Fancy meeting you all here. ;)
I hope the last chapter was a good read, for here's the next ready for you all!
XxXxXxXx
Chapter 38: The Shocking Surprise
Music played loudly while lights whizzed about. Laughter and merriment filled the air as the room buzzed with life. Women grinned from ear to ear as they danced with different giddy men. Children squealed in delight as they ran around everyone. Each child getting a sugar rush after eating the wedding cake. In the middle of it all was the Doctor and Wanda, doing a wild and funny jig together. Completely lost in their own world as they were simply enjoying the night together. And, of course, their dancing was the worst of the bunch.
"You're terrible!" Amy laughed at them as she came up to dance with the two. "That's terrible!"
"You're just jealous 'cause you can't handle these moves," Wanda replied sassily, winking as she and the Doctor began swinging their arms around over their heads. Completely off beat from the music that was currently playing. Amy only laughed more, holding her stomach as she could not handle the hilarious sight of the Time Lords' dancing. Rory joined in laughing with his wife, grabbing Amy to spin her around in delight. The Doctor did the same to Wanda. Each male grinned at each other as their lovers giggled in their arms.
Soon, Wanda and the Doctor managed to get the children involved with their silly dance. The children all giggled happily as they all enjoyed the dance greatly. And the children and guests really enjoyed it when Wanda got her violin out and began playing a jig for them all to dance to. Then, Wanda made the lot laugh even more when grabbing some cake and squishing it on the Doctor's face. He blinked in shock as the white icing covered his nose and cheeks. Wanda held her stomach as she and the children pointed and laughed. But then she squealed when the Doctor picked her up and pushed cake right into her face in retaliation. They both ended up chortling together, pressing their foreheads together as cake covered their faces.
Eventually, the night settled down. Many guests had left. All of the children were gone having been taken home by their parents. The music slowed down into gentle rhythms, making many couples, including the bride and groom, enjoy a slow dance together. Each holding the other close as they simply basked in the others' presence. And currently, the two Time Lord were also enjoying their own gentle dance together. They held onto each other so close with Wanda's arms wrapped around the Doctor's neck and his around her waist. Repeatedly, each of them would give the other a soft kiss. Letting themselves be eased in knowing they were each alive. Both together again.
"I have something to tell you," they suddenly both said at the same time. They pulled away to look at the other, blinking in surprise they had spoken together. The Doctor snorted while Wanda giggled, finding it amusing.
"Go ahead," she told him.
"You first," he countered, shaking his head. Wanda nodded, sucking in a deep breath, ready to tell him.
"Doctor . . .," she began, but was cut off as the white light began forming around her swiftly. The Doctor held a look of great disappointment while Wanda let out a frustrated huff as she was pulled away from him.
She stood still as she came into a dark, damp tunnel. With bar wired barricades and barriers placed here and there throughout the area. Much of the place appeared destroyed from whatever chaos had ensued earlier. The hum of the TARDIS alerted Wanda instantly, making her see the old girl was parked just in front of a massive pile of rubble. Gazing up the large wall of broken bricks and beams, it appeared to Wanda that the tunnel had collapsed at one point. Right in middle as if on purpose. Frowning for a moment, she began to wonder where she was as she started walking down the tunnel in search for the Doctor and companion. Which adventure were they on now? Nothing too serious she hoped.
Her steps halted when she came around a corner of the tunnel, seeing a group of people gathered around the edges of one of the two connecting tunnels. There was Martha, standing solemnly with her hands clasped together as she stared at the ground, crying silently. Donna sat on the ground, holding a comforting arm around a grieving Jenny. The blonde girl sobbed, leaning her head against her father's shoulder who sat on the ground with his knees up, elbows resting on his legs as he gripped his head. Unmoving, completely stiff in his deep welling sorrow was Ten. He did not give comfort to his daughter next to him. Nor to the others around him. He continued to only hole up within himself. Allowing no emotions to escape him as Wanda knew he would be afraid to let any out lest he break into pieces. Ten, always did like to keep things bottled up within. Never letting anyone see weakness in him. Even if he truly needed a moment to let it all out in his sorrow.
"Doctor?" Wanda called out to him, worried for him. It dawned on her quite quickly on what day this was for him. The day of her first death. The day First Wanda had jumped in front of both him and Jenny, saving them from being shot by Cobb. Wanda immediately wanted to go over and comfort him and the rest. To make certain he knew that she (First Wanda) was all right in the end. First Wanda had died happy. Happy in knowing she had finally saved a life on her own accord. Had not stood aside for once in her life and had actually done something. It had been one of the happiest moments in her life.
Ten looked up swiftly upon her call and feeling the Time Lord bond reaching him. Feeling the deep connection he shared with Wanda establish, which gave him a blanket of warmth and love wrap comfortably around his very being. He stared at the blonde Time Lady in awe, taking in the sight of her in a light green dress that swayed like petals around her knees and maroon overcoat worn over the gown. All he could think of how beautiful of a sight she was. A sight he thought he might never see again. He jumped up from the ground in a rush, running down the tunnel at full sprint. Wanda ran as well, meeting him in the middle. They embraced the instant they came into contact, holding the other as close as heavenly possible as each held their faces buried from sight. The Doctor pressed his into Wanda's hair while she snuggled her face into his chest.
"Alive. You're alive," the Doctor laughed, elated to the highest extent. He pulled back, holding her by the arms as he gazed urgently at her. "What happened? Where did you go? Did I get to you in time?"
"I jumped away into your future," Wanda assured him, smiling warmly. "Don't worry, you find me just in time. Right in the TARDIS, in fact." He let out a breath of relief, embracing her once again as he felt his hearts screaming in bliss in knowing she would live. Though . . .
"I'm sorry. I let your First self die on my account," he whispered remorsefully into her ear. "I could have stopped it. I could have let her live for another year. Another decade. Another century. I could have given her a better life than—."
"Shush you. You gave her the best life. What happened was not your fault. It's never your fault. Remember that." Wanda kissed his cheek, stepping away as she beamed when seeing Martha, Donna, and Jenny coming over to them. "Hello! Good to see your beautiful faces again!"
"Good to see you, too," Martha laughed, instantly giving Wanda a large hug.
"You scared the living daylights out of us," Donna said next, hugging the blonde Time Lady as well. Though not before slapping Wanda on the arm, showing the girl just how worried the red head had been.
"I don't understand. This is Wanda?" Jenny spoke up in question, appearing very confused on why everyone was suddenly happy when the chestnut and hazel-eyed young Wanda died only moments ago. She stared the current short, blonde and emerald-eyed Wanda, trying to see what connection both her and the other Wanda had. "You're Wanda?"
"Yep!" Wanda replied merrily, bouncing up to the other blonde. "I'm Wanda. Third face." She tapped her face with both hands as she grinned. "I'm constantly changing on everyone. Could change again the next time we see each other. So don't be surprised when you meet me again when I'm recently regenerated into my Second self, and she's all naïve and oblivious. I mean, ridiculously oblivious. I'd give her a few good slaps for being an idiot if I could. But I can't, so you can do it for me. Then make the Doctor do it as well 'cause god knows that incarnation needs it. And look at you!" Wanda suddenly grabbed Jenny by the chin, taking in the girl's appearance. "You're so young! The youngest I've seen you in a long time. Then of course—." The rest of Wanda's words were muffled as the Doctor hurriedly slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Yeah, this is Third Wanda. You get used to her rambles. And shortness," the Doctor said cheekily, holding a foxy grin as he felt Wanda jab him in the side for being rude again. He did not care if she punched him, slapped him, or anything else. All he cared about was being at peace in hearing her happy rapid talking once more. Another thing he thought he might never experience again.
