CHAPTER 21

"What's going to happen then?" Ella sipped her hot chocolate, her legs curled up beneath her as she sat back on the red velveteen couch. They were in the warmest room of the TARDIS, and a fire was burning cheerfully in the ornate fireplace.

"What do you mean?" Amy replied. She was sitting opposite her daughter, the orange flames reflecting in her smooth hair. With a lack of natural light, the room was lit only by the large fire and by some candles, which were scattered – rather artistically – around the room's surfaces. It made the whole atmosphere seem warm and cosy.

"Oh, you know. With the Doctor and everything. Surely we can't go back home now."

Amy hesitated. It had only been a few hours since Ella had broken down in the kitchen. She seemed relaxed enough, but Amy knew her daughter ran on her emotions – much like Amy herself. Every moment she had to hear Ella's heart-breaking sobs, Amy cursed herself more and more for not dealing with the situation properly. She shouldn't have let the Doctor talk to Ella about such daunting issues. She should have taken things slower.

"Do you want to go back home?"

Now it was Ella's turn to hesitate. She too was thinking about the conversation she'd had with the Doctor – her father. What at first had been a complete shock, an unbelievable, inconceivable reality, had now begun to sink in. She had gotten over the initial, strange feeling – perhaps it had been hope? – that it was all a dream, a weird fantasy that she had gotten caught up in. But no, it was no dream, and from the look of things the TARDIS and the man inside it was here to stay.

"Yes. No, I – I don't know," she sighed.

"Zac?" Amy asked gently. Ella felt a pang as Zac's face appeared in her mind. She cared about him, deeply, but could she ever return to the life she used to live, knowing she was lying to him? Because of course she would have to lie. Who would believe her anyway?

"I keep thinking of him, back home. Wondering where I've gone. Wondering why I just got up and left."

"Zac's not the only one who'd be thinking that," Amy said. "Poor Sharon."

"She must be used to this whole thing though," Ella said, and Amy looked at her questioningly. "You said you met the Doctor when you were younger."

Amy nodded. "Yeah, but Auntie Sharon never really met him. Never knew he was a Time Lord anyway. Can you imagine what she'd say at the thought of the two of us running around space?"

Ella snorted. "She'd probably go nuts. But seriously, mum. What are we gonna do?"

Amy sighed and looked at her daughter reproachfully. Ella tried hard to keep a straight face.

"Well," she said finally, when she realised Ella was expecting an actual answer. "We're just going to have to…"

"We should talk to the Doctor. He'll know what to do."

"You don't have to call him 'the Doctor', El," Amy said quietly.

Ella's eyes flashed. "Well what am I supposed to call him?" she said quickly. She raised herself slightly in the chair, so she was no longer slouching. "Dad? How can I possibly call him mydad? I've only known him a few weeks, and –"

"Will you calm down," Amy interjected forcefully, but she didn't sound angry.

"Sorry." Ella said quietly, after a tense moment. "Sometimes I get it, you know? I tell myself that it's okay, that I've just got to accept how things are. But then sometimes…I don't know…I've known the postman longer than I've known the Doc – him."

"How many times have I told you not to apologise!" Amy said, rolling her eyes exasperatedly despite the hint of laughter in her voice. "This is not your fault. You didn't ask for this."

"You didn't either," Ella pointed out.

"Well, I kind of did. And I'm going to sort this whole mess out, okay?"