Running Away from Gallifrey

Chapter 3: Home

Theta yawned, stretching. "Is it just me, or did it feel like Borusa seemed to go on longer with his lecture today?"

"That's what happens when you start talking about the Founders of Gallifrey." pointed out Koschei. "Do you think he's a fanatic about Rassilon?"

Drax cut in. "Oh yeah. He couldn't stop talking about the 'Greatness of Rassilon' and how as Prydonians, we should follow in his example. If you take it from me, he's got the hots for him."

An irritated groan was heard from a certain female. "Or maybe he's just spewing all of this because it's expected of us. We are in the Prydonian Academy after all." Ushas pointed out, shooting them looks.

The lecture hall was starting to clear out as the rest of the students left, leaving only some of the Deca members behind. Besides having their meetings in here, this was where they would just hang out at lunch sometimes, taking advantage of their privilege as the brightest in Gallifrey and rebels.

Missy finally stood up from her seat behind them, agreeing with Ushas. "Rassilon was also the creator of the Prydonian Academy."

"Aww, not you too." Koschei said.

She giggled, seeing the worried look in his eyes as she teased. "Don't worry, I'm actually more of a fanatic over Omega."

Both Theta and Koschei glanced at each other, trying to decipher if their friend was actually serious about that remark as they got up to leave, making their way to the door. However, they were stopped by someone blocking their exit route.

"Badger!" remarked Theta with surprise, before realization came in. "Oh no, tell them I say no!"

The Avatroid from House Lungbarrow held the note in its claw. "But Lord Theta, the family requests your presence in preparation for the upcoming Otherstide! It is an important day to celebrate. It is also your name day."

He stomped, taking the note from Badger and ripping it in half. "If my parents wish to see me, they may come here, but as for the rest of my family — I don't want to see their faces!"

Missy and Koschei saw the rare anger in their friends eyes, something he only expressed towards his family.

Theta continued on his rant, "They all think it's not enough that I just want to learn, maybe get my doctorate, and just have a life. No, instead they keep pestering my father to have me become a Time Lord and end up in some stuffy job, saying I'm a worthless disgrace to our House." He placed the ripped letter in his friend's hands. "I refuse. Pass it along."

Seeing that he wasn't going to win, the Avatroid nodded, taking his leave. With the way finally being cleared, Theta stomped along, walking into the halls without his friends. Missy and Koschei exchanged shocked looks, feeling an unusual tension from their friend.

"I wish I could do that, but if I did, my father would just come to collect me himself, reminding me that 'House Oakdown has a reputation to uphold.'" Koschei remarked, breaking the silence and glancing at Missy.

"Ah, yeah, probably to outshine that pesky House Dvora who continues to sit on their stupid throne despite rumors, watching everything unfold from their wild pack." she joked, chuckling. "Can't say I blame them. I know how those Dvora's are."

"You wanna trade?" he asked.

"That would only make matters worse."

Koschei sighed, shurgging. "It was worth a shot."

It was something they could relate with each other on, especially since there was a power struggle between their families. But what came as more of a shock for Oakdown and Dvora was the fact that Koschei and Missy had become friends, and continued to be so, leading the families to assume they were doing it out of strategy to conquer.

However, the truth was they just found someone they could relate with in each other, someone who understood the struggle of their families.

Watching as messengers from their houses arrived with notes, glaring at each other, they both frowned, accepting it. "Duty calls." Koschei said.

"Yeah, time to head off to the lion's den."

Standing outside the entrance of the fortified walls of House Dvora, she held her breath, mustering up a fake, icy persona like a mask and preparing herself with the armor she would need to make it through another family gathering.

There was a reason they were called 'the House of Devouring Hounds.' They never shied away from using force and were an emblem of controlled, concerted, voracious power. They had a reputation for eminence, although the rumors of the 'Morbius Crisis' was something they wouldn't see go unchallenged, nor let affect them.

Breathing out, Missy opened the doors to the castle like home, feeling the chilly air hit her face. The lights above lit up, indicating the heir had returned, marking the path to her fate in the empty and cold house.

"Hello," her mother said emotionlessly, walking up towards her, getting straight to business. "We are all meeting in the throne room in ten microspans to await discussion and plans of the upcoming Otherstide."

"I look forward to it."

The blonde woman nodded, ignoring her daughter and looking at her reflection in the wine glass in her hands, making sure there wasn't a flaw to be seen. "The cousins from House Heartshaven will be arriving soon. I know you will give them a proper welcoming."

"I never surrender to a challenge." It was the Dvora motto after all.

She watched her mother walk away, having said what was needed. Missy felt like she was always talking to a robot when it came to her parents — especially her mother, having to conceal her emotions and be the strong, unstoppable heir of Dvora she was supposed to be. But she never felt strong. She knew what her would say about all her emotions, especially towards Koschei.

Her mind started to drift off to him, wondering how he was faring.