"Haha. Funny," Wanda retorted, sticking her tongue out at the chortling Doctor while Martha and Donna snickered behind their hands. Jenny continued to blink as she was trying to let her mind settle in understanding not only the strange appearance of the blonde, but of everything the girl had rambled as well.
"So . . . you lived?" Jenny asked Wanda cautiously, still uncertain. She had seen the blood. Seen the chestnut girl get shot by Cobb and practically die within the Doctor's arms. How could she have lived from that?
"I lived," Wanda nodded, smiling in reassurance.
Jenny held a sad gaze as she stared at the shorter blonde. "But the other Wanda still died. She was still shot, and she died."
Wanda nodded, smiling softly as she knew how tough it was for Jenny to have experienced that. "Yes. She still died. But she's still in me in some ways. Young Wanda is always in here." She tapped at her head, holding a small grin.
Jenny nodded, understanding what she meant. "Can I still call you mum?"
"Of course you can! I'm your mum as long as you want me to be." Wanda gave the girl a warm hug, giggling along with Jenny as they both felt happy in their meeting again. They pulled back, allowing Wanda to reach deep into one of her pockets on her overcoat. "Here. Got you something. Been saving it just for this day." She handed Jenny the two heart-shaped lockets. "One is for you and the other for me when the time comes. You'll know when."
Jenny stared at the two lockets in hand, trying to think of what they meant. "But what are they?"
"They're telepathic necklaces." Wanda opened one to allow Jenny to see the reflective mirror on the inside. "They allow the users to send messages back and forth to each other. No matter where or when they may be." She pulled out her own locket to show. "I have my own. Got it from you years ago. This way, we'll always be able to keep in touch." Wanda smiled in delight at the happy grin on Jenny's face as she held the lockets close to her chest in joy and gave the Time Lady another hug.
"Why would you two need a way to keep in touch?" Donna suddenly asked curiously, breaking the silence she and the other two had in quietly, joyfully, watching the happy scene between Jenny and Wanda. "Jenny's always going to be around now that she's travelling with us." Jenny and Wanda stepped away, glancing at the other three.
Jenny looked at Wanda, seeing the small smile of understanding on the Time Lady's face. The girl smiled, realizing that the Time Lady had already known what she had been planning. The idea had popped into her mind the moment she had watched her dad angrily take the gun from Cobb, pointing it at the man's head for a dreadful, vengeful, second before tossing the weapon aside and claiming this world to be a place that never would. Never would a man hurt another, just for the sake of vengeance or otherwise. A place of peace, of new life. Just as the terraforming had done for this planet.
"Actually, I'm staying behind," Jenny told them. The other three blinked in shock while Wanda smiled warmly. "Someone needs to stay here and make certain this lot doesn't end up creating another war." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder towards the direction where the rest of the humans and Hath were waiting. Lowering her hand, she smiled at the Doctor, holding herself up straight in a form of respect. "I want to make this a society that you can be proud of. And in the memory of mum . . .," she glanced at the blonde Wanda beside her, rethinking on her words, "for First mum. For the Wanda who died making sure that there would always be life here. Not death." Gazing upon his daughter for a moment, the Doctor grew a warm smile, feeling prouder of Jenny every moment.
"Are you sure you want to stay? We can always travel for just a bit and then pop right back," the Doctor offered, still wishing to take his daughter out on fantastic journeys in the TARDIS.
"Maybe sometime in the future. But for now, I think this new world needs someone with a bit of Doctor, and a bit of Wanderer, in them." Jenny grinned, feeling proud of herself. Excited in getting started on creating this world anew for both human and Hath alike.
Soon, everyone was giving Jenny a hug goodbye as they stepped back into the TARDIS to head back to Martha's time, ready to drop her off back at her home. Though not before both the Doctor and Wanda promised they would be seeing Jenny again in the future. Many visits were ahead for them that was certain. Then, once Martha was dropped off outside her home, the Doctor, Wanda, and Donna ahead off once again. Ready for the next adventure.
Before they knew it, the Doctor was standing outside of the TARDIS, waiting for Donna and Wanda to get dressed as he watched the guests showing up to the party at the country estate of the 1920s they had arrived to. Hidden by trees, none of the human guests noticed the blue TARDIS parked just within the grounds of the estate. Truth be told, the Doctor was not in the mood to go out partying and such. All he wanted was to remain within the TARDIS, spend a nice quiet day with Wanda, and made . . . cook her a nice dinner. Maybe . . . finally get around to ask her . . .
He thumbed a small object absently within the pocket of his brown pinstripe suit. Not that long ago he had been so close to asking Second Wanda his desperate question. But, of course, the universe had other plans and took her away before he had a chance. Then, seeing First Wanda practically die within his arms . . . it reminded him just how fragile time could be for them. Any moment, either one of them could be gone forever. This meant that he could not waste time in contemplating whether or not he should ask her. He should just do it now before anything else might happen. Besides . . . when he had asked her why she had been wearing that green dress when she had arrived, she had said something about . . . having come from a wedding. Could it have been their . . . Nah, could have been something else. In fact, he was certain she mentioned a companion's wedding at one point.
"We'll be late for cocktails!" the Doctor suddenly yelled, banging on the TARDIS doors as he wanted Donna and Wanda to hurry. He knew how long the two of them could take. Especially when together, the two would constantly giggle away in deciding what sort of clothes to wear.
The door creaked open, allowing him to see Donna step out. She wore a very lovely brown dress with beaded designs decorating it. With a beaded headband on her head to help keep her hair up in a bun, a long dangling necklace that swung with every movement, and small purse swinging around her wrist. Small high heel shoes to match it all. Donna did a little pose for the Doctor, eager for approval of her choice in outfit. Wanda had insisted that she looked fine, but Donna wanted an opinion from another before she deemed the outfit worthy enough for the day.
"What do you think—flapper or slapper?" Donna asked the Doctor. The Time Lord grinned merrily.
"Flapper. You look lovely," he complimented her sincerely. Glancing over her shoulder when he noticed a peek of blonde come around Donna's shoulder. He beamed upon the sight of Wanda. She wore a yellow, almost golden, dress with many dangling beads that were placed in layers on the dress. She had on a simple headband as Donna's, only golden with a white feather sticking out on top that lay against her ash blonde hair. Hair that she had placed up into a fitted bun to match Donna's and make it appear as though she had short hair instead of long. Then, to top it all off, she had golden high heels as well.
"Like it?" Wanda asked excitedly, spinning around to show off her look to both the Doctor and Donna. "Look! It bounces!" She pointed at the many dangling beads on her dress. "Every time I move, it jiggles everywhere!" She began bouncing, making the beads clicking in noise and sway in small flashes. She giggled in her giddiness, twirling her small purse around on her wrist.
