Daddy's Girl
Summary: Rose and the Doctor have a child, but Rose dies during child birth. This is told from their daughters' point of view, years later.
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. Honest I don't.
Chapter one
I don't get up when I wake, I lie for a while. Human thing, apparently, my mum was just like it. I listen to the TARDIS instead, the soft hum of her machinery and voice. It doesn't matter anyway; mornings don't really exist in the TARDIS. Just units of time, some people might think it's quite strange, but I can hardly see how people can sort there lives in such an organised fashion. Sleep at a certain time, get up, time for food, time to relax, it's all very tedious.
It's probably because on the TARDIS, you're in time, a million Mornings going straight past, so what's the point? I suppose I'm just too used to it, I can't even imagine having to get up at the exact moment and the like.
I can't lie here any longer, however. Dad won't make a fuss, he never does. He's used to it from all the human companions he's had. But I have to move now. Sitting I glance in the mirror, which I do quite a lot.
Like I said, I'm a bit of a mish-mash of my mum and dad. I've got her face, and his current regeneration's hair, although it sometimes has shades of his ninths regeneration's dark. I've got my mum's eyes, but his expression in them, the same kind of knowing. I like to always have a scarf with me, don't know why, it's a thing but I suspect it may be one of my dads old fashions from a different incarnation. I hate bright colours, which he says is strange because his sixth reincarnation had a love for them.
I dress, and make my way to the Control room where The Doctor is working the control panel. Hearing my footsteps, he turns and nods, but barely smiles.
"Where are we going?" I ask, he looks up at me from the Console.
"Hm? Oh, right," finally he grins properly, for the first time in ages. It's a bit like a miracle. "Earth, 2352. Where do you think we're going?"
I grin right back at him. Earth, 2352? I don't even need to think. "Jack".
Uncle Jack isn't my real uncle. My parents met him in 20th Century Earth. He travelled with them for a while, and died whilst helping to fight the Daleks. My mother brought him back, though and he then got back to Earth, working in a corporation named Torchwood, which dealt with alien life. Torchwood was actually set up to go against my dad, but that's beside the point.
When I was born and my mother died, Jack basically took it upon himself to look after my dad and help him get over his grief. He became my sort of adopted uncle. Afterwards, he decided to settle down in 24th Century Earth, got married, raised some kids. Yep, Jack actually became domestic. I remember my dads' face when he told him; I thought he was going to have two heart attacks. I was happy for him though, his wife's lovely, her name's Saffron.
Within five minutes, the TARDIS shudder's. Dad's round one side of the console, grinning again, like a madman, and I'm on the other, helping him. We flick buttons and switches, pull the levers, I know the way very well, we've gone over it a hundred times. Finally, the TARDIS shudders and lands, and we both fall over laughing. I drag my self over to the doors, and push them open. We're just off from their house, no-one about a first, but then Jack come running around the corner to greet us.
"Jenny!" He hugs me. "Where the hell have you been this past few months? I haven't seen you in forever," he releases me and looks over my shoulder. "Where's that gorgeous father of yours?"
The Doctor and Jack hug and I watch them together, smiling. But I have to wonder why we're here. Don't get me wrong, I love Jack and seeing my dad at his happiest and all that, but usually we're here either because it's my Birthday, or because we have something important on. I make a mental note to ask him later as we start to walk to Jack's house, as Jack tells us what's been happening.
"Well, Saffron's working at the Time Agency, but I'm still with Torchwood. Almost like being on the TARDIS," he grins. "And the girls have started their first year of Ed. Unit, they were all excited because they were learning how the occupants of Raxicoricofallipratorious and Clom were genetically modified into the same race," he laughed and shook his head. "And Mickey's studying in PCAB and how that can be manipulated".
"Mickey! How is Mickey-boy anyway?" Dad smiles widely; Mickey is Jacks oldest, and my dad's godson, who he'd named after an old friend of his. He'd never really explained who, just a bloke called Mickey.
"Great!" Jack replies. "Missing his godfather, you know what he's like, but like I said, Physical and Chemical Alien Biology, he's always been into that".
I shudder. I don't like looking at how things work in that way. Hospitals give me the creeps. My dad hates them too and I see him wince slightly.
"Oh my God, Jenny! You've….grown!" Saffron smiles widely as I walk into her kitchen. She walks around the table and hugs me tightly. "I swear, one of these days I'm going to be to short for you!" I doubt that, at six feet 2, Saffron towers over Jack, who is short by the human standards of this time.
"Oh, and Doctor! Hm, we're going to have to cancel these visits or I'm going to run away with you in your machine and leave this simple life!" Jack mock glares and slips his hand around dad's waist.
"Hey, the Doc is all mine. He knows too much about you, Saff! He knows the secrets!" He laughs, making Saff glare back and put her hands on her hips.
