Disclaimer: I do not own.
A mutual understanding
(Interlude S.5 Ep.7 8)
All that time Amy just had to ask to get to know the Timelady a bit better.
-o0O0o-
"I am afraid, I am not familiar with this Term."
Rory has called her crazy for even trying and the Doctor has laughed tears the moment she suggested it. Tella only stood in the door of her room, perfectly shielding it's insides with her body after Amy has knocked.
"Girls day, you know? An evening out, having some fun, just you and me without the boys?"
"You are aware of the contradicting timespan between a day and an evening?"
Why Tella had to be such a nitpit who took everything by its exact meaning? "What I'm saying is I want to spent some time with you. "
Tella's eyebrow arced. "Me? Why?"
Amy shrugged. "Why not?"
"Reacting to a question with a counterquestion is a good way to guide the asking person to a new approach of the considered problem. But for that cause the counterquestion has to maintain a bit more information, deary."
Amy groaned. "Never mind."
They have been right. It was ridiculous. Somehow things have changed ever since that incident with the telepathic field of the TARDIS. Tella regarded her and Rory both with a respect, friendliness and even something distantly similar to the curiosity the little Kapoka back on the Leviathan have had so openly shown, and somehow the obviously stupid Idea of trying to become friends again has stuck in Amy's head. She has ignored how difficult that woman actually was.
She turned to go back to the kitchen when Tella closed the door behind her. "Amelia, please. Why do you want to spend time with me?"
There was an honesty in this question that caused her to turn again. She really wanted to know because Tella really didn't knew.
"Don't you guys just hang out with each other. Just socializing?"
"Rarely.. But yes. Still, that doesn't answer my question."
Oh. OH!
"You think that… Oh, no. That fight is between you and the Doctor. You never tried to drag me or Rory into this so there is no reason why I don't want to get to know you. Also, I.. I've seen your face that second I woke up, back then with that Dreamlord-thing. … And I'm curious to get to know you?"
She realized she started babbling under Tella's unwavering gaze and stopped, awkwardly shrugging again.
"I'm not the only one with trust issues apparently."
What the…
Where did that come from? Tella's specialty number two: random statements out of context.
"Sorry?"
"Yes."
All right. Now the Time Lady had definitely lost her. At least she noticed and clarified: "Yes. I would enjoy to spent time with you, Amelia Pond."
"Oh. Cool, yeah. Ehm…. right now?"
"It seems to be a fitting occasion."
"Great! So… what shall we do?"
"Considering my spare knowledge on this matter, I rather prefer to leave this decision to you."
Right… She somehow have known that if Tella joined her, it somehow was going to come to this. What could they do? Which things a person like Tella would enjoy? Everything they needed to leave the TARDIS for was out of the question, she hated to leave the ship. She liked music and books, and that was everything Amy knew about her. A trip to the Swimming pool? Nope, not after that awkward situation with her clothing. Besides her downright phobia of drowning. So there was exactly one thing left.
"A Movie?"
"Movie?"
"Movie, you know? Video, moving pictures."
There was a amused sparkle in her eyes. "I am aware of this human technology. I would love to watch a movie with you."
Amy grinned. "Cool! Let's grab some snacks and then we'll see which ones the TARDIS has."
"Amelia?"
Was that guilt in her eyes? "The fact of me being unfamiliar with the human cuisine beside, I… I do not cook."
Amy laughed. "I'd hardly call popcorn cuisine. It's pretty easy, you can't be that bad."
Tella stayed silent. Well, that was good to know. "Really? That bad?"
They started to stroll to the kitchen nevertheless.
"I am afraid, yes. The only dish I am capable of preparing are… well some kind of… I apologize, I am afraid I know too little of your diet to be able to describe it. Anyway, on the rare occasion the preparation of food was necessary, Kelliox was the one doing it. She had a rare passion and gift for excellent cooking."
"She? Wasn't Kelliox a man?"
"Only in his second and seventh regeneration."
Oh. So changing completely during regeneration meant literally completely. Then she realized which direction this conversation took and awkwardly tried to change into a saver topic than Tella's husband- or wife, knowing how touchy she could get about him. Or her. Help!
