"It goes up-tiddly up, it goes down-tiddly down-down! For only £49.99" The Doctor said, playing with a toy helicopter while surrounded by kids in the toy department where he and Chris had managed to get jobs, solely because of Chris.
"Which I think is a bit steep but then again it's your parents' cash" Chris said, coming up behind the group, earning a smile from The Doctor.
The Doctor continued "and they'll only waste it on boring stuff like lamps and vegetables, yawn!"
"Boring!" Chris said, pushing the Doctor a little, making the young children laugh.
"He appears to be losing control" Chris said, as The Doctor crashed the helicopter into the approaching Craig, who was talking to Sophie on the phone.
"Yeah, love you." Craig said as he was hit in the chest by the toy.
"Oops." The Doctor said, pushing the toy at Chris which She then handed to one of the children "Guys, guys, ladies and gentlemen, while I deal with this awkward moment you go and find your parents/guardians!"
"Try in lamps!" Cheis said, ushering the children off.
"Craig!" The Doctor said awkwardly cheerful as he tried to give Craig a hug
"What the hell are you two doing here?" Craig said, looking between The Doctor and Chris, where Chris was babying Alfie.
"I'm the Doctor," The Doctor said, bringing Craig's attention to his name tag
"And I'm Chris" Chris said with a wave, gesturing to her own name tag
"We work in a shop now. Here to help. They even gave us name tags," The Doctor said, "in case we forget our names, which tends to be a problem for me. Not Chris though, her memory is infallible."
"Doctor," Chris said, pointing to Craig, who was now confused.
"You were leaving the alignment of Exeter, what about that?" Craig asked with a frown, "One chance to see it, you said."
"Well, I was on my way, saw a shop, got a job, you got to live in the moment, Craig." The Doctor said, "Chris helped, of course, couldn't have done it without her."
"Probably would have gotten arrested without me," Chris said, still playing with Alfie.
"Mind Yappy." The Doctor said suddenly, confusing Craig even more
"What?" Craig asked
"Yappy." Chris said, gesturing behind Craig as The Doctor picked up a robot dog, "The robot dog."
"Not so much fun as I remember." The Doctor said with a pout
"K-9 was definitely better" Chris said with a grin looking up at The Doctor and Craig. "You look awful!"
"I haven't slept, have I?" Craig said, "still can't stop him crying. I even tried singing to him last night."
"Yeah, he did mention that he thought you were crying, too." The Doctor said as Chris gave a chuckle "He didn't get a wink."
"Yappy, say goodbye to Craig and Stormageddon." Chris said, taking the dog from The Doctor and making the dog give Alfie and Craig kisses on the cheek, changing her voice so that it was a higher pitch, "Goodbye, Craig, goodbye, Stormageddon."
There was the sound of something scuttling past at the end of the hall that got The Doctor's attention.
"What was that?" The Doctor asked Chris quietly, ignoring Craig, as he moved to investigate
"You're here for a reason." Craig said "You noticed something, and you're investigating it.
It's going to be dangerous and alien."
"It might not be." The Doctor said
"Doctor, I live here, I need to know!" Craig said as the Doctor turned in a circle, ignoring Craig
"No, you don't." The Doctor said, still spinning around
"My baby lives here," Crag argued, making the Doctor stop his spinning, "my son."
"Sheila Clark, went missing Tuesday." The Doctor said, "Atif Ghosh, last seen Friday. Tom Luker, last seen Sunday."
"Why's that not on the front page?" Craig asked, shocked.
"Page one has an exclusive on Nina, a local girl who got kicked off Britain's Got Talent." Chris explained, showing Craig the article, as The Doctor grabbed the stroller and started pushing Alfie towards the elevator "These people are on pages seven, 19, they're far too excited about Nina's emotional journey, which in fairness, is quite inspiring."
"And what else?" Craig asked, following The Doctor
"These funny old power fluctuations which just happen to coincide with the disappearances." The Doctor said after the lights flickered
"That's just the council, putting in new cables." Craig argued
"Isn't it?" The Doctor asked, glancing between Craig and Chris before sonicing the elevator, "Oh, yes, that's it, mystery solved, oh, wasting my time, now you can go home and I can go to Exedor, goodbye, and here's a lift."
