Minerva emerged from her bedroom bathroom on the Monsoon wearing a bathrobe while tying to dry up her hair with a towel. She came to a stop when she found the Doctor setting what seemed like a space helmet on the foot of their bed, and of course then she saw the space suit on the floor. She opened her mouth several times but the right words for the question didn't seem to come to mind.
"Nope, sorry, it's finally happened," she shook her head, "We've reached the point in our marriage where I don't even know how to ask what the hell you did."
"I can explain," the Doctor raised his hands, "It's not bad."
"Let's find out," Minerva dropped the towel on a nearby chair and took a seat on it, "Did it involve explosions?"
"Well..." the Doctor started looking around.
"Did it involve you running like hell?" Minerva continued calmly.
"That's a possibility..."
"Did you hurt every bone in your body?"
"Well..."
Minerva sighed and leaned on her chair, resting her hand over her stomach, "Oh baby, what are we going to do with your father? He's taking advantage of the fact I can't go running around anymore."
The Doctor smiled and came over to her, "That is not it," he clarified and bent down in front of her, taking her hands into his, "I just got a little signal from a ship so I naturally went inside to see what was wrong and then...well...things went wrong."
Minerva still was not pleased with what she was hearing, "Martian, I promised I wouldn't exert myself anymore but that doesn't mean that you can go waltzing about in this universe without me and nearly get yourself killed...without me."
"I'm sorry," the Doctor kissed both her hands, "But hey, you want to hear something cool?"
"I guess," Minerva shrugged.
"Well, before I got to the ship, the TARDIS malfunctioned-"
"Is she okay now!?" Minerva went into full concern for their box of wonders, "What happened!?"
"She's fine, she's fine, I just forgot to recalibrate a very important part so it went a bit haywire on me...and it crash landed..." he smiled mischievously which made Minerva wonder just what more trouble did he manage to get himself into, "...in a desert..." the Doctor leaned up closer to her, his smile trading into a smirk, "...precisely an American desert."
Minerva raised an eyebrow, the puzzle slowly making itself whole, "...you don't think it was...?"
"I was frustrated, angry as hell cos I was trying to come and see you, so, without thinking...I said 'we have to get back to Minerva'."
Minerva's eyes widened, "Oh my God," she covered her mouth, "That's it, that's the same words you said all those years ago. You were the one I saw..."
"Exactly, mystery solved," the Doctor tapped her nose.
"I had a suspicion you were talking about me, don't even know why," Minerva admitted, a small smile spreading across her face, "I could never have guessed you were actually talking about me. I thought you were some crazy man, but it turns out you were my future husband, trying to come back for my future pregnant self."
"And here I am," the Doctor smiled and went in for a kiss only to be stopped by a finger on his lips.
"Yeah, after you nearly got yourself killed," Minerva reminded him with a sarcastic smile.
The Doctor dropped his head with a sigh, "What do I have to do to make it up to you?"
"To us," Minerva pointed to herself and her stomach, "She's been quite active today and I'm sure she would love to hear what her daddy has in-store for us today."
The Doctor looked up at her and covered her mouth, "First of all, it's a boy and he will definitely love what I've thought of for today."
Minerva rolled her eyes, their arguments of the sex of their baby was still an ongoing thing and it seemed like it was only getting more and more frequent. Still, she loved them because in the end they would just laugh and/or kiss. It was all playful arguments which only made the arrival of their baby.
"And I think my Clever Girl will love it as well," the Doctor removed his hand from her mouth and pecked her lips, "How about it, then?"
"Well..." Minerva sighed as she swayed her head, "...I did just come up with a new plan for the economy, so I guess I deserve a reward."
"Come, then!" the Doctor rose to his feet and gently pulled her up, "New economy plan?" he inquired as they walked for the TARDIS placed at the corner of the room.
"Increased wages," Minerva waved off, "No biggie."
"Have I mentioned you are a brilliant Queen?"
"Not today you haven't," Minerva flashed a smirk.
"My apologies, then, you are a brilliant Queen," the Doctor pushed open the doors for them.
"And you...are still an idiot," Minerva said before entering the TARDIS. The Doctor mocked a laugh as he followed her in.
~ 0 ~
Decorating and upgrading a house for a 1930s family was the last thing Minerva could've guessed would be the Doctor's plans for the day. But, when she heard the reason behind his motives, she thought it was a fair response to the human woman who'd helped him find the TARDIS. The woman, Madge, had apparently gone through three years after meeting the Doctor and was going through a terrible hardship: her husband's death. It was clear the children didn't know the truth yet and so the Doctor thought it would be nice to make the Christmas as best as possible before Madge had to tell them the truth.
Minerva just wished she didn't feel so exhausted. Seven months of pregnancy were finally taking its toll on her. She couldn't run as easily anymore, standing up was becoming a bit of a struggle and her cravings were still quite common. Her sleeping schedule had begun increasing with the weeks and now she slept far longer than most Moontsays. She became tired easier nowadays. All perfectly normal, but still annoying. It was why the Doctor had told her that until she gave birth she wouldn't be exerting herself with his trips in the TARDIS. To make that work, he had to promise he wouldn't take those dangerous trips until she'd given birth.
But she wouldn't tell the Doctor how she was feeling for the moment, if she did that she knew she would be sent into the TARDIS to 'nap' and whatnot. Boring! She would much rather see the reactions of Madge's children when they saw the entire house.
Which was why she was anxiously watching the trio of humans enter the house with their suitcases, "Welcome!" she waved with a hand and hurried up to them as best she could, "Happy Christmas Eve! I'm Minerva, and please don't worry about the front door, my idiot of a husband will get it fixed...hopefully."
"Well, the back door is still, broadly speaking, operational," the Doctor tried to make an argument as he pushed the fallen door back into place, "Right, then, may I take your cases?"
"Thank you," Madge put her case down, prompting her daughter, Lily, and son, Cyril, to do the same.
"Lovely. Would you mind carrying them for me?" the Doctor walked around them to where Minerva was, "I need to show you round, and my wife can't lift that heavy stuff."
'Sorry' Minerva mouthed to them as they headed for the stairs.
"No, wait!" Madge called to them, "Who are you?"
The Doctor turned around with a mischievous smile, "I'm the caretaker."
"Meaning you should probably watch every step you take," Minerva warned since she knew about basically every 'upgrade' the Doctor had made in the house.
"But I don't understand," Madge shook her head, "Are you the new caretaker?"
"Usually called the Doctor. Or the Caretaker. Or Get Off This Planet," the Doctor pondered over that last one and had to retract, "Though, strictly speaking, that probably isn't a name," he moved up to the human woman and shook hands, "Hello, Madge Arwell."
"Hello," the woman said slowly, still trying to keep up.
"And Cyril Arwell. And Lily Arwell," the Doctor moved onto the children, "Now, come on, come on, lots to see. Whistle-stop tour. Take notes, there will be questions."