"See, already learnt something new about you. Never leave Lady Storyteller in charge of the kitchen."
"For the greater good of the universe, better not."
Did she just made a joke? Her voice was even as ever and knowing her stand on that matter it could have been a typically over honest statement of hers, there was no indication of a sparkle or smile. But still, Amy was pretty sure that had been a joke. So she giggled. Tella didn't mind.
"If you wish, I will ask the Doctor if it is edible for humans."
"Some alien cooking? That'd be cool!"
"It is not… "she stopped and sighted. "Yes. I would love to eat something gallifreyan, too for once." She eyed the entrance to the kitchen. "So…"
"Popcorn," grinned Amy and marched directly to the cupboard in which they stored the food, rummaged a bit in it and resurfaced with a package of popcorn kernels. Rory always preferred the self-made ones to microwave-popcorn, and in this case Amy was glad about it. She had no idea which flavor Tella preferred or if she even liked it, so it was best to start on a neutral ground. "I need a pot and a towel, please."
"A… towel?"
"Yeah. You gonna like that. A clean one. Oh, no that pot. The saucepan. Yeah, this one."
Tella carefully placed the items in a neat row on the table. Amy grinned and snatched the oil. "Now I'll teach you the ancient and secret art of preparing one of humanities well loved snacks, a secret never ever shared with any alien before."
Tella bowed her head. "I am deeply honored, however I was not aware that… Oh. Amelia!"
But there was this amused sparkle in her eyes while Amy roared in laughter. Which just increased with Tella's surprised and then very very curious face the moment the towel started moving, caused by the first corns starting to pop against it.
Secretly Amy was proud that nearly every single kernel actually popped up, letting it seem way more easy than cooking popcorn actually was. Still, it was worth the wait. The second time she added some sugar for herself, before filling it into two big bowls and putting the pot into the dishwasher.
"Everything alright?"
They both turned to the Doctor and Rory standing in the kitchen entrance. "Have you been aware that humans have popping food, Doctor? It is truly fascinating."
The Doctor blushed and Rory threw a horrified glance to Amy who nearly doubled in laughter again. Tella, obvious to it all continued with examinating and squeezing a single flake between her fingers with an even voice but clear amazement. "Let alone the unusual consistency of it. It is so… how do you even call how this is feeling like?"
"Like popcorn," Amy chuckled.
"Oh. Humans and their limited vocabulary. Anyway. This is a girls day, and how I understood the meaning of it, males are not permitted to participate. So I ask you humbly to leave the kitchen, please?"
"Oh, that's no problem," Amy corrected fast. "See, we're finished anyway. So they can do whatever they want. If there's anything urgent, we're in the cinema."
"We are going to watch a movie," Tella added.
The Doctor scratched his head and straightened his bowtie. "Ah, yes. Sure. Enjoy your… popcorn."
"Thank you. Oh, dear. Roderick... Well, Amelia, at least now I know the reason for your husband's rather unusual nickname. He sometimes does wear a rather… puzzled expression."
"Let's just go and watch a movie, right?"
"Certainly. Have you already chosen one?"
"Well not really. I wasn't sure which ones you actually like."
"Maybe starting with a typical one? A classic I mean? That's always my approach when dealing with the Stories of a new species?"
"Tella, the TARDIS has only classics in her collection…."
The Doctor and Rory warily stared after the two women walking down the corridor, then the Doctor cleared his throat. "I'll check the time rotor for some remnants of those pollens."
"I.. I don't think you need to."
"Better safe than sorry. Will be a shame if this only were a dream."
Rory's head swirled around, but the Doctor ignored his surprised stares. His age-old eyes still lingered with a proud smile on the chattering figures with the bowls in their arms disappearing around the corner.
-o0O0o-
As it turned out to be, it wasn't as easy as that. In fact, the evening was nothing but awkward with them silently sitting next to each other and Amy eating all the popcorn because Tella didn't touch it again. She was more like a stiff statue, silently watching and merely blinking twice when Amy had to giggle. And when Amy finally closed the door to her and Rory's room behind her and leaned against it with a huff she swore herself to never do something like this again.
Until about a week later there was this distinctive, polite knock on their door.