"It says out of order." Craig said pointing out the 'danger do not cross' tape on the elevator before looking worriedly at Alfie
"Not any more." The Doctor said removing the tape and entering the lift, "See? Here to help."
"It says, "danger"." Craig argued, even as he followed The Doctor into the lift.
"Yeah, elevators that say danger, not my forte." Chris said, looking at the elevator worriedly, "In fact elevators in general are not my forte. I don't like elevators, I think I'll pass on this part."
The Doctor pulled Chris into the elevator even as she started to protest, threatening to do many things to the Doctor if he didn't let her off. He shushed and she was peeved to find that it worked. She ignored the Doctor's apologetic look and squatted down to play with Alfie.
"Quiet, Stormy!" The Doctor hushed as the little boy began to cry "Oh, all right, there's more." The Doctor leaned in conspiratorially, "Just between you, me Stormy, and Chris, don't want to frighten my punters. Someone's been using a teleport relay, right here in this shop. Missing people last seen in this area. Before you ask, CCTV's been wiped."
"A teleport? A teleport?" Craig asked, "Like a beam me up teleport, like you see in Star Trek?"
"Someone's been using a beam me up Star Trek teleport." The Doctor said, "Could be disguised as anything."
"But a teleport?" Craig asked, "In a shop? That's ridiculous!"
The lights flickered. They were teleported onto the Cyberman ship.
"What was that?" Craig asked, "Was that the lights again?"
"Yes, that's it." The Doctor said, his voice pitched higher than normal "That's all, it's the lights."
"Why did you say that like that?" Craig asked
"Like what?" The Doctor asked, his voice still higher than normal.
"Like that, in that high-pitched voice." Craig said as Chris stood up
"Just look at me, Craig." Chris said grabbing his face after motioning for the Doctor to get to work "Right at me, just keep looking."
"Why?" Craig asked.
"Well, because, because, because" Chris said, repeating herself in panic, "I love you."
Chris heard the Doctor growl behind her, he actually growled.
Get to work, lover boy. A voice sounded in her head, a voice that sounded like hers, except a little deeper, you too, Chris keep him distracted I'll explain later, when there's time.
"You love me?" Craig asked bringing her attention back to him as The Doctor started to work again.
"Yes, Craig." Chris said, "It's you. It's always been you."
"Me!?" Craig nearly shouted.
"Is that so surprising?" Chris asked, tilting her head, "you are my best friend."
"What about the Doctor?" Craig asked, trying to look at the Time Lord who was still working on the controls. Chris leaned in closer, "are you going to kiss me?"
"Yes, I am." Chris said, puckering her lips comically "Would you like that? Bit out of practice, but I've had some practice."
They were transported back to the department store but not before Craig had noticed they had been teleported.
"Chris," the Doctor said, turning her around with a hand on her shoulder and placing his lips on hers. She panicked and nearly punched him as she tried to get him off of her.
"Chris I'm sorry" The Doctor said as Chris started to back away
"Just… Leave me alone a minute, please, Doctor."
The Doctor looked at her as if she had slapped him and she felt tears prep to fall. Chris turned and ran out of the elevator, making her way to the ladies room, ignoring the looks she was given. She couldn't have people touching her. She'd been too much and had developed a phobia because of it and now she had to initiate contact or else she would start to panic.
He doesn't mean to hurt you. The voice said, you've been in his life so long that he forgets.
"Who the hell are you?" Chris asked the voice, starting to wonder if she was as mental as people seemed to think she was.
Sorry, my name is Rain. You can't tell the Doctor though, he doesn't find out for awhile.
"Tell him what?" Chris asked, wiping at her eyes. I ran into a bathroom stall and closed the lid before sitting down.
That I am separate from you, Rain said, he thinks we are the same and it is better that way.
"What do you mean? Who are you?" Chris asked as waves of calm seemed to roll down her body, "are you doing that?"
I am. I'm sorry you had no choice on this, my lovely Chris. You are who I would be if I were human. Rained told her, only confusing Chris more, I lost my body and you were pulled here to be just that.
"What are you, then?" Chris questioned
I'm the mind of a time lord, Rain said time lords are essentially three parts, the mind, the body, and the spirit. I destroyed the body, my spirit is missing, and you are carrying my mind.
