WARNING: Contains 12th Doctor but no real spoilers, unless you live under a rock and don't know what he looks like. So if you haven't seen Series 8, you ARE still okay to read it. I was careful about that, but I wanted to give you a heads up so you don't worry, if you haven't read it. Carry on.
Chapter 8: Doctor's Tug-a-War
Freya was in the library when the Doctor found her. He looked conflicted as he plopped himself down next to her.
"I'm taking Martha and James home," the Doctor said.
"Why?" Freya asked, sitting up quickly.
"I was only taking them on one trip. And that didn't work. And…well, I think they're straining our relationship," the Doctor said.
"I guess," Freya said slowly.
"But it's nice. You know. Having other people on board with us," Freya added carefully.
"I thought you didn't like Martha," the Doctor said, confused.
"I…I don't know. I don't think she likes me. There's a difference," Freya admitted.
"Well, I already told James. He suggested me dropping you off at the Torchwood Manor while I dropped off James and Martha. He figured you'd have some mail and such to go through," the Doctor said with a frown.
"I might. How long will I have been away?" Freya asked.
"About two weeks," the Doctor said, tugging on his ear.
"Yeah. I ought to go back and make sure everything's good. You can leave me for an hour and pick me up after dropping them off?" Freya asked for clarification.
"Of course I can!" the Doctor said automatically.
"Okay, Mr. Of Course I Can, let's go then. Allons-y," Freya said with a laugh. The Doctor laughed right back alongside her before pulling her to her feet. Freya followed him into the Console Room.
"Where are Martha and James?" Freya asked.
"James is packing. I haven't told Martha yet. I think she's in the kitchen," the Doctor said. He flitted around the console and Freya gripped the railing tightly as she landed.
"There," the Doctor said. Freya moved towards the door, checking outside. It looked like the right time.
"See you in an hour?" Freya asked. The Doctor nodded.
"Not a minute later," he swore. Freya nodded and headed out of the TARDIS.
The TARDIS disappeared behind her. Freya made her way to the front door, digging around in her pocket for her keys. At least, she hoped her keys were in this jacket. She'd taken to wearing her jacket all the time, and had kept most of her things in the bigger-on-the-inside pockets. She finally managed to procure her keys, unlocking the door.
When she entered, she was greeted by a gloomy atmosphere. On the table was a pile of mail with a note from Marie, demanding Freya to call her as soon as she returned. Freya took her phone out and plugged it in upon realizing that it was dead. Typical. As it charged, Freya opened the mail.
She decided to start dusting as well after resting her hand on a counter and having it come back grey. She flitted from room to room, moving as quickly as she could. It'd be nice to get a good deal of the dust out before the Doctor arrived. Maybe she could have Marie come and open the house up every month or so, so she wouldn't have to deal with all the dust.
Freya was in the middle of her thoughts when she entered the library.
And saw a man sitting in one of the chairs.
Freya dropped her dusting rag and spray, stepping back automatically. The sound caused the man to look up at her before standing up calmly.
"How did you get in here?" Freya asked shakily.
"I walked in," the man said, rolling his eyes as he did.
"Who are you?" Freya asked, staring at him, watching for any sudden movements. He looked like he was in his fifties. Freya had never seen him before in her life.
The man stiffened at her words. His shoulders dropped and he sighed.
"Ah," he said, turning. Something in Freya broke at the desolate nature the man exhibited.
"Wait! I seem to do a lot of things in the wrong order. You've got to be here for a reason. People don't just wait expectantly in other people's libraries for no reason," Freya reasoned.
"I do sometimes," the man contradicted.
"So are you telling me there is no reason you're here?" Freya demanded. The man didn't respond.
"Sit back down. No. Not there. On the couch," Freya corrected him. The man carefully made his way to the couch and sat down. Freya made her way over and sat down next to him. He watched her carefully.
"How far along are you?" the man asked her. Freya could detect a Scottish accent from him.
"I don't know how to answer that. Quite a ways, I'd wager. A year and a half? Two years? It's a bit confusing," Freya admitted.
"Ah," the man said simply.
"It's my first child. Bad Wolf," Freya added when the man didn't say anything. She reached out and took his hand when he didn't acknowledge her.
"You know, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong," she reasoned. The man looked up at her, really stared at her for a moment. His eyes looked so old. They reminded Freya of the Doctor, before he'd regenerated….
Freya leaned closer, tentatively touching the man's face. The man closed his eyes and leaned into her touch subconsciously.
