Chapter 1
Marjorie was working in the kitchen as Nita entered.
"They still haven't arrived?"
"No dear."
Nita sighed. "Leigh is never on time. She's so… disorganized."
Marjorie grinned. "Well, you know her."
There was a moment as Nita stared at her a beat… and this throwaway comment hung in the air between the odd pair of Marjorie and Nita who may each know Leigh but unlikely in the same way.
"I'm not looking forward to this… I wish they would come so it would begin and end sooner."
"I know what you mean, Nita."
"Unlikely."
"Last time my sister came over she wanted to know all about your travels…"
"You didn't tell her the truth?"
"No, I said you were in Europe."
The doorbell rang. Marjorie glanced at Nita. "What are you waiting for?"
Nita answered the door. Leigh and Keven stood on the landing. Keven was short and stocky, with brown hair and eyes. His wife Leigh was short and slim, with blonde curly hair.
Even though Nita saw them at the party the night before, she opened the door and greeted them with a big smile on her face. "Hi guys."
They came in the front door smiling at Nita.
"Nita!" Leigh beamed and unabashedly hugged her and reached up to kiss her cheek… Nita stiffened, glanced at Marjorie out of the corner of her eye… reluctantly leaned down to accept the kiss…
"You look good, Nita," said Keven.
They hugged.
"Lost a little weight, haven't you?"
"No."
"Sure you have. Looks good on you. Still working out at the hotel gyms I bet…"
"Come through to…"
Keven was already moving to Marjorie… friendly, outgoing- "Always good to see you, Mrs Llewcots." He shook her hand.
"Good to see you, Keven."
"We were both so happy for Nita when we heard she's getting married."
"Mrs Llewcotts, I never imagined Nita would be the next of our cohort to get married! She seemed more interested in travelling. Now it seems she'll have both!"
She laughed with Marjorie… Nita wanted out.
"Come through to the kitchen."
"Come on Kev… there's plenty of time to chat with family… Kev's so been looking forward to coming over…"
She took Nita's arm in hers… she stiffened. They headed for the kitchen…
"I want to hear about everything… the cruises, the flights… I've been following your travels in my altas at home…"
"We've been to so many places. I wouldn't be able to tell you all of it."
"I'm sure the Doctor could fill in the gaps…"
"You agreed not to annoy her, Kev. Besides, we came to see Nita. Not give her the third degree."
"Fine, Fine, Okay."
He led the way into the kitchen.
"Your hair's a little longer, isn't it, Nita?"
The Doctor walked up a dirt path, carrying the rucksack as he passed by a vineyard. He was looking around, drinking in the sights, sounds, and smells of his brother's home. He heard movement in the adjoining field… he stopped, looked… the sound stopped too… he started up again and the movement followed him. He cocked an eyebrow and moved to the field… "All right… whoever's there… I can hear you…"
The face of a seven year old boy revealed itself from his hiding place. It was a face of pure innocence and freckles.
"Good lord, a highwayman."
"A what?"
"A highwayman is a robber who attacks travelers, but to my knowledge, none have been reported in this vicinity for years."
"I'm not a robber."
"I am much relieved, sir."
They walked together…
"I know who you are."
"Then, you have the advantage."
"You're my nephew, the Doctor. You have a TARDIS."
"Then you must be my uncle David."
David laughed. "I'm not your uncle. It's the other way around."
"Too bad. I rather enjoyed the idea."
"Why have you been away so long?"
"Well, the universe keeps me very busy…"
"Father says you don't like it here."
"I'm sure you misunderstood…"
"No I didn't. He said so."
"Ah well, Irving and I… we… Perhaps it's time to change all that."
"You don't seem so… so arrow… arrow… you know…"
"Arrogant…"
"Yeah… arrogant… you don't seem that way to me. What does it mean anyway – "arrogant son-of-a…"
"Let's talk about it later, shall we?"
The house sat adjacent to a small vineyard. The house itself is made of stone and wood, and there was a noticeable lack of time-lord design or devices in the building and its surroundings. There was an aged historical plaque on the side of the house. The setting was rural, and looked much like a farmhouse in the French countryside would have looked in the 19th century. David ran down the path, ahead of the Doctor…
"He's here! He's here!"
After a few seconds, Samantha Braxiatel came out of the house. She was in her mid-forties, and was wearing a simple dress. Samantha was very happy to see the Doctor and she quickly went out to him. "Doctor!"
"Samantha…"
She gave him a warm hug and kiss and then looked him over. "It's so good to finally meet you. How are you feeling?"
The Doctor nodded. "Just fine."
That exchange came with the slightest tension.
"Well, Irving and I are delighted you've come to stay with us."
"I was just thinking that I really might be imposing… I could easily stay in the village…"
"I won't hear of it. It's your home too. It will always be your home."
The Doctor couldn't help glancing around at the house and grounds.
"Do things look that different?"
"No. In fact, the amazing thing is how little it has changed. Everything is exactly as I remember it… the hills, the house, every rock and stone looks untouched by the passage of time."
"Irving's worked hard to keep it that way. It's very important to him."
"Someday I'm going to fly a TARDIS!" cried David.
The Doctor grinned. "Even you, Uncle… you look so much like Irving when he was your age…" this was more to himself. "I half expect to see myself as a boy run out the door to play…"
"Irving can't wait to see you…"
"Yes. David already told me," the Doctor said dryly.
Samantha glanced at the boy worried what he might have said, but the Doctor made okay with an understanding grin… "Where is he?"
Irving was between two rows of grapevines, on his hands and knees. He was about sixty to eighty years older than the Doctor, and managed to appear dignified even as he scrabbled about in the dirt working on the vines with his hands. He devoted the same careful attention to detail in his work as his brother did flying his TARDIS. The Doctor walked down the row and stopped in front of him. Irving looked up and saw the Doctor, but remained on his knees. There was no animosity on his face, but no welcome either, just recognition. "So, you've arrived all right. Welcome home, Doctor."
The Doctor tried very hard to be warm and brotherly and anything but arrogant. "Hello, Irving."
"Did you fly out from the village?"
"No… I decided to walk. I met Samantha and David."
"Good… good."
They'd run out of things to say very quickly. The Doctor tried his best to take a forward step. "It's… good to see you."
But it came out as just another pleasantry.
Irving inclined his head toward the house. "Make yourself at home. You know where everything is… we eat at eight. I'll be in in a minute. I've got to save this poor, sick vine."
The Doctor nodded as Irving returned to work and after a beat, the Doctor headed back to the house. As he did, he took in his surroundings. In the foreground were fields of vineyards, punctuated by small farmhouses that reflected the architecture and design of the 19th century rather than that of the 20th century. On the horizon was the actual village of Labarre, a city whose roots stretched back for over a millennium. There was a feeling of old and new living side by side… the village itself was quite modern.