk before you demolish me." She smiled at Maia before exciting the room to the kitchen.
The doctor stood up and went to retrieve his book. He smiled as he saw the little gated off play area Clara had created for the child. It was filled with numerous toys for the girl to play with and hung over the rails were a few pink and purple blankets, in which Clara would wrap the girl in and sing to her in the evening. It was crazy how she perfectly slotted into their lives.
"Doctor," Clara called as she walked back into the control room. He walked back up the stairs and smiled at the two. Clara had Maia rested on her hip, her small hands gripping a bottle of milk, which she was gulping down. With her free hand Clara had hold of her phone. "Doctor," she said plainly. "My dad has tried phoning me, I think we should really go and see him and explain the situation we are in."
The doctor frowned in confusion. "What situation?" he asked.
Clara sighed before gazing at Maia. She had finished her milk and was gripping the bottle tightly. Clara smiled at her and in response Maia uttered a simple "Mum," followed by a small hiccup.
"Oh, yeah." The doctor responded as he tried to hold back a giggle. "So when do we go back? Because if we go back a day after you left, you're going to have a lot of explaining to do…"
Clara stood and thought for a while. "No, we won't go back to then. He knew I was going to spend a few weeks with you." She hesitated. "Take me back to 4 weeks after you picked me up. I'll give him a quick call let him know were coming." With Maia still clutched at her side, she walked down the stairs towards the gated off play area. She lifted Maia off her hip and placed her inside.
The girl gave her a small pout in response, and her bottom lip began to tremble as her eyes grew watery.
"It's only while I do something Maia, and I kind of need both hands to do it." She said as she pulled out her phone. "Look, Mummy's not going anywhere." She took a heavy sigh and began to dial her dad's number. She waited. It rang three times, Dave picked up before it started the 4th.
"Hello, Clara." Dave said.
"Hiya Dad, yeah it's me." She said on a shaky breath. "Look the doctor's bringing me back, but I'm not staying for long. We kind of need to tell you something."
"Tell me what Clara, can't you say over the phone?" Dave asked.
"Not really dad. Well I can but I can't because well you see." Clara was interrupted by Maia who gave a loud screech that was followed by a loud wail.
"Mumma," Maia wailed. Clara looked to the child and realised the distance between them she then realised she had been walking away from her. Closing her eyes, she gave a small smile. She realised that Maia had been afraid that Clara would leave her. She smiled apologetically at Maia before she walked over to her.
Dave could hear the wails down the phone. "Clara, what is that noise?" he could then hear her take a sharp breath intake before she responded.
"I can't dad not now, but I'll see you in a short while okay? Love you, bye!" she ended the call and shoved her phone in her pocket. Maia was still stood at the gate crying, and Clara bent over to pick her up, bringing her into her chest as she lightly rocked the girl. Maia's head fell onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry." She muttered. "Mummy will never leave you. Mummy will always be right here."
Clara could feel Maia's small hands fumbling to grip at her top. She protectively put a hand over the back of Maia's head as she walked up the stairs, a small bounce in her step as she finished soothing the girl.
"Ready?" the doctor asked when she reached the top. She gave a small nod in reply.
"Yep, I'm ready." The doctor flicked a few switches and they flew through the time vortex towards Earth, Clara's home.