"You look magnificent," the Doctor told her gently as he held a warm smile on his face. Loving her more every second. "Gorgeous."
"Not as gorgeous as you, Spaceman," Wanda replied, winking slyly at him.
"Oh, and there's the flirting. Always with the flirting the both of you," Donna remarked, rolling her eyes playfully as she held a fond smile on her face. She and Wanda giggled as the Doctor smiled and held out his arms for the two of them, allowing the women to link their arms with his and walk happily towards the garden party.
They arrived into the garden just as music began playing from a golden phonograph. A long table decorated in fancy white tablecloth with an arrangement of food and drinks on top had been placed into the shade of a tree. Different smaller tables were placed around with wicker chairs arranged for sitting in the bright sunlight of the lovely day. One of the young footmen came up to the trio as soon as they were spotted, offering them refreshments. Donna asked for a Sidecar, the Doctor a lime and soda, and Wanda simply some juice. Some . . . apple juice. She was really starting to carve apple juice for some reason.
Or, well, she knew the reason. She has just yet to tell anyone (save for River and Astrid) about it. Glancing nervously at the Doctor, she wondered if she should tell him now. She had promised herself she would tell him as soon as they met again. And this would be the right Doctor to tell. Not too soon for him in his timeline to know. But still . . . when would it be the appropriate time to tell?
When the server had left, the trio turned when a butler announced the arrival of Lady Clemency Eddison. She was an older woman, possibly in her late fifties or early sixties, wearing a very lovely blue dress. She walked up to the trio, staring at them all curiously as if wondering who exactly they were.
"Lady Eddison," the Doctor said enthusiastically as if greeting an old friend. He clapped their hands together the moment Lady Eddison walked closer to them, shaking her hand graciously.
"Forgive me, but who exactly might you be and what are you doing here?" she asked them, giving one of them a once-over look, trying to piece together where she had seen them before.
"I'm the Doctor," greeted the Time Lord. He waved a hand to Donna. "This is Miss Donna Noble, of the Chiswick Nobles. And this is Miss Wanda, my wi—uh . . . my partner." He cleared his throat quietly, looking away as though he wished to call Wanda something else but thought better of it. Wanda smiled lightly, knowing he had wanted to say 'my wife.'
"Good afternoon, Milady," Donna greeted as well with a very genteel voice. "Topping day, what? Spiffing. Top hole." The Doctor grimaced at Donna's way of trying to fit in with the era, leaning in close to whisper into her ear.
"No, no, no, no, no, no. Don't do that," he told her in a hushed tone. Donna opened her mouth to say something else, but he shook his head. "Don't." Donna ended up pouting at him while Wanda giggled under her breath. The Doctor ended up pleasing Lady Eddison by showing her the fake invitation from the psychic paper, telling her that they had all met at an ambassador's reception. The woman smiled, seeming satisfied with this answer. Though she still did not recognize them, she played along as she did not wish to be seen as a fool in not remembering someone she had met.
"Doctor, how could I forget you?" Lady Eddison replied kindly. "But one must be sure with the Unicorn on the loose." The Doctor's eyes sparked up with great interest.
"A unicorn? Brilliant. Where?" he responded, looking around as in hopes to spot the mythical white horse somewhere nearby. Wanda giggled even more as Lady Eddison and Donna looked at him in disbelief.
"She's talking about a thief, sweetie," Wanda told the Doctor, patting his arm lightly. She smiled lightly at Lady Eddison. "Don't mind him. He has his head in the clouds." The Doctor pouted while Donna snickered. Lady Eddison nodded, smiling as well as she continued to explain.
"The Unicorn. The jewel thief," Lady Eddison told them. "Nobody knows who he is."
"Or she," Wanda whispered under her breath, making it so the only the Doctor heard her.
"He's just struck again," Lady Eddison went on as she walked up to the table with the food. She picked up a drink as they stayed close beside her, eager to hear what she had to say about this mysterious Unicorn thief. "Snatched Lady Babbington's pearls right from under her nose."
"Funny place to wear pearls," Donna muttered quietly. The server from earlier arrived just then, handing each of the trio the drinks they had ordered. Donna and the Doctor sipped on their drinks lightly while Wanda downed her juice in an instant. Dang was she thirsty.
She walked over to the serving table, looking for something else to drink or munch on. Leaning on the table slightly, she grabbed a hand full of grapes from a plate and began eating them while she observed the party slowly grow in the number of guests. First, it was the arrival of Colonel Hugh Curbishely, husband to Lady Eddison, being pushed out to the lawn in his wheelchair by his and Lady Eddison's son, Roger Curbishely. Wanda eyed the two, knowing that the Colonel was only faking his illness in the wheelchair. And when seeing the way Roger stare at Davenport, one of the other footmen of the party, she knew who Roger really loved. Then next arrived Robina Redmond. A high-class woman by the way she presented herself which Lady Eddison took a liking too immediately. But Wanda knew better in who this Redmond woman truly was. Though, that was something for the others to discover for themselves later. The same went for the next guest to show up, the Reverend Arnold Golightly. Wanda hummed as she popped another grape into her mouth, chewing at it in thought. Should she warn them all now? Or . . .
Humming again, she closed her eyes as she let the possibilities flow through her mind. A sharp headache formed immediately, but she ignored it as she pressed on, knowing she needed to be prepared for whatever happened. Sadly, it seemed many events could not change for the day. However, there was one thing that she saw she could avert, so the day might not be as devastating as it might become.
"Careful."
Wanda gasped as she suddenly snapped back into focus on the world around her. Her knees grew weak, making her wobble on her feet and practically fall into the Doctor who stood beside her. He held her steadily, holding a stern gaze.
"Don't push yourself in always looking ahead," he warned her. "You know what it does to you."
"What, I can't just take a sneak peek and make certain that I can keep people alive?" Wanda scoffed, shaking her head.
"Sometimes people die. There's nothing you can change about that," the Doctor countered, shaking his head in disproval. "Don't place yourself into harm just for their sake."
Wanda gave a pout, feeling like a child being scolded by their parent. "I can try, can't I? And I haven't reached my limit yet, so why are you so concerned?"
"You're about to reach your limit for the day. Look at your hands." He lifted up her hand, letting her see it trembling. Something that stunned her to see.
She did not even notice that she had become that weak. Of course, she had become so used to the after-effects of the possibilities over the years that she barely noticed them anymore. Perhaps he was right and she did push herself far too often. She needed to take better care of her body. Especially now with the baby on the way. It had been years since her last seizure. What would happen if she had another while pregnant?
"You're right. I'm sorry. I'll be more careful, I promise," Wanda assured him. She took his hand in hers, giving it a kiss. She smiled at him, glad to see the eased expression on his face, letting the worriment melt away in hearing her promise. He truly had been anxious by her use of abilities. She kissed his cheek, beaming as she entangled their fingers together. "Now, come on. Time to meet the guest of honour. You're going to love meeting her."
"Meeting who?" he questioned curiously, raising a brow in interest.
"You'll see," Wanda replied, winking playfully as she pulled him back over to where Donna was standing.
"Here she is—the lady who needs no introduction," Lady Eddison suddenly announced in excitement. She pointed to the new arrival who walked steadily towards them. It was a woman with short blonde hair, wearing a very beautiful blue dress with golden designs. She smiled modestly at the group as all the other guests clapped in delight upon her arriving to the party.
