Author's Note: I'm writing this to get out my Doctor Who feels and if you like it, great! Thank you so much everyone who has read the first chapter :)
Everything stopped. Everything around me just stopped dead. Those three words spun around my head, almost making me dizzy. I was speaking to my daughter. My daughter. River was her mother and I was her father. We had created a life.
I realised I hadn't said anything to her when I heard a voice ask in a singsong voice, "Hello? Are you there?"
"Yes, I'm here Caitlin, yes. I'm just a bit-"
"Shocked?"
I took a deep breath, and replied, "Definitely."
Caitlin's voice grew stronger almost instantly again. "I didn't mean to shock you, I just thought you ought to know. I've been trying to get in touch with you for so long, and I'm only 11."
"Only 11?!" A grin grew on my face as I started talking to her more. I could hear her giggle lightly at the other end, and I chuckled a little. I had no idea what she looked like, but I envisaged her smile to be beautiful, to light up any darkened room she entered.
"Yup! Only 11! I'm starting big school soon! Well, comprehensive school, that counts as big school though, right?" She began to chatter away excitedly about her school and her friends and how she thought comprehensive would be. I listened to her intently, as if my problems and my previous thoughts had been pushed out. She cheered me up with the sound of her bubbly voice telling me everything about her life, like I'd known her forever and this was one of our many little phone calls to catch up.
"Your life sounds incredible, Caitlin!" I just said. I didn't mean to, it slipped out, but she was obviously flattered by the comment.
"Really? Wow, thank you!" It was as if I could feel the grin on her face, wider than ever.
I laughed a little and told her it was no problem, and then she asked me something.
"What's your life like, Dad?"
I don't know what shocked me more, the innocent enquiry about what my life is like, or the innocent way she called me Dad. Dad.
"I-I meant, I meant Doctor. Doctor." Her voice became almost unrecognisable, so quiet I could barely hear the words she spoke. She had sensed my anxiousness. My speechlessness left her assuming something was wrong, and I had to fix that.
"No, no you can call me-" I coughed and found the courage to say- "Dad. You can call me Dad."
She became more open once again, more confident in her speech.
"So come on, tell me! What's it like being a time traveller?"
I smiled a little and remembered the brilliant memories I had gained while travelling amongst the stars for so long.
"Well..." I began. I could feel her excitement building up as I started to reminisce and talk about all my wonderful adventures with brilliant companions. Suddenly, bad thoughts and memories came crawling back into my mind, but I refused to let her think that I was alone. To her, I was this amazing, brilliant man who made his way through time and space.
"I've been everywhere. I've met Winston Churchill, I've walked through Pompeii, I've even dinosaurs on a spaceship!"
I continued telling her about my adventures, the constant reminder of past companions. Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Amelia Pond. All gone. The loneliness I had felt before had returned.
"Do you have friends?" Caitlin asked curiously. I hadn't mentioned anyone else.
"Yes, but they travel with me for a bit and then they- they leave."
"They leave you?'
I choked out a reply and refused to let myself get upset while talking to her.
"If I was travelling with you, Doctor, I'd never want to leave."
"I'll come find you, Caitlin. I promise you. I'll do whatever it takes."
