Sorry, completly forgot about this; I had so much homework an rehearsals I almost didn't upload this, but here it is! JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, there's some stuff I made up about Time Lords in this so don't go 'Ohh that's not right' I know it's not, that's why it's MADE UP. :3 Hehe. Thank you SO much for the ah-maze-zing reviews, wuv you all. ^^ I hope you enjoy and have fun! :3 xx

Chapter 9

It took a few minutes for River to finally compose herself, lifting her broken frame from the Doctor as she stared at him, tear glazed eyes filled with guilt... staring up towards her Time Lord.

"What happened?" she asked, biting back another sob.

"She went all golden-y, like when you regenerate." Amy piped in, smiling towards herself, overjoyed with the fact that she could remember the correct term for Time Lords changing their faces.

The Doctor helped River to her feet, still taking nervous glances towards the open door. He bit his finger, not entirely sure what to say... something that had been happening to him way too frequently for his liking. "She's..." the Doctor attempted to phrase his words correctly, "under certain circumstances, at the right ages and during correct situations... a Time Lord can emit regeneration energy almost like a defence mechanism,"

"Right circumstances..." Rory began, raising his finger, "you mean when she's angry?"

The Doctor nodded vacantly.

As he passed the young couple to get to the door, Amy frowned looking towards her raggedy Doctor in both triumph and confusion. "So... you mean puberty?"

The Doctor frowned, "well... yes, I suppose. Don't think too far into it!" he scolded. "She's not technically a teenager, she's probably closer to thirty... but yes if you want to put a name to it then she's going through puberty." The Doctor rubbed his face idly as he stepped out through the library door. A disgruntled Amy prepared to follow him, but River quickly grabbed her shoulder pulling her closer to her body. "Mum," she whispered, pursing her lips, "he needs to do this alone."

The Doctor quickly located the door that shouldn't have been, the newest frame to the TARDIS' growing collection. "Of course," he muttered, rolling his eyes. Any child of the TARDIS would be accommodated in the correct manner. He could feel the TARDIS pushing against the edges of his mind, urging him to go inside, to help the child that was so very close to her. The Doctor sighed, giving in to his oldest friend as he put three fingers to the closed door, pushing it open ever so slightly.

The Doctor's hearts nearly stopped.

A song; perfectly sung through eerie childish lips. Varrissa set cross legged on her double bed situated in the centre of her rather large bedroom. She faced away from him as she carried on her song.

"Tick Tock goes the clock and all the years that fly, Tick Tock and all too soon you and I must die."

The Doctor stiffened as Varrissa turned her head, her eyes still glowing a dull golden as she smiled to him almost darkly.

"Tick Tock goes the clock he cradled her and he rocked her Tick Tock goes the clock even for the Doctor."

The Doctor took a moment to compose himself before he took another hurried step forward. "How do you know that song?" he whispered, moving closer to the glowing teen.

Varrissa's eyes lightened for a moment, the emerald green emerging from its golden cage. "I-I..." she winced, ducking her head into her hands as she groaned out.

"Calm down," the Doctor insisted, putting a hesitant hand on her shoulder.

Varrissa's head shot up from her palms, the golden light instantly retreating from her orbs as she gasped out, "M-my mum t-told me ...-bout it," she took in a few large laboured breaths before letting herself flop back onto the bed, closing her eyes calmly as she gripped the lilac blankets in her fists.

The Doctor fell silent.

River knew everything about the Doctor... she would tell Varrissa anything. If they were blood related...

But Amy had become a doll... would it be possible that she had...

No.

He shook his head inwardly. He couldn't even think of that option. That would be impossible. Wouldn't it? She loved Rory. She always would.

"Doctor?" Varrissa had reopened her eyes, her vibrant orbs sparkling in childish radiance. "You still don't know who my mum is do you?" she bit her lip expectantly.

The Doctor sighed, frowning slightly as he patted her golden head. "Nope."

"But you do know who you are to me right?" She had begun to sit up, her body shaking slightly from the force of which her temper tantrum had hit her.

"Yup." The Doctor sighed, shaking his head, "I just can't believe I would..."

