Starfall

Chapter 10: Fear Me

Almadynis

AN: I hate writer's block, yes I do! I hate writer's block…how about you? Sorry, but I thought that after school was over, I would just go right back to writing. No such luck. Really, REALLY sorry…but as much as it's been driving you nuts, believe me…I've been MUCH more frustrated.

Anyway, instead of waiting for the writer's block to go away—because tried that and all it did was keep going—I decided to write whatever came to mind. Well, this is what came out of my fingers. Hope you like it.


"He's so tiny."

"Don't worry, he'll grow."

"I bet he'll be just like you. Running about and getting into everything."

"Considering we're both like that, more than likely."


He watched as she sang quietly to their one month old son. It was the only thing the child would sleep to. After so long with a fear of singing in public, even in front of him, the woman had gotten over it overnight when she had their child. Now, she sang practically all the time. Though, sometimes not the most appropriate of tunes, but her argument of they being her own lullaby's had stumped him. How could he argue with that when she had turned out so wonderfully?

Her gentle, quiet, low voice lulled the little boy asleep as she rocked him in her arms, walking back and forth. "*…so ready axe, shield and spear/ to my war-horn pay good heed/ I'll be the first on land today/ or taste Valhalla's mead…*"


"Rayne! If you aren't in this bathtub in ten seconds…!"

A little boy, no older than three, with a messy mop of dark brown hair and crystal blue eyes shining with mischief, came running out of a corridor naked as the day he was born and soaking wet, soap suds glistening in spots. His little voice was bright with laughter as he ran…right smack into a pair of legs encased in blue pinstripe pants.

The boy's father, for that is the only person the man could be, raised his eyebrows. "And what are you up to?" His voice was purely curious, but his eyes were laughing just as much as his son's as he reached to pick up the boy. "Did you run away from your mother again?"

The boy, still grinning from ear to ear, nodded gaily. "Mummy's funny!"

A woman appeared, her hair a lighter shade of brown than her husband's and son's. Her son got the hair of his father, but his eyes were purely his mother. "Oh, I am, am I?" Her hands were on her hips, and she was as soaked with water as her son, though fully clothed.

Rayne, oblivious to his mother's glare, nodded again vehemently.

She couldn't help it, the sight of her husband and son was too funny and she lost her glare. "I guess I can live with that." She smiled, her eyes full of love. "Come on, my little monster." She kissed her son and then her husband on their cheeks.

"Rawr!"


"Mum?" The eight year old boy was trying to be brave.

The brunette smiled at her son and gave him a hug. "Don't worry, sweetie. Your father has set it up so that it will only last for a millisecond. It'll be over and done before you know it." She kissed his forehead. "And afterward, you'll be able to understand some of the things that have confused you in the past."

"I know, but…"

"It's scary." She finished for him. He nodded, not looking up at her. She looked at him softly. "It's okay to be scared, Rayne." She brushed a lock of hair out of his face. "Bravery isn't about not being scared. You think your father isn't scared? Of course he is, he just doesn't admit it."

"Oi!" A man's voice called out, obviously listening.

The woman snickered, and so did the boy, despite his fear, which had been her goal. "The point is…even though he's afraid; he does what's needed anyway. That's what bravery is. Doing what's needed and what's right, even though you're scared." She kissed his forehead again. "I'll be right here when it's over and you can pick where we go. How does that sound?"

He barely thought a moment before his face lit up with excitement. "Could we go see River?"

She laughed. "Of course, we can."


Star was in the bathroom…again. Morning sickness was horrible! It was bad enough with her son, but now with her daughter it seemed like she couldn't keep anything down. "Ugghhh…why do they call it morning sickness when it lasts all day?" She said pitifully.

She got up from her place at the toilet bowl, washed her hands dutifully and then looked up into the mirror. And screamed in terror.

The Doctor came running in to see his wife huddled on the floor in the far corner of the bathroom, shaking in fear. "What is it? What's wrong?" He scanned the room with his sonic screwdriver, desperate to find the threat but detected nothing.