"There really won't be," Minerva told the truth as she moved everyone along.
~ 0 ~
The first stop of the tour was the sitting room. The Doctor opened up the doors for the family, "Smaller sitting room. Just chairs. Bit pointless without a television, so I made some repairs," he flicked a switch on the wall and suddenly the chairs in the room began moving around on their own, making the children gasp in awe, "I know!" the Doctor exclaimed, loving the gasps of awe.
The next stop was the kitchen where Minerva led the way for the humans, "I think that's a cooker, I haven't done this in the 30s, my bad. Oh! And this is the lemonade," she cheered excitedly, "I've been having a lot of cravings for lemonade so I take full responsibility for this one," she gestured to the knob with the label 'lemonade' over it.
"Both hot and cold, if I may add," the Doctor spoke up and looked at the children for their responses.
"Lemonade?" Cyril blinked, basically in awe.
"I know!" the Doctor nodded with a smile.
~ 0 ~
The Doctor seemed like it burned opening the door of the master bedroom, "Mum's bedroom, grown-up, your basic boring!"
"I made sure he left your room alone," Minerva whispered to Madge, "Although I can't say the same for the children's room," Madge lifted an eyebrow of question and dread.
The Doctor flung open the doors to the children's room and stunned them all by revealing a myriad of toys and games spread around the entire room, "Lily and Cyril's room! I'm going to be honest... masterpiece," the Doctor stepped inside, "The ultimate bedroom," he moved over to a bench, "A sciencey-wiencey workbench. A jungle! A maze! A window disguised as a mirror. A mirror disguised as a window! Torches for midnight feasts and secret reading. Zen garden, mysterious cupboard, zone of tranquility, rubber wall, dream tank, exact model of the rest of the house... not quite to scale, apologies... dolls with comical expressions, the Magna Carta, a foot spa, Cluedo, a yellow fort."
"Where are the beds?" Cyril curiously wondered as he looked around.
The Doctor made a mock frown, "I couldn't fit everything in. There had to be sacrifices. Anyway, who needs beds when you've got..." he rushed over to the wall by the door and pulled down a lever that made two hammocks drop from the ceiling, "Hammocks! I know!"
Cyril walked over to one of them and tried getting on, "But how do you get on?"
"Watch and learn, kid," the Doctor got into position to make a run for it.
Alert, Minerva quickly moved to his side, "Uh, Martian, maybe you shouldn't-" but her words came too late as the Doctor broke into a run and leaped to land on a hammock...only to fall on the floor between the two hammocks.
"For God's sake!" Madge was nearing her breaking point.
The Doctor sat up, stunned with the results, "This hammock has developed a fault!"
"Okay," Minerva moved over to go and help, "I don't care how many upgrades you want to make to the nurseries, my child is not sleeping in a hammock."
"Sacrifices, Minerva!" the Doctor looked up at her urgently.
"Idiot, Martian!" she mimicked his tone and laughed.
"Can both of you please stop talking?" Madge suddenly called to them, making both look at her, "Can you please just stop?"
It was easy to see she wasn't pleased, prompting Minerva to try and help her, "Um, children, I think it's time for an adult talk. Go downstairs, please."
"Are we leaving?" Lily looked at her mother for an answer.
"Yes!" but Madge retracted, "No!" she sighed, "I don't know. Just go downstairs!"
"You don't need to shout," Lily muttered as she ushered Cyril out of the room.
"I don't think it was necessary to shout," Minerva agreed with Lily as she helped the Doctor stand.
"Why are you doing all this?" Madge demanded from both aliens.
"We're just... trying to take care of things," the Doctor shrugged, "I'm the caretaker."
"That's not what caretakers do."
"Then why are they called caretakers?"
Madge took a moment to recollect herself as she put a hand on her head and thought about everything, "Their father's dead," she decided to say.
"We're very sorry," Minerva whispered, understanding for the children how hard it was to lose a father.
"Lily and Cyril's father... my husband... Is dead, and they don't know yet," Madge continued on, partly explaining to them the situation and partly for her sake to let everything go, "Because if I tell them now, then Christmas will always be what took their father away from them, and no-one should have to live like that. Of course, when the Christmas period is over, I shall..." she sighed, "I don't know why I keep shouting at them."
"Because every time you see them happy, you remember how sad they're going to be, and it breaks your heart," the Doctor said what she couldn't.
"Mother, come and see!" they heard Lily calling from downstairs.
"Mother, you've got to see this. Come on!" called Cyril as well.
"Because what's the point in them being happy now if they're going to be sad later?" the Doctor continued for Madge, "The answer is, of course... because they are going to be sad later. Now, we'd better get downstairs. I think they may have found the main sitting room."
"He 'repaired' it," Minerva decided to give a heads up, "Meaning we should really get down there fast."
Madge gave a small nod and walked out the room first. The Doctor led Minerva to the doors and stopped at the doorway to look back at his masterpiece and laughed.
"Hammocks are cool," the Doctor argued quietly with Minerva.
"Never happening," she hissed and shut the door, "My baby is sleeping in a pink crib and that's that."
"Blue," the Doctor said casually and led her down the hallway.
"Pink!"
"Blue," the Doctor inconspicuously coughed and earned one of her sharp looks.
~ 0 ~
Lily and Cyril were anxiously awaiting for the adults to get downstairs so they could finally go poking around the room. There was a large Christmas tree placed at the center of the room with model trains and planes circling it. There were decorations all over the walls but what really captivated them was the large, blue present set just beside the tree.
"I know!" the Doctor cheered, loving he had gotten all the rooms right for them. The nursery room inside the TARDIS was currently being set up and since Minerva wanted to pain the walls in child characters and whatnot, he wanted to do something of his own for their baby. Minerva was crafted now in painting, and her specials chalks and paints he'd bought her were going to make their baby extremely happy, so the Doctor wanted something to come just from him. He thought some of the 'upgrades' he'd done around this house would go quite lovely in the nursery room. Now if he only just knew for sure it was going to be a boy then he could get all the best model cars and planes...he didn't want to get it wrong and accidentally be the cause of why their daughter cries due to the lack of dollies around. But he was mostly certain that wouldn't happen because it was going to be a boy...yes...absolutely...
'Girl', he was startled to hear Minerva's voice inside his head. He glanced at her and found her flashing a smirk, 'Absolutely a girl,' she established.
~ 0 ~
Later that night, the Doctor and Minerva had retired to the attic room where the TARDIS had been set. The Doctor was at a desk working on some wires when the doors of the TARDIS opened and out stepped Minerva in a silver sleeping robe.
"I thought we agreed you would get some rest," the Doctor reminded without looking up from his work.