It seemed things didn't change, arriving at the estates of House Oakdown, watching the party take place outside in the sun as high-ranking adults chatted among each other. His parents didn't even take any notice of his arrival, hiding behind their fake, proud smiles with guests around.

Koschei cleared his throat, addressing his father. "I've received your summons, father."

Lord Marnal Oakdown's eyes went wide with shock, as if seeing his son for the first time, before chuckling. "Of course. Welcome home." He said, stroking his beard as he pushed his son to walk beside him, away from the crowd. Once they were clear, the monster underneath was released. "We need to talk."

He swallowed hard. "About what?"

Seeing his father's eyes become hard, the young Oakdown heir knew he was about to get a lecture on expectations he had failed to meet again despite giving it his all in everything he did.

"It's one thing spending time around the Lungbarrow boy, but you cannot be seen in the company of someone from House Dvora for too long. They are mad." he stated sternly. "Need I remind you that you have a reputation to uphold as the future heir of Oakdown?"

Koschei looked down, narrowing his eyes. "No, father."

"Then whatever move you're planning to take with the Dvora girl, make it quick, or else . Don't let us down, again ."

And with that, Lord Oakdown walked away, attending back to his party. Koschei glared up at his father's back, clenching his fists in anger at the comment he made towards his friends and himself.

The only reason you say they are mad is because you don't like to let anyone forget about the 'Morbius Crisis' so you can get a political advantage over Dvora and make them falter, Koschei thought to himself.

Missy and Theta were his friends. He cared for them and he wasn't going to let his father or family force him to break ties with them over their stupid war, even if it did disappoint them.

He was used to never being good enough for them anyway. Koschei clutched his head, trying to push back the noise that had not stopped haunting him since the initiation ceremony. It always seemed to get louder when he noticed he was losing control over a situation.

So, he tried to think of a happier subject to ease his mind and ground himself; Missy…and her smile. Her golden locks. The way he could change her expressions when he teased her. The warmth and smoothness of her skin from his touch. How she could be gentle, caring, and loyal, yet there was a fierce fire hidden inside her he wanted to play with. She intrigued him, and if he was being honest, he found her attractive.

Sure, he and Theta were similar in ways too, but there was something more there with the Dvora girl. Maybe it was because she was a forbidden fruit regarding his family, or maybe it was because she understood his struggle being an heir and actually didn't brush it off like Theta did.

Either way, she seemed to calm the noise inside his head, even if for a little bit, bringing some comfort.

"SISSY!" the voice of a young time-tot yelled.

Missy noticed the familiar voice and turned to see her youngest cousin running up towards her, taking her into a hug. "Hi there."

"Romanadvoratrelundar!" reprimanded her father, walking up towards them with a stern look. "What have I told you about your unruly behavior? If you misbehave again, your mother and I will leave you to the Drylands."

The young girl pushed back her dark hair, frowning, trying to hide her expression with difficulty. Missy had to hold back the need to snap at her uncle for his comment. Romana was just six and didn't know any better yet.

But then again, this was the way if you were related to someone from House Dvora who saw an outburst of genuine emotions as a weakness to be devoured along with everything else.

Placing a hand upon her cousin's shoulder, Missy spoke, "No harm is done. I will speak to her of the proper Time Lord etiquette so she can be prepared for when she joins the Academy."

"Very well." he nodded, letting them walk off together.

Making their way past the rest of the cousins and family, Missy led them out of the throne room and into a hallway that was abandoned. It wasn't as bright or lively like the sparkling lights of the chandeliers from the throne room, but it was a place to go and unwind from the constraint of it all and just be yourself.

"The coast is clear!" Missy declared with a smile.

Romana let out a breath, smiling. "Yay!"

"Your father shouldn't have spoken to you that way."

The young time-tot sighed. "Father rarely approves of what I do. I'm learning to get used to it."

"Still…something has got to change in this family."

Romana looked up at her with bright eyes. "You're the heir of Dvora, maybe it can change with you."

Missy couldn't help but chuckle at her. "That's pretty deep coming from a six year old."

"Well father says I'm going to be the heir of House Heartshaven once I go through my initiation ceremony and join the Academy too." she exclaimed, a smile forming on her face with an idea. "That means we will get to be together forever and not have to put on a fake pretense all the time!"

"Except for the occasional family gathering or summons, don't forget that."

Romana laughed. "Of course."

It was silent between them before Missy spoke, bearing the hard truth. "And once you join the Academy, I'll be graduating, which will barely give us a year together."

The smile on her cousin's face started to disappear, feeling her heart lurch as she grabbed her hands. "But we will still get to see each other after the Academy, right, Sissy?"

It was obvious Romana thought highly of her, thinking of her as a sister figure, although they were cousins. Missy nodded, although she wasn't sure what her future would quite bring except for joining the Chancellery Guard. However, she knew she wanted to help Romana out however she could.

"Missyleanadvoralundar! Romanadvoratrelundar!" the Dvora mother called out, breaking the moment. "It is time to speak of the upcoming Otherstide."