She pointed to the mirror. "The reflection…"

He did a deeper scan on the mirror, but still didn't get a reading. "What about it?" He knelt by her side, wrapped his arms around her, and lifted her bridal style.

"…it wasn't mine."


Star screamed, shooting awake in bed, her body shaking in terror. The Doctor was by her side, his eyes filled with concern. "What is it? Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Star, realizing that it was all a dream, began to cry in earnest. The Doctor held her in his arms, rocking her gently and waiting for the tears to go away before he asked again.

After a little while, she looked up at him and began to describe her dream. He didn't say anything until she was done. There was silence in their bedroom for a few seconds before he turned her toward him and spoke in a tone so serious that it immediately got her attention.

"Astrid, I have waited for you for over nine hundred years. No one else will ever be able to replace you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Alright?" She nodded against his chest. "Good. Go back to sleep then, my love."


Hours later, Astrid got up and sought out her semi-husband. She found him where he usually was—tinkering with the TARDIS's console. She spoke carefully. "I dreamed again…"

He jerked in surprise, but put down what he was doing to give her his complete attention. "Another nightmare?"

She shook her head. "No. When I was in college, sometimes I wouldn't be able to complete some math problem, so I would put it to the side and then go to bed. Most of the time, I was able to dream the answer." She paused and looked at him seriously. "When Rose left for the other dimension, it reminded me what is going to happen next, and I was hoping that I could change it. But I would have to change it soon…because it effects the past, present, and future all at the same time." His eyes widened at that little tidbit of information. "The problem was so big, I didn't know what to do. I think I just dreamed the answer."

He slowly nodded, knowing that she couldn't tell him much, but also knowing that she needed to hear something. Otherwise, she wouldn't have even said as much as she already had. "Do you need something from me?"

She returned his slow nod, not for the first time glad that he was so intelligent and able to keep up with her logic. "If I succeed, it will change everything, my love. I'm not even sure just how far it will reach. I won't know the future anymore. I won't know what to expect…" She stopped and shook her head, looking at her feet. "…I just lost Rose. Jackie and Mickey are gone. I don't want to lose you too."

His hand appeared in her field of vision, one finger gently raising her chin so that she could look him in the eyes. His brown eyes were so full of love, understanding, and acceptance. "No matter what happens, or what you choose, I will always be with you." He kissed her on her forehead. "Did you think I was with you only because of your future knowledge?" Her eyes said it all. "Never. I love you. Not your precognition."

Astrid froze. He had said it! He had said the words. That made them all the more potent. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "In that case, there will come a time when I'm going to ask you to do something that under any other circumstances I would expect you to question my sanity. When that time comes, I will need you to trust me and do as I ask. No questions."

He blinked and blinked again, taking in the rather large request loaded with trust issues. His face was serious and calm as he stated very solemnly, "My life is in your hands."

Her mind immediately flashed to the second episode of the sixth season and she gulped audibly at the enormity of what he had had given hit her. He wasn't just saying he would trust her. He was…he was giving her his complete trust. She had always known he would die for her, but this was much bigger than that. So much bigger.

Astrid looked at him, and he could see the understanding in her eyes of what he had offered, could see the acceptance of his gift. She leaned carefully into him, brought her lips so very close to his ears and whispered so softly that not even the TARDIS herself could hear—though she already knew the secret anyway, and who was she going to tell? Astrid whispered her second biggest secret in the universe, and gave him the keys to her soul. She pulled back and saw how wide his eyes were with that little bit of information. She smiled at him. "Now we're even." She gave him a long kiss before coming up for air. "Oh, and I'll need something that will be able to paralyze you for a few hours."

He just nodded and went for another kiss. In another few seconds, she was in his arms bridal-style and they were heading for their bedroom.


The song is called "Mead for the Servant" if you are interested.
Please tell me what you think! Reviews are love!