"How the hell does that work?"
You can speak to me in your mind, you know that, right? Rain asked.
If I knew that do you think I'd be making myself seem like a freak? Chris asked, this time in her mind
No, I suppose not. Rain said, but anyways. The Doctor is not used to you being this early. He doesn't know your boundaries, even if he knows the reasons.
If he knew the reasons don't you think he'd show a little more self control? She asked, standing from the seat and dusting herself off.
He's an idiot Rain said
That's an understatement
Chris walked back out to the hallway leading to the department store before going to find the Doctor.
Hey, Rain, since you're using me as a host you mind telling the Doctor my boundaries? Chris asked, hoping she could get herself out of this awkward conversation with the time lord
On it. Rain said, making Chris grin.
Doc, I have boundaries, y'know that, I know you do. Chris heard Rain say
I know, Chris, I'm so sorry. A voice that sounded like the Doctor sounded in Chris' mind.
This is the second time today, you're lucky I didn't have a full blown panic attack in the middle of the store.
I know, I know. I really am sorry.
Because this is new for me I'm going to make sure you know my boundaries, okay?
Fine.
Good, okay,
1) any and all contact must be imitated by me.
2) No pet names of any kind. My name is Chris and only Chris.
3) You know that I know more then I can tell, no forcing me to say anything about your future.
4) No lying, I know when you are lying
5) I'm early, don't expect things I haven't had the time to feel
6) No forcing me to do anything.
Got it?
Yes Ma'am.
Thanks, Rain. Chris said as she walked up to the Doctor. Who was standing outside with Craig. While Rain and the Doctor had been talking Rain had also been tracking the Doctor, telling Chris where to go.
"Thank you, Doc" Chris said quietly, "I'm sorry I have to have some of those rules but they're necessary"
"No, Chris." The Doctor said meekly, "I shouldn't be forgetting things like that, not when they're so important to you."
"What happened?" Craig asked,
"Well, first of all, I don't really love you, except as a friend." Chris said with an apologetic shrug, pushing her earlier panic to the side and instead focusing on the current situation: The Cybermen.
"What were those things?" Craig asked
"Cybermen." The Doctor said, still looking at Chris, which was making her uncomfortable.
"We were on their ship," Chris added, unsure of how much the Doctor had covered earlier.
You can look away any time you want. Rain said, much to Chris' joy.
Sorry. The Doctor said, looking away.
"Ship?" Craig asked, "Spaceship? We were in space?"
"It's got to be up there somewhere, can't get a fix, it must be shielded." The Doctor said, ignoring Craig and Chris now. Which gave her the opportunity to play with Alfie again.
"Can I pick him up?" Chris asked, as Alfie reached for her. She'd always liked babies and children. She would have loved to be a mother before… well, before.
"What? Huh?" Craig said blankly before looking down to spot Chris in front of Alfie, "ah, yeah, anytime you want. You are his godmother, after all."
"I am?"
"Crap, I wasn't supposed to tell you until Sophie got here." Craig said "she said she wanted to be there when you first found out."
"No, it's okay," Chris said, standing up with Alfie resting on her hip, "I'll pretend I don't know and you two can tell me together."
"Thanks" Craig said with a smile before turning back to The Doctor "You fused the teleport, they can't come back."
"I've just bought us a little time." The Doctor said looking aroung"Still got to work out what they're doing before I can stop it."
"But if they've got the teleport and they're evil, why haven't they invaded already?" Craig asked, which was a very good question, in Chris' opinion. The question seemed not to have occurred to the Doctor before then.
"Craig take Alfie and go." The Doctor demanded
"No!" Craig said almost instantly.
"No?" The Doctor asked, his non existant brows furrowing.
"No, I remember from last time, people got killed, people that didn't know you." Craig said, "I know where it's safest, for me and Alfie. And that's right next to you."
"Is that so?" The Doctor asked
"Yeah, you always win, you always survive!" Craig said
"Those were the days." The Doctor mumbled
You're still alive, stop acting like an idiot.
Rude
It took years of training to be so good at it, too. Seriously though, you're still alive don't act like such a baby.
