He started at her hostile tone of voice. Having seen her in the fight he decided to comply and considered how to prove it. For some reason he felt like he should know her. He took out his sonic screwdriver, figuring that if she knew him she'd recognise it.
Her look showed that she did and she responded by pulling out something from her pocket. A pink sonic screwdriver.
FLASHBACK
Gallifrey, just outside the Citadel.
A woman greeting him with a hug.
A little girl giggling on the grass.
"Happy Birthday"
A squeal and a pink flashing light.
END FLASHBACK
"Impossible…"
"Maybe I'm imaginary, but then I'd have to imagine me. How can I imagine me, if I'm already imaginary?" she said with a smile.
That made him laugh and left little doubt in his mind that it was her. She was just like her mother. He ran forward and grabbed her in a massive hug, lifting her off the ground and spinning. She grabbed him tight laughing and didn't loosen her grip when he put her down.
"How?" he asked her.
"The Time War was ending, Daleks were decending on the citadel. Mum gave me a teleport, don't ask me where she got it from, and sent me to pack. The Daleks burst in…"
She didn't need to go on, he hugged her tight as she sniffed and blinked away her tears.
"Where have you been? Whose been looking after you? Why didn't you-"
"I've been here and there, hitchhiking." The doctor opened his mouth but she stopped him "I know, it's not safe for a small girl to hitchhike around space but I had this."
She pulled a tattered hooded cloak from her pocket.
"This and changing my voice a little stopped anyone realising I was just a child."
She saw pride in his eyes and smiled.
"What about the perception filter?" he asked her "The Tardis detected it was based on a Tardis key."
She reached around to the back of her neck and untied something, then showed him a ribbon with a Tardis key on. "Mum did it."
A voice behind them made them whirl round to face the alley entrance.
"Doctor? Is it over?"
"Yes, you don't need to keep watch anymore"
Grace walked forward, noticing the familiarity between the two but somhow felt a bit threatened.
"Grace meet Katrinarmosdra Tamorna, Kitty for short. Kitty meet Dr Grace Holloway."
The two of them exchanged greetings, but Grace was wary. The doctor noticed and decided to sort it out after taking care of the creature.
Asking Kitty, he learned that a group of the creatures had escaped from the cargo hold of a ship and had offered to help gather them in return for a ride. She subdued them, then activated a teleport on the device she attached to the back of their necks.
"Why the back of their necks?" asked Grace
"It's the only place it can attach to due to the thickness of their skin. It emit's a pulse which disrupts the nerves and causes unconsiousness, we normally have to ajust the strength of the pulse according to the size of the target."
"Well," said the Doctor "you obviously know what your doing, how many others are ther to catch?"
"None, this was the last one" she replied "I was due to meet the others at their ship in about two hours."
"Are you going to?" asked the Doctor surprisingly quietly.
Kitty gave him a little look "I suppose so, unless…"
The Doctor smiled at her and held out his hand to her, just as he did that first time he offered to take her travelling. He received a brilliant smile back and the smaller hand grabbed his.
Grace looked on. Part of her was happy for him, this girl was obviously someone he was close to, most likely the other time lord, or lady in her case, that the Tardis had detected. However, part of her wished it was her going with him instead of Kitty and wanted to blame the girl for her lost opportunity, but deep down she knew she wouldn't have been able to anyway. As she followed the Doctor and Kitty, not paying any attention to what they were saying, she realised that she hadn't given Kitty a chance and decided to get to know her for however long they were staying.
The Tardis watched the party arriving at her doors and was overjoyed that it was Kitty she had sensed. She shifted the bedrooms around, bringing Kittys next to the console room. The bedroom would probably need redecorating as it had been years since Kitty had last been aboard.
She greeted Kitty as the girl touched the console. She had a feeling that for now, the Doctor would be fine.
Kitty walked into the corridor off the console room and immediately found her bedroom door with her name engraved in gallifreian. Stepping inside she found everything exactly as she left it from her shoes scattered on the floor to the unmade bed. Looking around, she decided a clearout and redecorating was in order.
