I just wanted to thank everything who has reviewed this story. At the beginning, I had doubts people were enjoying it, but you guys have really just made this story worth the while but how lovely you've all been. The feedback I've had on Tumblr had been simply incredible and you guys are just the best. Thank you. But also, I will now be continuing this story and there will be ten more chapters after this (I think – I don't have my plans on me at the moment). Love you all, thank you so very much! X x
As a matter of fact, just for the purpose of reference, Alex had heard but the words had been so unintelligible and hoarse from where she sat that she had literally no clue that the family were arguing over her. To be honest, she wasn't really listening to their conversation in the slightest. She had just been speaking with her mother about the arrangement with Salome, but also wishing the two of them a very merry Christmas, but Alex was just desperate to speak with her daughter. Her throat tightened when her mother wished her good luck in the next few weeks, and handed the phone down her end to Salome.
'Mum?' Salome asked inquisitively, her voice quiet and disbelieving, like she had thought it could not possible to be speaking to her mum again. Alex immediately smiled at her voice and let out a sigh which she did not realize she had been holding in. she smiled widely and replied, 'Hey sweetie.'
Ever since becoming River Song, Alex had adopted that phrase when speaking to her daughter; it was just something silly that had become a bit of a tradition. 'How are you? Are you being good for grandma?' Alex asked, and Salome chirpily called back down the phone, 'I'm good and yes I have. Merry Christmas by the way! Are you coming to see us soon? I miss you.'
It all came out in a jumbled up order, a few sentences wrapped in anxiety and misery and everything in both their lives was so messed up. How had she abandoned her daughter like this? She hadn't even spoken to her in three weeks. 'Sorry sweetie, I've been a bit busy lately.'
'Too busy to ring at all? Mum, it's been three weeks!' Salome complained loudly, although her moaning voice did not do the greatest job of masking how upset this had caused her to be. 'Salome, I haven't been very well…'
'Mum, are you with Matt? It said in the newspaper that you were with him. Where's daddy?' Salome continued burbling and Alex's heart constricted inside her chest and caused her internal organs to scramble and tangle together, causing some severe pains both literally and metaphorically.
'Daddy's had to go away for a while Salome. It's just me and you for a while,' Alex murmured out, sniffing back to prevent tears from falling down her face. She didn't want to lie about Jack, but she wanted to have this conversation with her daughter face to face. It didn't seem right to discuss a matter of this importance over the telephone.
'But it's not though!' Salome suddenly cried, and Alex had to hold the phone away from her ear for a moment, and she was confused before her daughter continued, 'Mum, when are you going to come and get me? I want to come back to England. I miss you – we never get to spend time together and you haven't bothered to call for three weeks! Grandma said you were ill but she couldn't hide it from me! Did you just dump me here so you could go off with Matt?' she accused her loudly, and it broke Alex's heart to hear her crying as well.
Listening to her daughter, just eleven years old, shout like that was agonizing to listen to. The betrayal that was so obviously felt was horrific and although Alex so dearly wanted to contradict it, she had been so selfish not to even contact her daughter in any way during those three weeks. All she had thought about was herself, all she had done was for herself, trying to make herself feel better, when really she should've acted as a proper mother.
'Sweetie, I didn't dump you. Me and daddy were just having some adult problems and we needed some space for a while.' This obviously turned out to be the wrong thing to say to her.
'Was I getting in the way mum? Is that what you're trying to say?' Salome screamed, her maturity at eleven being far too advanced for the normal child. But with a famous actress for a mother, she had had no choice but to grow up quickly. Sure, there had been times when she hadn't seen her mother for months, but she always spoke to her – every single day.
Salome had always been a mummy's girl, but her relationship with her dad had been great as well. She had seen her dad hit her mum, but she didn't understand it. She might have maturity, but it didn't mean she actually understood everything that happened in the Kingston household. All she knew was that she wanted her mum,
'Salome, listen to me,' Alex choked out, trying to hold her nerve together, 'You never got in the way. But I didn't want you to be in an environment where you could possibly be in danger. I miss you too sweetie, but I need to sort out everything before I come and get you because otherwise it might be bad for you.'
This seemed to calm her down a little, but the rage was replaced by a fit of tears and Alex felt totally helpless hearing her little girl cry down the phone to her. She now knew what it had been like for Matt all those weeks ago when she rang him on the evening her daughter had been dragged away from her. And it was a horrible thing to listen to – someone you love having been hurt and knowing you cannot do anything about it.
