A/N: Another multi-chapter fic I'm working on. Much like my other fic "Come Back to Me", the chapters are mostly written, and I will be updating frequently. Enjoy :D
(I've posted the first three chapters all at once because they are basically just the intro to the actual story)
The Doctor sat in the TARDIS alone. He'd managed to cheat death at Lake Silencio once again with the help of some timey-wimeyness and River's stubbornness. She'd even managed to get him to marry her. He smiled sadly at the memory of his unconventional love affair. The lonely Time Lord sighed as he stood to his feet to man the TARDIS. His longest companion and friend.
Amy and Rory had recently been sent back to New York in 1938 to live out the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, he couldn't even go back to visit them because of the paradox. And now River left him saying that one psychopath in the blue box was more than enough. She said she'd travel with him still, but he knew it wouldn't be possible. The reality is she was dead. He hoped he might run into her again, but it was getting harder to grow closer to her knowing she was only drifting further away. Soon she'd be going to the Library.
"Damn timelines." He mumbled to himself.
The Doctor stared at the console, trying to decide where to go next. He was too distraught to think and just went to the one place he knew he could hide away for a while. Inputting the coordinates, the Doctor made his way to Victorian London. He set up camp on top of a cloud where he stayed in the TARDIS. Below, the streets were bustling about in the year 1892.
He contemplated going below and visiting the Paternoster Gang, but every time he made his way to the doors, he could only think about Amy and how much he missed leading her and 'the nose' out of his ship onto new adventures. So instead, he'd turn around and sulk within the infinite space of the time machine.
On this particular day, the Doctor sat on a step in the console room, reading a book. He hadn't been paying attention to what he was reading and found himself falling asleep. Suddenly, he was startled by an incoming message at the console. He jumped to his feet and made his way to the screen. It was from UNIT.
He quickly scanned over the information. Apparently, there was a baby discovered by the Judoon while raiding a compound known for performing horrific experiments on all sorts of species. As the Doctor continued to read, he couldn't help let out a giggle when his eyes locked onto the word, "Time Lord".
"River," he whispered to himself. It had to be baby Melody. Definitely timey-wimey thinking about the fact he was now being asked to look after a baby version of his ex-lover. He tried not to think about how weird it would be if he had to raise her and flipped the lever sending him to UNIT's headquarters.
The Doctor couldn't understand how UNIT had acquired Melody and why she wasn't with Kavorian when they found her. Maybe the compound was related to the silence in some way? If UNIT had baby Melody, there must have been something that had happened to change her timeline. He figured it might have to do with the fact she chose not to kill him at the lake.
Maybe that set-in motion a different outcome for the child?
When the Doctor arrived at UNIT, a young woman wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a multicoloured scarf greeted him. She also seemed to be overusing an inhaler which made him chuckle.
"Umm, hello, uh Doctor. Right this way."
She led him into a building and down a few different corridors. Finally, she turned to him, "my name is Osgood." She sheepishly said as they approached a door.
"Nice to meet you, Osgood. Love the scarf, by the way."
The Doctor smiled brightly as the girl used her inhaler once again. Her cheeks were tinged with pink as she smiled back.
"Umm, they want you in there." She pointed to the door.
"Ahh, yes, of course."
The Doctor pushed open the door and saw a woman in a lab coat standing near a small cot. He held his breath as he walked over to examine the child. Tentatively looking into the cot, the Doctor immediately noticed that the baby was much younger than when he last saw Melody. The infant only wore a thin blanket.
"Hello, there," said the Doctor softly as he took his sonic out and scanned over the child.
"What?" He raised an eyebrow as he read over the results. "How do you have two hearts?" He knew River was part Time Lord having been conceived within the time vortex, but she was still human. She only had one heart. This child was appeared to be a pure Time Lord with two hearts to boot. The Doctor looked to the woman standing near him.
"Where did you find her?" he questioned.
"Her?"
As the Doctor questioned the woman, the infant managed to kick down the blanket. The older Time Lord reflexively closed his eyes as a warm liquid shot into his face. He quickly turned, rubbed his eyes, and then looked back at the child.
"It's a boy?" He questioned, now seeing the baby's naked little body. "And he peed on me!"
The woman tried to stifle a laugh.
"Yes. You seem to have yourself a beautiful bouncing baby boy, Doctor."
The Doctor was obviously confused by the woman's statement, so she expounded.
"We don't know where he was taken from, but Kate wanted to call you immediately. She thought maybe…well, he might be yours."
The Doctor's eyebrows shot up.
