Before we start, I just need to mention the amount of support I'm getting on here. It's honestly unbelievable! I'm checking my notifications and on an almost-daily basis, there's people following this story, favouriting it, following and/or favouriting my other works, following and favouriting me as an author! I just can't believe it! I never imagined people would love my stories so much - I personally think they're awful! I can tell you that I never thought people would like what I write so much. I started off on here exactly a year back with the intention of reading fanfiction on some of my favourite fandoms, maybe even writing a few myself. I didn't intend for it to go anywhere; it was just a bit of fun - something to pass the time. But seeing how much you all appreciate what I'm doing and how much you appreciate me as a person... it's just so overwhelming! I sat down and cried the other day because of how supportive you all are. I've been struggling mentally and with my emotions lately and hit one of my lowest patches yet. But then along came you guys and lifted me up, pulled me out of my darkest moment and kept me going, given me reason to keep going. You're honestly too much and I love you all! Thanks so much. Stay safe and have a great day!

There have been times when the Doctor has wondered about how sane he must have been at the time to have agreed to let a seven-year-old little girl come along in the TARDIS with him. He keeps telling himself it was the regeneration energy. It had to be! Why else would he have taken Amelia with him?!

He enjoys having her around, but there are times when he wonders whether it's best for Amelia to come along on all their adventures. Times like now, for instance.

"AMELIA!!! AMELIA, WHERE ARE YOU!!!"

He can't believe he's lost her. On Crespallion of all places! How do you lose someone on a planet so small it isn't even a planet?! There's not that many places someone can run off to! Plus, the majority of its inhabitants are small blue humanoids. Amelia should stick out like a sore thumb!

"AMELIA!!!"

He runs over to a couple who are walking through the streets holding hands. Although, they are very clearly curious and concerned about what's happening, they are polite enough not too stare or make a fuss. They crane their necks to meet his eyes and obviously want to ask a million questions.

"Excuse me. Have you guys seen a girl around here? She's got my skin tone, red hair, and is about this big." He holds out a hand to indicate Amelia's height.

"Sorry. We haven't seen her," the woman says.

"We'll try keep an eye out for you, though," her partner adds.

"Thanks."

The couple watch him run off and the woman shakes her head sadly.

"Poor thing. Remember when our children were at that age where they'd just wander off? Always scared us half to death."

"Thank goodness they're past that stage now! But my heart does go out for him - it is always such a fright."

It's getting dark and the Doctor still hasn't found Amelia. He's getting desperate and there's an ever-growing worry inside of him that she's been taken.

The locals have all been very helpful and empathetic and they all started looking for Amelia with him an hour or so ago, but still there's no sign of the girl.

The Doctor wants to cry really badly, but he rarely ever cries. He keeps the tears in and takes a deep breath to steady himself. Amelia never seems to cry and he thinks he should follow in her lead. Wherever she is, whatever has happened, he owes it to her, to them both, to be strong and keep the two of them going.

His mind runs through some of the worst scenarios it can create, each worse than the last.

She's probably in so much trouble. She's probably so scared. She's probably screaming for me right now to come save her.

"It's all my fault!" he mutters to himself, so quiet that he even struggles to hear his own words.

Of course it's his fault! How could he be so irresponsible!? Amelia is seven! She should be going to school and playing in the park with her friends, not going on adventures to distant planets and learning how to use a sonic screwdriver! What was he thinking?! No. Clearly, he wasn't thinking!

He sighs deeply as he makes his way back to the TARDIS, guilt drowning him and slowly killing him, but he doesn't mind because he deserves this.

He starts to tell the TARDIS that he lost Amelia and they need to come up with a plan of how to find her when he's interrupted.

"What do you mean she's been here the entire time?!"

He rushes into Amelia's room and stops short when he sees her and a Crespallian girl both sat on the floor with a notepad between them. They're both sat colouring with pencils and crayons, talking and laughing with each other as if they're best friends and have known the other all their lives.

"Amelia!" he finds his voice again. "Where have you been! I've been worried sick out of my mind! I thought something absolutely horrible had happened to you!"