She remembered being told once that the Tardis could change the room in anyway she wanted. She'd have to ask the Doctor when he and Grace joined her after their chat.
Meanwhile, the Doctor and Grace had made their way to the Tardis kitchen and started making tea. They sat at the table while waiting for the kettle and the Doctor decided to explain everything to Grace.
"What do you think of Kitty?"
Grace was surprised at the question but answered anyway.
"I think she's a teenage girl who is obviously capable of looking after herself and is a time lady that you have travelled with before. But who is she exactly?"
Smiling, the Doctor replied "Kitty is my niece."
Seeing the look on Graces face he elaborated.
"Her mother was my sister, Kesa, and her father died when she was still a baby, so I became her father figure in a way. Sometimes I would take her travelling with me to some of the safer places, which also gave Kesa a break from being a single mother. Kitty was only little when the time war broke out and that was the last time I saw her, just before I went to fight."
Grace saw that he was lost in the memories and decided to give him some time alone. She headed to Kittys room and knocked. Hearing a reply she entered and saw her unpacking her things with a lot of stuff in boxes in a corner.
"Need any help?" she asked.
Kitty flashed her a smile and Grace could now see the similarity between her and the Doctor.
"I'm okay thanks, but why don't you see if there's anything you want in those boxes, they'll just end up in storage when I'm done here."
Smiling back, Grace headed towards the boxes.
Kitty dialled the number on her mobile to get in touch with the ship and cancel her ride.
Ring Ring Ring
"Thil, Hello? ka"
"Hi Thilka, it's Kitty."
"Thil, where are you? ka"
"I'm safe but it turns out I don't need a ride. I found my uncle."
"Thil, I'll inform the captain, ka. Thil, we had a feeling you might not come with us and so we wish you to remember that we are in your debt for helping us, ka. Thil, we are now able to complete our job, and if you ever need help with anything please call us, ka."
"Thank you Thilka, safe journey."
"Thil, thank you, goodbye, ka."
"Goodbye."
She ended the call. She'd got on well with their crew who were a mix of races all travelling together, doing any job that comes their way.
Putting her mobile on the console, she made her way to the door. They'd moved the Tardis to just outside Grace's flat. So she closed the Tardis doors behind her and entered the flat to find the Doctor and Grace sitting on the sofa with tea in their hands. Seeing an extra mug on the table she went over and sat in the chair opposite.
Listening to their conversation, she realised they'd known each other for a while and were close, very close. Curious, she asked,
"Are you two a couple?"
Grace started choking on her tea and the Doctor started chuckling. Putting both of their mugs on the table he replied,
"No, Grace and I are just good friends."
Seeing that she had more questions he described how they met and what had brought him here.
"And on that note, we should probably get going."
The three of them stood up and slowly made their way to the door, as though they could delay their departure. Grace knew better than to try and persuade them to stay a bit longer and so hung back to walk down the corridor with Kitty, letting the Doctor go ahead.
"Kitty, do you have a mobile?
Kitty took her mobile out of her pocket and held it out to Grace, who took it and a minute later, handed it back.
"I've put my number in, please keep in touch." there was a hint of longing in her voice.
"Why don't you come with us?" Kitty asked before she could stop herself.
Grace simply smiled.
"Maybe another time."
The two of them caught up to the Doctor who was waiting outside the Tardis. Kitty hugged Grace then walked into the Tardis without a word, giving Grace and the Doctor some time to say goodbye.
The Doctor grabbed Grace in a tight hug and she rested her head on his shoulder. He said softly,
"Thank you Grace"
She pulled away and looked at him.
"Thank you Doctor, stay safe"
"I'll try"
Then he turned round and went into the Tardis, shutting the doors behind him. Grace backed away from the Tardis, waiting and sure enough it started disappearing with that familiar sound.
She didn't move until it was gone, then she turned to go back to her flat.
A/N Thanks to a friend for the "imaginary" line, you know who you are :)