"Doctor?" Freya asked hesitantly. The man's eyes snapped open instantly at her words and relief flooded into his ageless eyes.
"Yeah. It's me. I'm old," the Doctor said humorlessly.
"Of course you're old. You're in your 900s. And if that's how you look at 900, I'd say you're looking pretty good," Freya pointed out.
"2000," the Doctor said quietly.
"What?" Freya asked.
"I'm over 2000 now," he supplied.
"2000 years of travelling. Eleven hundred years since you began travelling with me. I'm surprised you even remember me," Freya said quietly.
"I'd never forget you," the Doctor told her automatically.
"That statement means more coming from your mouth than it does your younger self," Freya said with a smile. The man gave her a tentative smile back.
"Now are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Freya asked.
"You said you're having your first child. So I'm in my tenth regeneration, right? Brown hair, brown eyes, long coat?" the Doctor asked.
"Yeah," Freya said, filing away the information. Ten. She liked that way of keeping track of it.
"I'm the twelfth regeneration. Bettered not tell younger me that though. Never thought I'd have twelve of me. I haven't had this body long. I'm not sure I like it," the Doctor said.
"Sounds a bit early to be making decisions like that," Freya pointed out.
"But I'm so old," the Doctor complained. Freya reached up and grabbed his face, holding it so he was staring directly at her.
"Age doesn't matter. Appearance doesn't matter. You're still the Doctor, deep inside. I know you are, and I suspect you do as well," Freya told him.
"Of course I'm the Doctor. You knew it was me," the Doctor mumbled.
"Was that why you came? To see if I knew you, if I could prove to you that you were indeed the Doctor?" Freya asked. The Doctor was silent at her words. After a moment, he stood.
"You look exhausted. You need to sleep," he told her.
"You don't have to leave," Freya pointed out.
"But you need to rest," the Doctor said.
"I seem to recall you saying you wanted to spend every moment of my life with you. I'm dead by your time. I know I have to be. You can spend the night," Freya pointed out. The Doctor hesitated but finally held out his hand to her. Freya allowed him to pull her to her feet and lead her to her bedroom. He even tucked her into the bed before sitting tentatively down beside her.
"You can lay down to, you know," Freya mumbled, already feeling half asleep. Just before she drifted into unconsciousness, she felt the Doctor lay down and tentatively wrap his arms around her.
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When she woke up, she was surprised to find herself face to face with someone she didn't recognize for a second. In the time it took for disappointment to settle in his eyes, recognition filled hers.
He started pulling back, only for Freya to cling to him.
"Morning," she whispered.
"Mornin'," he mumbled. Freya's eyes caught sight of a clock on the walls and she frowned.
"The Doctor said he'd be here for me in an hour. My current Doctor, that is. He's a bit late," Freya said with a frown.
"And if I remember correctly, I'll be frantic when I realize I got the time wrong. Imagine how I'd react if I knew you were off with older me," the Doctor said with a quiet chuckle.
"Now, we don't want to elicit jealousy from your past self. That wouldn't be nice," Freya admonished him.
"But it'd be fun," the Doctor said with a grin. Freya couldn't help but laugh at him.
"Yeah. It would be fun. But you don't have to live with him," Freya pointed out.
"Neither do you," the Doctor said.
"Of course I do," Freya said, his words puzzling her.
"But you really don't. You don't have to travel with him. You can still see me. You can stay here. We'll always be here with you. Visiting you," the Doctor said.
"But I don't want to live my life like that. I don't want to be some rare wine you sample whenever you find yourself dying of thirst. I want to be there for you for all the moments in between," Freya argued.
"But you're not," the Doctor said quietly. His eyes drifted away from hers. Freya's heart broke at the sight. She tilted his head towards hers. He looked so utterly alone, so devastating hollow. He looked how Freya felt when she first met him.
She knew her Doctor wouldn't be happy if he knew, but Freya couldn't stop herself as she leaned up and kissed the Doctor. He seemed surprised but welcomed it, kissing her back earnestly before pulling back suddenly. His eyes were wide as he stared at her.
"Do you want to see the new TARDIS?" the Doctor asked her.
"New? She looks different?" Freya asked, surprised. The Doctor's lips formed a grin as he pulled her quickly after him.
She was pulled out of the house before she could change her clothes or even grab her cell phone, which was lighting up on the kitchen table.