"Oh, no, no. Please. Don't," the woman said to the large group, smiling lightly, clearly embarrassed by all the attention. "Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need." The woman came up closer to the group, looking at Donna first. She held out her hand politely to introduce herself to the companion. "Agatha Christie." Donna blinked, dully shaking the woman's hand. The Doctor's jaw dropped, stunned by the woman.
"What about her?" Donna asked curiously. Agatha smiled lightly, glad to meet someone who did not know her right away.
"That's me," she told Donna. The companion's face dropped in surprise, matching the Doctor's expression.
"No!" Donna exclaimed in astonishment. "You're kidding."
"Agatha Christie!" the Doctor said merrily, quickly grabbing the famous author's hand and shaking it enthusiastically. "I was just talking about you the other day. I said, 'I bet she's brilliant.' I'm the Doctor." He let go of Agatha's hand, nodding to the two others beside him. "This is Wanda and Donna." He then beamed, going right back into his delight in meeting the author. "Oh! I love your stuff. What a mind. You fool me every time—well, almost every time. Well, once or twice. Well, once. But it was a good once." He continued to hold his eager grin after he was done rambling. Agatha smiled, amused by the overly excited Doctor.
"It truly is a honoured delight to meet you, ma'am," Wanda said politely to Agatha, shaking the woman's hand as well. "I think all your works are great. They always keep me hooked with every page." The Time Lady beamed, bouncing lightly on her feet in giddiness. It was always a joy for her to meet a historical figure of the past. Or even future. Though, meeting those of the past has always been more exciting for Wanda than anything else. Agatha glanced down when Wanda stepped back, seeing the way the young blonde and the Doctor kept their clasped hands together the entire time of introduction.
"You make a rather unusual couple," Agatha remarked to the two Time Lords, staring at the two curiously. The Doctor and Wanda glanced at each other, grinning lightly as each felt pleased.
"I think we do make an unusual couple," Wanda agreed. "Though, sometimes the best relationship is an atypical one." Agatha nodded in agreement, glancing down again at their hands.
"Although, no wedding rings I see," she commented.
"Not yet," the Doctor replied almost immediately. As though wanting to correct the mistake in there being no rings for him and his Wanderer. Wanda peeked at him in the corner of her eye when she felt him give her hand a squeeze. She saw the hopeful look in his eye, making her smile warmly and lean more into him. She had to wonder again about when exactly he learned of their future marriage. Was it coming up soon for him, or did he already know?
"I'd stay that way, if I were you," Agatha added. "The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture." Lady Eddison came up to Agatha then, eager to talk with the woman.
"Mrs. Christie, I'm so glad you could come," said Lady Eddison, placing an arm around the author to steer her towards the rest of the party. "I'm one of your greatest followers. I've read all six of your books." Lady Eddison then began glancing around, realizing that the party was missing a guest. "Uh, is, uh, Mr. Christie not joining us?" Agatha halted, turning around to stare at Lady Eddison, appearing offended by this remark and held a strained smile.
"Is he needed? Can't a woman make her own way in the world?" Agatha countered.
"Don't give my wife ideas," chortled the Colonel. Everyone then began asking Agatha questions on her books, making jokes and laughing heartedly. Wanda stopped paying attention as she saw the Doctor eyeing the newspaper on the Colonel's lap.
"The date is December 8, 1926," Wanda told the Doctor quietly. He blinked as he looked at Wanda, raising a brow. Wanda nodded carefully as she knew what he was thinking. Donna scooted closer to them, wondering why they were acting so strange about the date.
"What about the date?" asked the companion.
"It's the day Agatha Christie disappeared," the Doctor muttered to Donna, keeping his voice low so that other party guests would not overhear them. The trio gazed cautiously at the laughing Agatha Christie, seeing how strained her smile was and the way she talked with the other guests of the party. "She'd just discovered her husband was having an affair."
"You'd never think, to look at her, smiling away," Donna replied, her voice hushed.
"Well, she's British and moneyed," the Doctor said, shrugging lightly.
"She carries on," Wanda sighed, eyeing the woman in sympathy, wishing there was more they could do to ease her pain. How terrible it must feel to find out someone one loved, ended up loving another. Sure, Wanda had thought the same about the Doctor a while back, but . . . that had been something expected. Not something unexpected and to find out he was cheating, lying behind her back.
"Except for this one time," the Doctor continued to explain to Donna in a whisper. "No one knows exactly what happened. She just vanished. Her car will be found tomorrow morning by the side of a lake. Ten days later, Agatha Christie turns up in a hotel in Harrogate. Said she'd lost her memory. She never spoke about the disappearance till the day she died. But whatever it was . . ."
"It's about to happen," Donna finished for him. Sighing heavily, Wanda looked over to the manor of Lady Eddison and her family.
"It's happening right now, in fact," she told the other two as she spotted the maid, Miss Chandrakala, running out of the house. The same maid Lady Eddison had sent in earlier to go fetch the last guest, Professor Peach, from the library.
The entire party froze as Miss Chandrakala yelled frantically to everyone. Exclaiming there had been a murder in the library. The murder of Professor Peach. Everyone around sort of glanced at each other while the Doctor and Wanda ran off instantly, ready to investigate what had occurred. The others of the party soon followed in suite, quick to see if what the housekeeper was frightened of were true.
The Doctor entered the small library first, rushing over to the dead body of Professor Peach and placing his glasses on as he began to examine the scene. Wanda and Donna came into the room shortly after, crouching down next to the Doctor to check over the dead man as well. The house butler and Agatha soon arrived to join the trio. All could clearly see the open gash on the Professor's bald head with the pipe that killed him lying just in front of him. The Doctor concluded this was the weapon that killed him and announced the time of death based on the broken watch on the man's wrist. He then went to the study desk of the library, checking over the many papers scattered about on the surface.
In the corner of his eye, he saw Agatha discreetly scoot over to the fireplace of the room and pick up a small piece of paper from the dying fire, hiding it away in her pocket without anyone else noticing. Sharing a look with Wanda, the blonde nodded at him, letting him know she had seen as well. Donna got up from the floor, walking over to the Doctor as he continued looking over the papers on the desk.
"Hold on. The body in the library? I mean . . . Professor Peach, in the library, with the lead piping?" Donna whispered to the Time Lord. He raised his brows, knowing very well how strange the whole scene was as well. But before he could comment on the situation, the others from the party soon arrived, pushing their way into the library to see what had occurred. Each exclaimed in horror and disbelief in their own way upon the unnerving sight. Wanda stood up from her crouch next to the dead man, scooting over to stand beside the Doctor and Donna.
"Someone should call the police," Agatha suggested upon everyone's obvious distraught of the situation at hand. The Doctor quickly moved away from the desk, pulling out his psychic paper.
"You don't have to. Chief Inspector Smith from Scotland Yard, known as 'The Doctor,'" he said with full authority to the group, holding out the psychic paper for all to see. He then placed the paper back into his jacket pocket, giving a quick nod to Donna and Wanda. "Miss Noble is the plucky young girl who helps me out, and Wanda is—."