"First of all, you agreed on that, I never said a thing," Minerva closed the doors and moved to the side his chair, "And second of all, you try sleeping with this going on," she took one of his hands to place it over her stomach where an active kicking was felt, "I think she knows it's Christmas."
"He definitely knows it's Christmas," the Doctor agreed with a small smirk.
Minerva rolled her eyes, "Anyways, point is, I can't sleep. So what's going on here? No trouble happening yet?"
As if on cue, the attic door opened to let Lily inside, "You were lying about the panthers," she accused.
"Famous last words," the Doctor smiled.
As Lily walked further inside, her eyes became drawn to the TARDIS, "Why have you got a phone box in your room?"
"It's not a phone box, it's my... wardrobe," the Doctor remarked slowly, "I've just painted it to look like a phone box."
What are you doing?" Lily noticed the myriad of wires on the desk.
"Rewiring."
"Why would you rewire a wardrobe?"
"Honey, have you seen the way he dresses?" Minerva flashed a smirk at the Doctor, "It's absolutely necessary."
"Who are you? Really, who are you?" Lily moved until she was right beside the two.
The Doctor noticed a blinking light in one of the wires and picked it up, "Your brother, where is he?"
"Sleeping," Lily shrugged.
"Could you please just check on him?"
"Why?"
"Please?"
With a shrug, Lily went off to do what she'd been told. Minerva looked at the wires confusedly, "What is it?"
"This thing," the Doctor gestured to the blinking light, "The present, remember?"
"You don't think they've opened it, do you?"
"Well, would you?"
Minerva's eyes drifted to the side, "That could possibly happen..."
Lily came back a couple minutes later with nothing new to report, "Still in bed, asleep."
"OK. Faulty, then," the Doctor relaxed somewhat and tried using the sonic on the wires.
"Why are you awake?" Minerva asked the little girl as the Doctor got to work again.
"Why are you awake?" the girl countered with a small smirk.
"I'm the adult, you answer my questions," Minerva pointed and leaned on the side of the desk, "But if you must know," Lily chuckled at her lack of word, "It's because my unborn baby thinks I'm a soccer ball."
Lily laughed again, "Cyril used to do that too."
"Ah! Meaning it's a boy," the Doctor pointed at Minerva with a laugh, "Absolutely a boy!"
Minerva rolled her eyes, "I'll have you know that my grandfather said I used to be a kicker and drove my mom crazy in the last trimester, meaning...it can very well be a girl."
"I keep telling you it's a boy," the Doctor mumbled.
"It is not, and when I hold to you a babygirl I'm going to laugh at you for hours."
The Doctor opened his mouth to retaliate when the device beside the wires beeped, "Lily, you're sure Cyril is still in bed?"
"Yes, I saw him," Lily assured but this time it was Minerva who spoke up against it.
"Maybe we'll just go and have a little check for ourselves," Minerva stood off the desk and headed for the doors.
The trio walked to the children's room and quietly opened the door. Sure
enough, there was a lump on the second hammock that could very well be Cyril.
"See?" Lily whispered to the couple.
"Hold on," Minerva pushed open the door entirely. She walked straight for the hammock and pulled down the blanket to reveal a teddy bear in place of the young boy, "Ha," she chuckled, "Hear me now, baby, you will never get away with something like this. I was the master of dooping my parents to go visit the Martian," she cast a smirk at the Doctor who was coming for her.
"You used a teddy bear for your bed?" he asked her in amusement.
"Sometimes, other times I just used pillows. But I always got away with it," Minerva laughed, "Cyril's got a good hand in this."
"Where did he go, then?" called Lily from the doorway.
"I'm gonna go make the assumption that he went to Christmas tree with the big present," Minerva sighed, "Meaning, Doctor, get a head start on the running, no?"
The Doctor nodded and pecked her lips before making a dash for it. Minerva turned around and calmly went for the doorway where Lily remained, "What's the problem?" the girl asked in confusion.
"Um, well, remember how you were asking who we really were?" Minerva ushered her out of the room and closed the door, "Well, the answer is pretty obvious in that we're not from Earth so naturally our gift to you guys wouldn't be from Earth either."
"And...?" Lily raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"Um, uh...the present needed to be open at an exact time."
Lily began panicking, "So what happens if it's opened before?"
"We're about to find out," Minerva promised and made an effort to hurry her walk. She could still run but would prefer not to at the moment. Every time she did she felt nauseous afterwards and the last thing she needed was to throw up in the middle of danger.
~ 0 ~
In the main room the Doctor arrived just in time to see Cyril's hand reaching through the other side of the box to grab his flashlight, "Cyril!" he ran for the box and dropped on his knees to crawl inside.
"What's that!?" Lily exclaimed as soon as she and Minerva had arrived in the room, the girl's eyes glued to the now-opened, large gift where she could see snow on the other side.
"Your present," Minerva went over to the box and bent down, "Oh this is going to be a struggle."
"C'mon," she heard the Doctor from the other side.
As she could, Minerva crawled into the box and when she could, grabbed the Doctor's hands who then helped her step off the box and onto the snow-covered ground.
"It's a bit cold," Minerva closed her robe and shivered slightly while the Doctor went to help Lily next.
"I thought I was talking to a Moontsay," the Doctor joked as he set the girl down as well.
"A pregnant Moontsay," Minerva gestured to her stomach to remind him of that small detail, "You know my heating is slightly suspended."
"I'm sorry, here," the Doctor shook off his jacket and handed it over to Minerva. Once he made sure Minerva was warmer he returned to the problem at hand, "Cyril? Cyril?"
Minerva found a cracked sphere on the floor and went over to it, "What the hell is this?"
"Where are we?" Lily was looking around the snow-covered forest then back to the box where she could still see her living room on the other side.
"In a forest in a box in a sitting room. Pay attention!" the Doctor waved off as he looked at the sphere Minerva was holding then to the footprints on the ground, "He's about 20 minutes ahead of us."
"But we just saw him," Lily made a face. The Doctor had begun moving with Minerva and prompted Lily to rush after them.
"Time moves differently across the dimensional planes. What do they teach you in schools these days!?"
"Humans don't teach about dimensions, remember?" Minerva nudged the Doctor.
"First, no recreational mathematics and now this?" the Doctor groaned.
"I don't understand where we are," Lily came up beside Minerva, sensing she would explain better than the Doctor.
"We've sort of gone through a portal that...transported you to this place," Minerva gestured to the new environment, hoping that made sense.
"Well, what's that supposed to be? Where did it come from?"
"It was our present," Minerva reminded, "And remember how I said it was supposed to be opened at an exact hour? Well, this is what happens when it's not opened."
"Honestly, who opens their Christmas presents early?" the Doctor sighed then noticed the sharp looks Minerva and Lily were giving him, "OK. Shut up. Everyone."
"Don't you ever tell me to shut up," Minerva wagged a finger at him, "Now c'mon, let's go," she motioned for them to move faster.