"You don't settle down." Varrissa piped in calmly, "in fact, this is the first time I've properly even seen you."

The Doctor frowned, "how can that-"

"Wibbly wobbly remember?" Varrissa sighed, putting a hand over her face as she let out a deep sigh, "you sent letters 'course you did... but River was always looking for you and you were always out getting in trouble. I didn't want to wait for you to find me or vice versa, I wanted to see the world for myself." She smiled, her eyes sparkling with fresh tears as she rolled onto her side.

The Doctor instinctively wiped them away from her face, tucking his hand under her shoulder as he helped her sit up properly. "Then why were you on Earth... working with Torchwood?"

Varrissa grinned, "they had guns, they fought aliens, saved aliens and I fell through the rift... I guess I was a bit woozy from that so I took the job as soon as it was handed to me."

The Doctor's eyes widened, a sudden parental siren going off within his mind; something he hadn't felt in so very long...

"You fell through the rift?" he cried, "how... I mean, how?" he'd become slightly sceptical, using large hand gestures in an attempt to show the right level of concern.

Varrissa simply grinned, allowing her finger to trace his cool bowtie as she watched him calm down instinctively, "It was an accident... I was supposed to be going to Space Florida for their annual nuerte del dia event, but I took a wrong turn..." she shook her head, "vortex manipulators, never trust 'em." She smiled sadly, "I lost it when I got caught in the rift... my body was in the middle of being teleported... the rift should have ripped me to shreds."

The Doctor looked at her knowingly, "but instead you regenerated." He finished, a grin playing on his lips. He almost felt, proud.

"Then the Torchwood team took me in... you should really thank Jack for that." She winked at the Doctor, leaning against his shoulder as she sighed happily.

There were a few moments of silence before the Doctor turned his head to her and opened his mouth to speak, "he didn't try to chat you up did he?"

That was when Varrissa fell into an untameable fit of giggles, hitting the Time Lord playfully on the arm as she wriggled away from him. "Of course not, he was just happy to have a Time Lord as part of the team."

River, Amy and Rory soon emerged through the door. Amy and Rory's mouths instantly fell open at the size of the bedroom. Walls and floors decorated with the same style of the TARDIS console room, a large double bed fit for at least three people on a small stage at the centre, oak wood wardrobes and drawers each crafted with the legs of bear feet, a custom designed green and purple lava lamp that gave off a distant glow...

"Oh so Varrissa gets a double bed but we don't!" Amy said sarcastically as she made herself comfortable on a small violet bean bag situated a few feet from the bed.

The Doctor grinned slightly, holding up his hands in mock surrender; "blame the TARDIS not me, besides there's only one Varrissa."

"That you know of," Varrissa joked from behind, biting her lip enthusiastically as she spread herself across her bed. "What time is it anyway I'm exhausted!"

River grinned towards the teenage Time Lord, "probably around eleven, maybe midnight."

"Then I want to sleep!" She grinned, twisting on the quilts.

"So Time Lords do sleep!" Rory muttered to himself instantly glancing away as he noticed everyone's gaze move to him.

Varrissa cracked an eye open, smirking at his reaction, "call it a lifestyle choice," she beamed.

The Doctor frowned towards her before forcing a smile on his face, clapping his hands together as he acknowledged the rest of the occupants of the room. "Maybe everyone should get some rest then?" he grinned.

Amy and Rory both said some words beneath coherence as they shuffled from the room, arm in arm. Not one glance back; that was how the Doctor knew that they'd most likely been tired for a while and had been hiding it well. The Doctor hated to admit it, but all the new information gathering in his mind was almost making him feel tired too. He rolled his shoulders, leading River from the room last.

As she passed him in the doorway, she brushed against his shoulder, planting a delicate kiss onto his lips. "Know who the mother is sweetie?" she grinned... the same River grin that the Doctor had come to love.

He smiled back playfully, and before ushering her from the room he placed his lips by her ear and whispered, "not a clue."

And it's done! I hope you enjoyed it! :D I love you all and please keep on reviewing! It gives me the same feeling as it would to hear the magical whirring of the TARDIS engine for real! :3 Love you all! See you soon! xxxxxxXxxxxxx