Nora pulled out of the office car park and made her way back home. But as she drove, her thoughts wandered back to the Tardis on the dock and before she knew it, she'd subconsciously turned her car around and was driving towards the dock.
The brunette groaned as she parked her car. She came here almost every day, and always , she'd go home dis-appointed and a little less hopeful. But that was the Doctor, every time it seemed hopeless, he would always be the most hopeful. Maybe she was meant to do the same.
She took her coffee from the cup-holder, grabbed her phone and exits her vehicle. She makes her way towards the docks and stood near the fourth one, the one that usually had no boats tied to. The serene view of the rippling water and the silent horizon calmed Nora down, one of the reasons she keeps coming back: it helps center her in and de-stress.
Nora took another sip of her warm coffee, keeping a lookout for any life forms present. There wouldn't usually be anyone around the docks at this time of day, fisher's usually finish the day at 5. People who do come here are often either drunk or planning to steal from the boats, none of which are Nora's intentions.
She plonks herself down on the mouth of the fourth dock, hissing in pain as her bottom hits the ground with greater force than she'd expected. Nora takes another sip of her, now, lukewarm beverage, grimacing at how fast the liquid had cooled. She rests her cup on the ground beside her, resting her elbows on her knees. She waits, like every other time.
Nora didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, when she suddenly grew aware of the fact that she'd dozed off. With a groan, she stretches her muscles before sighing deeply, feeling a bit more hopeless than the last time she'd been here. However, as she stood and made her way back to her car, her heartbeat rose as she heard the all too familiar noise that made her the happiest.
It was real, and it was there, materializing in front of her: the Tardis.
The brunette stood still, not sure what to actually do. She watched as the Tardis made its final noise, signalling that it has landed. Nora held her breath as she waited, waited for the doors to open and her Doctor to step out. It didn't matter that he'd regenerated and that it'd taken him this long to come back, all that mattered is that the Doctor is here, finally.
She waited and waited for what felt like years, until suddenly, the Tardis doors burst open and a man waltzed out shouting "Welcome to Rio…", his tone dying down as he realized where he was . His shoulders deflated as he grumbled "… Not again…"
Nora stood shocked, unsure whether this man was the Doctor or not. He looked so much younger, yet his clothing seemed to defy the idea of him being any younger than 60. She gave him a once over, paying special attention to his mannerisms and the odd bow-tie. Nora understood that regeneration meant he could change, but this man felt nothing like her Doctor, so maybe he was still inside.
Suddenly two more people piled out of the Tardis, a ginger woman and a lanky blonde man, both with expectant looks on their faces, both deflating when they realized that they were not in Rio. Nora couldn't help but feel alienated as she tried to deduce who these people could be. "Really Doctor? We are never going to see Rio are we?" the ginger woman complained with a thick Scottish accent, arms crossed, looking disappointed at the bow-tied man.
Nora's eyes widened as she realized that the bow-tied man is the Doctor, however much different he looked, he was the same man regenerated. Slowly piecing things into the puzzle, Nora guessed that the other man and the ginger woman were probably his new companions. She smiled a little, glad to know that someone had been looking after her Doctor. The blonde man then spoke up "Wait, hang on, we've been here before, more than once"
"Yes, we have, the Tardis seems to be attracted to this place, keeps bringing us here" the new Doctor noted. Nora smiled in relief, the Tardis was reaching out to her, or maybe, trying to re-connect the Doctor to her. "Why?" the Scottish ginger asked
"I don't know, there's nothing significant about this place, no alien tech of sorts" the Doctor said, taking a look around, barely noticing the lone girl standing still at the other end of the dock.
"Oh sweetie, really? Again?" a woman's voice called out from the blue box
"Ooh, better hurry in, your wife's complaining" the Scot teased. The Doctor hurried in the box while the other two laughed as they trailed after him.
Nora felt herself stiffen at the words 'wife'. The Doctor, her Doctor, is now married. She understood that he's regenerated, and maybe forgot her, but she thought he'd come back for her, whisk her off her feet once more and then they would settle down. But this… this… new Doctor, he wasn't the same, and he will never be, because her Doctor loves her dearly, with all of his two hearts. This Doctor isn't her Doctor, because this Doctor is married and doesn't even remember her, let alone the small town that he ran to for comfort, for love, a stable place he'd sometimes call home.
Nora did her best not to cry, tried to hold in all emotions that are surging through her systems all at once, all the anger, the pain, the sorrow, the heartache. Her face was blank, however she couldn't stop physically shaking, she couldn't stop heaving, Nora couldn't stop the fact that her world was falling apart once more.
Before she could stop herself, she sprinted for the Tardis, fists ready to assault the blue box, to tell the old girl to stop playing tricks with her and bring back her Doctor, the man she loved dearly who wore a pin-striped suit and exclaimed in French.