"His right hand," Wanda explained over him, holding her own stature of authority as she gazed steadily upon all those around. "I'm the one who does all the paperwork and makes certain that the Doctor stays on track in all of his cases. Basically, I'm his secretary."
The Doctor held a small pout for a second, wishing he could have gotten a chance to say 'his wife,' but then thought better of it. Maybe Wanda would not have liked him calling her that when they were not even married. And . . . would she not like that term at all? Even if it were real or not? Does she . . . think about marriage? Or does she simply wish to keep their relationship strictly partner based? No . . . no, that could not be it. He remembered her mentioning to him about a 'husband' before. And then there were other occasions that she . . . He shook his head lightly, clearing his mind as he knew he needed to focus.
"Mrs. Christie was right," continued the Doctor. "Go into the sitting room. I will question each of you in turn." He, Donna, and Wanda watched as Agatha guided the group out, ready to do as the Doctor said. As soon as the rest were out of earshot, Donna stormed over to the Time Lord in annoyance as he lay on his stomach on the floor, observing for any other evidence he might have missed.
"'The plucky young girl who helps me out'?" Donna huffed, gritting her teeth together in frustration to being called such a title. "Why couldn't I just be a secretary like Wanda?"
"No policewomen in 1926," explained the Doctor as he eyed the floor. "And I didn't really think about giving you secretary status."
"Sorry, Donna, that was my fault. Should have been the plucky girl instead," Wanda said, shrugging lightly in apology. She did not wish to have Donna feel offended or that she was deemed to have a lower title in their group.
"Well, he was the one who said it," Donna retorted, rolling her eyes at the frustrating Time Lord. "Why don't we phone the real police?"
"Well, the last thing we want is P.C. Plod sticking his nose in," the Doctor began explaining as he pulled out an old-fashioned calligraphy pen from his pocket and scrapped up some yellow goo from the wooden floor by the dead body of Professor Peach, "especially now that I've found this." He stood up from the ground, showing the two women what he found. "Morphic residue."
"'Morphic'?" Donna pondered as she examined the yellow substance closely. "Doesn't sound very 1926."
"Because it isn't," Wanda mumbled as she examined the goo as well. "That substance doesn't belong here at all."
"Gets left behind when certain species genetically re-encode," stated the Doctor. Donna looked at the Doctor, then at Wanda, then at the dead body, all with the expression of disbelief.
"The murderer's an alien?" she said, sounding almost unfazed by this. Of course, there would be an alien murderer afoot. What else would it be in the strange life they had.
"Which means one of that lot is an alien in human form," nodded the Doctor as he glanced over his shoulder towards the door.
"Yeah, but think about it—there's a murder, a mystery, and Agatha Christie," Donna pointed out, trying to indicate towards their very strange and bizarre turn of events.
"So?" the Doctor responded as he began sniffing the yellow goo on the pen he held. "Happens to us all the time."
"Yeah, happens to us plenty of times," Wanda said sarcastically. "Just like meeting Charles Dickens on Christmas with ghosts around." Seeing Donna's stunned expression, Wanda held a small grin. "Yeah, that actually happened for us."
"No," Donna said in shock, mouth dropping slightly in her disbelief. "Now you're telling me we can drive across country and find Enid Blyton having tea with Noddy. Could we? Noddy's not real, is he? Tell me there's no Noddy." The Doctor rolled his eyes as he placed the pen and his glasses back into his suit jacket.
"There's no Noddy," he confirmed to the eager companion. Wanda snorted behind her hand, smirking.
"That's what you know, Spaceman," she teased the Doctor under her breath. The Time Lord raised a brow at her while she winked knowingly back.
They left the room quickly, running in Agatha again who had been waiting just outside the library for them. With quick instruction from the Doctor, Donna ended up going upstairs in search for more clues while the Time Lord, Agatha, and Wanda went to question the guests. Wanda did not wish to do any questioning as she would much rather keep busy and help Donna. But the Doctor practically dragged her to the sitting room, so she had no real choice in the matter. Besides, she realized that she might be able to help the Doctor deduce who had really done it sooner if she were to help.
The Doctor and Agatha sat close to the people they questioned while Wanda stayed in the back, in the shadows and out of the way. She gazed upon each person carefully as they were asked where they had been, what they had been doing, and so forth. Each giving very brief statements as to what they had been up to. And each one, Wanda would give the Doctor a message on what was truly going on.
First, there was the Reverend Golightly, explaining he was unpacking in his room.
He's telling the truth. Wanda said quietly to the Doctor. For the most part, anyway. She did not give away anything more than that as she knew it would be spoilers.
Then came the son Roger, telling them how he had been strolling behind the house, mulling things over in life.
He was strolling with Davenport. Wanda responded after Roger had left. Cute couple. Wish they lived in better times so they could actually be together.
One day, they will. the Doctor replied, nodding his head to this.
Next was Redmond, sitting very relaxed in her seat as she explained her business of using the toilet and preparing herself in her excitement of being at the party.
Well . . . she's not lying there. She was preparing herself and she is very excited about being here. Wanda said lightly, shrugging her shoulders when seeing the raised brow of the Doctor. You'll understand why she's excited soon enough.
The Colonel was questioned right after Redmond. The man explained how he had been in his study, reading through military memoirs.
He's lying. He was actually looking through some . . . ah . . .interesting pictures. Wanda snickered within the Doctor's mind as she recalled what the Colonel was looking through. Let's just say, it has nothing to do with military life. But he's harmless all the same.
Right. The Doctor nodded, dismissing the Colonel right after this. Though, not before glancing at Wanda and wondering what the Colonel had been looking through that would make the Time Lady snicker like that.
Lastly, Lady Eddison was made to recall upon her having tea right before the party. She then rambled on in step by step accounts of each guest that she met during the party. The Doctor stopped her before she went much further, knowing all of this all ready. He let the woman leave after this, knowing he had enough of her account. He then glanced at the quiet Wanda, raising a brow.
She didn't have tea per say. But she was in the Blue room all by herself. Just lounging as she had said. Wanda told the questioning Doctor.
Okay. Cross her off the list, then. the Doctor noted in a mumble. His brows furrowed as he wondered over the rest. Any sneak peeks you want to share?
By being here and telling you all of this is sneak peek enough. You're on your own for the rest of the mystery. Wanda replied, shaking her head in apology for not being of much more help.
The Doctor hummed, stuffing his hands into his pockets in thought. On a scale, how bad is everything going to get?
Umm . . . I'd say about a six for others. But only about a three for us.
"Excuse me. But are we simply going to sit here and stare at each other for the rest of the night?" Agatha suddenly spoke up, earning the attention of the two Time Lords. She stared at them curiously, seeming at a loss as to why exactly both were nodding and humming towards each other. As if having a private conversation of sorts.
"Right. Sorry," the Doctor said, getting up from the chair he had been leaning on as he began to pace in thought. Agatha joined him in pacing as she too began to ponder deeply upon what they have learned from the questionings.
"No alibis for any of them," Agatha stated out loud in thought. "The secret adversary remains hidden. We must look for a motive. Use the little gray cells." The Doctor turned to look at Agatha, nodding in agreement as he smiled in the phrase she had used.
