Chapter 10

Annabeth tells the truth...

When Jack and the others materialised they found themselves inside a large house in the bright gleaming daylight which flooded in the large glass window to their left, the view revealed a beach and Jack gasped as he spotted the two Suns of the Boeshane Pennisula. Annabeth was sat on the couch before them, Henry beside her. Jack turned to her and stared, when he spoke his voice was quiet, controlled but verging on tears.

"Why? Why here?"

Annabeth looked up at him with red eyes from where she had cried. "This is the place where we first met, Jack... My mother's home. I was 17 and just joining the time agency. It was just before she went to the library... The library where she died." Annabeth said quietly and Clara glanced at the doctor as Annabeth said those words, looking for a reaction which she found, the doctor had silent tears falling down his cheeks. Vastra, Jenny and Strax were confused, having met River Song only once or twice.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this? When we first met, when we met at the agency I mean." Jack asked gingerly taking a seat on the sofa beside her where it looked out over the view, the others took seats around them on any clear surface. The doctor remained standing.

"Because she suffers the same curse her mother and I did." The doctor said simply in a voice that seemed to come from the far edges of the Galaxy. It was quiet but made the others turn to look at him where he stood by the window.

"Curse? What curse?" Vastra asked.

"We never meet in the right order, Jack. Every time we see each other I know you more and you know me less. Just like my parents. There is so much you don't know and can't know yet it hurts me to keep everything from you."

"Then don't." Jack encouraged and from one of the other rooms a baby cried. Henry hopped off the sofa and went off in search of the infant. The doctor turned at the sound and met Annabeth's eyes as Henry returned with the now quieter infant which he handed tenderly to Annabeth. Annabeth took her and held her close. The child then fell silent and buried her head in Annabeth's shoulder and the doctor turned to look at her as did Jack. Annabeth met the doctors eye and smiled, turning the child to face him.

"Say hello to Granda." She smiled and the child cooed.

"Granda?" The doctor and Jack both asked shocked as The doctor's eyes settled on the infant. He gasped. The child had curly auburn hair much like Annabeth and her mother but her eyes, her eyes could see into his soul and he saw the same familial memories as he had with Annabeth.

"Susan Amelia Melody." Was all Annabeth said as the doctor moved toward her and the child in a trance like state.

"Susan." The doctor held out his arms for her and the child, perhaps no older than two, giggled bouncing her stubby legs on Annabeth's knee. She reached for him and Annabeth handed him the child which he cradled close to his chest as if she was the most precious thing on the planet.

"Whose is she?" Jack asked turning to Annabeth. She met his eye cautiously.

"Here's a spoiler for you... She's yours." Jack's jaw dropped and the doctor flashed him a look, which on one of his other faces would have shown great disapproval but on his current face reflected the knowledge of hindsight. He had known Susan was different when they had travelled together, many years in his past, many years in the infants future. She had sounded different, more worldly than she let on. So Jack like.

There was silence for a minute or two, aside from the gentle Scottish burr cooing to the child in gallifrian emanating from the doctor who stood once more by the window looking out over the dunes.

" I think you ought to tell us the truth, young Annabeth. All of it, from the beginning." Vastra suggested, her sword removed from her shoulder and now standing in the umbrella stand in the corner.

"There isn't much to tell. I am the daughter of the doctor, last of the time lords and his wife, River Song, Melody Pond. I have two children, both extraordinary," Henry had reappeared from the nursery with Susan's teddy bear which he gave to the doctor before sitting himself beside Annabeth. He smiled at her and she returned it. "I married the man who couldn't die, the face of the time agency and the Boeshane peninsula... Spoilers," she added catching Jack's eye. "I worked for the time agency as a young adult and then... Then I did something unspeakable, ended up in prison, escaped and have been running all my life since."

"What did you do?" Jenny asked, from her seat beside Vastra. They were holding hands inconspicuously in the gap between them on the sofa.

"I was injured in a war and my life bound eternally to my enemies. If he dies, I die. And I killed a man, a very good man, I killed him because I thought I was protecting him. But I think now, I'm wrong. He hasn't died yet, not in the time we're in now... But he will and it will break my heart to do it, but I must if it means protecting those I leave behind."

"Just as cryptic as your mother." The doctor mumbled.

"Yes, but sometimes that is for the best is it not, Father?" The doctor nodded. Annabeth paused. "Dad?"

"Yes, lass?" The doctor asked, turning to face her, his granddaughter Susan sleeping against his shoulder, her teddy clutched in stubby fingers.

"Will you see her safe, when the time comes?" The doctor tried to read her face but found no information there to be revealed.

"When what happens?"

"When it is time for me to stop running and face the consequences of my actions." Annabeth replied quietly and the doctor frowned.

"Clara... Will you hold Susan please." Clara nodded and the doctor, gingerly handed the child to her before he strode over to Annabeth and pulled her up fast by her upper arms so she stood looking straight into his face. " I will not let anything happen to you, do you hear me Annabeth Amelia? No one will get to you no one will hurt you. They will have to get through me first." The doctor insisted.

"You can't stop this, Daddy. As much as I want you too. Time is fixed, my death is fixed. Susie will not remember me, she will need you. Take her to see the stars, please." Annabeth begged and from somewhere Henry called out.

"MA! WE GOT COMPANY!" Annabeth glanced to the doorway as Henry came rushing in. He hurried to Annabeth's side and Clara huddled closer to the doctor, Susan still asleep in her arms. Vastra grabbed her sword and unsheathed it.

"Annabeth!" Came a voice from the hallway and Annabeth gasped... It was someone who shouldn't still be alive...

"Leaping toadstools."' The doctor said quietly and the room filled with light as the guest entered. Leaving everyone looking on stunned.

"Hello, Sweetie."