But before Nora could launch a fist at the door, it opened to reveal a surprised Scottish ginger. Both women stared at each other in dis-belief, not knowing what to do exactly, both opening their mouths to say something but then quickly changing their minds and closing it.
"Umm hi…?"
"Hello" Nora replied reluctantly, her anger suppressing as she stared at the woman. She was certainly gorgeous, not to mention tall. The ginger woman slowly stepped out of the Tardis, careful not to show the brunette the interior of the police box; she then knelt to the ground and picked up something by Nora's foot. After standing up, Nora noticed that the woman had picked up something shiny, said woman held it up and explained "Dropped my earring" sheepishly.
Nora gave the ginger an understanding smile, trying to suppress her urge to ask questions.
"Sorry, what's your name, if you don't mind me asking?" the Scot asked, pocketing the earring
"Nora, Nora Smith" Nora replied, holding out a hand, still somewhat bewildered
"I'm Amy, Amy Pond" Amy gladly shook her hand
"So-"
"Shouldn't take you that long to find an earring-" a certain bow-tied man burst out of the box, interrupting Nora mid-sentence. The two stared at each other curiously, one of them completely oblivious of the other's identity and the other heartbroken by it. "Um hello" the Doctor greeted reluctantly "Is she a friend of yours?" he asked directly to Amy. Amy shook her head, not taking her eyes away from Nora. Said girl had been in shock since the Doctor burst out of the box, staring at him in complete awe, however she didn't look amazed so much as… pained, Amy thought.
The Doctor turns around to greet the mystery girl "Hello I'm-"
"The Doctor" Nora finished
The alien narrowed his eyes at the mysterious girl curiously "Sorry what was your name?"
That broke Nora's heart, the shattering resounding in her ears as her eyes welled with tears. She mustered up a blank face as she said "No one important… sorry… seeya" she stuttered shakily as she turned and sped away to her vehicle. Behind her she hears "No, wait, hang on" but does not make any attempt to slow down. Quickly she clicks her car open and hops in, from the corner of her eye, she could see the Doctor approaching her vehicle, but this didn't stall her from getting as far away as possible. Nora reversed the car and sped off in a way that would've made her driving instructor proud, and soon she was but a mere dot in the distance.
Amy had just caught up to the Doctor, panting she asked "Doctor, what's wrong?"
"That girl" he replied, looking in the distance "She knew who I am"
"So?" Amy asked, frustrated that he's being so vague
"I've never met her once in my life, and not a lot of humans know who I am Amy" the Doctor noted
"Well, she could've been a little girl who met you back then"
"No, she can't be" the Doctor argued "Because I'd remember those eyes"
"Eyes?" Amy asked, a bit confused
"Sparkling emeralds, beautiful" the Doctor said, more to himself, as he stared off into the distance
"Oi watch it! You're married" Amy teased
"River and I aren't married" the Doctor argued, turning to face Amy
"I still think you are, in your future that is"
The Doctor rolled his eyes as he and Amy made their way back to the Tardis. Amy was grumbling on about how he never seemed to be able to take them to Rio when he interrupted her mid-sentence "What was her name?"
"Who?" Amy asked, annoyed that he hadn't been paying attention
"The girl with the green eyes"
"Oh" Amy smirked "I think it was Nora, Nora Smith"
"Nora Smith" the Doctor repeated thoughtfully "Pretty"
Amy raised an eyebrow at the Time Lord, but the Doctor didn't notice as he hopped into the Tardis. The ginger shook her head; sometimes she forgets that the bow-tied alien is also a man with hormones. Amy waltzed back into the Tardis and noticed the Doctor focusing on the screen at the console, while River and Rory just complained about the Doctor's lack of co-ordinate – typing – skills. The ginger skips over to the Doctor, who doesn't seem to notice her approaching, and peeks at the screen over his shoulder. Amy gasps lightly as she saw Nora's face displayed on the screen along with these circle patterns on one side. The Doctor turns in surprise, his face looking like he's been caught looking at something her wasn't supposed to, while Amy simply smirked at the alien.
A/N hey guys :) I wanted to say a huge thank you to all the people following/reading this story, it means a lot^^ I hope everyone's liking the story so far, apologies if the pace of the story is too slow, I'm trying to pick up the pace, but things do start escalating from here. I just wanted to know if you guys were keen for me to publish a prologue thingy of -Doctor who?- in which you can read snippets of Nora and the 10th Doctor's relationship (i.e. how they met, when the Doctor opened up to her, their first adventure together). It'd be in one-shots and it'll only be a side story type of thing. I've put a poll so you guys can vote whether you want me to write one or just focus on this story. Thanks - Angel ^_^