"Oh, yes. 'Little gray cells,' good old Poirot," he remarked as he walked over to the chair across from where the females were, sitting down with a flop. He laid his hands on his stomach as he leaned back and stared up at the ceiling in remembrance. "You know, I've been to Belgium. Yeah. I remember. I was deep in the Ardennes, trying to find Charlemagne. He'd been kidnapped by an insane computer." The rest of his words trailed off he as was lost deep in thought to the past adventure he had. Wanda rolled her eyes as he lost focus to their current predicament. Standing up from the small sofa she had been sitting on, she walked over to him and gave him a quick slap to the back of the head.
"Snap out of it, Spaceman," she scolded him lightly. He sniffed as he sat straighter in his seat.
"Sorry," he muttered, glancing at Wanda. "You were there, too, you know."
"Not yet, sweetie," Wanda countered shaking her head. All the while, across from them Agatha became very lost by the Doctor's strange stories and their unusual codes in talking. Such an odd couple they were.
"Charlemagne lived centuries ago," Agatha noted to the Time Lords.
"I've got a very good memory," countered the Doctor smugly. Agatha held a knowing grin as she stared at him.
"For such an experienced detective, you missed a big clue," she remarked, seeming ready to finally show him the piece of scrap paper she had found.
"What, that bit of paper you nicked out of the fire?" responded the Doctor, holding a cheeky grin as he knew he got her. Agatha was impressed, to say the least, when he noted he had seen her reflection in a bookcase of picking up the clue from the library. Jumping up from his seat when Agatha pulled out the evidence piece, both he and Wanda walked over to examine the piece of burnt paper. Only one word remained on it. 'Maiden.'
"Maiden!" the Doctor exclaimed as though he suddenly knew exactly what he had been looking for. His sudden outburst made Agatha jump slightly. Though Wanda was unfazed as she had become used to his outbursts over the years. Then the Doctor seemed to realize that he had no clue what 'Maiden' meant even through his exclamation. "What does that mean?"
"Could mean 'Maiden name,'" Wanda commented casually, shrugging somewhat. She glanced at Agatha and the Doctor, seeing how the woman shook her head lightly from this idea while the Time Lord hummed as he stared at the ceiling in thought. Sighing, Wanda then looked at the doorway. "We should probably go check up on Donna."
"Yes, we should. Miss Noble might have found something by now," Agatha agreed, beginning to make her way towards the door. They all were startled when they heard the screaming of Donna. The woman sounding frantic as she shouted for the Doctor and Wanda. All three of them rushed out of the room, running upstairs as fast as they could towards where Donna would be. They found her panicking outside a room, staring at them with wide eyes.
"It's a giant wasp," she gasped in fright.
"What do you mean, a giant wasp?" questioned the Doctor, confused by why Donna would be scared of a little old wasp.
"I mean a wasp that's giant," Donna elaborated, frantic in getting them to understand what she had just fought against in the room next to them. Agatha rolled her eyes.
"It's only a silly little insect," she dismissed, unbelieving to Donna's dismay.
It was Donna next who rolled her eyes. "When I say 'giant,' I don't mean big, I mean flippin' enormous!"
"She's right. Just look at that stinger," Wanda spoke up, gaining their attention. She was crouched down by the door, observing the large black barb that was sticking out from the wood. Clearly, something had rammed right into the door and through it. Purely on intent to harm Donna.
Standing up, Wanda opened the door to reveal a now empty room. The group walked in, observing the scene of the old dusty window being smashed in from the outside. Glass scattered around everywhere upon the old wooden floor of the room. Everything within had a fine layer of dust on it. With cobwebs attached to many chairs, lamps, and desks. A raggedy teddy bear at on the creaking bed in the middle of the room. Unloved in so long. After taking in the room, with quick work the Doctor took a few samples from the stinger. Most yellow goo leaking from the barb stuck in the door. He began rambling on about sort of galactic insect it could be. None which were usually within this part of the galaxy. Donna added in that the wasp had to be defenseless now without its sting, but the Doctor concluded that a creature that size would easily grow a new one.
"Can we return to sanity?" Agatha said, frustrated by their rambling on in such silly notions and topics. What madness were they on about? "There are no such things as giant wasps."
"Exactly," the Doctor nodded as if agreeing. Though, in the end, he was merely rambling on more. "So the question is, what's it doing here?"
XxXxXxXx
The next victim ended up being poor Miss Chandrakala. The housekeeper had been outside when it occurred. The giant wasp pushed over a large gargoyle statue, crushing the woman to death. The Doctor, Donna, Agatha, and Wanda had all heard the thud from within the house as they had been walking downstairs. After running outside, seeing Miss Chandrakala on the ground, pinned by the now broken statue, they crouched next to her as the housekeeper whispered her final words, 'the poor little child.' Then, there had been a brief chase of the gigantic wasp through the house before they ended up losing track of it. It had converted to human form once more, blending in with the rest of the people in the house.
Upon the news of what happened to Miss Chandrakala, all the people within were stunned beyond belief on the occurrence of another murder. Laddy Eddison was distraught, sobbing over the loss of her dear old friend. After some speculation, the group of people began turning to Agatha. Questioning on what she would do to help and how she would solve the mystery. This became too much for Agatha as both the pressure of everyone wanting her to solve everything on top of the wasp she had seen. She ended up leaving the rest after they had dispersed into their rooms once more, going outside to clear her head. Donna followed after her, ready to comfort the writer. Wanda tried going after the two, but once again the Doctor held onto her hand tightly, refusing to let her leave his side.
It confused her on why exactly he seemed so keen on keeping her close by him. Usually, when she wanted to go off somewhere, he would let her. Especially when it came to comforting others. But he acted as though any moment she might . . . Oh. Glancing at him, she saw it in his eyes. The storm of worry within his brown irises. The death of First Wanda. Of course, he was still unnerved by that. And with there being a murderer about, he was terrified for her again. Afraid of another incident of her being harmed in some way. So she followed along with him into a sitting room after he checked over the goo from the stinger he had collected. They ended up lounging on cushioned chairs as they remained holding hands after the results from the yellow substance came back. She sat there, letting herself relax for once as she was soothed by the gentle circles the Doctor was drawing with his thumb on her palm.
"Who do you think it could be?" he began wondering aloud as he gazed up at the ceiling.
"I don't know," Wanda shrugged, not intending on letting out any more spoilers for the day.
"Of course you know. You just can't tell me 'cause it's spoilers," the Doctor countered, giving her a knowing look.
Wanda smiled in apology. "We all have our spoilers and secrets. Some best left in the dark until they're ready to be revealed."
Humming, the Doctor stared at her for a moment, lost in thought. Straightening in his seat, he felt it again. The urge to finally ask her. Ask her the one question that has been plaguing him for a while now. But should he? It was not the best moment for such a time. And there were still the fears from Second Wanda's warning of a future wife. However, he knew they just had to be lies. She had to have had a misunderstanding or maybe she was warning him about something else entirely. Then again, after what happened to First Wanda . . . Time was unpredictable. He might not ever get the chance to ask her if he kept procrastinating. If he kept doubting himself and her response. It was similar to the time after Torchwood. When he finally realized he had to tell her the truth of his feelings. Of his love for her. Now, he needed to complete it. Had to establish his love for her more permanently then the way he had been treating her. To solidify their love forever. They have already bonded. Now it was time to take the next step.