The Doctor pulled her towards the TARDIS, which looked the same to her except maybe a bit bluer. The Doctor pushed the doors open and gave her a light shove inside.
Freya froze the moment she entered the TARDIS. It was nothing like the TARDIS she had been in. The Doctor moved towards the console as Freya stared in shock. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. There were so many swirling designs, Gallifreyan on the top, a wonderful set of two chairs, a few small bookshelves, a chalkboard…it was amazing. Freya glanced back at the Doctor who was fiddling with something on the console before looking back up.
"So. What do you think?" he asked her, holding his arms out wide as he admired his own ship.
"She's wonderful. Different, but oh so wonderful," Freya breathed.
"I'm still not sure I like it," the Doctor grumbled slightly. Freya moved towards him and shook her head.
"I'm not sure you like much of anything in this new body of yours," Freya teased him. She was rewarded with a smile from him.
Which was when she noticed the thing in the center of the TARDIS moving up and down silently.
Freya didn't know much of anything about the new console room, but if she had to guess, she'd wager that meant they were taking off.
"Doctor…we're taking off," Freya said, glancing back at him with wide eyes.
He didn't look too surprised or worried. Freya made her way to the door quickly, throwing it open.
They weren't in Scotland anymore.
"Where are we?" Freya asked, turning to face him.
"Somewhere else. I thought we could spend some time together," the Doctor said.
"I was only supposed to be away from my current Doctor for an hour," Freya said uncertainly.
"How will he know how long you're gone?" the Doctor scoffed.
"He will when he becomes you. And how does that make you feel?" Freya wanted to know. She could see a slight stiffening of his jaw as he turned back to face the console.
"It doesn't matter," the Doctor said.
"Doctor, you're starting to worry me," Freya said carefully, staring at him.
"I don't want you to leave," the Doctor said suddenly, spinning around.
"What?" Freya asked.
"I want you with me. I don't want to be alone. I want you here," the Doctor said immediately.
"But Doctor, I am going to be with you. Younger you. If I'm with you now, I can't be with younger you. I can't be in two places at once," Freya said with a smile. The Doctor wasn't smiling though.
"Doctor, I think you need to take me back," Freya said, keeping her voice as strong as she could.
"Why? So you can go off with the Doctor in the TARDIS? You're on the TARDIS, and I'm the Doctor. Your room's here somewhere," the Doctor said.
"Doctor. I'm dead now. In your time. I'm dead and gone. I know that's got to hurt. But you can't just take me from my timestream. That can't be good. It'll change your past," Freya tried reasoning.
"You don't have to be dead," the Doctor said.
"Yes. I do. Because Doctor, everyone has their time. And everyone dies," Freya reminded him. He winced at her words.
"Not you. You shouldn't," the Doctor said.
"What about our daughter? The daughter I haven't even given birth to. She dies. She dies much too soon, much too young. I don't want her to die. And I'm sure you didn't either. But you can't go and kidnap her. She has to die at a certain time. And so do I. I have a limited time. I can't just wander with you for the next ten years," Freya tried reasoning.
"Of course you can," the Doctor corrected. Freya put her hands over his.
"No. I can't. I have to give birth sometime relatively soon. And Martha delivers the baby. I have to be around Martha," Freya said.
"I can take you to Martha," the Doctor said.
"Yes. But I don't think that's how it's supposed to work. Please. Doctor," Freya begged. The Doctor's jaw stiffened.
"No. I don't know anything about myself. I don't know who I am, what I'm capable of, but I do know one thing. I want you with me," the Doctor said. Freya felt the baby kicking inside and she rested a hand on her stomach. She closed her eyes, trying to make her way to the baby.
He wanted to help. He had something to help. At least, that's the feeling Freya got from him.
"Freya? Is everything alright? Is it the baby?" the Doctor asked her anxiously. Freya opened her eyes carefully, lifting her hands to the Doctor's head. She rested her forehead against his and pressed both hands against his temple. He closed his eyes and welcomed her.
"Sleep," Freya commanded, feeling the baby backing her up. She felt the shock from the Doctor as his body went limp. She only managed to go down with him, wincing as the baby kicked her from her sharp landing.
Freya pulled a blanket from one of the chairs and tucked it over the Doctor.
"I'm sorry. I'm sure once you have a chance to think things through, you'll be more reasonable," Freya whispered as she made her way out of the TARDIS.
It looked like she was on Earth. That was a plus. She wasn't sure when she was, or where, but Earth was a start.