~ 0 ~
"I don't understand, is this place real?" Lily was still looking round in awe as they walked further through the forest, "Is it fairyland?"
"Fairyland?! Grow up, Lily!" the Doctor scolded,"Fairyland looks completely different," he stopped walking and bent down to look at the footprints they were following, "Now, these are Cyril's footprints, and these are the ones he was following. Notice anything?"
"I'm gonna go with the other footprints are getting bigger," Minerva put a hand on her hip, "Meaning not good. Also meaning we should hurry up," she frowned.
"Well, then we have to get after him!" Lily made a run for it and brushed against a tree, making icicles drop from above which formed into spheres. Lily gasped and jumped back, completely startled by it.
"It's OK, you're fine. Don't worry," the Doctor quickly told her and, with Minerva, walked to the tree.
"Is that tree... alive?" Lily gawked at the tree.
"Of course it's alive," Minerva smiled.
"But is it dangerous?"
"Well, every rose has its thorns," the Doctor bent closer to the tree to examine the dangling spheres.
"They're like Christmas tree decorations," Lily remarked, a growing smile spreading on her face. Once the fear faded one could really enjoy how beautiful it all was.
"It's like a naturally occurring Christmas trees," Minerva had to remain standing straight, "I was thinking of starting one at the Monsoon," she passively remarked to the Doctor, "What do you think? Maybe for next time?"
"Oh, like a snowy wonderland," the Doctor stood straight beside her, "That would be lovely!"
"I seriously don't understand," Lily muttered and leaned to the tree again.
"It's a big universe, Lily," Minerva set a hand on the girl's shoulder, "Everything happens somewhere. In my home planet, we have similar spheres like those," she pointed to the ones on the tree, "And they're edible."
Lily's eyes slightly widened, "No way..."
Minerva nodded in assurance, "Oh yes, I've been eating more lately with all these cravings. They're delicious!"
"Minerva..." the Doctor called with a new tinge in his tone, one that alerted Minerva something was wrong, "Do you know the difference between wind and trees talking to each other?"
That prompted Minerva to finally quiet down and listen, "Oh, oh, but that's weird," she looked around, making Lily frown in question.
"What? What is it?"
"Normally, trees can talk with the wind, sort of their little thing but don't you see it, Lily?" Minerva gestured to the still air, "There's no wind...and yet the trees are talking like crazy..."
"We've been here many times, but I've never heard the trees so active," the Doctor relayed, "Something's wrong. What are you doing? What are you up to?" he stepped closer to the tree and saw his reflection in one of the spheres change into a...tree with a face? He jumped back in alarm, "I'm sorry, Lily. I really am."
"Doctor, what is it?" Minerva unconsciously took Lily's hand into her own.
"There is something very wrong in this forest, and Cyril is right in the middle of it," the Doctor pulled out his sonic while taking Minerva's hand.
"Move, now, we've got to find him," Minerva panicked and hurried along with Lily and the Doctor.
"Why would you bring us to this place?" Lily began accusing the pair, both frustrated they weren't finding Cyril fast enough and that the footprints were getting even bigger.
"It was supposed to be a treat. This is one of the safest planets we know of," the
Doctor tried explaining, "There's never anything dangerous here," he was nearly cut off by a loud noise followed by the shaking of the ground.
"Martian there are just sentences you need to stay away from," Minerva breathed and gripped his hand.
"It's just irresponsible!" Lily exclaimed and looked up between the pair, "How can you do this to my brother?"
"It was meant to be a supervised trip!" the Doctor argued.
"To the future?"
"The future, yes."
"On a different planet?"
"Yes, very different."
"Where Christmas trees just happen."
"Oh c'mon," Minerva cut in through the senseless arguing, "Bickering isn't going to find Cyril, is it?" she looked between the both with hard eyes.
"No," the Doctor and Lily answered quietly.
"Exactly, so, I'm going to propose we continue," Minerva pointed ahead, "Is that alright, children?"
"...yes."
"Hm," Minerva shook her head and dragged both the Time Lord and the human child along.
~ 0 ~
The footprints ended up leading the trio up to a wooden tower that seemed inactive and silent. The Doctor, of course, went first to the doors.
Lily was looking like he was losing it, "What, are we going in?"
"Cyril did," Minerva pointed to the small footprints on the ground.
The Doctor opened the door and walked inside to find a seated, wooden statue at the center of the circular room, "Interesting..."
"What's that?" Lily asked immediately, "What's that statue?"
"It's a king," Minerva smiled of amusement as she neared the wooden, "Believe me, I know a king when I see one."
"Yeah, yeah," the Doctor rolled his eyes and backed her away from it, "It may be a king but it is not a statue. Look at the floor," he whispered to them and made them see the larger footprints leading up to the statue, "This is what Cyril was following... the growing thing. Hatched from a bauble on a tree. Grew to this size in less than an hour, I'd say. Impressive."
"And so is this building!" Minerva remarked as she looked up at the spiraling staircase behind the statue, "Is this tower...grown? Like a, um, a group of trees that grew into this precise shape."
"That's why you're my Clever Girl," the Doctor planted a kiss on her cheek, "Clever Girl in a clever forest, ha!"
"Oh boy," Minerva made a face, "Why don't we focus on why oh why would a forest ever need to grow a building."
"Why would it?" Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Because it's a trap, obviously," Minerva said with a mischievous smile, "Cos if there's people like me, and my husband, we can't ever resist a door."
"Very well said," the Doctor agreed with a nod.
"So, this is a trap? We've just walked straight into a trap?" Lily began panicking again, questioning herself why the two weren't alarmed like they should be.
"A people trap," the Doctor added, "Question is why does a forest need people?" at that question, everyone turned their heads to look at the statue.
"We should go," Lily breathed and started backtracking to the door, "We have to
get out of here. "
"Um, but, Lily?" Minerva called and pointed a finger up, "Don't you remember?"
"Cyril," Lily sighed and returned to the couple.
And so, slowly, the trio made their way up the stairs and came across a locked door. Since there was nothing else in the tower, they were sure Cyril had to be on the other side.
"Cyril?" Minerva knocked, "Cyril, c'mon out!" the Doctor pulled out the sonic from his pocket, "Can you hear me, Cyril?"
The Doctor slapped the sonic in frustration, "Of course, it's wood! It's rubbish at wood!"
Lily placed a hand on the door and frowned, "It doesn't look like wood, nor feel like it."
"It's disguised wood. Have you been listening?"
"How can trees grow into a building?"
"Never underestimate a tree, Lily," the Doctor shook his head, "I met the forest of Cheem once. She fancied me," at that, Minerva cleared her throat and looked at him expectantly, "But I immediately made it clear I was married," the Doctor inputted instantly.
Minerva rolled her eyes and continued knocking on the door, "Cyril?" she called, "Please, come out already!"