Can't you be a little nicer when you're trying to make me feel better.
No.
Thought not.
"I can help you, I'm staying!" Craig continued, not knowing about the conversation Rain and The Doctor were having on Chris' behalf. Craig
"Craig, all right, all right maybe those days aren't quite over yet." The Doctor said and Chris couldn't help but grin at him when he smiled at her. "Let's go and investigate I mean, there's no immediate danger now."
He reached for her hand but didn't immediately take it, giving Chris the option of taking it or not. She grabbed his hand and felt a jolt of glee rush through her body.
Is that cause of you? Chris asked Rain.
Yeah, kinda, sorry. He formed a telepathic bond with me and the emotions are often transported via physical contact. Rain informed her, sounding sheepish.
Good to know.
"Hope you don't mind me saying, Doctor, but I think you look ever so sweet, you and your partner and the baby." Val, a co-worker of The Doctor and Chris, said as Craig went off to do his own investigating with Alfie. Chris couldn't help but giggle at this.
"Partner. Yes, I like it." The Doctor said, much to Chris' amusement, the man could be so oblivious "Is it better than 'companion'?"
"Companion sounds old-fashioned." Val told The Doctor "There's no need to be coy these days."
"You've not noticed anything unusual around here lately, Val?" Chris whispered, leaning in, finally wanting to get back to the reason for their investigation.
"Well Yes, yes?" Val said, also leaning in conspiratorially, The Doctor following suit after being elbowed by Chris, "Mary Warnock saw Don Petheridge snogging Andrea Groom outside the Conservative Club on his so-called day off 'golfing'."
"Yeah." The Doctor said, exchanging a look with Chris before turning to walk off as Chris stayed there, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."
"And then there's that silver rat thing." Val said and the Doctor turned back with a smile to see that Chris was leaning against the counter with a grin, obviously knowing the Doctor was going to come back to talk to Val.
"A silver rat. Glowing red eyes." Val said, trying to sound mysterious, "Yes, then it zizzed off. I wanted to get one for my nephew, but stockroom say there's no such item."
"I bet they do." The Doctor said, sharing a look with Chris.
"Well, what was it then?" Val asked "Answer me that."
"A silver rat." Chris said sarcastically, earning herself an elbow in the side from the Doctor.
There was suddenly a lot of talking coming from somewhere in the department store. Without even looking at each other Chris and the Doctor took off in that direction as Val called after them
"What's all that hullabaloo?" She asked
"That'd be his partner!" Chris said with a shit-eating grin. Knowing both the Doctor and Val had a misunderstanding about the relationship between The Doctor and Craig.
"He's a pervert, look at him." One of their co-workers was saying as The Doctor and Chris walked up. Chris going straight for Alfie and picking up the child, immediately talking to him about the 'bad man' who happened to be his father.
"Hello, everyone!" The Doctor said "Here to help."
There was a chorus of "Hello, Doctor" from those present. A security guard, two employees, and Craig.
"Has anyone seen a silver rat?" All he received were blank looks, "No, OK. Long shot, I see you've met my friend, Craig."
"Nice uniform George." Chris said with a smile, patting George on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Chris" The old security guard said. "If he's with you, that's all right then."
"I thought he was hassling me, that's the last thing I need." The employee said, "Shona's not turned up, so I'm doing twice the work for the same money."
The Doctor shushed the employ, much to the amusement of Alfie, only to un-shush her and ask who Shona was. They found out that Shona hadn't shown up and that the last place she had been seen was by the dressing rooms.
"How do you do that?" Craig asked as they were walking to check the dressing rooms, "It's a power, isn't it, some sort of weird alien hypnotic power, I bet you excrete some sort of gas that makes people love you."
"Would that I could, Craig." The Doctor said, flinging open one of the curtains, making a woman scream. "Sorry, Madam. I'd try that in red if I were you."
"I'm right though, aren't I?" Craig asked
"You love me, I've never excreted any weird alien gases at you." The Doctor reminded Craig.
"I don't love you! Don't start that again." Craig said, pointing a finger at him accusingly, "I already went through that with Chris.
"Course he does." The Doctor said to Alfie, who was balanced on Chris' hip, before turning to Craig, "You do, we're partners."
