Glimpses of Time

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifteen: Bill and the Ponds

AN: This is a little sequel to the first Amelia and Bill. We never learn anything about Rory's mother. Yes, Brian wears a wedding ring, but nothing else. Anyway, this is me dealing with my lingering grief for Brian and writing everything but what I'm supposed to be working on.

….

Somehow, tea with Amelia and now her husband Rory had become a thing. This time the Doctor and Rose had swanned off to do something on this alien planet Athena, leaving her in the care of their… almost-daughter/something-in-law once again. The small break room was becoming very familiar.

Bill had been informed that because of her timing compared to other companions, she couldn't be a member of the full Earth Companion's Club yet, and honestly, she was a bit afraid to ask what that was given the expression on the Doctor's face, and she thought that Rose was probably trying to make sure she had someone to talk about her adventures with if she needed to. It was the sort of maternal behavior that Bill had gotten used to.

"So, why did you two move here?" Bill asked. She picked up her tea to take another sip. "I mean, it's lovely. Now that I've seen outside of the museum, but why move to another planet centuries in the future?"

Amelia laughed, it was a nice sound, and she smiled fondly. "Actually, my father-in-law moved here first, as mad as that sounds."

"What?" Bill blinked and looked over at Rory.

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, Dad was taking a trip with us-"

"Wait, your father traveled on the TARDIS with you?" Bill blinked and looked between the pair. "Are you joking?"

"Nope," Amelia answered. She popped the p and smiled. "Was an accident the first time, the TARDIS materialized around him. But Brian took to it, and Rose and the Doctor took to him, so sometimes he traveled with us."

"And sometimes they left us behind," Rory added. He seemed to be in a daze talking about it despite the amusement in his eyes. "And he met someone on this planet."

"What?" Bill asked. "Like… romantically?"

"Yeah, my mum's been gone for years," Rory explained. "Cancer when I was a teenager," he seemed a touch uncomfortable. "Part of the reason I went into medicine. But anyway, Dad met someone and, using a superphone, kept up communication with them. After about a year, he took care of things on Earth and asked for my blessing to come here." Now a strained laugh escaped Rory. "We decided what the hell and came too. Did some further education, the technology of the era helped with that, and here we are." He gestured around them. "Amy was always really into art and became a curator and eventually took over the museum."

Sometimes Bill thought the reality of his life hit him all at once. The guy was happy, but she could understand it. Sometimes she woke up in the mornings and was just like, how did this happen. Taking a sip of her tea, she pondered that for a moment. She had so many questions to ask about what it was like to just relocate like that but couldn't sort out which one to ask first.

"Hello, kids," a warm voice cheered.

Bill jumped in her seat and looked up. An older human male with greying and thinning reddish hair and wearing jeans and a tan jacket had just walked in. He was smiling and carrying a tray of something under some sort of metal top. The man stopped when he spotted Bill and blinked at her for a moment before his smile widened further.

"Ah, you must be Bill!" He hurried over to the table and set down the tray.

"Oh," Amelia cooed. "What did you bring me, Brian?"

"Freshly baked brownies. New recipe using that coco from Frigga IV," he answered quickly before turning back to Bill. He extended his hands and eagerly shook her hand. "Lovely to finally meet you, Bill. Welcome to Athena."

"Hi, Dad," Rory greeted. He was smiling again and reaching for the brownies.

"Ohhh!" Amelia cheered as Rory opened the top.

The smell immediately filled the room as the thick brownies with flaking chocolatey tops were revealed. Brian sat down beside Bill at the small table. He was still smiling and gave off such a warm energy that Bill couldn't help but smile in return.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Williams."

"Just Brian, please," he said. "Now, how about a brownie?"

"Sounds great."

Bill couldn't help it. She adored this man already.