He scoops her into his arms and feels the urge strongly to cry in relief. He wraps his arms tightly around her and refuses to let go, still rambling at a speed he can't comprehend.

Amelia is caught off guard at first, but eventually melts into his touch before pulling away. The Doctor still kneels in front of her and still keeps his hands on her shoulders, though.

"I was so worried!" he repeats.

"I'm sorry." And she seems genuinely upset that she panicked him so much. "I forgot to tell you. I didn't mean to scare you."

"What were you doing?"

"I met Salsha, she's my new best friend."

He remembers the little Crespallian next to them and turns to face her. She smiles shyly at him and he tries to look welcoming in return so as not to scare her.

"How'd you two meet?"

Amelia answers: "When we were watching that band play in the town. I got a bit bored and went off to explore and that's when I met Salsha."

He points out to the blue-skinned girl that her parents are probably very worried and missing her, but she calmly replies that she doesn't have parents.

"She can come with us!" Amelia suggests excitedly and both girls seem very enthusiastic about that. They instantly break into giddy chatter, planning out sleeping arrangements and where they want to travel and all sorts of stuff.

The Doctor just sits there and lets them discuss it, trying to work out within his head how to respond to this idea. Two seven-year-old girls on board? Would that be a good idea? Today has proven he's not even responsible enough to look after one child. But how can he just turn away a child with no family and no home?

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, he thinks, ever the optimist. Besides, Amelia probably needs to be around others her own age. It could do her good. It would certainly be good for Salsha instead of being by herself.

But Salsha seems quite shy and jittery. Would she be suited to the life that he and Amelia lead? Now that he's not hyped up on regeneration energy, he's able to think this situation through a lot more calmly and see things at a better angle.

The population of Crespallion tend to be born with nervous dispositions and small hearts. It's likely Salsha would struggle to keep up with all the running they do and the adventurer's lifestyle might even kill her! The Doctor would never want such a thing on his conscience.

He's pleased Amelia managed to make a new friend - really, he is! But he wouldn't want her to get too attached only for something awful to happen. It would just break her so badly and painfully!

Also, as a child from Earth, Amelia somehow seems to be immune to everything (which still greatly puzzles the Doctor). However, he knows for a fact that Crespallians easily pick up anything and everything and are liable to get seriously ill without warning. He's not sure if he could handle that.

He takes a deep breath. What he's about to do isn't going to be easy. For any of them.

"Amelia?" He knocks on the door to her room. "Can I come in?"

He enters to find the girl in question sat on her bed, knees pulled up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them and head resting on top.

"Why'd you have to send her away?"

"Salsha doesn't deserve to face what we do regularly. Some people are built for this life and some aren't. And I'm not too sure Salsha is."

"You don't know that!"

"Her kind have small hearts and weak immune systems. She wouldn't have lasted long with us. We'd have been responsible for killing her!"

"You at least found her a home so she'll be safe, didn't you?"

"Yeah, she's with a good, kind family now."

And she is. The Doctor had spent the last two days trying to find a place for the girl, not feeling comfortable just dumping her outside the TARDIS. He has a suspicion that the blue child will be happier with her new adopted parents than with him and Amelia and the TARDIS.

"We could've been her good, kind family. I prefer being with you and the TARDIS than having to live a boring life and never going anywhere, maybe Salsha would've preferred it, too?"

He smiles at her. What did he do to deserve someone so kind and forgiving who would take him over anyone else any day?

He ruffles her hair and plants a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm glad you like it so much here. We like you being here as well." He pulls the covers of her bed back slightly, gesturing for her to snuggle down. "I think it's time you get some sleep, though."

"Goodnight, Doctor."

"Goodnight, Amelia Pond."

As he walks out, he hears her sleepily mumbling a goodnight to the TARDIS and can't help but grin madly. That's his child! And she really is something special!

(A/N: the only thing that could help me more is if you guys left comments to tell me how good each chapter was or where I can improve. I've avoided saying it before as it seems so cliché and I thought people would comment anyway. I do need your comments, though, please, if it's not too much trouble. I know I also need to work on commenting more to show my appreciation for the works of others, but I am getting better, so why don't we all resolve to comment more together?)