"But I did exactly what you would have done, I nearly got arrested!" Craig argued.
"Stormy thinks you should believe in yourself more." The Doctor said, bopping Craig on his nose.
"Great, now my baby is reviewing me." Craig grumbled
"It's a kid's job to review their parents." Chris said, "You'll get used to it."
"I've never asked before," Craig said, regarding Chris carefully, "Are you a mom?"
"Here." The Doctor said, thankfully keeping Chris from having to answer as he threw open the last curtain in the room, "Right here Last night, a Cyberman took Shona."
"A Cyberman I thought it was a little silver rat?" Craig, obviously getting that parenthood was off limits for Chris.
"It's not a rat." Chris said, after she had allowed herself only a moment of sadness.
"It's a Cybermat!" The Doctor finished
"All right don't have a go at me just cos I don't know the names." Craig said, throwing his arms up.
"Cybermats are infiltrators." The Doctor explained while sonicing the room, "Very small, very deadly they collect power like bees collect pollen. One of them's been sucking the electrical energy from this area."
"But why a shop, you know, why not a nuclear power station?" Craig asked
"OK, why?" The Doctor said,
"Let's ask it." Chris grinned, handing Alfie to Craig and looking around the changing room to see two shirts hanging on their hangers and a candy wrapper on the floor. She picked up the candy wrapper to throw away when they were near a trash bin.
"We wait for the shop to shut, we stake the place out, and grab ourselves a Cybermat." The Doctor said pulling Chris out of the room and down the hall.
"And this is just a coincidence, is it?" Craig asked
"What is?" The Doctor asked, stopping and turning to face Craig
"Aliens in Colchester?" Craig said, "Aliens twice in my life, happening to me just when you turn up."
"This is not my fault, Craig." The Doctor said harshly.
"Craig," Chris said calmly, "I'm your best friend, yeah?"
"Yeah?"
"And I'm assuming that because of that you've met the Doctor more than twice, right?" Chris asked, her voice calm and slow, slightly scaring the two grown men.
"Yes?" Craig said, turning the word into a question.
"And there has only been aliens twice, yeah?" Chris said with a grim smile.
"Yeah."
"Then obviously this isn't the Doctor's fault and you should probably apologize for blaming him," Chris said, suddenly becoming chipper, only freaking the men out more, "Try not to be so rude to the man who is trying to save your life and has saved it before."
"Yes, ma'am," Craig said, nearly going to salute her before catching himself, "I'm sorry Doctor, I won't be so rude from now on."
"Thank you" The Doctor said to Craig before turning to Chris with a grin, before continuing loudly "And thank you!"
"Look what you've done," Craig said as Alfie started to cry.
"It's his nappy, he's mentioned it twice." The Doctor said
"I don't speak baby." Craig deadpanned
"There's a changing station over by electrical goods." The Doctor said, pointing to where it would be.
"And of course, you'd know that." Craig muttered sullenly, putting Alfie back in his stroller. "Come on, Alfie."
"Craig it's a coincidence." The Doctor said, referring to Craig blaming him, even though Chris had already cleared that up, "It happens, it's what the universe does for-"
The Doctor looked to the entrance of the shop to see Amy and Rory standing right next to one of Amy's posters. The poster was for perfume that was called "For the girl who waited". Chris grabbed the Doctor's hand, giving it a squeeze, which he returned gratefully, as the two watched a young girl approach Amy to ask for an autograph.
"Can I have your autograph please?" The young blonde asked the tall red-head
"Doc," Chris whispered gently, drawing the Doctor's attention to her, although he seemed reluctant to look away, "I promise it'll be fine."
"How?" The Doctor asked sadly.
"Do you trust me?" Chris asked, honestly unsure.
"With my life." The Doctor said, almost upset that she even had to ask.
Chris smiled, "Then please, just trust me on this, it will be fine."
"Thank you," The Doctor said, leaning his forehead against hers and taking a deep breath before looking to see that Amy and Rory were gone.
"Come on, Doctor," Chris said with a sad smile, "Let's get out of here so that we can have some fish fingers and custard for dinner."
"After we get the cybermat." The Doctor said sternly but with a gleam in his eyes that told Chris he would be fine. Maybe not right then, and maybe not completely, but he would get there.
