Longest chapter I've ever written "Phew" … ENJOY!
Finn and Lily followed Vigil for what seemed like ages. Jogging and striding across the floors of the Luna University, following the twists and turns of the corridors that lead toward the person who might have the answers Finn needed. It was all within his grasp once again. He was getting to closer to his parents with every step, he knew it.
He reached out and took Lily's hand as he broke into a run. Vigil smiled, and sprinted to stay in front and lead the way.
The decor seemed to change as they ran, entering the depths of the University. There was more wood, the stone and metal tiles became wooden panels and the glass walls and metal arches became strong oak and ornate wooden double doors.
"Honour students can request their own study in one of the old wings." Vigil explained breathlessly.
A few more minutes and Vigil came to a halt outside a wooden study door, with a gold plaque at eye height which read 'Jenny Noble'.
Finn raised his eyebrows at that, a slight twang of homesickness coursed through his hearts, but he ignored it. He'd come too far to go home now.
Vigil knocked four times, "It's me Jenny, and I brought some … er, new friends." He sent Finn and Lily a wink.
"I'm busy," A girl's voice resonated through the door.
Vigil glanced at Finn's face, "They're very eager, Jen."
"Don't call me Jen," there was the scuffling sound of paper being moved then that of soft footfall. The brass handle turned and a girl, around her mid to early twenties, peered round the door. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, framed by dark lashes and eyeliner, her skin was pale as cream, and her straight pale blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail.
"What do you want?" Jenny said, "Sorry but I'm kind of in the middle of a really big project. I found an inscription, well, I say an inscription it's more of a … epitaph." Jenny frowned, and then shook the thought away.
"An inscription to do with The Doctor?" Finn inquired.
Jenny stood up a little straighter; she was on the defensive, "I told you not to tell anyone about the thing!" She whispered harshly at Vigil.
"I didn't," Vigil took a step back. He'd obviously been on the receiving end of Jenny's annoyance before, and didn't want to be in close proximity when she was angry, "I overheard them talking about 'him'" Vigil put air quotes around 'him'.
Jenny looked Lily and Finn up and down, scrutinising and analysing for a possible threat, "You know him?"
"I know of him," Finn offered.
"How?" Jenny squinted at Finn distrustfully.
"It's a long story,"
"How?" Jenny insisted.
Finn leaned in closer to Jenny, causing her to tense up, "He's my father."
The colour drained from Jenny's face. Vigil's eyes widened, "That's impossible."
"Unlikely," Lily said, "Not impossible."
Jenny stepped out from behind the door and reached out a hand, Finn didn't move as Jenny placed a hand lightly on his cheek and looked deeply into his golden eyes, she sighed suddenly, her mouth forming an O. She brushed her thumb along his defined cheek bone. Lily frowned at the intimacy, wondering what was going on. Finn observed the face of the girl who seemed so entranced by his face, emotions crossed her features like seasons, slipping away as fast as they came; confusion, wonder, joy, love.
"You'd better come in," Jenny pulled her hand away tentatively. She stepped back so the others could enter the study.
Finn was amazed by what he saw: pictures, photos, trinkets, maps, book pages and manuscripts, covered every inch of the room. He looked up at the beautiful domed glass roof that showed off the shining stars above them, Lily let out a little gasp of wonder. The smell of printed paper caught in his nostrils; he breathed deep, Finn loved that smell. Then, as he gazed around a little more he began to see the pattern. A huge map of constellations covered the far wall, it was covered in different coloured pins and Post-it notes. '51st Century,' Finn thought, 'but they've still got Post-it Notes'. In the pictures he saw the box, the box Benjamin had described many times when Finn was growing up; the blue police box. On every page words and phrases had been underlined.
Finn picked up a few papers, finding first a file of prison records for a prisoner 177782, then a page of a fairy tale, written by a minor humanoid race, naming the hero in their story only as 'The Great Wizard'. Finn stepped carefully over the books scattered on the floor, to unpin a translation, from the wall, it was from a cave engraving speaking of the terror of an 'Oncoming Storm,' saying 'he shall speak thunder and bring lightning in his wake'.