"No way! You've had your turn!" she replies, trying to pry Jacks hands off. "Unless you want me to tell him a few funny tales, Captain Jackson Harkness! Involving black and pink spotted mice?"
Jack blushes and slightly loosens his grip on my dad's waist, but dad snaps it back to where it is. "I'm more of a Jack man, thanks. Please Jack; don't leave me alone with her".
Saffron looks furious whilst Jack sticks his tongue out at her; I turn to the table where Jacks family are sitting either watching, eating, or pouring over books on alien physiology.
The twins-Reinetia and Vansfelta, Rennie and Vans for short-wave happily. Saffron chose their names, she's got this whole thing for unusual, as in downright awful names, but everyone's too scared to tell her. Even my dad's not rude enough. Mickey looks up from his study book, as though he's only just noticed me and smiles. "Hey Jenny," he waves, and turns back to it.
Mickey's….ok, I'll be honest, Mickey's gorgeous. He's got his dad's good looks and his mum's big green eyes. I don't exactly love him or anything but Christ, I don't half fancy him! Sitting down, I frown at him. He's got "Scared shitless" taped over his face. "What's up?" I ask, pulling out a chair and sitting next to him. He looks up at me startled, like he expects me just to sit silently. He shrugs.
"Just exams and that crap. Usual". He drawls lazily, shrugging like it's no big deal. It is. All Mickey's ever wanted to do is Alien Bio-manipulation, and if he fails these exams….
"Maybe help you with it later?" I offer, and he doesn't take offence like he's been known to in the past, back when he was this weird kid just a bit taller than me who thought that he was smarter. He's learned his lesson now, through my quick wit and humour….and some help from my sonic screwdriver, but I won't go into that. He nods. "Yeah, maybe, if you have time". He glances over my shoulder at his mum and Jack, who are now snogging passionately on the front doorstep, whilst dad pouts.
"I'm jealous now!" he says, with his hands in his pockets, Saffron breaks off from her husband turns to him "Aw, don't worry Doc, Saffron still loves you!" she says, throwing herself on him and snogging him on the lips. Dad squirms.
"Argh! No, gerrof!" He struggles in her grip, until Jack pulls her off him. He makes a face and wipes his mouth. Jack puts an arm around Saffron's shoulders and raises and eyebrow at dad.
"You never did say why you were here," he says, frowning. "How long are you staying?"
Dad shakes his head. "Erm, I'm not". He says. "It's just Jennifer. I'm, uh, I'll be doing something. I'd rather Jenny wasn't there".
There's a moments silence, but it doesn't last long.
"Huh?" I ask, making sure he really said what I think he said.
"I'm going somewhere. I don't want you with me," he says slowly, as though I'm six years old. I blink.
"But….you haven't left me behind since I was eight," I frown. "What's so different now?"
Saffron, sensing the tension comes round and places a hand on my shoulder. "Well, sure, I guess she can stay for a while, I mean we have room and all".
He nods. "Good. Give me the TARDIS key and your sonic screwdriver".
Again, I'm stunned. "What do you need that for?"
"I can't be certain you won't try to bring the TARDIS back with it".
"Oh, right," I reply, sarcastically cheeks flaming from anger at being treated like some kind of naughty child. "Cause I can see why I can't be trusted, I mean, I always do as you tell me, never disobeyed you….no, wait, I really don't see, please explain".
He's angry too; I see it behind his eyes, though he doesn't show it Mickey's frowing up from his book, Rennie and Vans are looking nervously between the two of us, Saff is standing helplessly by my side and Jack is hanging back, as if he doesn't know what to do.
And I don't understand why he's so pissed. Why he wants to go in the first place.
"Listen," he says. "I know you can be trusted, but I also know you, you'll want to come to make sure it all goes right, you'll want to-"
"I'm not my bloody mother!"
I don't mean it. I'm worried for him, and hurt that he doesn't want me there without even saying why, and at being treated like an idiot. And I regret it as soon as I say it. As soon as I see the flash of hurt in his eyes.
"TARDIS keys. Sonic screwdriver. Now," he holds out his hand, stiffly. I hand them to him without a word. He turns to Saffron and Jack.
"I'll be back in a couple of days as soon as I'm done, sorry I can't stay for longer. I'll hopefully be staying a while next time". He gives a quick nod to Mickey and just leaves. Not even a word of goodbye.
Saffs arm tightens around me. "He'll be alright," she says, with fake brightness. "You'll see him in a couple of days and it'll all be fine".
I look away from her, blinking furiously. Christ, what's wrong with me? I should know better than to say something like that. Saffron takes her hand off my shoulder and starts talking in her false bright voice to Jack. Rennie and Vans start chatttering, Mickey goes back to reading. It all washes over me.
The fact is, I do have a point. When's he going to get that I'm not like my mum?