"You and Craig are gonna get the cybermat and I'm gonna take Alfie home and keep the child safe." Chris said as they found Craig "And make fish fingers and custard for when you get back."
"You definitely know how to woo a man." The Doctor said with a grin, throwing his arm over Craig's shoulders.
While the Doctor and Craig were off trying to find the cybermat Alfie and Chris were at Craig's house, making dinner together. Chris was given free reign in the kitchen, apparently having proven her culinary skills when she and Craig had first met. She made fish fingers and Custard for the Doctor and enchiladas for her and Craig.
"Y'know, Alfie, I'm starting to think this isn't a dream." Chris complained, sitting down in front of Alfie after putting the fish fingers in the oven "I mean, if this were a dream don't you think I'd have woken up by now?"
Alfie just gurgled, reaching for the bottle Chris was clutching in her hands. She handed it to the kid with a grin, honestly surprised with the babies ability to hold a bottle at his age. Then again, he didn't know how old Alfie actually was.
After all the food was prepared Chris took Alfie into the living room and turned on the tv to watch something while Alfie played in his playpen. She switched the channel to really old reruns of changing rooms, an extremely old home improvement show, that she was surprised was on.
She fell asleep and was only woken by Craig and the Doctor walking in the house. She blinked and looked at the time, surprised that they were back so early. Chris smiled and stood up to stretch before checking on Alfie, who was asleep.
She grinned and went into the kitchen to reheat the food before serving it for everyone. No one spoke until they were all at the table and Chris had to tell The Doctor that he was, in fact, not allowed to work at the dinner table.
"I was hoping that wouldn't be a rule with you this early." The Doctor said with a pout as he put the cybermat down on the counter behind him.
"Nice try," Chris said with a grin, "Now eat your food so you can finish saving the world."
"Yes mum" The Doctor, drawing the word out with a grin.
"Hush," Chris said before digging into her enchiladas.
After everything was cleaned up Craig started to go through to kitchen and prepare a bottle for when Alfie woke up only to find there was no milk.
"I'm going down the shops, we're out of milk." Craig said with a frown, he could have sworn there was a half gallon in there just that morning.
"Oh yeah, sorry." Chris said, "I was gonna take Alfie to get more but I don't have money,"
"It's alright, Chris." Craig said with a grin before turning to the Doctor, "You know what to do if he cries."
"No!" The Doctor protested.
"Me neither." Craig said as he walked out the door, "Just ask Chris."
Since Alfie was asleep Chris and the Doctor decided to take a look at the cybermat. Chris wanted to dismantle it and just as she had convinced The Doctor that it was a good idea Alfie woke up.
Chris sighed, going to pick up the boy but the Doctor beat her to it.
"Let's get your nappy changed," the Doctor cooed as he took Alfie up to his nursery to get him changed.
Chris followed with a smile, leaning against the doorframe and watching the Doctor with a smile. He would make a good father, Chris had known that already. She knew he had been a father before but she hadn't really watched classic who and as such didn't know much about his life on Gallifrey, just that he had a granddaughter.
"Hello, Stormageddon." The Time Lord said when Alfie wouldn't stop crying, "It's the Doctor. Here to help."
Alfie continued to cry as the Doctor rocked him back and forth gently, bouncing him a little.
"Be quiet. Go to sleep. Really, stop crying." The Doctor said, getting a little flustered "You've got a lot to look forward to, you know. A normal human life on Earth. Mortgage repayments, the nine to five, a persistent nagging sense of spiritual emptiness. Save the tears for later, boyo."
The Doctor paused, "Oh, no! That was crabby. No, that was old! But I am old, Stormy. I am so old. So near the end. You, Alfie Owens, you are so young, aren't you? And, you know, right now, everything's ahead of you. You could be anything."
The Doctor spun around when Chris sniffled and she just laughed a little and waved him off. The time lord walked over to Chris and pulled her to the rocker, sitting her down there. She smiled up at him and watched as he continued talking to Alfie.