Then Finn saw a piece that seemed out of place, a letter, in a plastic sleeve, ancient but obviously well preserved, written on cream paper, in a child's handwriting. Finn guessed about 12 or 13. It was addressed to 'The Raggedy Doctor', the child wrote of how they wanted their 'Raggedy Doctor' to come back and take them away with him. Finn blinked away a tear, the child described how everyone teased them, and called them crazy, and that their aunt was always annoyed with them, and that sometimes they just wanted to sleep and dream of adventures and never wake up. Even after all these years Finn could still make out the tear stains the child had left on the paper.
Finn clenched his jaw as he read the name of the child. He knew who Amelia Pond was to him. He held his grandmother's childhood pains tightly. She had actually carved her thoughts onto this paper; he wasn't going to let it go easily. Finn wondered how Jenny had come across it.
"He's an amazing man," Jenny said, Finn turned to face her slowly, "But he leaves some painful scars."
Finn nodded.
"How did you?" Jenny moistened her lips, "Do you have two parents?"
"Of course," Finn answered, surprised at the question, "I'm looking for my mother as well."
"Your mother?" Jenny murmured almost longingly, before Finn's sentence really sank in, "You don't know where she is."
"No," Finn rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, "I haven't seen either of my parents in eighteen years. I was brought up by some friends of theirs."
"Benjamin and Rose Noble," Lily added.
"Noble!" Jenny repeated, falling into the chair behind her desk.
"Yes,"
Jenny crossed her arms and leant back, the chair creaked, "I don't suppose you know of a Donna Noble, do you?"
Finn nodded excitedly, "Yes, of course. That's why my adoptive father chose that surname, because of Donna Noble. You knew Donna?"
"She was there the day I was born, back on Messaline," Jenny's eyes drifted, deep in thought, "I never saw her again, or Martha Jones."
"You knew Martha as well then." Lily concluded.
Finn was impatient, "How?"
"Just in passing, when I," Jenny hesitated, "Met The Doctor, they were with him."
"Have you met Professor River Song?" Finn sat down in the chair opposite Jenny, and leaned across, his arms folding on the desk.
Jenny cocked her head and looked at him dubiously, "Yeah. Of course I have. What does that have to do with anything?"
"It has everything to do with it." Finn answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the Universe, "She's The Doctor's wife. She's my mother. Look." Finn pulled out his letter from his mother and handed it to Jenny.
Jenny didn't move but her eyes slowly widened as she read it, "What?"
Vigil rushed round to read over Jenny's shoulder, mouthing the words Finn knew so well to himself. Vigil then made a sort of confused dying hamster noise, causing Finn to flinch.
"What?" Jenny repeated.
Finn looked from Vigil to Jenny, they both looked really unhinged. He shared a look of realisation with Lily, "You guys really didn't know that, did you?"
"I've been looking for my father for years," Jenny clenched her fists, "And now I find out his wife is my Archaeology Professor. Well that's just …"
Vigil snickered a little, "That's actually kind of funny."
Jenny gave Vigil the evil eye before swiftly punching him in the arm.
"Ouch," Vigil complained, clutching his arm, but he was still smiling.
"Your father? You father's The Doctor," It was Finn's turn to look shocked.
Lily pointed to Jenny slowly, "But that means …"
"Yep," Jenny winked, "Hello little brother?"
….
"Wait, so you don't have a mother, at all? And, no childhood?"
"Nope," Jenny grinned, "Zip, nadda, negative, not by any means." She had just finished telling Finn and Lily the circumstances of her birth.
"That's weird," Lily stared at Jenny.
Vigil shrugged, "51st century, anything goes these days." He let out a slow breath.
"Can you introduce me to her? To River Song?" Finn asked, his eyes pleading.
"It was the last day of term a few weeks back. I don't know where to find her." Jenny said apologetically.
"Oh, okay," Finn said, his hopes broken.
"She'll be at the Fund Raiser though, won't she?" Vigil said uncertainly.
"Yes!" Jenny grinned jumping out of her desk chair to hug Vigil, "Vigil, you are brilliant. I don't tell you often enough."
"You really don't." Vigil agreed, patting her on the back.
"So," Jenny gazed upon the two newcomers as she leant away from Vigil, "Who feels like crashing a party?"