And she didn't have her cell phone. Or ID. Her jacket was still in her house back in Scotland. She literally had nothing on her. A gust of wind went right through her shirt, sending a shiver down her spine.
She was on a street. All she had to do was knock on a door and ask to borrow someone's phone. She could call James or Jack and they could figure out where she was and get her back.
The question was, which house would be the best bet? She didn't want to end up in a stranger's house, but she didn't really have an option. Her eyes landed on a door that was painted almost the same shade as the TARDIS.
If anything, that had to be a sign. Freya made her way over to the door, knocking on it.
A few seconds later, the door was yanked open by a man with brown hair and a rather large nose. His eyes widened at her and he quickly tugged her inside.
"Freya? What are you doing here?" he asked her. Freya stared at him, trying to think if she knew him from somewhere. She couldn't place him.
"I'm sorry. I don't know who you are. I was wondering if I could borrow a mobile? I need to call a friend," Freya said politely. The man stared at her for a moment before Freya felt a pain in her side. She gasped at the sensation. The man quickly ushered her to the couch, sitting her down.
"Where does it hurt?" he asked her professionally, worry creeping onto his face. Freya pointed to a section on her side, wincing as the baby kicked that area.
"Breathe. Breath in, breath out. Slowly," the man instructed her, mimicking how she should breathe. Freya's eyes widened at his demonstration.
"But I'm not going into labor! I can't be!" Freya protested in horror.
"Sh. Just breathe. Breathing will help," the man promised. As soon as Freya began to mimic his breathing, he made his way to a desk in the room and pulled out a device. He brought it over, pressing it lightly against Freya's stomach.
Like a portable ultrasound.
The man sighed in relief.
"This can be fixed. It's okay. Just calm down. I'll have Amy make you some calming tea," the man said.
"Who's Amy? Who are you? What's wrong?" Freya demanded, her breathing speeding up once more.
"My name's Rory. Amy's my wife. We travel with you and the Doctor," the man said.
"Not yet you don't," Freya corrected him, relaxing slightly at his words. Rory's eyes widened.
"So you really haven't met me yet?" he asked, confused. Freya shook her head.
"Amy? Can you put on the kettle? We have a guest that needs some of that calming tea," Rory called out.
"Put it on yourself, stupid face," a Scottish voice called back from the kitchen. Rory smiled at Freya.
"Freya's here and I need to check up on the baby," Rory shouted back. No words came back. He turned back to Freya and gave her a reassuring smile once more.
"Stress is the problem. You have increased stress levels and it was trying to shock the baby into premature labor. The baby wasn't happy by this, naturally, so she was fighting back," Rory explained.
"It's a he," Freya corrected. Rory's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh. Is this your first pregnancy?" Rory asked in disbelief before covering his mouth.
"I already know I'll be pregnant again. And yes. Hopefully nearing the end," Freya said, rubbing her stomach slightly.
"The tea will help. The Doctor left us with some in case of emergencies. You may need two or three cups to fully bring your stress down. Where's the Doctor?" Rory asked.
"Not here. Not the one I'm looking for," Freya admitted.
"What is that supposed to mean?" the Scottish girl asked as she entered the room, handing Freya a cup of tea before sitting next to Rory and Freya.
"I….His older self tried kidnapping me," Freya said slowly.
"He did what?" Rory asked in disbelief.
"I think I recently died for him. I'm not too sure. But he was really upset and wanted me. And showed me his TARDIS before taking off. I'm sure he'll realize what he did was wrong when he wakes up," Freya said carefully.
"Wakes up? You didn't hit him, did you?" Amy asked in disbelief.
"No. The baby wanted us to get away. I guess he could tell I was freaking out. So we managed to make the Doctor sleep," Freya said.
"How?" Amy wanted to know.
"The baby's Time Lord, like his dad. I guess he used his telepathy to do it. I'm sure he won't be out long, but if you're his past, he won't dare come in here," Freya said, gratefully.
"So what do you want us to do?" Rory asked.
"Can you glance outside and see if the TARDIS is still out there?" Freya asked. Rory stood and made his way to the door, only freezing when the doorbell rang.
After a moment, Amy stalked over to the door. She threw it over and tugged the man at the door inside by his bowtie, flinging him at the couch next to Freya. Freya quickly scooted to the side, staring at him.
"Would you care to tell me why you're being an arse?" Amy demanded, glaring at him.
"Hello to you too," the man said. Rory crossed his arms, staring at him as well.