"Wanda, there's been something I've been meaning to ask you," he said quickly, trying not to lose his nerve. Wanda stared at him carefully, nodding slowly.
"Yeah. There's been something I've been meaning to say as well," she replied, gulping as her anxiety kicked up. She knew she had to tell him. Now or never. The incident of Pandorica had taught her that more than anything. In almost losing him . . . She still felt as though she might not ever sleep properly from the nightmares she would have in remembering him frozen in stone. In remembering him almost lost to her . . . forever like that. She had to tell him before anything else were to happen. Just as she promised herself she would.
"You want to go first?" the Doctor offered her, squeezing her hand lightly in comfort as he began worrying over the clear anxious fear written across her features.
"I probably should since this is something that really needs to be addressed," Wanda mumbled, swallowing thickly again through her tight throat. Taking a deep breath, "Doctor, I'm—."
"Look what we found!"
Each Time Lord jumped in their seats, startled when Agatha and Donna came rushing into the sitting room. Donna held up a small, black case, waving it in the air after her sharp cry that alerted the other two to her and Agatha's presence. The Doctor sat on the edge of his seat, letting go of Wanda's hand as Donna and Agatha sat across from the Time Lords, setting the case down on a small table in front of them. The conversation the Doctor and Wanda had been having completely forgotten and dropped upon the new arrival of more evidence. Opening up the case, they saw all the many tools laid neatly inside. All lined up and ready for picking locks.
"Ooh. Someone came here tooled up," noted the Doctor as he examined the tools. "The sort of stuff a thief would use."
"The Unicorn—he's here!" concluded Agatha in a start, shocked to realize the famous thief was so close to them.
"The Unicorn and the wasp," the Doctor muttered quietly. Wanda snorted suddenly, making everyone looked at her curiously in her strange humour. She cleared her throat in embarrassment.
"Sorry. Don't mind me. Inside joke," she waved a hand in dismissal to her chortle. She glanced over her shoulder when the door to the sitting room opened. The elderly butler from before walked in with a tray of drinks, coming up to the table to sit them down for the group to have. The butler left after each of them grabbed their drinks, nodding in respect to them as he dismissed himself.
"What about the science stuff?" Donna questioned the Time Lords. "What did you find?" The Doctor nodded, making a small hum as after he took a quick sip of his drink. He took out the vial of the yellow substance, holding it up for them all to see.
"Vespiform sting," he explained to them. "Vespiforms have got hives in the Silfrax galaxy."
"They're a really nice species. Really wise," Wanda remarked offhandedly. "Visited their planet once in the future. Had a holiday there, but ended up having to save the Queen from invading termites."
"Sounds like fun," the Doctor replied as he took another sip of his drink, wondering if that was a trip that future him and Wanda would share. He nodded his head to Agatha, seeing how the woman shook her head in bewilderment at the way he and Wanda talked. "But for some reason, this one's behaving like a character in one of your books." He sipped again at his drink, almost finished with it. Donna turned to Agatha, keenly staring at the woman.
"Come on, Agatha. What would Miss Marple do?" Donna asked, encouraging the author to begin working out the mystery. To be the brilliant woman they all knew she was. Even if Agatha herself did not believe so. "She'd have overheard something vital by now because the murderer thinks she's just a harmless old lady." There was a bright spark in Agatha's eyes upon this statement from Donna.
"Clever idea. 'Miss Marple,'—who writes those?" Agatha questioned curiously. The red head stiffened, realizing she had done it again in letting a future story of the author's slip out. Just as Donna had done earlier with the Orient Express mentioning.
"Um . . . copyright Donna Noble, add it to the list," Donna replied casually, trying to brush off her mistake.
Wanda chuckled quietly, finding it funny how often Donna would reference Agatha's later works. Glancing over at the Doctor, blinking in surprise, the Time Lady raised a brow in how the Doctor sat in his chair. Completely motionless as his eyes were staring widely at nothing in particular. As though he were slowly realizing something dreadful. Shifting her eyes away from him, she looked at his drink, seeing how it was half full now. Her eyes whipped back onto him, widened in fright and horror as she realized what had happened.
"Wanda, Donna," the Doctor said carefully as he assessed what was happening to his body.
"Okay. We could spilt the copyright," Donna joked in humour.
"No. Something's inhibiting my enzymes," stated the Doctor. His body jolted abruptly as he felt his body convulse, reacting to the sudden attack upon his internal organs. Specifically attacking his central nervous system and his hearts. He gritted his teeth as he felt his hearts racing. "I've been poisoned."
"Oh god, Doctor, I'm so sorry! I'd forgotten!" Wanda cried in dismay, jumping from her seat and rushing to the shaking Doctor's side. He went through most convulsions as he gripped the arms of his chair with shaking fists. Wanda glared at the drink beside him, hitting it off the table. "Damn cyanide!"
"How do you know he was poisoned with cyanide?" Agatha questioned as she and Donna got up quickly from their chairs, going over hurriedly to the Doctor's side in fear for his life.
"Trust me, I just know things," Wanda explained as she gripped one of the Doctor's hands. Her mind raced, fearing the worst. But she reminded herself that there was a way around this. They could still save the Doctor if they could just get to the kitchen in time. Acting at the same time, both she and the Doctor ran to the door, rushing out of the sitting room and sprinting as fast as they could down the hall of the house. The Doctor began stumbling on his feet halfway to the kitchen as his limps became numb. Wanda kept him steady and pushed him onwards, determined to keep him alive and safe.
"Ginger beer! We need ginger beer!" Wanda shouted as soon as they entered the kitchen. The cooks and servers within the room stared at the blonde girl and stumbling Doctor in confusion.
"I need ginger beer!" yelled the Doctor as he pushed away from Wanda's fearful hold on him as he rushed over to a shelf where he spotted the bottle. Knocking the other shelf items over, he gulped down the contents of the bottle. Even dosed some of the ginger beer on himself for extra measure. Wanda rushed over to another shelf and cabinet, searching through for the next item the Doctor needed.
"Protein, protein, protein," the blonde muttered rapidly as she searched. Agatha and Donna came into the kitchen just then, going to the Doctor's side as he slumped against a counter.
"I'm an expert in poisons, Doctor. There's no cure. It's fatal," Agatha told the Time Lord as she assumed he was trying some sort of home remedy for the cyanide. The Doctor spat up some of the ginger beer.
"Not for me! I can stimulate the inhibited enzymes into reversal," explained the Doctor rapidly, panting from the exertion his body was going through. His body convulsed again, making him grit his teeth from the pain. The hearts in his chest banging about in the struggle against the cyanide. "Protein! I need protein!"
"Here, protein!" Wanda called as she spotted a large hunk of cheese on a counter one of the cooks at been preparing. Grabbing the cheese, she sprinted over to the Doctor, shoving it into his hands.
"Brilliant," he said right before taking a large bit from the cheese. As he chewed, he began making frantic movements with his hands, trying to show them what he needed next. Unable to speak at the moment from his full mouth.
"We can't understand you! How many words?" Donna exclaimed as she felt just as panicked as the rest in trying to help save the Doctor. The Doctor held up one finger as he kept up his actions. "One—one word. Shake! Milk! Shake! Milk! Milk! No, not milk! Um, shake! Shake! Shake! Cocktail shaker!"