"Yes, I know." The Doctor said, looking down at Alfie, "You could walk among the stars. They don't actually look like that, you know, they are rather more impressive." He soniced the projector that was projecting stars onto the ceiling to look more like real stars, "Yeah! You know, when I was little like you, I dreamt of the stars. I think it's fair to say, in the language of your age, that I lived my dream. I owned the stage, gave it a 110%. I hope you have as much fun as I did, Alfie."
He looked at Chris with a sad smile, "I hope you find someone like Chris, someone who makes the stars just that much brighter."
"Your dad's trying his best, you know." Chris said, standing up and moving to the Doctor, wrapping an arm around his waist, knowing that the man needed comfort, even if it made her slightly uncomfortable to give it.
"Yes, I know it's not his fault he hasn't got mammary glands." The Doctor said with a watery laugh, "No, but neither do I! Yes, Chris does but you can't use them."
The Doctor stopped talking as he heard something beeping behind the three of them.
"Alfie, why is there a sinister beeping coming from behind me?" The Doctor asked.
They turned to see the cybermat in the door to the room. "This is why I wanted to dismantle it." Chris said as the Doctor soniced the metal rat and the three of them ran around it.
"Oh, no you don't." The Doctor said, grabbing Chris' hand, 'Come on, Alfie, Chris. Run! It's only stunned!"
They made it outside and away from the house where Chris took Alfie from the Doctor and started bouncing him around, keeping the boy distracted, "It's going to be OK. Good, Alfie."
"Doctor, Craig's gonna be back soon, make sure he doesn't go inside." Chris said, still bouncing Alfie, "Don't bother calling him just get over there. I'll be right outside with Alfie.
The Doctor nodded and ran inside the house. Chris waited outside, playing with Alfie and glancing back anxiously at the house as she heard the sounds of a scuffle.
You know he's gonna be fine. She heard Rain say, startling her.
Yeah, but I'm still gonna worry. Chris told Rain, I'm beginning to think this isn't a dream and he's the one who would know the most about that. A pause, Unless you know something?
Nothing I can tell you, Chris. And I only know little more than you.
"Chris, it's safe now." The Doctor called, breaking Chris away from her conversation with Rain, "You and Stormy can come inside."
"Thanks, Doc." Chris said with a grin, seemingly over her earlier worry.
Once inside Chris handed Alfie to his father before putting away the groceries the man had bought. She could feel the Doctor watching her but chose to ignore him, needing to get her thoughts in order first.
"You okay?" The Doctor asked, stepping further into the kitchen, "You're quiet."
"Am I not allowed to be quiet?" Chris asked, harsher than she intended.
"What's wrong?" The Doctor asked, wincing at her tone, "Something wrong and I want to help."
Chris sighed before turning to face the time lord, "I'm starting to think this isn't a dream and it's freaking me out." Chris told him, "But we have more important thing to worry about, like the cyberman invasion of planet earth."
"Nothing is more important than making sure you're okay." The Doctor said, "I've made that mistake before and I swore I'd never do it again."
"Doc," Chris sighed, walking over to the time lord, and taking his hand "I'm fine, I promise. If you know me you know that I'll always put the safety of a child before my own." The Doctor nodded, "And right now, Alfie's in danger, which means we're taking care of that before we take care of whether or not I'm actually dreaming, alright?"
"Alright," The Doctor said with a smile, squeezing her hand then leaving to talk to Craig in the livingroom.
Chris smiled after him and went around the room, gathering ingredients for brownies. Chris had always baked when she was stressed and she wasn't about to let that change now. After getting permission from Craig to use the kitchen whenever she wanted Chris quickly got to work on the treat.
"Do you still feel safe with me, Craig?" Chris heard when she entered the living room after putting the brownies in the over.
"You can't help who your mates are." Craig said with a smile.
"No! I am a stupid and selfish man." The Doctor said, making Chris frown, "Always have been. I should have made you go, I should never have come here."
"What would have happened if you hadn't come?" Chris said, walking up beside the Doctor, "Who else knows about Cybermen or teleports?"
"I put people in danger." The Doctor said sadly, not looking at anyone
"Stop beating yourself up! If it wasn't for you this whole planet would be an absolute ruin." Craig argued.