"Drink your tea and take another deep breath," Rory instructed, not even glancing at Freya. She did as he asked. The man next to her turned and his eyes widened.
"Freya! What are you doing here?" the man asked.
"As if you don't know," Amy scoffed. Freya glanced between Amy and Rory and the man, eyes widening.
"He doesn't know," Freya said, staring between them. She closed her eyes, thinking. Trying to figure things out.
This man. They thought he was the Doctor.
So that meant he was the Doctor. Another version of him. Probably before the versions he had just met.
"Are you the eleventh version?" Freya finally asked, opening her eyes. The man's eyes widened and he opened his mouth.
"I…yes? Freya. Is this our first meeting?" the man asked.
"This is a day of firsts," Freya murmured, sipping her tea once more as Bad Wolf kicked her once more. She pressed her hand against her stomach, wincing once more.
"What's wrong?" the man she'd decided was the Doctor asked as he put one arm around her shoulder and the other on her stomach.
"What are you doing? You just tried to kidnap her!" Amy shouted at him.
"No I didn't!" the Doctor said back, still staring at Freya.
"Your older self did. I'm sure you'll come around," Freya said.
"She knocked you out," Amy gloated.
"And I just left you here?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.
"I don't know. Is the other TARDIS gone?" Freya asked.
"He has to be because the TARDIS doesn't let me land accidentally where there's another version of it. It takes a lot of turning off switches to manage that," the Doctor said with a grin.
"Why do I get the impression that you like turning off all the switches?" Freya asked. The Doctor's grin got even wider.
"Because I do. Turning off switches is cool," he said, adjusting his bow tie.
"I'm confused. Explain," Amy said, staring between the two of them.
"Is there any way you can bring me to my current time Doctor? I just want to go back," Freya said.
"I can try. I'm pretty good at getting places," the Doctor said, only to have both Rory and Amy scoff at him.
"Twelve years much?" Amy asked.
"Rio?" Rory repeated.
"Please. I feel like I'm being overwhelmed with knowledge I shouldn't have yet," Freya said softly.
"Welcome to our lives. Just finish your tea. The Doctor will not take you anywhere until the threat of early labor has been fixed," Rory advised her.
"Are you a doctor too?" Freya asked.
"No. Just a nurse," Rory told her with a soft smile.
"You know an awful lot for being just a nurse," Freya told him, giving him her own smile.
"Right! Enough of that. What time are you from? Who am I and who am I with?" the Doctor asked her impatiently.
"Are you….are you jealous?" Amy asked in disbelief.
"No. Why would I be jealous? What do I have to be jealous of? I'm not jealous," the Doctor said, waving his hands about frantically.
"It's okay, Doctor. I was just being kind. You're a bit…insecure," Freya said nervously.
"He's always like this. Afraid you're going to run off with the next person we meet," Amy said, rolling her eyes.
"Why? Do I do that?" Freya asked in alarm, turning to the Doctor.
"Spoilers," the Doctor managed to say.
"You're upsetting her again," Rory pointed out. Freya focused on her breathing once more before taking a long sip of her tea.
"I'm with you and Martha. We just left New York in 1930, with Tallulah and Laszlo and the Daleks," Freya said with a wince.
"Ah. That time. And I what? Dropped you off at home? Oh. I did. I do believe I'm starting to remember that. I was frantic when I couldn't land. This is where you were?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.
"So I guess that means I can't tell the Doctor where I was," Freya murmured.
"We had two adventures before we managed to get you back. So there's truly no hurry in getting you back," the Doctor said, settling down on the couch.
"I'd hope there's no hurry. I'd rather her be healthy before you cart her off again," Rory said, taking Freya's low cup and heading into the kitchen with it. He came back a minute later with it topped off.
"Thanks," Freya murmured, sipping on it some more.
"Just keep drinking that," Rory told her kindly. Freya nodded, sipping as she did.
"So you're saying we are going to keep Freya here while trying to keep from telling her the future? How do you plan on doing that?" Amy asked in disbelief.
"No problem," the Doctor said, propping his feet up on the table.
"Um, big problem. Because you can't keep the future from us while we're in our current time," Amy pointed out.
"She does have a point," Rory said.
"You're only agreeing with her because she's your wife," the Doctor said, waving them off.
"But this probably isn't a good idea. You don't seem to be very good at keeping things inside," Freya said, already noting this.
"That's not fair! I can if I have to," the Doctor said with a pout.