…
Finn fidgeted in front the floor length mirror. He was wearing an expensive deep blue three-piece suit, with a white open-collar shirt, gold cuff-links and buttons. He'd done up the buttons of the waistcoat but left the buttons of the jacket undone. It made a nice change from the Torchwood issue t-shirts and trousers. It fit perfectly; maybe he could buy it off that friend of Vigil's from whom he had rented it. The gold matched his eyes, and the deep blue was close enough to the blue of the Tardis to make Finn smile. He was sure that River would know who he was. How could she not?
He took one last look in the mirror, brushing his shoulder pads off and pulling at the lapels, before striding into the on-suite of his new sister's bedroom, to attempt to tame his curls a little.
When Finn did emerge once more he found Lily, stood in front of the Mirror, in a gorgeous grass green halter neck, backless, evening gown, placing shining gold earrings into her ears. Her hair, natural fiery curls, had been put into a loose bun at the base of her neck, and two long ringlets fell on either side of her face. She was wearing very little make-up, only perhaps blusher and a bit of eyeliner and mascara, but to Finn, he was seeing her in a totally different light, to him she'd always been not quite a girl, because she was his best friend. But, even as her best friend he had to admit, she was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in a long while. He just hadn't taken time to notice before. He hadn't seen her dressed up like this since, well … never. He watched the muscles in her back and neck tense and relax, her pale skin rippling like satin over her shoulder blades. Colour rose in his cheeks and he coughed to get her attention.
Lily swung round her head to meet his eyes, "Finn, you look handsome."
Finn was caught off guard for a moment, but then answered, "Thanks, Lil. You look," Finn gulped, "Amazing."
Lily smiled, "I'm glad you think so, Song, now let's go crash the party." Her wonderful eyes glinted mischievously.
She made to pass him, but Finn slipped his fingers round her arm, "I mean it though, Lily. You look really beautiful, I mean, you always look beautiful, but," Finn paused for breath, "You look particularly beautiful tonight." He sighed.
Lily smiled and placed a hand on Finn's neck, "And I meant it Finn, you look really handsome tonight, and you always look handsome." Her eyes flickered down, "I've always thought so."
Finn's hearts quickened as Lily slipped away, he was trembling a little. He breathed out steadily, straightened his waistcoat, and stepped out after her.
"These are your IDs," Jenny passed the tags over, "Vortex manipulator, loads of helpful settings if you know how to use it. Forgeries should hold up."
Jenny was wearing a cobalt blue number with one strap; her hair was loose and curled around her shoulders. Vigil was in an outfit reminiscent of James Bond's evening entire; a pair of dark slacks, a white jacket and shirt, paired with a black bow tie.
Finn frowned at his, "Legolas Birch? Quantum Physics honour student? Well that's inconspicuous." He commented sarcastically.
"Arwen Yew? Medical honour student?" Lily read out.
"Yeah," Jenny winked, smiling, "My own personal tribute to the elves in Lord of the Rings. People might start to notice that no one knows you. Just avoid talking to people, especially Professors, you'll be fine."
"Cool," Finn nodded, "At least you didn't call be Bilbo!"
…
"I can't see her," Jenny squinted, glancing around.
The room was huge and grand, ornate and shining chandeliers hung majestically from the domed glass ceiling. The starry sky above them was beautiful; Finn knew all their names. The marble ballroom floor glistened under the lights as couples danced across it, casting twirling shadows upon it. The music was amazing, like nothing Finn had ever heard.
"Are you sure?" Finn was buzzing; he had been anticipating his whole life.
Jenny sent him a withering look, "She's not here. Trust me, little brother. She's a hard woman to miss." Finn smiled when she called him 'Little brother'.
"Well then," Vigil straightened the lapels of his white jacket, and offered Jenny his hand, winking, "Miss Noble, would you care to dance?"
Jenny accepted it, raising an eyebrow flirtatiously, "Mr Sidera, I would be honoured."
And with that they were off to spin away on the dance floor.
Lily looked over to Finn, "Are you nervous?"
Finn shook his head, "I'm too excited to be nervous."
Lily slipped her hand into Finn's and gave it a squeeze, "Tonight's the night, all your life you've been telling me about how amazing and wonderful your mum is and that one day you'd see her again. Look where we are Finn," Lily lifted her arms and gestured around them, "In different time, on the moon, about to meet a legend!"
"She's only a legend to me Lil." Finn huffed.
"And to me," Lily smiled.
Finn stared at the floor for a second, watching the rainbows the prisms on the chandeliers were causing, "Lily?" Finn met her eyes, "Do you want to dance?"