Lily walked over to the window and peered out, gasping at the sight, "Look at that!"
While Minerva did look, the Doctor continued fiddling with the sonic, "Busy, actually," he slapped the sonic again and scolded it, "Yes, I know it's wood. Get over it!"
"But there are stars. There are stars coming out," Lily gawked as small twinkling lights floated from the trees.
"That does happen, Lilly," the Doctor gave up on the sonic and went for the door.
"Doctor, these are coming out of trees," Minerva added that important detail and captured his attention. He rushed over and looked out the window.
"What is that?" Lily asked.
"Life force. Pure life force, just... singing," the Doctor blinked.
"It's kinda pretty," Minerva remarked.
"Beautiful," Lily corrected, "Doesn't it make you want to cry?"
"Crying when you're happy. Good for you," the Doctor smiled and put his hands on her shoulders, "That's so human."
They heard a hissing sound coming from behind the door and made them run back to it, more desperate to get inside.
"What's it? What is it? Tell me, what?!" Lily cried while the adults pounded on the door to be let in.
"Cyril!" Minerva shouted, "Can you hear us!?"
But everyone stopped as they heard a stomping from below, clearly that of the wooden statue downstairs.
"Oh, my God," Lily whispered in horror, "Oh, my God!"
"Work, work, work!" Minerva nudged the Doctor frantically, "Get it open!"
"Caretaker, it's coming," Lily was seeing the shadow of the statue nearing it, "Open it!"
"I'm trying!" the Doctor exclaimed as he indeed worked on the door.
"Open it!" Minerva hissed.
But the door unlocked on its own, startling the Doctor, "That wasn't me," he blinked.
"It doesn't matter!" Lily dashed inside the room and gasped as she saw her brother unconsciously sitting in a chair at the center of the room, a second wooden statue looming over him. Minerva and the Doctor ran over to check on the boy, "What's wrong with him, Caretaker? Is he dead?" Lily asked in terror while she stared at the statue.
"It's okay, he's just unconscious," the Doctor concluded and stood up along with Minerva, both turning for the statue, "So, what are you, then? Not a king, a queen!"
"The Queen Bee of the forest," Minerva added with a smile, "And I'm assuming that's the crown," she pointed at the circular ring around Cyril's head.
Lily was at the window of the room, staring out, "Caretaker! Look!" she made the adults peer over to see the lights lifting from the trees again.
"It's like..." the Doctor began and Lily looked up at him.
"Like what?"
"Like the life force is leaving the forest."
The king statue arrived in the room and made the trio turned around to see it heading for them, "What are they doing? Stop him!" Lily cried.
The Doctor took out the sonic again and used it on the advancing statues when Minerva elbowed him, "It's wood, remember?" she gestured, "Aliens made of wood, how could you not prepare for that?"
The Doctor made a face and no effort to respond because she was indeed correct. He focused on the statues and noticed a change in their advancement, "It's OK. I think they just want to talk to us," he realized.
The statues looked at Cyril as the ring around his head lighted up. Cyril woke up and seemed calm despite the situation, "They're scared. Can't you hear them? The trees are screaming. Can't you hear?"
Lily ran for her brother while the Doctor used the sonic on the ring, "No. But you can. You're connected to them."
"Why have the stars left the trees?" Minerva questioned, "Or, life forces..."
"I think they're..." Cyril began but blinked and stopped.
"Just concentrate. What are they doing?" the Doctor bent down in front of the boy.
"Evacuating. They're evacuating."
"Why would they do that?" Minerva frowned, "What's the danger?" she knew evacuating would only be from danger like her own people had done in the past, meaning something was lurking through the forest, or someone.
"They're... frightened of the rain. The rain that burns."
"Caretaker, please explain. I'm frightened," Lily looked at the pair with desperate need to understand.
"Those stars. They're pure life force. Souls, if you like. And they're trying to escape because they think their home is going to burn," the Doctor explained.
"Why can't they just float up into the sky?"
"They need to travel inside a living thing," Minerva looked at Cyril, "That would be your brother apparently," she pointed at the ring, "It's not a crown, it's a relay. They're turning your brother into a lifeboat!"
"That's what this place is for, then," the Doctor glanced at the statues, "It's an escape plan, is that it?" the Queen statue reached to touch Cyril, "Don't you harm him. Do not touch that child!" the Doctor called but the Queen did so anyways only to communicate.
"Your coming was foretold," Cyril spoke in a distorted voice, one that belonged to the statues clearly.
"My God, what is that? Why does he sound like that?" Lily panicked and looked at the couple beside her.
"Deciding to speak up, now, I see," Minerva put a hand on her hip.
"We had faith. Your coming was foretold," the Queen said.
"Listen lady I believe in a lot of things but fortune telling is just not there," Minerva shook her head.
"We waited, and you came."
"So, you've got an escape plan. Why aren't you escaping?" the Doctor had to ask since it was clear they'd chosen Cyril.
"The child is weak."
"You mean he's a child," the Doctor assumed but was corrected.
"No, he is weak. The forest cannot live in him. But there are others."
"There certainly are, and the good thing is, I look great in a hat," the Doctor started for Cyril, "So, let's get this thing off, eh?"
"No, Doctor, please don't," Minerva tried stopping him, even the Queen seeming to help.
"You are also weak."
"I'm really not," the Doctor scoffed, "Let's save a forest, Cyril?"
"Doctor, please stop it!" Minerva exclaimed.
"You are not the one. You are weak," the Queen added.
"I'm really not," the Doctor insisted and grabbed the ring off Cyril's head. However, as soon as his fingers came into contact with it he cried in agony.
"I told you not to do it!" Minerva shouted in frustration, "Let go of it, right now!" she ordered.
"Caretaker, let go of it! Just let go!" Lily joined in on the frustrated calls, "Please, just drop it!"
The Doctor would very much like to keep his wife calm and let go...but, "I can't!" and it was true since his fingers felt like they were glued to the ring.
Without thinking, Lily reached out and took the ring from him, "Lily, no!" Minerva cried but suddenly realized the intense glow it had when the Doctor was holding it had vanished. Lily was holding it with no problem, in fact it almost seemed like she was chuckling, "It's funny, isn't it? It's sort of... tingly."
"Tingly!?" the Doctor was getting over the struggle.
The Queen statue placed her hand on Lily's shoulder, "She is strong, but she is young."
Lily pulled away and gasped at what had happened, dropping the ring to the floor. The Doctor became thoughtful on the words of the statue, "She's strong, I'm weak. Interesting."
"Mummy?" Cyril was beginning to wake up from the trance he'd been under.
Lily rushed over to him, "Cyril, it's all right. It's me. Mummy isn't here, but we're going home to her right now. Aren't we, Caretaker?"