"I'm sure you can. But I think I should get back to my own time. So I don't learn something I shouldn't," Freya said.
"You'll be fine," the Doctor waved it off.
"You have to stay until you at least are out of risk of premature labor," Rory said with a tone of finality.
"I should go have a talk with my older self about upsetting you," the Doctor said, leaping to his feet.
"No. You really shouldn't," Amy said, glaring at him.
"As much as that talk is much needed, I don't think you should be the one to give it," Rory added.
"Why not?" the Doctor asked with a frown.
"Because I doubt very much that you are supposed to meet your future selves," Freya said firmly.
"But Freya," the Doctor whined. Freya only shook her head.
"No. Not a good idea," Freya said firmly.
"But I already know what I look like. It's not like it's that big of a deal," the Doctor tried. Freya just leveled him with another stare before he huffed and flung himself back on the couch, draping limbs everywhere.
"How long would you say it is before I'm able to go?" Freya asked Rory.
"A few hours, I'd say. You need to be completely stress-free first," Rory explained apologetically.
"What are we going to do for a few hours that doesn't involve stress? The Doctor is here. That automatically means that something is going to happen," Freya pointed out.
"Not always," the Doctor contradicted. Freya only had to give him a glare.
"Fine. It usually happens," the Doctor grumbled.
"You're rather different," Freya observed.
"Of course I am! I'm not all sulky!" the Doctor pointed out.
"You sulk all the time!" Amy complained.
"And you weren't sulky before!" Freya added in.
"Yes I was," the Doctor said before his eyes lit up.
"Can we play the Wii?" the Doctor asked.
"The what?" Freya asked, bewildered.
"I doubt it's been invented yet for you. And no. That's not inclusive when Freya needs to be relaxing," Rory told him.
"It's just like raising a child," Amy said, staring at the Doctor and shaking her head.
"Oi! I'm nothing like a child!" the Doctor said.
"Yes you are," Rory said.
"You kind of are," Amy added. The Doctor turned to Freya with wide eyes.
"You do act quite a bit like a child, honey," Freya said before smiling at the Doctor.
"If we can't play the Wii, can we go on an adventure?" the Doctor begged.
"Not yet. Didn't we just say that Freya needs to rest and be calm before you can take her back?" Rory pointed out.
"Besides, I needed to go to the grocery store. We're pretty much out of food," Amy said.
"I'll go with you," Freya said. She had a feeling that if she stayed here, she would not get any relaxing done. Not with how high-strung the Doctor seemed to be.
"Not without me you aren't. I need to keep monitoring you and make sure nothing else happens," Rory said, standing alongside Freya and Amy.
"You can't just leave me here. I'll come too. We can take the TARDIS," the Doctor said.
"Or we can take my car. It won't look good to park a blue box in a parking spot outside of the grocery store," Rory pointed out.
"Don't diss the TARDIS," the Doctor pouted.
"Are you sure you want to go to the grocery store? It seems a bit…domestic," Freya said suspiciously.
"I can do domestic!" the Doctor countered, leaping to his feet.
"Alright. To the grocery store," Amy said, her voice lacking any enthusiasm.
"Has the Doctor ever made it to the grocery store with you before?" Freya asked curiously.
"No. I'm kind of scared," Amy shot back with a grin.
"Um, Doctor, where's the current me? The me of your time?" Freya asked, the thought occurring to her for the first time.
"She's at home. Where else?" the Doctor asked.
"At home. So on the TARDIS?" Freya asked. The Doctor shifted uncomfortably.
"Um, no. Actually, no. In Scotland," the Doctor said.
"That's not home. Home's on the TARDIS," Freya pointed out.
"You're visiting with family. You do that sometimes. We could have just taken them on an adventure, but you wanted a sit down for a bit," the Doctor grumbled.
"That's what humans need, Doctor. You can't run her into the ground," Amy said as Rory got his keys.
"Come on. Let's get going," Rory said.
The four of them piled into Rory's car as he drove them to the grocery store. Both Rory and the Doctor helped Freya from the car, leaving Amy shaking her head in irritation.
"Men. They have to outdo each other," Amy said to Freya.
"Why are they trying to outdo each other?" Freya asked.
"Because Rory's worried about you. And the Doctor feels jealous. Never really gets over that, he does," Amy said with a glare in his direction.
Getting in the store was the easy part. Then the Doctor decided he wanted a cart. A large cart. To push, all on his own.