Both sat up in their bed and shared a look before Amy slipped out under the covers. "Yeah?"
Tella instinctively turned and shielded her eyes. "I... I am terribly sorry."
Amy looked down her nightie. "Oh, it's ok. Everything all right?"
Tella straightened herself, her eyes solely on Amy's face. "Certainly. Ehm..."
And then she jerked her head a bit to the left. Amy needed a second to understand that the Time Lady invited her to follow her down the left corridor, the movement was just a little bit to off. Then she nodded. "Ok?"
Tella nodded gracefully and waited until she had grabbed her Night robe before guiding her through the corridors. To the Cinema.
Amy stopped surprised to take in the bottle of orange juice and the crisps standing on the table between the two seats, one of them already being occupied by Tella with a surprisingly expectant expression on her face. When Amy didn't move she cleared her throat. "That one actor was extraordinary so I choose another Movie starring him. It is catalogued into another genre, but I hope this is not a Problem?"
"I thought it was horrible," blurted Amy out.
"I see. Be assured, I am not going to waste any of your time anymore. I know how precious it is to terrestrial species. Do you wish me to accompany you to your room, so you can proceed in your resting circle?"
"What? No! I ... Didn't you thought it was horrible?"
"Oh, I rather enjoyed spending time with you."
Amy slowly sat down. "Ok?"
"Splendid!" Tella flicked a switch and the light dimmed down.
She still showed little to no reaction or movement during the movie but sometimes Amy could feel her glancing at her.
Two days later Tella finished a sentence of her into a quote of the movie out of the blue and gifted Amy with a small smile when she reached an impressed eyebrow.
The next week they met in the cinema without even setting a time.
The day after that they declared that from now on every Thursday evening was reserved for a Lady's Night. The Doctor of course pointed out that this was a time machine, so Thursday evening was whenever they wanted it to be. Amy would never forget the confused, wide-eyed expression when Tella matter of factly declared that this had been the point while she herself nearly doubled over in laughter.
-o0Oo-
Lady Storyteller was an alien. It was a fact you couldn't miss as soon as you started to spend time with her.
Yes, the Doctor was one, too, but Tella was different.
The Doctor as strange and eccentric he may be still behaved human. He knew how or why Rory and Amy did the things they did, he followed the pattern how they though and what they wanted. All those things Tella didn't.
It were the simple, everyday moments that proved it the most.
Her way of clothing and the irritation whenever Amy showed up in a skirt which wasn't even on of the short one she had as if she was running around nearly naked. Until the Doctor told them Gallifrey had a way stricter clothing codex which apparently neither allowed to show skin on your hands and feet nor on your neck.
All the weird stuff she could do, her finer senses, her silent movement, her sharp mind and her downright ecedectic memory.
And this slight arrogance in telling them that this was perfectly normal. Her posh and nit-pick attitude created in centuries of teaching and grooming what she assumed the next generation of the mightiest species in the universe.
Her insistence on doing anything on her own because If a member of another species served food or assisted otherwise to a person of differing species it was a sign of surrender. Between Timelords on the other hand it was a gesture of courting, which made some situations rather awkward.
Her downright ridiculous precise routine when not being on an adventure, doing the exact thing on the exact time every day like a well-kept clockwork and the slight defeat whenever one interrupted or pulled her out of it. Which was another thing because according to the Doctor it went down to eating. Apparently whenever there was a meal every Gallifreyan dish had rules and a ritual how to eat it, planed down to how many seconds one had to chew one bite. They had laughed at that because come on that was just ridiculous, and the Doctor had grinned and said that this had been the reason he had left, too. They didn't quite believe him. Still, Tella never ate in company of any of them regardless of it being a single crisp, sandwich or an full three dish menu.
And so the Ladies Night turned into something where they slowly got to know and value each other and it took a surprisingly short time to became real friends with dreaded insiders and well-kept shared secrets. At least on Amy's side.
Tella still was a bit difficult to crack open, it was always difficult to tell if she enjoyed something. That woman just never loosened up. But it was a part of her and it was surprisingly easy to accept once Amy realised that that perfect mask wasn't as perfect as she thought first.