The Doctor looked at Minerva and both silently agreed it was best not to lie, "No, I don't think we are," and like on cue the rain began pouring down outside, "The rain that burns. Acid rain. We have to get out of this forest, we're in terrible danger. This tower won't protect us for long."
Minerva looked down at the ring with curiosity, "I wonder..." she spoke before bending down as swiftly as possible.
"Minerva, stop!" the Doctor made a move for her but it was too late, she'd grabbed the ring in her hand.
"It's tingly," Minerva made a face and looked at the statues, "I'm no good, either?" she asked in confusion and judging by the lack of movements of the statues she assumed she was right.
"Where's Mummy?" Cyril asked again, his voice covered in fear.
"She's coming. You know she's coming, because she always comes, doesn't she?" Lily reminded with a small smile.
The Doctor pushed down the ring from Minerva's hand and took her for the children, "Cyril, the way we came here, that door won't stay open for ever. Now,
I'm not even sure if I can get us through the forest safely, but if we're going to have any chance at all, we have to go now."
Cyril crossed his arms, looking like a child about to begin a tantrum, "No. We wait for Mummy. Mummy always comes."
The Doctor didn't want to sound rude as this was just a child after all but his first priority was his own child in danger and if he had to carry the human one over his shoulders he was well prepared.
However, before he or anyone else said something, the ground shook with a loud thud. They glanced at the window and saw a large robot-like creature coming for them.
"What's that?" Minerva frowned and hurried for the window to get a better look.
"It's an Androzani Harvester," the Doctor recognized the robot, "...but..."
"You recognize that thing?" Lily made a face.
"More to the point... I think I recognize the driving!" the Doctor had to laugh, "Madge has entered the forest! Come on, Madge, you can do it! You go, girl!"
"Shut up, you ridiculous oaf!" they all heard Madge call from the robot.
"Come on. This way ... you can do it, you can do it! Excellent driving! Hello!"
"Caretaker?"
"Yes!"
"You're fired!"
Minerva laughed while the Doctor made a sarcastic face, "Best decision she could've taken, honestly."
However, the robot tilted to the side and ended up falling sideways, alerting everyone in the inside, "Uh, it's OK, she's fine, don't worry. Stay here. Just stay here," he, along with Minerva, dashed out the doors. As they reached downstairs, Madge entered, "Madge, Madge! You OK?" the Doctor called to her.
She flipped back the hood of her tattered pink coat and laughed, "Stay inside, the rain is frightful! Lily? Cyril?" she made a run for the stairs.
The Doctor looked out the door to the robot on the ground, "It's too destroyed," he remarked with frustration, "I don't know if I can repair in time or...I don't..."
"Hey," Minerva forced him to look at her and see her calm like he wanted her to be, "You didn't survive a whole group of Silence to die by some stupid rain, okay? Worst comes to worst, maybe I can create a path for us with my powers."
"Your powers come and go, especially during these last months. I need to figure out a way," the Doctor began panicking again, "Or the rain is gonna-"
Minerva grabbed his face and kissed him to successfully get some silence, "There's a good boy," she smiled when she pulled away, her hands still resting on the Doctor's face, "Let's go get the others and we can hopefully escape with my powers."
The Doctor didn't get a word in when Minerva had already dragged him for the stairs. When they rejoined the others they came to the surprise of finding Madge sitting at the throne with the ring around her head.
"The stars are going inside her," Lily pointed to the trail of stars currently going inside her mother, "She's taking the whole forest!"
"Oh, this is marvelous," Madge looked around in an almost like daze, "Oh, this is really quite wonderful."
"Madge! Are you all right?" the Doctor asked once the stars had finished, "Talk to me. Madge, can you hear me?"
"Yes, I can hear you. I'm perfectly fine, thank you."
"Fine?" Minerva blinked, "I would like to point out that you have an entire world inside your head!"
"I know. It's funny, isn't it? One can't imagine being a forest, then suddenly one can," Madge chuckled, "How remarkable!"
"You're OK? She's OK?" the Doctor looked at the statues for answers.
The Queen put a hand on Madge's shoulder, "She is strong."
"That wasn't me," Madge blinked after she was let go, "This is all really rather clever, isn't it?"
"She's strong? She's strong?" the Doctor reviewed and suddenly got it, "Stupid me! Stupid old Doctor! Do you get it, Cyril?"
"No," Cyril shook his head.
"Lily, you do, don't you?"
"No."
"Minerva?"
Minerva sighed and motioned for him to just say it already, "My feet are hurting, can you hurry up?"
"Course you do! Think about it, Clever Girl," he rushed to her side, "Weak and strong, it's a translation. Translated from the base code of nature itself," he glanced at Cyril, "You and I, Cyril, we're weak. But she's female," he threw a thumb at Madge, "More than female. She's Mum. How else does life ever travel? The mother ship!"
"Then why didn't it accept me?" Minerva couldn't help as in a disappointed manner. Of everything he said was true then by all logic it would've chosen her first because she was there first. Yet, it didn't. Why?
"Because you haven't given birth yet," the Doctor tried to answer logically. "Maybe it didn't recognize you as a biological mother yet."
"Stupid," muttered Minerva.
The room disengaged from the rest of the tower and shook the entire room, ending such conversation.
"What's happening?" Lily exclaimed as they all wobbled about.
"No idea," the Doctor shrugged, "Do what I do: hold tight and pretend it's a plan."
As told, everyone held tight on the sidelines of the room as the ship entered the vortex. Once the shaking faded, the Doctor felt it safe enough to move to the window, "This is... amazing."
"Where are we?" Cyril asked as the rest moved to see.
"Technically, we're not anywhere. We've flown into the time vortex," Minerva explained softly so as to not scare the children.
The Doctor turned to the Queen statue, dead serious, "You've got what you wanted... those idiots down there can burn your old home and you'll be safe out here. But these people helped you, and they're in my protection. Now help them. How do we get home?"
The Queen answered through Madge, "Think."
"Sorry, what?"
"She must only think."
"Madge, did you hear that?" the Doctor went for Madge and knelt down in front of her, "You said it, but did you hear it? You've got to think."
"Think... what?" Madge wondered in confusion.
"Think of home, just picture it," Minerva called, "It's sort of telepathic but you have to feel it! Really feel it."
The Doctor went for the window and looked out, "Your mind is controlling this vessel. You can fly us all back for Christmas!"
"My head is full of trees, Caretaker," Madge said rather warily, "Can't you fly us home?
"If you do that, we'll never get home," Minerva joked with a laugh.
The Doctor rolled his eyes and returned to Madge, "And, between you and me, I'm older than I look, and I can't feel the way you do, not any more. And you really need to feel it, Madge. Everything about home you miss, till you can't bear it, till you almost burst."
"Till it hurts? Is that what you mean, Caretaker?" Madge frowned, "Till it hurts?"
"Yes. Yes."
