In the air, the familiar cold breeze returned to the area, laying dormant for so long, as they've reached October, the leaves changing from the lush green to a soggy brown, as the cold rain made everything matted to the roads.

The change in weather didn't go unnoticed, as patrons took their lunches indoors, avoiding the cold rain, and the breeze splashing the droplets against the windows.

Lila complained that whenever the weather got this way, she didn't want to leave her bed, just sleep the day away, and Theodore told her what his parents thought of it.

Rain was one of mankind's first white noise, soft, constant, and meant a day of rest, as rain-soaked forests and swelled creeks made it difficult to traverse unless necessitated for whatever reason, otherwise, when the rains come, no one did anything except relax, until the rains stopped.

For Theodore, when the rains come, he doesn't want to move from his bed, either, even his ferrets didn't want to stir from their slumber, the rains just zapped their energy like batteries in the winters.

Hammond saw it differently, of course.

Somehow, he had energy to spare.

Today, it's raining, Al didn't have anything on the schedule requiring his or Lila's aid, thus today, Theodore relaxed.

It's his day of rest.

Would've slept the whole day away, hadn't the voice in his head reminded him that while he would've loved to sleep the day away, he had things to do, else he'll never get another chance.

Curse the voice of reason!

So, what does the aloof giant do, when there's nothing he wanted to do, but still had to, because the opportunity won't come again, stitching his clothes, was one of the things he had to do.

Wearing his father's old clothes when he travelled's a difficult prospect when they've become worn over the years, especially dealing with the likes of the Cybermen and Daleks, but scaring them's worth it, in the end.

His father left a nasty mark on them, one that they won't soon forget.

Sitting on his plush chair with a trouser leg draped over his as he's mending it, watching a bit of telly from Japan, as there's a gaming show on, where contestants worked to complete a convoluted obstacle, with moving parts and sudden drops, and all.

Theodore could've easily done the obstacle, barefoot and all, because it wasn't any different than what he and Lila dealt on a daily since that fateful day.

The door to his bedroom opened ajar, he heard the soft snores of his ferrets as they're curled under his blanket, energy completely zapped, until dinner time, that is.

Smell of food's enough to draw them out of their slumber, only for a period, before they're back in their spots, asleep once again.

Might join them afterwards, the way the rain is outside, not going to let up until tomorrow.

Hm, might have to ask Lila if she's coming by after work, tomorrow's both their days off, and Al didn't mention anything pressing happening by then.

Theodore tried reaching out to her, but he guessed she was busied, she didn't get back to him, and he'd known if anything was wrong.

He'll try reaching out to her when she gets off work, by then she won't be too busy.

Finishing the last stitch job, Theodore folded his trousers, before moving on to the next set of trousers that required mending, listening to the announcer talking about the next contestant before they take a chance at winning the course.

Time slipped by, when Theodore was done, he heard knocking at the door.

His brow raised, Theodore went towards the door, Lila hadn't popped up in his head, how strange, and concerning.

When he opened the door, Theodore's icy blue eyes locked with…

Hammond?

"Dreary day, innit?" Hammond sighed as he tapped his drenched umbrella against the inside of the holder, letting it rest as he made his way inside Theodore's flat, Theodore standing by with a raised brow.

Theodore goes, "Wh-what are you doing here?"

His brother, looking around his flat, hidden curiosity in his eyes, responded with, "Is it suddenly illegal for someone to visit his little brother?"

Closing the door, Theodore watched as Hammond's silent eyes moved around the flat. Moving back towards his chair, Theodore sat on it, a leg over the other, as he looked up at his brother with confusion.

His brother never visits him, like this.

Doesn't seem like something serious, Hammond wouldn't wasted time like this, so, what does his brother want with him?

Finally, Theodore broached the reason behind Hammond's visit, and he says, "I've been hearing stirrings at the library, rumours."

For some bizarre reason, there's people in the library believing that Theodore's dating someone.

Hammond would've ignored them, politely told people to knock it off, but the more he heard them, the more it bothered him.

"You're here for that?" Theodore balked at the thought his older brother visited him to discuss harmless rumours.

Shaking his head, his dark curled hair stiffly moved underneath his hat, Hammond asks, "Is there any truth to them, little brother?"

Scoffing at him, Theodore swatted the air, before stating, "Why does it matter?"

He heard a sharp, "It matters!"

There's a look on his brother's face that Theodore hadn't seen before, causing him to calm, as he asks his brother, "What happened?"

Sighing as he takes a spot at the couch adjacent to the chair, his suit jacket ruffling, Hammond tells him, "The police called me. They said Louise… they found her body."

Uncomfortably, Hammond tells Theodore that Bill's girlfriend also committed suicide.

Confused, Theodore says, "Why call you, it doesn't involve you."

He then heard, "They think it's related to Bill."

The police chief relayed to Hammond what the autopsy said, no signs of foul play, no alcohol or drugs in her system, there was a note found during the initial search around her flat.

Hearing this, Theodore raised his brow, as he asks how does this relate to the rumours at the library, and Hammond then told him, "If you had any problems, you'd come to me, wouldn't you?"

Catching on, Theodore realized that his brother's concerned about him, worried, and in normal time he'd be annoyed by his brother's overbearing nature, but this, he sees the fretted Hammond sitting on his couch with those dark eyes filled with woe.

Unable to wave it away, say his usuals, Theodore chewed on his inner lip before telling Hammond with a soft, "You'd know I'd come to you, uncle, or Odette, brother."

He can tell that something bothered Hammond, that he asked if he talked to Odette, and Hammond confirmed that he spoke with Odette, making sure everything was fine between her and Ben.

