A/N:

This is a short chapter, but I promise to upload another one later tonight to make up for it. And it'll be a super dooper long chapter. Yup, i said super dooper.


chapter four – tea with the mother hen

Cherrybrooke, Kansas 2032

Rixel could hardly contain herself.

She was sitting on a loveseat next to Rose. In front of them was a small coffee table with a treelike decoration painted on it. On top was a tea set, including a big round white tea kettle. The room they were in was painted yellow and trimmed in white. There were pictures of her parents hanging on wall, as well as some paintings Rixel didn't recognize. In the corner was a piano, which she desperately wanted her mother to play. But most of all, right past the coffee table, was the Doctor, sitting on a couch, with two other people. Her parents.

Something seemed off, of that Rixel was sure. Her mother's hair was shorter and her father wore a beard. Her mom seemed a bit worried or upset, and the look in her father's eye was far from the sparkle he had while telling her stories. But no one knows their parents better than a six year old, and these were definitely her parents. No doubt about it.

"So, Rixel. You're safe." Megan spoke up. Her voice cracked.

Rixel bounced in the all too comfy loveseat. "Yup! The Doctor came and got me. Just like you wanted him to."

"Yes. He brought you my locket." Megan replied, nodding towards the locket in Rixel's hand.

Rixel nodded back eagerly.

"I'm...glad you're safe." Her father said. He didn't look like the words meant anything, but Rixel didn't pick up on it. She was still too happy to be in her parents house. And her parents were alive and well and she was outside the lab!

"How come you guys left me?" She asked, fully knowing the answer. It's not like they could risk going to get her. They needed to send someone with a space ship that could get her out without being noticed by the cameras.

"Um." Richard's face grew red. "We didn't have time. We had to leave quickly."

Megan sniffled softly, then covered her face with her hands. Richard pattered her back. "It's okay, Megan."

"What wrong, mommy?" Rixel asked. She stopped bouncing.

"Nothing's wrong." Richard smiled softly at Rixel. "We're just... we didn't think to see you. Again. See you again."

"Of course you did!" Rixel beamed. "That's why you sent the Doctor and Rose!"

Rose groaned next to her.

"Well, we should be off then." The Doctor said, getting to his feet.

"Already?" Rixel frowned.

"Yeah, sorry." Rose jumped up too. "But you enjoy your parents. Love them very much."

"But... but..." Rixel looked between the Doctor and Rose. "What about you?"

"Ah, lots to do. Planets to see. Time to travel 'n all that." The Doctor smiled. "Bye Rixel. Bye Megan, Richard."

Richard tore his eyes away from Megan, who was sniffling still, to look at the Doctor. "You're leaving her...I mean, leaving here? So soon?"

The Doctor nodded. "Oh, loads to see. Wouldn't want to take the poor girl along. After all, what six year old wants to see the stars?" His eyes sparkled as he looked over at Rixel.

"Me!" Rixel jumped up, off the couch. Her eyes darted over towards Megan, pleading. "Oh, mom! Can I, can I, can I?"

Megan lifted her head up. Her eyes were red, but there were no tears on her face. "I-I don't know. So soon? What about-?"

"Don't worry." The Doctor said. "She'll be safe with me. All according to plan."

"Wait, they can come too, right?" Rixel asked, suddenly confused. "Mom and dad?"

"No, honey." Richard said, straightening up. "Your ...mother and I have work to do. It's okay."

"But-" Rixel bit her lip. She guessed it was okay. Her dad said she could go. And it was alright to leave them. After all, she'd seen them everyday of her life. And this was a chance to actually explore the world she'd never really been in before. And space! Not just the world, but SPACE! The thought excited her too much to really think about it. "I can come back and visit, yeah?"

"Of course!" The Doctor clapped his hands. Richard didn't seem too convinced.

"So, she's coming with us?" Rose asked.

"If she wants." The Doctor gleamed.

Rixel nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yes! I really do!"

Rose giggled. "Right! More the merrier!" She held her hand out towards Rixel.

Seeing it in movies all her life, Rixel gave Rose her very first high-five.


"Doctor what?" Rixel asked as they left the house and crossed over towards the Tardis. The goodbye hadn't been very tearful for Rixel. After all, with a space ship she could see her parents anytime she wanted. Her mother, however, didn't seem to be handling the goodbye well at all. It was strange.

"Just the Doctor." He replied.

"Yeah, but, what's your name?" Rixel asked.

Rose laughed. "His name is the Doctor. Just like yours is Rixel."

Rixel scrunched her nose. "You parents sure knew what you had to be when you grew up."

The Doctor grinned. "900 years old and still not a grownup, I think."

Rixel laughed. She didn't know what he meant, but it was funny anyway. Just then she looked up and really noticed the blue police box as the Doctor opened the door to it. "That's your space ship?"

"Yup!" The Doctor opened the door, revealing the familiar golden dome room.

Rixel leaned sideways, looking at just how small the Tardis was. "Wow! Neat!" She bounded inside.

The Doctor looked over at Rose and shrugged.