After he crashed into a display, Amy delegated him to following the cart while she pushed it.
"You sure have a lot of energy," Freya said as the Doctor looped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.
"Nah. You're just slow right now," the Doctor told her with a grin before giving her a kiss on the cheek and dashing off to try to throw five different kinds of jammy dodgers in the cart.
"Doctor, unless you plan on paying for those, we are not getting them," Amy said, hands on her hips.
"But you need jammy dodgers for when I come over, and for when Freya comes over! And what about when our children stop by?" the Doctor asked, staring intently at her.
"Then you can bring your own jammy dodgers," Rory pointed out. The Doctor flounced off towards a candy display.
"I don't know how you manage to keep up with that alien," Amy said.
"He's not as energetic right now. Wow. And here I thought my version of him was too energetic. I'll never say that again," Freya said, releasing her breath as she tried blowing a strand of her hair out of her face.
"After taking care of him all the time, raising children's got to be a breeze," Amy said, staring as Rory managed to take all the candy from the Doctor's hands and place it back on the shelf.
"Doctor!" Freya called. The Doctor spun around, quickly stumbling his way towards them.
"Why don't you sit in the cart? That'd be fun, right?" Freya asked. The Doctor glanced at the cart and then at Freya.
"Why? Do I look like someone that would enjoy cart races? Yes! I would! Rory can push a cart with you in it and we can race through the aisles!" the Doctor said cheerfully as he leapt into the cart. His foot caught on the edge, sending his face into the front of the cart.
"Graceful, you are," Freya said wryly.
"I invented the word graceful! Or was that pasta?" the Doctor asked himself.
"There. He's sitting down. Bettered make this trip a quick one," Freya recommended.
"You got that right," Amy said, walking as quickly as she could down the aisles to pick up items needed.
As she did, Rory made his way back to them, dumping a load of stuff in the cart.
"There. That's half the list," Rory said with relief.
"You could get another cart, you know. This one's mine for racing," the Doctor complained. Rory's eyebrow rose at the words but he didn't offer up a contradiction. They were making their way down the icecream aisle when Freya stopped.
"I think you need ice cream," Freya said.
"No I don't," Amy told her.
"No. But I do. I'd pay for it but I left my jacket in 2008," Freya said.
"Why were you in 2008?" the Doctor asked.
"That's where you kidnapped me from. Not you, future you. Still you," Freya corrected with a frown.
"I don't think ice cream is the healthiest thing for you to eat during pregnancy," Rory began, but even Amy shot a glare at Rory for his words.
"And with those words, you can buy it for her. Pick out whatever kind you like," Amy said. Rory let out a sigh but didn't say a word as Freya grabbed a pint of ice cream and sat it in the cart next to the Doctor.
Miraculously, they made their way out of the grocery store within an hour of entering. Freya would not have thought it possible if she had not been there herself, but they did, despite all the dirty looks the cashiers gave them at the sight of the Doctor sitting impatiently in the cart.
When they got back to the house, the Doctor was bouncing again.
"Can we go on an adventure now? I was thinking the 1600s. Figured we could see where the iconic fairytales came from. You would like that, wouldn't you?" the Doctor asked Freya as Freya settled onto the couch with her ice cream.
"She would probably like to rest," Rory pointed out.
"I got a full night's of sleep though. But I do need to get back," Freya said regretfully.
"No you don't! You can stay with me for a long time and you'll still arrive back a few minutes after you left," the Doctor said.
"You really don't change," Freya said, recalling how his older self had said those exact words.
At that moment, the phone rang. Amy made her way to it, answer the phone. With a frown, she handed it to Freya.
"It's for you," she said slowly. Freya took the phone from her.
"Hello?" Freya asked.
"Hey. It's me. The Doctor. I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have done that. I can take you home now," the older Doctor's voice filtered to her.
"How do I know you're telling the truth and you won't try it again?" Freya asked, gripping the phone. Rory's hands were on her shoulders instantly. Freya did her best to relax her shoulders.
"I won't. I shouldn't have done that. You were right. I know better. I ought to have known better before. But I can take you back to the right time. I'm afraid my younger self will not be able to get you to the right time," he said.
"I'll be out in a minute," Freya said, hanging up the phone.
"That would be my ride home," Freya said.
"I thought you said he kidnapped you. And why is he still here? I thought two of you couldn't be here at the same time," Amy said.
"I turned a lot of switches off," the Doctor said with a shrug.