"Mine? What do you mean mine?" He looked back at the baby, then the woman. Yes, he and River had been together, but not in a VERY long time. He'd also seen her multiple times after their rendezvous, and she never indicated she was pregnant.
"I apologise, Doctor. I didn't mean to imply anything. It's just. We ran his DNA, and well, the results matched your own. Specifically, your current body's regeneration. We suspected that he was either your offspring or some type of clone."
The Doctor made a confused face. Did someone steal his DNA and create this child? He scanned his memories for any situation that might have led to a baby sharing his DNA.
"When the compound was raided, they found several infants, but unfortunately, they were already diseased. Whatever method they managed to create the life forms, the poor things' bodies were just not stable. Most of the infants dissolved into a pile of goo before we could even extract them. The ones we could stabilise are still in the infirmary."
"This one here is a fighter," she continued. "We figured because of his Time Lord DNA, he's handled the trauma of being brought into this world a bit better."
The Doctor nodded slowly as he listened to the scientist as he had a flash of a memory.
"Your molecular memory can survive this, you know. It may not be the end."
The Doctor then tossed the ganger the sonic screwdriver, to which 'Mr Smith' gave a small smile.
"Yeah, well, if I turn up to nick all your biscuits, then you'll know you were right, won't you."
Could it be? He knew the ganger could theoretically restore molecular memory. But, why an infant?
"What do you plan on doing with him?" The Doctor softly asked as he stroked a finger over the child's sleeping face.
"Well, seeing as he's gotten a bill of good health and shares your DNA, we thought you would want to take him. Kate has gone to great lengths to ensure his medical files are only between myself and her. And well, now you. UNIT has a lot of great people but even still. She wanted to be careful."
The Doctor understood. Anyone else would have taken the child and immediately began using him for their own selfish purposes.
"And why are you to be trusted?" The Doctor questioned. He wasn't familiar with the scientist who stood near him. Her long white lab coat covered her swollen belly. The woman put a hand on her stomach as she spoke.
"I have a toddler back home, and this one is due in just under two months. Guess Kate figured my motherly instincts would kick in and want what's best for the child." She said with a small smile.
The Doctor smiled back. The woman then handed him a bag.
"Should help you get off to a good start. You'll need to come back for his check-ups, though. Make sure things are still going well. I've put the list of appointments in the bag and some notes on what to expect within the first few weeks."
She then handed him the bag.
"Oh, we've also got to fill out a birth certificate so we can get him papers. You know, just in case."
The Doctor's hearts started pounding. "Wait, so, I just take him? Now?"
He swallowed roughly. What was he supposed to do with a child? Not only a child but a Time Lord child. And not just any Time Lord child. It was him! He looked at the infant as he made a slight sound. The woman put her hand on The Doctor's shoulder.
"You'll be fine." She said with a smile.
...
The barmaid wiped down a table when a familiar face poked in the window. She waved the boy inside. It was a slow night, and the Rose and Crown patrons were used to the child's presence. He even helped wash the dishes, so the owner, Mr Chilcott, didn't mind him hanging about.
The little boy pushed his way through the door and sat down at a table. He placed a book down and opened it up to read.
"Hello, Clara!" Said the boy with a cheerful grin.
"What book have you got there, John?" She asked with a giggle. He smiled at her.
"It's called the Prince and the Pauper!" He beamed. "It's by an American author named Mark Twain! It's about two identical boys who switch places. It's quite exciting!" He giggled.
"Can you read it to me?" She asked. Although Clara knew how to read, she pretended she needed help. She didn't want her cover as a barmaid to be blown as her primary employment was as the governess for the Latimer household.
John had started coming around the pub about a year before. He was only four at the time but was already reading novels. She often wondered where he lived or who looked after him. He was always dressed well and clean, so she knew he wasn't living on the streets. But, whenever she asked about his parents, he seemed to get nervous and avoid the topic, so she let it go.
John began to read the paragraph he was on slowly.
"I'll be right back, John," said Clara. She needed to step outside to grab another bottle from a crate. The boy smiled before continuing to read.
Clara braced herself for the cold as she stepped out the back door. She felt an odd chill blow past her before noticing a menacing-looking snowman that hadn't been there a second prior. Just then, a man walked past her.
"Did you make this snowman?" She questioned.
"No." The man said gruffly as he continued his pace.
"Well, who did? Because it wasn't there a second ago. It just appeared, from nowhere."