"Yes, mother."

After an exhausting time at their family homes, Koschei and Missy had returned back to the Academy the next day, happy to just be back in the Citadel among professors and students whose dullness seemed rather peaceful and welcoming right now.

Walking up to the transmat, Theta greeted them. "Wow, you two look like you got into a fight with some pig-rats trying to eat you alive."

Missy sighed. "Yeah, that's what family does to you. At least mine does."

Koschei chuckled in agreement. "I couldn't have said it better myself." His eyes briefly met with hers in a mutual understanding before they turned back to Theta. "So, how did your time here at the Academy go?"

Theta put his hands behind his head, shrugging. "It was fun. I talked with Mortimus who stayed behind because of his family, played some chess, and then we tried to sneak into the library to read the TARDIS manuals."

His friends exchanged knowing looks with one another, knowing he was avoiding telling them something. "What about your parents? Didn't they come to visit you?"

The Lungbarrow boy made a face at them. "Yes…"

"And?"

"And? There is nothing else to say!" he said, raising his voice, stomping his foot.

Missy and Koschei sighed, shaking their heads. "Were your parents mad at you for refusing to come home again?" asked the Dvora girl.

Theta waved it off with no concern. "Not really. My mom did make me cookies, however. Here!" he said, handing them a bag full of baked goods. "She wanted me to share with you both. I was about to eat them all if you didn't show up soon."

"Wow," exclaimed Koschei with a huff. "He gets off scott-free with cookies while we have to go home and deal with the pig-rats. Am I having a bad dream?"

Missy couldn't help but burst out laughing over the situation. It was quite comical, something completely left field you'd only get from Theta Sigma of Lungbarrow. He was something unique.

She reached into the bag, helping herself to a cookie. "Quite possibly." Biting into the sweet, she turned to Theta and exclaimed. "These are fantastic!"

"It's my Mom's secret family recipe."

Koschei groaned with annoyance. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, try one Kos!" Theta threw a cookie at him.

The Oakdown boy sighed, trying it, making weird faces. He wasn't sure how to process this. It was nothing like he had ever had on Gallifrey before.

Missy felt her hearts leap, thinking the expressions on his handsome face were quite cute. "Wow…" she unconsciously muttered out loud, getting the attention of both boys. Realizing his eyes were now looking into hers, she felt self-conscious, grabbing another cookie and shoving it down her throat. "These cookies, they are just amazing! The best things I've ever had!"

Koschei chuckled. "Yeah, you seem to be enjoying them a little too much. You got some of it on your face, Dvora." he teased, pointing to the corner of his mouth.

She wiped at her face, blushing.

"No, you don't." Theta said. "He's just messing with you as usual."

And just like that, the fire ignited in her eyes, glancing over to Koschei. He smiled, knowing now that her targets were set on him and only him, exactly the way he liked it. "Oh no, she's got the look!" he mocked.

Grabbing another cookie, she walked towards him, getting mere inches away from him before smiling. "This is the last cookie, which means you don't get anymore, Oakdown." she said, taking a bite of the cookie.

"Thanks for sharing then." he said, leaning in close to her face, taking a bite from the other end, winking.

She had to hold back from losing all her emotions right there, feeling her knees go weak from the sudden close proximity, focusing on eating the rest of her cookie. She tried to find the willpower to turn away from him as a small smile came to her lips.

"I'm glad you both are back!" Theta said, breaking the awkward tension between them.

"You honestly couldn't have been bored without us?" asked Koschei, raising an eyebrow.

"But I was!" whined Theta, going off into another rant, finally saying what he had been holding back from them. "It's more entertaining when you're both here with me. Mortimus isn't good at playing chess like you are Koschei, and he definitely doesn't know how to break into a library like you do, Missy."

"Aww, Theta, we missed you too!" the blonde said.

Koschei nodded. "Besides, you're hopeless without us."

Home to them wasn't the houses they returned to when they were summoned. It wasn't the families who demanded certain expectations from them. It wasn't the planet they were raised on.

It was with each other. That was the real place to call a home and family. It was the three of them against the world, and it always would be, no matter what.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to everyone who has favorited/given kudos and reviewed this story, especially the support from TimeLordHonour and TheDeadEatBagels. I really appreciate the feedback!

This chapter gives some insight into the family dynamics of Theta, Koschei and Missy, letting us know how it helps shape them into the Time Lord's they will be later on in life. Plus some foreshadowing to come, especially concerning the naiveness of them thinking nothing will ever tear them apart. Oh boy…

Next chapter is where things start to REALLY take off, testing our three friends for good and challenging Missy and Koschei to finally get the courage to tell each other their feelings. It only gets crazy from here. I'm trying to update this as often as I can. I've written some in advance, but my goal is to at least update every Sunday at most. If I happen to get more in, that's good too.

Follow me on the Tumblr blog for updates and more on this story: TheFighterofGallifrey dot tumblr dot com. This story is also up on Ao3 under the same name.