"Craig, very soon I won't be here my time is running out." The Doctor said and Chris took his hand again, not liking that the Doctor was sad. "I don't mean Exedor. Silence will fall when the question is asked. Don't even know what the question is. Always knew I'd die still asking. Thing is, Craig, it's tomorrow. Can't put it off any more. Tomorrow is the day I…"
The Doctor looked over to see that both Craig and Alfie were asleep. He turned to Chris and she felt her heart constrict to see that he had tears in his eyes, despite the fact that he was smiling. Chris gently tugged her hand from his and threw her arms around the Doctor, giving him a tight hug. He returned the hug, burying his head in her hair and taking a deep breath.
"It's okay Doc," Chris said, her voice quiet, "I swear to you it's okay."
"How can you know." The Doctor asked, pulling back with a frown.
"Because," Chris said, "I've just met you and I already trust you. You should know that I don't trust easily." The Doctor hummed, "But I trust you. I trust you to be okay because the universe still needs you. It needs you to be okay, you need you to be okay. Your companions need you to be okay. I know I just met you and this is crazy…"
She trailed off and the Doctor gave her a look, prompting her to continue.
"Sorry, just got a song stuck in my head," Chris told him sheepishly before continuing, "Anyways, I know I just met you, but I need you to be okay. I'm in a universe that isn't my own and there are threats here that I didn't have. Doc, you're the only person I currently trust in this world, I need you to be okay."
"I'll try my hardest." The Doctor promised, pulling Chris into a hug and grinning when she didn't push him away.
"That's all I can ask." Chris said, feeling slightly uncomfortable in the hug but knowing she couldn't push him away right then, "Now, how about some brownies."
"I'd love some." The Doctor said with a grin as Chris led him to the kitchen.
Chris woke with a groan and looked around the room. She remembered eating brownies with the Doctor and listening to him talk about a book he had read about baking. She must have fallen asleep at the table and the Doctor must have moved her to the living room, because that's where she found herself.
Chris got up and went into the kitchen, rubbing her neck to get a kink out of it. She looked around at the state the room was in and sighed, knowing it needed to be cleaned.
In her half asleep state Chris was a lot more unobservant than normal, it wasn't until she was halfway through the living room after cleaning the kitchen that she noticed that neither the Doctor nor Craig were there. With a curse Chris quickly grabbed a granola bar and slipped into her shoes that the Doctor must have removed last night too.
The run to the department store took her ten minutes and by the time she made it into the dressing rooms she found that Alfie was alone and Craig and the Doctor were nowhere to be found.
Chris knelt next to the crying boy and grabbed his hand, hoping to calm him down some, and smiled when it worked. She looked to where the teleport and started to mutter under her breath.
"I really hope he doesn't leave me behind again." Chris said with a frown, "This is the boring part, I don't like boring… it's so… boring."
Suddenly the Doctor and Craig were standing right in front of Chris and Alfie. While Craig rushed to Alfie The Doctor winced at the glare that Chris was sending him. She stood up and walked towards him only to stop right in front of him with a grin.
"Guess what you get to do," Chris said, leaning forward to whisper in the Doctor's ear, "Clean Craig's entire house, without my help."
The Doctor winced as Chris turned and walked off with a laugh. He looked to see that Craig was busy with Alfie and followed the 25 year old with his shoulders hunched, not looking forward to cleaning Craig's house.
On the walk to the Tardis The Doctor explained everything that happened to Chris and she just listened, not putting in any of her usual comments. He stopped her right outside the tardis doors with a frown.
"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked, trying to make eye contact with Chris.
"Yeah, just confused is all." Chris said, she could feel her hands starting to shake "I mean, you've obviously known me for awhile, yeah?" The Doctor nodded, "Does that mean I jump around your timeline?"
"Yeah," The Doctor said slowly, unsure of where this was going.
"Which also means I'm in a different universe, right?" Chris asked, her breath getting heavier.
"Right" The Doctor replied, worried
Before Chris was even able to open her mouth there was a flash of golden-white light and she was gone.
A/N: This was getting really long and I didn't want to split it into three, so here you go. The End of Closing Time. As a holiday gift I will have updates for the other two stories that aren't on hiatus soon too! It's a miracle, I know.
-Ryn
P.S. I have a test Thursday but after that I'm practically on break so I should be able to post more!
Please Enjoy!