Madge reached into her pocket and took out the telegram that told her of her husband's death, "Well, then... home in time for Christmas!"
Everyone gathered around the throne to hold on while Madge led the way home through the vortex.
"What's happening? Where are we going?" Lily exclaimed as the speed increased.
"Show them! Show them!" Minerva looked at the wooden statues for help.
The Queen raised her hand and showed them what was outside.
"Ha! The time vortex. Your mother is flying a forest through the time vortex. Be a little impressed!" the Doctor nudged Cyril, "What are you going home for? What's pulling you there?" he called to Madge, "Please, try. Please, think."
A memory of Reg appeared, holding one of his children as babies. Another then appeared of him in his uniform waving goodbye.
"Reg!" Madge cried.
"Daddy!" Cyril cheered as more memories of his father appeared.
"That's it. Focus on Reg," the Doctor urged Madge, "Be careful, but focus on him."
Madge started faltering, "I don't know..."
"How did you meet? You and Reg, tell us how you met," Minerva questioned Madge in an effort to keep her going.
"He followed me home," Madge answered and the precise memory appeared before them, "I worked in the dairy, he always used to follow me home."
"Look at Father," Lily remarked, slightly amused, "He looks so young!"
"He said he'd keep on following me till I married him!" Madge continued, "Didn't like to make a scene!"
"Just stay focused. Think of home," the Doctor told her, "This thing, it works psychically... it'll find a signal and lock on," he used the sonic on Madge.
The good memories turned bad when Reg's ship appeared before them, "No. No, please, don't show me that! Please, don't show me that!" Madge begged, already teary as she knew what was going to happen.
"Is that Daddy's plane?" Cyril innocently asked.
"Please, I don't want to see that!"
"Madge, I'm sorry but you can't break the signal," Minerva sighed, "Please, just keep going!"
"Not the night he died! I don't want to see him die!" Madge continued to plead to no avail.
"What do you mean...the night he died?" Lily looked at her mother questioningly.
"Please don't make me watch him die!"
"Mummy? Is Daddy dead?" Cyril joined in on the questions, "Mummy!"
But Madge was too emotional to focus on the questions, "Goodbye, my love. Goodbye!"
And so the ship went on.
~ 0 ~
The Doctor was the first to come around after the whole fiasco. He looked around and saw the entire Arwell family passed out near the throne. Minerva was only a couple feet away from him and was already stirring awake.
"Oh, I'm not a soccer ball," she mumbled a whine as she turned, her hands on her stomach feeling the kicks of her unborn baby.
"So going to be a boy,"the Doctor chuckled as he helped her up.
"Shut up," Minerva muttered and looked about, "Lily? Cyril?"
"We're okay," Lily answered as she and her brother stood up.
Madge sat up just as the Doctor moved over to scan the statue of the Queen that laid on the ground.
"Are they dead?" Madge asked.
"No. They're just wood now," the Doctor bent down and tapped the statue, "They've been... emptied. The forest has gone from your head too, hasn't it?"
"But where is it now?"
"The life force of the whole forest has transmuted itself into a sub-etheric waveband of light, which can exist as a..." Minerva walked over and covered his mouth.
Instead, she gave a simpler answer that everyone could understand, "The souls of the trees are out among the stars, and they're shining, very happy. And you got them there. Well done, Madge," she then took her hand off the Doctor's mouth.
"And where are we?" Madge frowned as she saw the same wooden room, she flew it home didn't she?
"Home! Christmas morning!" the Doctor cheered as he rushed for the window to prove it, "We've taken a bit of a short cut. Haven't you always wanted to do that?"
"Mother?" Lily asked.
Madge turned to her children with open arms, "Look at you. You've been so brave," she stepped for them but the children moved back, "You... Look, we're home again, see?"
"What did you mean, watch him die?" Lily asked slowly, "Where's Father? Where is he? Where's Daddy?" she then noticed the telegram Madge holded, "Why are you holding a telegram? Well, what does it say?"
"Please, just tell us!" Cyril exclaimed.
"Tell us!" Lily demanded.
"I imagine you'd prefer to be alone," the Doctor quietly, already taking Minerva's hand to leave.
Madge glanced back, her eyes filled with horror, "I don't believe anyone would prefer that. Stay close, Caretaker."
"We'll be right outside," Minerva gestured and walked off with the Doctor.
However, when they came outside, they found something quite interesting they believed the Arwells should see. Since the Doctor could make a faster trip, Minerva stayed behind while he went to retrieve the others.
"Sorry to interrupt. You might want to pop out here for a moment," the Doctor motioned to Madge and the kids for them to follow him.
"Caretaker, I'm talking to my children!" Madge reminded, slightly annoyed.
"I know. And before you go any further, I think you'd better come and look."
Madge raised an eyebrow but gave in. They followed the Doctor out to where Minerva was...and a huge war plane.
"No stars to light the way, Madge? There was one," the Doctor smiled at her, "There was you!"
"Madge Arwell, who flew a whole forest though the time vortex... plus one husband!" Minerva laughed at the luck of events they'd struck.
"He did it again, Madge. He followed you home," the Doctor added as they watched Reg stand in front of the plane severely puzzled, "Look what you can do! Mother Christmas!"
"Madge! What am I doing here?" Reg finally called when he couldn't come up with an answer himself.
"It's Christmas Day, my love! Where else would you be?" Madge decided to humor and laughed.
"Christmas Day? How?"
"We took a short cut," Madge made a run for it with her children all the way to Reg for a big family reunion.
"Happy crying," the Doctor remarked, "Humany-wumany."
"Hey, in about a year we could have that kind of hug," Minerva pointed out with a hand resting on her stomach.
The Doctor agreed and his excitement for the arrival of their baby grew even more. Oh he could really love the kind of hug where his child ran up to him all wobbly because he'd/she'd just learned how to walk.
~ 0 ~
Later that day, in the evening, Minerva and the Doctor were all ready to go back to the Monsoon, or the vortex, which ever one seemed more appealing to them. Christmas wasn't yet an established holiday on the Monsoon and Minerva would rather stay in the Christmas mood, even if it meant decorating the TARDIS for one night. But she swore the next time Christmas came around there would be a large Christmas tree at the center of the kingdom and Christmas itself would be celebrated.
Before they left, though, Madge had popped into the attic after noticing their absence. She was surprised but not as much when she saw the TARDIS, "Of course! It's you, isn't it?" she pointed to the Doctor, "My spaceman angel, with his head on backwards!"
"How do I look the right way round?" the Doctor spun around.
"Funnier," Madge answered and made Minerva smile, but not as much, "So, you came back."
"Well, you were there for me when I had a bad day. Always like to return a favor," the Doctor shrugged, "Got a bit glitchy in the middle there, but it sort of worked out in the end. Story of my life."
"Thank you," Madge hugged him, "And you," she moved onto Minerva.