The edges of Lily's lips curled up, "Okay,"
Finn let Lily lead him onto the floor, as another song began. It started with flute-like sounding instruments, and then the sound of violins joined the melody. The song was strong and sweet and it echoed around them. Finn settled a tentative hand on Lily's waist as she placed her right hand on his shoulder.
"I have to warn you," Finn admitted, "I'm not much of a dancer."
"I'm not testing you, Finn," Lily chuckled, "Just dance."
Finn began to put one foot after another as a young girl began to sing along to the music, after a minute Finn got into the swing of it and Lily was smiling at his huge grin.
Finn saw her smiling at him, "What?" He said softly.
"Nothing," Lily shook her head, still smiling.
Finn pulled Lily in a bit closer as the song ended, looking over her head. That's when he saw her, her golden curls were pinned into a ornate style, but some had come loose and were bouncing as she laughed. She was wearing a long, floaty black gown. Finn stopped dancing. River Song's cat-like eyes glistened as she observed the room. He was sure it was her, Jenny was right; she really was a hard woman to miss.
Lily frowned, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Finn breathed, "Everything's perfect."
Lily followed Finn's line of sight, till she saw her, "Oh," Lily sighed, "She's here."
River was stood near the edge of the ballroom, with a glass of champagne in her hand. Her curls where gleaming
Finn began to panic, "Lil, what if she doesn't like me?"
"Don't be silly, Finn, you're intelligent, handsome, caring, sweet, she'll love you." Lily said.
"You really think I'm all that?" Finn blushed, looking to Lily.
Lily shrugged, "When you're not being annoying."
Finn planted a quick kiss on her cheek, "Thanks," he whispered. Finn brushed off his jacket and trousers, "How do I look?"
Lily's eyes drifted over him, before her laughing eyes met his, "Amazing!"
Finn didn't know where to put his hands as he walked; should he put them behind his back, in his pockets, by his sides.
Just as he began to walk toward her, River made her excuses to those she was conversing with, put down her glass, and slipped out the door. Finn broke into a jog, bursting through the glass doors through which River had just exited, hearing the echoing click of River's heels on stone. The corridor was dim, pale light casting only on certain sections of floor. He saw her shadowy form.
"Professor Song!" Finn called out after her. He caught his breath as she spun to face him. Her irises were an inquisitive blue, they pierced into him.
Finn stuttered for a second then said, "Professor, could I talk with you,"
River looked increasingly intrigued, taking a few steps in Finn's direction, "I'm afraid if you're looking to change course, I'm not the person to speak to, Mr …" She paused, "what's your name?"
Finn was unsure how to answer for a second, but River squinted to read his badge and answered her own question, "Legolas?" She let out a small laugh, "Is your mother a Tolkien fan per chance?"
"I don't know," Finn said, gulping as he stepped into the light, so River could see him completely, "I've only just met her."
River's face fell in shock, "You … are you?"
"What is it?" Finn was afraid she had scared her.
"Nothing," River stared at him, her hand over her mouth, "You remind of a child I knew once, but I haven't seen him in a few years now."
"Really? Who was he?" Finn took another step toward her, his hands in his pockets.
"Someone very special." River concluded.
"A relative?" Finn questioned.
River's face was stony, "Yes,"
"Your," Finn's chin quivered, "Son?"
"Who are you?" River hand went to her thigh, as if going for a gun.
"It's okay; I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to hurt anyone. My name's not Legolas Birch. My name's Finn,"
A tear ran down River's cheek, she let out a slow breath, "Infinite?"
"That's me, I'm Infinite Song. I'm your son." Tears were flowing freely down his cheeks now.
"My baby," River trailed off, rushing to him and enveloping her son in a tight hug. She held him close like she was never going to let him go. She slipped her fingers into his hair, crying silently into his neck.
Finn shushed her, comforting her, while tears ran down his own cheeks.
"You're so grown up," River exclaimed, leaning back to get a good look at him, "You look just like The Doctor, except for the eyes, you got my eyes. And the curls, The Doctor always said he hoped you got my curls."
"I've waited for this my whole life," Finn admitted, blinking away a tear, "But I don't know what to say."
River shook her head, "You don't have to say anything, Sweetie. I'm just glad you're here."
I worked very hard on this, please leave a review!