CHAPTER ELEVEN: IN ANOTHER TIME
The TARDIS was faulty at the best of times, but it was his own mistake that led to this particular outcome. Heart aching, TARDIS feeling empty, he'd wanted to see Remus again. And here he was.
Snowdonia, 1966. It was raining (as always, in Wales), and the sheep sheltered under spindly trees, and the little cottage on the hill must've had a leak through the thatch, because who had thatch in Wales? It was a recipe for disaster.
But the Doctor's gaze was focused on the little boy in the garden. He was sitting by an old stone wall, alone and staring out at the fields beyond the house. His eyes seemed to be watching the sky—perhaps they were catching on the ridges of mountains, tracing their dark outlines.
Slowly, the Doctor approached.
It was probably a mistake to do so. Remus would run, or something would change, or his parents would come out and call for the Doctor to be locked up (because what respectable old man wanders North Wales in the rain?).
But, "Hello," he said.
(He kept forgetting he was Scottish.)
The boy looked up. Already, there was a scar across the bridge of his nose, a hardness in his wide eyes. (He must already be a werewolf, then. So young.) "Hello." His Welsh accent was more pronounced now than it would be as he grew up. "Who are you?"
The Doctor struggled for words. Already, he felt sobs building in the back of his throat. "A friend," he settled with. "You should probably go indoors. It's raining, you know."
"Yes. I should. But I like it out here."
The Doctor made a face, looking up into the grey skies and unrelenting downpour. His coat was already soaked. "Couldn't think why."
"My mum says I shouldn't talk to strangers."
I'm not a stranger, he wanted to say. But he couldn't. Of course. "You should go inside," is all he said. "Don't want to catch a cold."
The boy shrugged but gave the Doctor a wary look as he walked slowly down the steep garden towards the back door of the cottage.
Standing at the edge of Remus Lupin's childhood garden, the Doctor looked up at the sky, giving a smile as he realised what had caught Remus's eye.
He hadn't been watching the mountains; Remus had been watching the stars.
Wow! That's the official end, but I'm considering adding some little deleted scenes that you readers might like.
It really helps me out if you let me know what you thought! Please drop a review!