The man stopped and turned to walk towards the snowman. He looked the woman over quickly, then turned his attention back to the frozen oddity. Before the man could speak, Mr Chilcott burst through the door to the outside, moving John out with him by the shoulders. The small boy held his face. Clara could see the blood dripping from his nose onto the white snow.
"I'm sorry, Clara. John here accidentally knocked someone's drink over. Unfortunately, the man didn't take it too well."
Suddenly, there was a commotion inside the pub as Mr Chilcott ran back inside.
The odd man in the top hat ran to the small boy to Clara's confusion.
"John! I've told you time and again NOT to wander off! What were you doing in there? You're supposed to be with Jenny and Strax!" he yelled.
John was crying.
"Oi! Don't talk to him like that. He's just a child!"
Now that Clara saw them together, the resemblance was uncanny. She assumed the man to be the boy's father. Clara knelt as well to try and console the sobbing boy.
John began to calm down as Clara rubbed circles onto his back.
"I...I'm sorry." John sniffled. "It's just so boring there!"
He began to wipe the blood and tears away as he calmed.
"You're always telling me about your adventures, and I just wanted to have one of my own! Vastra won't let me come with her on her investigations and Strax doesn't let me play with any of his stuff, and Jenny won't let me eat any biscuits. They treat me like a child!" he whinged.
"John, that's because you are a child." The man chuckled a bit and brought the boy in for a hug. Clara hadn't expected to see the sentiment come from the harsh man, but she was happy to know that he genuinely cared for the boy.
John began to giggle as he caught sight of the snowman that had been all but forgotten.
"Who made that?" he questioned. He then walked over to the snowman.
"He's got teeth!" He clapped in excitement. He then touched the snow.
"Feels weird." He said softly. The man then walked over to John and examined the snow once again.
"You said it appeared out of nowhere?" The man questioned Clara.
"Yes." She said as she walked towards the snowman as well.
"Maybe it's snow that fell before. Maybe it remembers how to make snowmen."
"What, snow that can remember? That's silly."
"What's wrong with silly?" Questioned the man. John intently watched their interaction, fearing it wasn't going to end well. Clara then smiled.
"Nothing. Still talking to you, ain't I?" she quipped.
John giggled again as the man gave a small smile.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Clara."
"Nice name. Clara. You should definitely keep it." He then turned to John.
"Come along, John. That's enough excitement for one day." John gave a small goodbye wave to Clara as he turned to follow the other man.
"Oi! Where are you going? I thought we was just getting acquainted!" She shouted after him.
The Doctor turned to John, who had stopped to look back at Clara, clearly not wanting to leave her. He gave a tight smile, only to say softly, "Those were the days." He gently grabbed John's hand and guided him away.
…
Now, in the carriage, John watched as the Doctor was in a heated discussion with the scary lizard woman (who he was slightly afraid of).
"You were supposed to be watching him! Instead, I find out he's been sneaking off for the past year! Something terrible could have happened!"
"Well, Doctor, YOU are his guardian. I don't think it's fair to point a finger when you are the one who had him couped up in the TARDIS for most of his life!"
The Doctor looked over to the 5-year-old. John had small tears coming down his face. He knew it was probably cruel. He kept the boy in the TARDIS for nearly four years before even bringing him to the Paternoster Gang. He was terrified of something happening to him. The Doctor spent most of his days in Victorian London either sulking or teaching John how to read. He figured that if the boy could read, he could spend time in the TARDIS library on his own for "schooling."
But John became restless. The Doctor would often find him standing at the wooden doors of the time machine, begging her to let him out. Finally, the Doctor realised that it wasn't probably healthy for John never to experience the actual world, so he started taking him to visit the Paternoster Gang. He explained the delicate situation, and they gladly accepted the boy.
John spent his time with Jenny, Vastra, and Strax but was too smart for his own good. He'd already mastered reading and began going on his "adventures" without their knowledge.
"John," said The Doctor softly. "I'm sorry. I know it hasn't been easy for you. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. People can be cruel."
"Clara is nice to me," John said softly. The Doctor just smiled at him.
"Clara? How refreshing to see you taking an interest again. Was she nice?" Vastra's voice rang throughout the carriage.
"I just spoke to her." Replied The Doctor in an annoyed tone.
"And made your usual impact, no doubt."
"No, no impact at all. Those days are over." He said with a sigh.
John looked out of the carriage and noticed a familiar form running towards them. He quirked his head and then smiled at the sight of Clara running after them.
"You can't help yourself."
"Doctor," began John, but Vastra continued to speak over him.
"It's the same story every time. And it always begins with the same two words."
"Doctor," John said with more urgency but was ignored once again.
