I promised a quick short chapter. This is back in my comfort zone which basically means...angst. Sorry about that.
Miracles Out of Nowhere
Chapter Seven
"So…you and the Doctor?" Amy said, sitting down, holding onto Rory's arm. He looks better but still slightly dazed. Susan looks up, brow furrowing.
"What about us?" She asks bluntly. Amy had not quite accepted Susan yet, and whilst they had made progress in their friendship, neither fully trusted each other, no matter how deft their swordplay earlier.
"He's your family, yeah?" Amy pries, wanting to know more about the girl. She was reminded of Avery and Toby. One wanting to cling onto what family they had left and the other too damaged to let them close, scared they would fail them. And the Doctor was not Avery. Susan was an enigma. A Timelord, yes, but why so shy?
"Bound by blood." She answers with a slight smile. That's the only reason she's here. If she could go back, be where she was supposed to be instead of here. She wasn't ready to forgive, not yet. Perhaps not ever. But Amy wasn't done. She gently leant forwards and Susan looked up at her.
"Then what happened between you two?" She asked, concerned mainly for the Doctor. She'd seen him hurt before, seen him low and never wanted to see him again. Susan also made him emotional; the Doctor's people were gone after all. And when he was emotional, he made mistakes. "I see him look at you and he just looks so…sad."
Susan sighs, rubbing her tired eyes before her hand drops and she looks at Amy, squarely. "You want to do this now? During a murderous mermaid siege?" She said, with raised eyebrows. Amy shrugged, not one to be swayed.
"Well, we can't do it after we're dead."
"Fair point." Susan takes a moment, deciding whether to tell her tale. She gave a long breath, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. "Alright…the Doctor and I…" Already the words were catching in her throat. She had not said this for a long time and the memories were more potent than she had thought, as if it were yesterday. But Amy watches on patiently, the rest of the crew in quiet discussions themselves, not listening. She continues. "My Grandfather and I…he left me on Earth, a while ago so I could have a life there."
She smiles, looking through Amy as she remembered. David. He had been so dashing; so handsome. It had been true love, she supposed, if one were to believe such things. She had needed to grow up, belong. She could not do that in the TARDIS. Susan thought, now, after everything, she may visit home. But of course, she could not stay there. There were other matters, but she would like to see her parents again.
"And that was bad?" Amy brought her out of her thoughts. Susan gave a little chuckle at that.
"No! No, it was amazing." She explained, and Amy gave a timid smile. "I met a man, fell in love, got married, and adopted 3 children. Had 1 child biologically. Little miracle. Only 7% Timelord. My Alex." Her voice trailed off and got hollow as she spoke. Her baby. Her children. Ian. Barbara. David Jr. Alex. She thought each name as a prayer, a wish, closing her eyes, getting lost in the memory of their faces in her mind. She was close to tears, but now wasn't the time. There was never time. But it wasn't working.
"That's nice. So what happened?" Amy asked, watching the young old woman with empathy. Susan opened her eyes and brought a hand up, wiping her eye. Tears. Salty tears lay on her fingertips as her eyes watered and she fought to keep her composure, her hands now clutching at her drawn up legs.
"Daleks. 2nd Dalek Invasion, they came for Earth. I helped to fight, keep peace and help refugees all at once. And my grandfather came back. 8th face. This must be his…9th?"
"11th." Amy said solemnly. Susan was shocked. So long. He had hardly any regenerations left. He'd used them all. 2 faces gone and she hadn't seen him. Why did he never look? But she cleared her throat, she could not think like that, not now. There was no point.
"Oh. That's a long time." She nods, and then waited a moment before speaking again. "Still…he came in his eighth face, with his then companion Lucie. She and Alex took to one another. But…something happened…and they died." Her voice broke as she sucked in a deep breath, otherwise she would have broken down. Her poor child.
"I'm sorry." Amy said. She realised then how little she knew of her Raggedy Man. All those years, that time on Gallifrey. He never spoke of it. And Lucie and Alex had died. Did such a fate lie for Rory and herself?
"400 years ago now. Eventually all my family died. David, Ian, Junior and Barbara. And my grandfather flew away, didn't even say goodbye he just left me in the rubble, with the death of my son to grieve." Susan's voice became detached as tears fell from her face, and she wiped her nose with a sleeve of her pirate coat. Amy was speechless, not knowing what to say, how to comfort the girl. How do you comfort someone who has experienced and lived more than you ever will, and yet is as fragile as the age she looked?
"So, I see that's why then." Amy commented, reaching out a hand to squeeze Susan's before removing it again. Susan paused, her sorrow and grief taking her over but she fought to remain in control. She took in a deep breath again, wiping her eyes as her shoulders shook.
"Yeah…that's why." She whispered, resting her head against the wall and shutting her eyes.
Definitely shorter than last time but I wanted it separate.
I'd love it if you let me know how I am doing with this fic and a big hand to AnaDona for some advice. If you have not read her stories then go. Go now. No, seriously, NOW! She's amazing.
Review?
H x
