Glimpses of Time

Chapter Eleven: The Testing of the Black Guardian

By Lumendea

AN: Sorry folks, this was a serious chaotic week so I wasn't able to finish the normal chapter. It'll be ready for next weekend though and to tide you over I give you an offering of chaos.

…..

The Black Guardian scowled at the baby in Rose Tyler's arms. It was a male this time. Too much like his father already for the Black Guardian's taste. But it was also much quieter than his older sister Astra had been as an infant. This one was watching him intently with curious eyes as his mother rocked him gently.

Around them, the hustle and bustle of Tyler's home city went on, completely unaware of them. The park bench gave him a good vantage point, and he eyed the nearby chess table with impatience. It had not been his reason for this meeting, but it would be more interesting than talking about Tyler's latest spawn.

"I'm a bit surprised you came to see the baby," Tyler said. She was smiling softly, and the Black Guardian didn't like the hint of smugness in her eyes. "Given who fathered him."

"All the more reason to keep an eye on him," the Black Guardian answered. "The spawn of the Doctor are potentially a great threat to me and my power."

"They're my children too," Tyler reminded him. "Including Athena."

The Black Guardian smiled, all teeth and malintent. "That only makes them more dangerous."

But Tyler had long since stopped being afraid of him and rolled her eyes. The baby, on the other hand, giggled at his menacing expression. He clapped his pudgy hands together and grinned widely. The Black Guardian narrowed his eyes but the child's glee only increased.

"Well, from when I've met them in the future, Alistair here does seem to be the most like me," Tyler said. She grinned. "It would also explain his utter lack of fear towards you."

"You were afraid of me once."

"That didn't last long," Tyler pointed out. She had an amused smirk on her face. "Besides, you and the Doctor made peace."

"No, I accepted that he's protected, and I can't seek revenge on him. That is not the same as making peace. I don't make peace."

Tyler's expression made it clear that she was humoring him. The Black Guardian did not like that. It was true that he'd never tried to harm her, and she'd been a quick study to figure that out for herself. And he did have to admit that her more wild and chaotic approach to life was something he approved of even if she was annoying good. He couldn't even hold the bad things she'd done to her credit. Pompeii had been a necessary evil, and she certainly hadn't enjoyed it. So, her humoring him now stung. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud. That tic-tac-toe incident had been embarrassing enough for the current century of his life.

"If that's what you need to believe, then fine," Tyler said easily. "It only matters to you. The Doctor really doesn't care at this point."

"He glories in his victory."

"He has kids to keep track of," Tyler replied. "And the normal adventures. Hate to tell you this, but you really aren't a priority on his worry list."

The Black Guardian did not frown and grumble at that. He did not. Such a reaction was beneath him. Besides, not having the Doctor trying to track him was convenient. Now that the universe was stable once again, or as stable as it ever was, he was able to return to his work. There were schemes playing out across the universe, sowing seeds of evil and chaos. Even the Doctor couldn't' stop all of them. The Doctor being distracted by another spawn was nearly ideal.

It was just a shame that Tyler had fallen for whatever charms that blasted Time Lord had. He'd never understand it. At least the White Guardian didn't understand it either. That would be the only way the entire situation could be worse. Blue had laughed at him the last time they'd crossed paths, and he was still angry about that. Violet wasn't any help either, not that he expected help from his fellow Guardians. They all had their domains and until recently stayed away from each other.

A great deal had changed since the Time War. So much even to a being such as him, there was a distinct before and after. The only time such a distinction had developed for him was the rise of the Time Lords. That species had brought nothing but trouble.

"Are you ever going to stop scowling?" Tyler asked him. She still sounded more amused than anything else. "It doesn't help you."

"This is my face, my most natural expression."

A laugh escaped Tyler. "On Earth, we call that resting bitch face."

He didn't scowl. It had no effect on Tyler. She just laughed. "Regretting the visit already?"

"I came for a chess match. Not-" he gestured at her and the child. "This!"

Tyler was about to respond when her phone rang. She pulled it out and smiled. "One second." Then her smile widened evilly. So evilly that even he was alarmed. A moment later, she was thrusting her latest offspring at him. To his horror, he caught the child and stared at her with wide eyes. "I need to take this; I'll only be a moment."

Then she walked a few feet away, raising the phone to her ear and turning her back on him. She had the gall to trust him with her spawn! Holding Alistair under his arms, the Black Guardian studied the child that was still smiling at him.

"Do not try to appear innocent to me," the Black Guardian warned the child. He scowled at the infant, but the baby just smiled. "I care not to innocence. I am the keeper of evil and chaos. Children are distasteful to me, even if you are little balls of chaos." The baby kept smiling. "Truly, Alistair, in your future, you are an intelligent, if annoying good being so that expression does not suit you."

The baby just gurgled. This was his existence now. A strange friendship with the too good Rose Tyler and tolerating the Doctor's offspring. It was almost enough to make him long for the dark days during Rassilon's rise to power and the messes that had created for him and the other Guardians. But not quite enough.