"She'll never be able to find me again. She doesn't even have the name. Doctor. What two words?"
"Doctor!" yelled John.
Suddenly, Clara's small head popped through the hatch in the roof.
"Doctor? Doctor who?"
…
John sat at the front of the carriage while the Doctor and Strax talked about the snow. It was getting late, and he was tired, hungry…and bored.
"Let me out!" cried Clara as she was banging on the door of the carriage.
John hopped down and was about to open the door.
"John, wait!" yelled The Doctor.
"Why? Why do you have her locked in the carriage? She's not going to hurt us. Well, at least I don't think she will."
"John! I know you're there! Let me out, please!"
John looked to the carriage door, then back to The Doctor. On the one hand, he desperately wanted The Doctor to be happy with him (for once), but on the other, he really liked Clara.
The Doctor saw that John was conflicted, and he just rolled his eyes and opened the door himself.
"Oi!" She exclaimed as The Doctor jumped into the carriage.
"Don't worry. No one's going to hurt you."
"What is that thing?" asked Clara, referring to Strax.
John couldn't help laugh at the interaction. Strax never quite understood gender, and the small boy found it amusing.
The Doctor then ordered Strax to get the memory worm.
John was now in a fit of giggles when it was clear that Strax had touched the worm. The Doctor was not amused and definitely did not like having an audience.
A few minutes later, both Clara and John were now standing back and watching the duo try and get the worm from under the carriage.
"Well, can you see it?" Called The Doctor.
"I think I can hear it," Strax replied.
John and Clara were giggling.
"Oi, don't try to run away. Stay where you are!" Snapped The Doctor.
John quieted. He didn't like making The Doctor angry, but Clara continued to snicker.
"Why would I run? I know what's going to happen next, and it's funny."
She said with a smirk. John couldn't help but smile. He quickly tried to frown, but it was no use. The Doctor rolled his eyes at the two in the peanut gallery.
…
John was slowly following behind The Doctor. After the scary encounter with multiple snowmen who had razor-sharp teeth, Clara convinced The Doctor not to wipe her memory. The older of the two then sent Clara away in the carriage. Walking back to the TARDIS, John was lost in a daydream. The Doctor often told him glorious tales when tucking him in at night. He longed to be a part of one someday. He smiled to himself.
Maybe now was his chance to be a part of his own adventure finally. The Doctor had sat John down many times to try and explain the situation to him as best he could. John had difficulty understanding that he wasn't The Doctor's son. He was merely a copy of a man who'd lived over 900 years and done extraordinary things. The Doctor had been all over time and space. John just had his DNA.
John sighed.
The Doctor brought the ladder down from its hiding spot.
"You okay, John?" He questioned. He allowed John to go first.
"Yes. Just. Thinking." John began to climb the ladder.
"Oh?" Began the Doctor as he followed John.
"Can I ask what about?"
The Doctor hadn't been spending much time with John lately, which might be why he hadn't noticed that John had been sneaking around Victorian London for the past year without his knowledge. He was naïve and curious, much like The Doctor himself when he was young, which makes sense. He'd been so consumed by his loneliness and depression that he didn't even think about how lonely John might be feeling.
"Oh, just…about Clara. She's a good friend. My only friend, really. Will you still let me see her?" John looked down at The Doctor with a worried face.
"Umm. Well, I..." Responded The Doctor as he thought about it.
"She's definitely clever." Said The Doctor as they reached the TARDIS.
The doors opened as they both entered. John had a goofy smile on his face.
"She's really pretty," John said softly.
The Doctor nodded slowly, seeing the dreamy look in John's, his, younger face. A look he knew all too well even though he had never been a child in his current form. John then started walking off to his room. The Doctor's eyes followed him until he was no longer in view.
The Doctor shook his head as he chuckled at himself. Of course, John would become inevitably infatuated with someone. He just hadn't expected it to be so soon. John was only five, so it made sense he'd develop a schoolboy crush on the beautiful barmaid.
The Doctor took a deep breath as he approached the console. There was an odd noise outside the TARDIS.
The Doctor made his way to the wooden doors to look out, but no one was there.
"Hello?" He spoke into the darkness. He took a step out. "Hello?" Still nothing. "Hello?" he called as he circled the blue box.
When he got back to his starting point, he noticed a piece of fabric on the cloud floor. He picked it up and smelled it. It was Clara's shawl. He felt an odd feeling in his stomach as he brought the shawl back into the TARDIS. 'John was right', thought the Doctor. Clara was really pretty.