"It will be fine. I will see you guys…well, when I meet you for the first time, I guess. Thank you for everything," Freya said with a smile.
"It was nice seeing you again," Amy told her before giving her a tight hug. Rory also hugged her and then scanned her once more.
"You should be good. Just stay calm. Please," Rory begged her. Freya nodded solemnly at his words.
"I'll do my best," she said. She then turned to the Doctor, who looked forlorn to see her leaving.
"I could take you home," he said.
"Of course you could. It's okay. I'll see you again. Go pick current me up," Freya urged.
"I should," the Doctor said, his eyes lighting up once more. He hugged her and gave her a quick kiss before dashing out of the room.
Freya made her way down the street in the opposite direction of the Doctor. After a few minutes, she spotted the older Doctor leaning against his TARDIS in an alley.
"Took you long enough," the Doctor grumbled, but he opened the door nonetheless.
"And you're taking me home this time, right? No detours, no attempting to keep me?" Freya asked for clarification.
"I'll take you home," the Doctor said softly. Freya brushed past him into the TARDIS once more. He then paused for a moment.
"Actually, before, you need to send a message to his TARDIS. Let him know it's okay to go on a few adventures and that you'll see him soon. Now that I think about it, I remember getting a message like that. Here. Send it from here," the Doctor said.
"And you'll still take me right back?" Freya asked suspiciously.
"Yeah. But this way everything happens as it ought," the Doctor said. Freya did as she was told before turning to the Doctor.
"Who do you travel with now?" she asked.
"Why?" he asked suspiciously.
"No. I don't need a name. But tell me you travel with someone. You don't need to be alone," Freya begged him.
"I'm not alone. I have a companion. She just…doesn't stay on the TARDIS all the time," the Doctor mumbled, sounding a bit sad at the words.
"Go get her. Show her the universe. You aren't alone, Doctor, and you don't have to be sad. Come visit me, next time I'm on Earth alone. Come visit me, only don't try kidnapping me," Freya told him with a wink. The Doctor gave her a smile before hugging her. He then frowned at the TARDIS screen.
"Right. I can't actually take you where you have to go. It'd interfere with the disguise. However, I can give you something to get there," the Doctor said, spinning around. He made his way to his bookshelve, pulling box after box from the shelf. After a moment, he pulled out what looked like Bad Wolf's Vortex Manipulator.
"You can use this. Give it to Bad Wolf when you're done with it. He always did say he got his from you," the Doctor said, his tone reminiscent.
"Why can't you take me?" Freya asked.
"Because currently, if I recall it correctly, I am in hiding from these aliens that can sense stuff like this. I've made myself human and am hiding in 1913. With this, after you put on an age appropriate dress, you can arrive there as well," the Doctor explained.
"Made himself human?" Freya asked. The Doctor waved his hand.
"Not important. I'm sure Martha will explain it to you when you arrive. Use your imagination, come up with a story to help yourself blend in. Go on, grab a dress," the Doctor said, ushering her along. Freya made her way to the wardrobe room, thinking.
1913. Of all the years. And human? Did that mean the Doctor was a different person? Would he remember her?
If he didn't, she'd have a problem. She was heavily pregnant. She couldn't claim to be married if the Doctor didn't recognize her; that would be horrible. So she'd have to be a single pregnant girl in 1913. Travelling alone.
Her mind whirled as she got dressed and made her way back to the Console room. The Doctor strapped the Vortex Manipulator around her wrist and with a quick kiss on her cheek, pressed the button.
So what did you think?
Before I get angry comments, I want to point something out. First of all, 12 kidnapping her isn't far-fetched. If Freya died recently, he'd be really upset (and don't start trying to count years - he doesn't have to see her death in the right order). Add that to the fact that here he's just recently regenerated and confused. I don't see it being at all far-fetched.
Next, Bad Wolf's abilities. Bad Wolf is almost full term. He had a relatively developed mind here. If the Doctor had been expecting an attack, he would have been able to shield it no problem. He had no idea the baby could do that. So he was taken by surprise and it knocked him out for a little bit.
Also, if someone has an issue with how she gets where she's going, tough. The Time Vortex is less detectable than the TARDIS, although I will say it might have set things off a bit. I'm a few pages into the next chapter. I don't know yet whether the Human Nature/Family of Blood arc will be two or three episodes yet. A lot happens here. ;) ;) hint hint.
Let me know what you think of this! I wanted to give you guys this since I already had it written. Don't let me down!
Andi