She had habits or a sparkle in her eyes which with little practice were readable as micro expressions. And Amy had seen a glimpse of Tella's true self after all, back on the Byzantium and that fear haunted her, so she found it surprisingly easy to leave that topic of loosening up alone. at least comletely loosening up.
They moved on very fastly from only watching movies to games and hours of talking. Tella taught Amy the basics of playing Piano and Amy showed Tella some basic human meals. They spent time together in the gym or hung out on an empty alien beach, Tella safely tucked away under a Parasol reading a book aloud enough for Amy to hear, who lazily lay on a luma swimming in the water. They went on hiking trips and picnics, to spas and one time even shopping. It was sometimes a bit strange but also fun how fascinated and interested Tella became in the easies concepts or things Amy had to explain. The most of them which she herself took for granted.
Really, it was surprising how open Tella actually was and with how many Ideas she turned up. She might have been not a thrill seeker as the Doctor was but she was certainly as curious and imaginative as he was. And so Amy fastly grew the habit of asking Tella for a bit of time together whenever she was in the mood for an calm but amazing day. That if she didn't need a timeout from her boys, because sometimes those two were just… well themselves and every girl needs a break.
And that was a rule Tella followed strictly.
Neither Rory nor the Doctor were allowed in the same room or even near them when the two of them declared the day being a Wednesday. Which actually did not happened that often as Amy came to fear.
In fact after a few girls days, Tella suddenly declared a Pond day and took Rory with them, just to leave them on their own which was one of the cutes gestures she had done. And after that the mood between Rory and Tella improved highly, and only then Amy realized that Rory had been jealous. That idiot.
Amy knew for a fact that the two of them also spent time together, following Rory's hobby of watching those old silent films.
The first time the TARDIS picked one of them during their 'girls time', Tella wasn't able to stop marveling about how it was possible to tell a story only by expressive body language and a few written Lines in-between for the rest of the day. The two of them started a rather nerdy conversation leading to Rory making a list and convincing Tella to watch them all with him.
The fact aside that Tella always asked one for permission to spent time with the other, which had apparently something to do again with that galifreyan etiquette when dealing with a couple. Apparently she was demonstrating with that one that she had no intentions on stealing their partner. Charming. Tella was married, too, after all, like she always pointed out. Nobody corrected her on that one. Like with all her other quips, they started to get used to it.
The Doctor always shook his head but grinned widely, often getting him a sharp comment from Tella which let him blush or shooting something right back. But they all could feel how the tension slowly ebbed down. There would always be differences between all of them for sure. Still, there had grown something like a fragile bond between them.
AN: Have a little bonding between Amy and Tella. If this is far too domestic, I'm terribly sorry. This is one of the scenes I love to write but am always unsure to post because yes, it shows some character building, but they still don't feel quite right.
What do you say? Is it out of place and basically a filler or does it provide some different point of view of which this story profites on?
About that statement with the trust issues, yes both of them have them.
Amy was abandoned by a person she trusted just to be told by everybody else this person didn't even existed and called crazy. This causes very deep trust issues and I hope I can portray them properly in this fic. Because regarding this, her reaching out to Tella is rather out of character. Except if you know that Amy learned to trust Tella's alter ego before she was freed from the pocket watch, and with every time Tella opening herself up a little, a part of that persona becomes visible again.
Tella… well yeah. Being betrayed and abandoned by your family and people does this to you. Amy actually gets to the wrong conclusion why Tella asks about her wanting to spent time with her. She's so accustomed to people always having second thoughts when dealing with her, the thought of a person just wanting to spend time with her for hers sake doesn't even come to her mind. But she get's this out of Amy's answer so she never speaks about it. And this being told out of Amy's POV we don't, too. Luckily there is this AN :-)
The Doctor is very proud of his Amy Pond getting Tella to stop being bitter all this time, and drawing out her more hidden sides.
Anyway, thank you to Chimmichery and BloodyGrim for your reviews and pointing out that I missed to update the AN in chapter 16 which announced that I'm revamping this. *sweatsmile*
I'm glad you like the first chapter, I was a bit unsure of it because the first paragraph was terrible to write and is still a bit confusing.
Thank you for still staying with me.
As always read and review
alkatie