"This isn't like you," Theodore pointed out that while Hammond's known to randomly check on them, the way he moved and acted, something about Louise's suicide bothered him.

Exhaling sharply, Hammond responded with, "Isn't it my nature to worry about my younger siblings?"

Since their mother died, since their father, Hammond fretted about his siblings, it's been his nature to worry about them, and it worsened when Theodore became the new Doctor, not knowing where he is on a given day, if he'll come back in one piece, at all.

Now, with Bill gone, her girlfriend's death, it's been chaos in Hammond's mind.

Seeing his brother's worry, Theodore pondered his choices, before saying, "If I tell you the truth, will that ease your concerns?"

Turning his head towards him with his brow raised, Hammond echoed, "The truth?"

Nodding, his wild hair bobbing, Theodore sighed heavily, before admitting, "Yes. I am dating someone."

Hammond's taken aback at this, miffed that his brother would keep this from him, asking Theodore why he never said anything before, and Theodore telling him, "I never knew when it was the right time."

He's been mulling telling his family for a while, now, but there was never an opportune time, the adventures, working, never a time to corral the family together to admit to them, that yes, Theodore Levy Smith, is dating someone.

Why is this news?

Two beating guesses why.

Be sure, Theodore had a date here and there, but nothing but that, a date, dinner and talking, nothing more.

It's difficult dating when, you're part alien, and the home world your father's from hates your guts because of it.

Can't even donate blood because of his nature.

However, things changed, for the better, Theodore thinks, and Hammond caught on that something did change with his brother that he didn't think anything of it.

Theodore seemed happier than he usually is, much of it dampened when their mother died, then their father's untimely death, that it surprised Hammond that Theodore emoted with joy, now, despite working at the library under his brother's watchful eyes.

"When?" Hammond wanted to know when this started and there's a smile on Theodore's face as he sat in his chair, his foot bobbing, as he estimated, "Oh, it must've been centuries at this point!"

Time flies when you're adventuring.

Tilting his head, Hammond asks him, "You mean you met someone during your adventures?"

Shaking his head, Theodore corrected him, but said he wasn't wrong when he said it's been centuries.

"What on earth are you talking about, little brother?" Hammond looked at his brother quizzically as he sees his brother beaming, before he heard, "Do you promise to listen, when I tell you?"

His brother's always been the sort for these shenanigans!

"Yes, I promise, little brother, get on with it, who is this mystery person that vexes you so?" Hammond gestured as he demanded his brother tell him the name of the person who he's dating.

His brother named them, "Lila."

It took a while for the answer to reach Hammond's head, but when it did, there's a quizzical look on his face, before he echoed, "Lila?"

Nodding, Theodore affirmed his answer.

Lila.

Their Lila.

Cogs turning in his brother's head, Theodore sees that the answer baffled Hammond, before he explained himself.

"I'm not a child, anymore, brother. I have my own life to lead," Theodore pointed out that while on Gallifrey, he's a teenager, here on Earth, he's an adult, he has the mental capabilities to make his own choices.

Pointing at him, Hammond goes, "When?"

Theodore shrugs as he tells his brother the timeline, "It started as dinners together, all the adventuring we've done, we'd go out to eat, and then…"

He trailed at the end, his brother leaning from his spot on the couch, looking at him as he showed his pearly whites.

"Well, come on then, we're not children, anymore," Hammond gestured as he wanted to know where this was going and Theodore told him that it cumulatively led to what happened in Japan.

Hearing how his brother was in Japan without his knowledge, Hammond raised his brow, until Theodore said they went on his birthday in the TARDIS, different universe to avoid anyone from seeing them here.

"Why haven't you told me sooner?" Hammond's surprised Theodore never once told him that he was dating Lila.

Looking at him, Theodore asked him, "What would you've said?"

Scoffing at his brother's hidden accusation, Hammond stated, "If she makes you happy, little brother, then I wouldn't said anything."

If anything, if it means Theodore stays out of trouble, Hammond would've overlooked the relationship.

Seeing his brother looking at him, Hammond then asks, "Is my nature the reason you never told me?"

His overbearing nature driven his brother to hide this momentum point in a person's life, out of fear of judgement, that Hammond wouldn't accept Lila as his little brother's girlfriend.

Theodore pointed out, "You're not the easiest to talk to about these things, you know."

Sighing at this jab, Hammond shakes his head as he readjusted himself in his spot, before telling Theodore, "I can be difficult, little brother, but I'd never make light of your private life."

Despite what Theodore may think of him, Hammond wouldn't dare dream of insulting his brother's private life.

True, he comes off strong, but Hammond comes from the right place, and Theodore's prone to getting himself into trouble.

However, there's things that Hammond would never broach without reason.

It's one of the few kindest things Hammond's ever said to him, that Theodore would've checked his pulse, had he believed this another one of Hammond's tricks.

Theodore uttered a genuine, "Thank you, brother."

Tilting his head, Hammond asked him, "Tell me about your little trip, little brother."

Checking the time, Theodore says that he's expecting Lila to get off work any moment, but Hammond tells him that David swung around the library, asked for her help, and she hadn't come back, yet.

"David?" Theodore blinked.

Nodding, Hammond affirmed that David showed up at the library, looking for Theodore, but when he learnt that it was Theodore's day-off, he went to the next person he knew.

Blinking, Theodore asks Hammond, "Why did he want with me?"

Shrugging, Hammond said he doesn't know, but he had to come up with something creative to explain away why Lila disappeared after lunch.

David promised that she'll be brought back to her flat within a timely matter, if she and Catherine don't kill him first.

"So, little brother, what of it?" Hammond then asked Theodore about his and Lila's trip to Japan.

TO BE CONTINUED…

"A Family Secret"