'I saw what daddy did,' Salome sobbed, 'Why did he hit you mum? Why did you let him do it again afterwards?' Alex sniffed again and coughed before replying with, 'Salome, you need to understand that sometimes adults have arguments and tempers run a little high and bad things can happen which aren't supposed to.'
This seemed to satisfy her for a while, but as Salome caught her tears and stopped herself from crying anymore, she seemed a little less chatty when she said, 'I've got to go mum. We've got dinner.' The words were harsh and cold and it broke Alex's heart more than anything else in the entire world. 'See you soon Salome, I promise I'll come and get you. I love you; I'll be there before you know it.'
'I love you too mummy,' Salome whispered, like she used to as a child when Alex got one of those rare times to drop her off at school. 'I love you too sweetie. Happy Christmas.' They both hung up at the exact same time, and Alex just sat on the edge of the bed, trying desperately hard not to break down into vicious sobs whilst in the vicinity of Matt's parents.
X – X – X
Matt's parents chose to leave before Alex returned from the bedroom, but they told Matt to ensure her that it had been a pleasure to meet her. Still a little angry at the argument they had had earlier, Matt immediately went to see Alex seeing as it had been over an hour and a half since she graced everyone with her presence, and it had been half an hour since her talking had become silent. When he entered the room, the first thing that surprised him was that the light was off, the curtains were drawn and it was like a kind of sepia colour inside, but not pitch black as of yet.
Alex was lying underneath the covers, her head lolling on one of the pillows, fast asleep. Her cheeks were tear stained and black where her mascara had run, and he realized that not all was happy with the Kingston's as well and the Smith's. He left her for a while, not wishing to wake her up, but he sat next to her and hummed Christmas songs to himself until she gradually awoke, still fully clothed.
The moment she had a grip on what was going on, she smacked her hand against her head and groaned out, 'Oh God Matt, I'm so sorry.' He reassured her that it was okay, but she felt the need to explain everything that had happened. He listened intently, and was also deeply moved by the way in which Salome had taken her mother's absence. By the end of the tale, Matt did not have the heart to inform her about his own argument with his family, but he just said, 'Well, I'm never going to forget this Christmas.' He put his arms around her shoulders.
'Our first,' she muttered contentedly. 'Hopefully not the last,' he added. She gave him a watery smile and he kissed her gently on the cheek.
'Shall we go outside in the snow?' Matt asked. Alex just nodded.
Three hours later, they trampled back inside the apartment, having just created a slipping caution all the way up twelve floors, and quickly removed the first two layers which were soaked entirely through. Both of their cheeks were bright red from the chill, as was Alex's nose and they were both still laughing after the two hour long snowball fight they had had after building a snowman; it was like they had both been reverted to children again and were reliving the good days from many a year ago.
'You have good aim Kingston,' he muttered darkly, slumping onto the sofa and crossing his arms across his chest in a mock temper. He had begun to accept he was losing after Alex had absolutely pelted him in the face about six times in a row. Alex bounced down next to him and hit him playfully on the arm. 'Oh, just because you're a sore loser,' she trilled loudly, her curls springing around as she jumped next to him.
He looked up at her and pouted and she giggled beautifully. They both turned silent, but looked at one another deeply. It seemed like the perfect moment to kiss.
But they didn't. Not yet anyway.
Alex looked over the back of the sofa and gasped in surprise. 'So, your parents didn't help with the washing up before they left then?' she asked, almost breathlessly, but also due to the fact she was still recovering after the snow battle outside. Matt looked around as well, staring at the incredible amount of plates, cutlery, cooking trays and other various accessories that had been used in the creation of this year's Christmas dinner.
'No, it appears not,' Matt replied, plunging headfirst into shock just the same as his "girlfriend".
Alex leapt to her feet and offered him her hand, like he had done for her so many times before and waggled her eyebrows suggestively. He begrudgingly, but only playfully, took her hand and allowed her to pull him from his seat. 'Come on Matty,' she teased gently, and pulled him over to the sink.
'Don't say a word,' he mouthed angrily, pointing a finger at her whilst she instructed him to do the washing up whilst she would dry the plates and such like. She giggled and he tapped her on the nose, wiping a little bit of the washing up foam on her face.
'You love me really,' she said.
'Yeah, of course I do,' he whispered inaudibly, 'Merry Christmas Kingston.'