"Salt! He needs salt!" Wanda exclaimed as she bonked herself on the forehead for forgetting what else he needed. Donna, Agatha, and Wanda went back to the shelves in search for something with salt. Donna grabbed the first item.
"What about this?!" Donna asked the Doctor hurriedly as she rushed back over to him, showing him a brown bag.
"What is it?" the Doctor questioned her.
"Salt!"
The Doctor shook his head hastily. "That's too salty."
"Oh, that's too salty," Donna replied in exasperation as she rolled her eyes. Agatha came up next, handing the Doctor a jar of anchovies. He ate the contents immediately, coughing in trying to chew as fast as he could. He then mimicking something else that he needed.
"What is it? It's a song. 'Mammy.' Um, I don't know. 'Camptown Races,'" Donna began suggesting.
"'Camptown Races'?!" the Doctor yelled in disbelief after swallowing what he had been chewing. Donna threw her hands up in the air in frustration.
"Well, all right, then! 'Towering Infernio,'" the companion retorted.
"It's shock! Look, shock! I need a shock!" cried the Doctor, knowing that he would definitely never play charades with Donna in the future. He blinked as Wanda suddenly appeared just before him, holding the lapels of his suit jacket. "Wanda, no offense, but you kissing me won't be much of a shock."
"I know that," she huffed in reply. Gulping, she sucked in a breath, steeling herself for his shock. "Doctor, remember I said I needed to tell you something? Well, here it is." She sucked in another breath. "Doctor, I'm pregnant." She let go of his jacket after she watched his eyes grow the widest she had ever seen. His body began one last large convulsion as he threw his head back and a billow of white smoke exited from his mouth. All the workers of the kitchen, Agatha, and even Donna stared at the Doctor in stunned silence as he gasped, gaining back his breath. Continuing to gasp, he looked back at Wanda with his mouth still agape, opening and closing like a fish.
"W-what?" he stuttered breathlessly. Everyone else sort of slowly looked at Wanda, seeming to realize just what exactly she had said for the Doctor's 'shock.' Smiling and laughing nervously, Wanda pinched her thumb behind her back as she felt small in the wake of all the awkward stares that were directed towards her.
"Heh. Surprise," she said weakly.
"What?" the Doctor repeated, still blinking dumbly.
Wanda began rocking on her feet, really starting to feel uncomfortable now. "Bet you didn't see that coming. I mean," she cleared her throat feebly, "I really didn't, either. But, ha, when life gives you lemons, am I right?" Her hearts began to race as she felt overwhelmed from all the stares. Everyone stared her down, making her feel even smaller. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she twisted her thumb around in rapid form. Fearing the worst as still the Doctor did not say anything else. Hell, even Donna was silent in her own blinking shock. Wanda averted her eyes from everyone else's, unable to stand being within the unbearably heated kitchen any longer. "We should probably continue on. Those murders won't solve themselves now will they?"
In swift escape, the blonde girl made her way as quick as she could from the kitchen, disappearing in a flash from the room. The eyes of the rest followed her out the entire way. Staring blankly at the kitchen doorway for a while even after she had left. Soon, all eyes travelled to gaze at the Doctor, seeing how he still remained frozen on the spot with his mouth moving and making small 'ahs' in him trying to get words out.
"What?!" he finally exclaimed, running out of the kitchen to go after his Wanderer.
XxXxXxXx
squeals* That was just too priceless. Or, at least, it was to me. ;) I really hope everyone enjoyed it! And finally, the Doctor knows! How do you all think he'll handle the information in the next chapter? Leave your guesses in a review. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Also let me know if there's anything better I could do for the story. I know I've been slacking lately. So, any pointers you all would like to give I always welcome with open arms. :)
Reviewers:
singingKatelyn: Aww, I'm so glad you liked it. :) I really hope that you enjoyed the new chapter, too! Until next time!
Whovianeverlark17: Yay! So happy you liked it. Nah, nothing sad . . . that we know of yet. Anyway, I'm certain everything will be fine. :) And as we saw in this chapter, she finally told him! Any thoughts in what he'll say in the next chapter about it? I'd love to know what you think. :)
Guest(a): Maybe. Maybe not. Don't know yet. Still a mystery for another time. But I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter so much. Or, at least, I hope you did. :)
heroherondaletotherescue: Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, after this chapter, I think later Doctors definitely know. ;-) I really hope that you liked the new chapter just as much as the last. Can't wait to see what you think of it! :D
alwaystherereading: Yep! Happy to see you again as well! :D So much death. But at least they all technically lived in the end. That's a relief. Hmm. Maybe I could work on something like that for an outtake series. ;) Agreed. Things about Aleena are rather fishy. I suppose she's still a mystery for another day. No worries on the long review. I love long reviews. The longer, the better is my policy. :D Not that I don't love all reviews each lovely reader sends for the story. Yeah, it really was brief in their explanation on the TARDIS blowing up. Blink and you'd miss it, really. I actually had the transcript with me, so seeing the people's actual lines helps sometimes. Aww, I'm just so happy to hear how much the story means to you. I know I'm not the best writer. I'm always working to be better. But if I can bring you joy, then I know I'm doing something right. :) Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being with the story for so long and giving such support to it. It really means the world to me. I know I've said that a dozen times, but it's always true. It brings tears of joy to me when hearing just how happy people are when reading the story. And I'll always work on making the story even better. :) Thank you once again, and I can't wait to see you again in the future!
All The Stories Are True 24601: Nah, no worries. I've dealt with worse sicknesses. lol ;) Thank you for the well wishes, though! If you mean the baby, then no effects. Wanda only used the vortex manipulator briefly, so it would be fine for the babe. If she had used it off and on for weeks, though, then possibly some side effects. Glad you enjoyed the relationship there. It was so nice of Wanda doing that, wasn't it? :) Hmm, that's a good question. We might find out one day what Alpha thinks. Until then, suppose we'll just have to wait. Nah, thank you for blessing me with another wonderful review! It always fills me with joy. :) Still recovering, but I'm certain I'll be better by the end of this week. Until next time, and good health to you!
SakuraRcoa: *throws even more confetti* I just love confetti. lol ;) Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Take care!
Momochan77: Woot! So glad you liked it! Truthfully, I love it when he gets like that, too. ;) It makes me giddy every time. Yep, she finally got to tell him. Now it's just a waiting game in seeing what he'll say about it all in the next chapter. I can't wait! :D See you next time!
deadflowerseverymorning: No worries! I thought that was what you meant, but I didn't want to make assumptions. :) Oh, trust me, my entire life is a wibbly wobbly mess. If my head wasn't screwed on, I might just lose it. lol ;) Hope you liked the Doctor's 'first' reactions on the news. Can't wait to see what you thought of it. Until next time! And thank you for the well wishes!
Authora97: I think a lot of people forget about the episode after Pandorica. lol ;) They are rather cute, aren't they? Hope they were just as cute in this chapter. Can't wait to see what you think of it!
Ruby Slippers: Woo! Glad you liked it! :D
I hope each and every one of you has a perfect time of a healthy life. And to keep those sniffles away, here are a few good long scarves for each of you to cuddle with. ;)
~Tinker~