"This was all you, Madge," Minerva replied quietly.
"Is everything alright?" Madge had noticed straight away that something was wrong with the ginger.
"Um..." Minerva glanced at the Doctor for his opinion. He knew what it was and he actually hoped Madge could help out better than he could.
"It's the cycle, let me help you now," Madge insisted.
"I just don't want you to take it the wrong way," Minerva began and fiddled with her fingers.
"It's about me?" the blonde woman blinked.
"Not exactly, but in a way...yes," Minerva nodded and sighed, "See, when I got into the tower I tried taking the ring and I wasn't compatible. And I don't understand. By all logic, I'm a mother too, why didn't it want me?"
Madge understood the problem now and could see why Minerva was upset, "Maybe it's because you're not quite a mother yet. Your baby is still unborn," she gestured, "Believe me, the feeling you get when you hold your baby for the first time doesn't compare to anything before that. You're a mum, just not yet."
"But I have been..." Minerva thought back to River when she'd been born.
She had held River first while Amy recuperated and she did feel those feelings Madge talked about. But it had all happened too fast. In an entire month she never actually got the chance to be a mother. Any time she or Amy had River it was under supervision and only for a couple minutes.
"I've been a mom before," Minerva slowly returned to the present, "But I wasn't a good one. I didn't give birth to her, I didn't take care of her. They took her away because I didn't protect her good enough. She's all grown up now, she's okay, but I have to live with the fact that I never was a real mother for her," her eyes had teared up by that time as everything hit her at once, "That's why I wasn't chosen, cos I'm not a mother."
While Madge understood about a quarter of what Minerva had said, she still tried to comfort her, "Well let me ask you, your daughter, do you love her?"
"Of course," Minerva said instantly, "Ever since I heard she was on the way."
"And you did everything in your power to protect her?"
The Doctor took that one before Minerva could come up with a false one, "Yes. Absolutely."
"Then of course you've been a good mother," Madge chuckled, "If those statues didn't want you it's because you haven't experienced it all the way, but that doesn't mean it's your fault."
"That's always a fault I'm going to carry," Minerva quietly said.
"This Christmas, are you going to see her?"
"Um..." Minerva once again looked at the Doctor, knowing this would all affect him if they stopped by the prison for River, "I don't know. Right now most of our friends and family think he's dead."
"Oh," Madge blinked but recollected herself for what came next, "No, no-one should be alone at Christmas."
"I'm fine, we don't mind," the Doctor shrugged even though he was saying the biggest lie, "I'm really very good at..."
"I'm talking about your friends!" Madge snapped, "You can't let them think that you're dead! Not at Christmas!"
"Well it's actually very complicated," Minerva tried to defend the Doctor.
"You must tell them," Madge declared, "At once. Off you go."
Minerva blinked at the order, "Did you just...mom me?"
Madge put on a sweet smile and tilted her head for show, "Until your baby is born, it's allowed."
Minerva looked down at her stomach, "Hurry up," she pointed and made the others laugh.
"Just go," Madge shooed them off to the TARDIS.
"Eyes on the box," the Doctor instructed as he took Minerva back to the TARDIS.
"Oh, Caretaker? What if I require you again?" Madge called to them before they opened the doors.
"Make a wish!" the Doctor pointed and finally opened the doors of the TARDIS. They de-materialized from the basement and after consideration of Madge's words they appeared at a very familiar place.
~ 0 ~
Amy Pond was not in the mood for carolers and so when someone knocked on the doors of her house, she was all ready to go, with a water pistol in hand, "If that is more carol singers, I have a water pistol!" she groaned when the knocking continued, "You don't want to be all wet..." she'd opened the door a bit and found the Doctor and Minerva standing on the other side, "...on a night like this."
"Not absolutely sure..." the Doctor looked around as he made his mental calculations, "...how long..."
"2 years?" Amy raised an eyebrow and squirted him with the water pistol.
"Okay, fair point," the Doctor cleaned his face.
Amy's eyes flickered to Minerva, "The only reason why I'm not doing this to you is because I would feel bad for squirting a pregnant woman."
"Accepted," Minerva nodded without argument.
"So...you're not dead?" Amy looked at the Doctor, surprisingly not...well, surprised.
"And a happy New Year!" the Doctor exclaimed.
"River told us."
"Well of course she did," Minerva chuckled, "She's a good girl."
"Well, I'm not hugging first," Amy looked to the side.
"Nor am I," the Doctor quickly took the challenge.
"Well I will because I smell cookies on the other side," Minerva smiled innocently and hugged Amy.
Amy laughed and hugged back, "Well I see the cookie cravings haven't gone away."
"Oh no now I'm pairing them with different meals," Minerva pulled away, "Snicker doodles with hamburgers..."
"Eugh, okay, no thanks," Amy made a face and allowed Minerva in. She hugged the Doctor next, "Mr Pond! Guess who's coming for dinner!"
Rory poked his head from the kitchen, "Woah!" he blinked at the sight of the two aliens, "Not dead, then."
"We've done that," Amy informed.
"And Amy also said Minerva could have all the cookies she wanted," Minerva put her hands together with a sweet smile.
"I said no such thing," Amy crossed her arms and made a face, "But we are having Christmas dinner, so if you stay you can very well have all the dessert you want afterwards.
Minerva raised an eyebrow, "Everyone's momming me tonight."
"Moming?" Rory raised an eyebrow.
"Course of events you missed," Minerva shrugged, "So, cookies?"
"Dinner," Amy pointed, "C'mon, we have places set for you."
"But you didn't know we were coming," the Doctor frowned, "Why would you set us a place?"
"Because we always do," Amy shrugged and shut the door of the house, "It's Christmas, you moron."
"Come on," Rory motioned for them to follow he and Amy to the kitchen.
As Minerva went to follow them she noticed the Doctor had stopped suddenly, "What's wrong?" she asked, concerned, and returned for him.
The Doctor didn't answer as he put a hand under his eye and came to the surprise of finding a tear. He chuckled and took Minerva into a big hug, surprising the ginger but nonetheless happy to reply with a hug of her own. He tightened the hug as much as he could without hurting her.
"Next year, our little baby is going to be right in the middle of us," he murmured against her hair, "and maybe a couple Ponds too."
Minerva laughed. "I will definitely look forwards to that."
Author's Note:
And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes My Dear Enemy! Thank you to all those who have read, favorited, alerterd, and commented! It means a lot - really you have no idea! I hope the next story continues to capture your attention as we now slowly transition from the Ponds to Clara Oswald in...The Things We Remember.
You can now view the story in my Story List on my profile! ;)
For the Review:
Haha, get ready cos 12 is coming! I can say Minerva will definitely like those guitar skills un-sucking xD. Thanks for the tip, I'm definitely checking them out cos I've got no clue lmao. And thanks for the wishes, hope you had fun for the holidays as well!