Chapter 10

While the farmers and the kids made their preparations for departure with the help of Bill and Nardole, The Doctor accompanied Beta on a walk through the farms.

Though small and extremely young, he saw Missy's mannerisms in their daughter. She was a quiet child, as her mother had been, walked gracefully and accurately, her clever eyes captured everything around her and she had that manipulative sweetness that could make whole worlds kneel before her without any difficulty.

"Are we going back to Earth?" Beta asked after crossing a large expanse of land.

Apparently the young girl had an indispensable task to fulfill before she left and she set out for the tree area, picking up copies of flowers and leaves, carefully storing it in a rectangular tin with elaborate geometric patterns stamping its exterior under the Doctor's watchful and curious gaze.

"First we will take this nice people to Teros VIII, then Earth."

He noticed that her chew her lower lip while she continued her walk, searching for the correct specimens. He felt in her a strong psychic field, openly showing her apprehension.

"Hey ..." He rested his hand on her shoulder, stopping her gently and knelt to stay in her height. Beta turned to face him. "What is it?"

Beta had her eyes down, it was the first time she'd avoided staring at him even though they were in the same height.

"I think I rather want to stay here than go to Earth. I saw how lonely it was."

He was disconcerted when he noticed that the girl had accessed too many of Missy's memories than she should have. He could feel Beta's presence in his head, but he didn't know the extent telepathy was developed. He pushed all thoughts and memories into an inaccessible corner of his mind and left exposed only the empathy he felt at that moment.

"It's not always like that. Earth is a beautiful place and humans are kind and funny creatures. You'll meet tons of people, make friends and visit places." He smiled, running his fingertips through her hair gently. "Your mother's situation was different, before... You two won't ever be lonely, I promise."

"You know that you need to control your impulses and stop getting into your mother's mind, don't you?"

"I don't do it on purpose. She broadcast her thoughts like a radio when she's working at the ship. She's always playing the piano, mostly alone." The girl shrugged sadly. "Sometimes you're there too, much older than now, reading a book or playing with her."

These had been recurring scenes, at least in recent months. Missy's mood had improved with the piano, the instrument distracted her, and the fact of having an activity seemed to have been an incentive for her to cooperate more. Thinking about it, he didn't realized how much he missed those lazy hours they spend together doing nothing but company to each other when he was out with Bill.

He gave a soft kiss on Beta's forehead and opened a wide smile, his eyes sparkling with intensity, that typical glimmer of an idea.

"Have you done with your samples?" The Doctor asked, without extend the subject. He would have time to teach his daughter to deal with her telepathy and he believed her word.

"Yes." She answered and nodded.

"Come on then, I want to show you something." He took her hand and together they walked toward the shed. "She should had broadcast my music, is much more fun!"

xxx

The moment Beta put her feet inside the Tardis for the first time was like countless others witnessed by the Doctor. Although she knew the ship would be larger in the interior, Beta's eyes widened and she turned around the console in amazement, looking at everything and nothing at the same time. It was too much information to be absorbed at once.

"Nice to meet you, my dear Blue Lady."

To make her comfortable, the Doctor leaned against the door with his arms folded and watched the girl look around in peace as a smirk of pride hung on his lips.

"She's much prettier in person."

Beta raised her right hand to touch the console, but before she looked in her father's direction. He just smiled and she knew she had the necessary permission. Then she placed her hand on a flat part of the console and the Tardis suddenly responded with a flashing show of lights as it recognized the girl's DNA.

"She likes you too." He said softly. "Perhaps…"

A knock on the door interrupted him and the Doctor turned. Missy.

"There you are, boyfriend." The words danced in her tongue, sounding mischievous. "I've been looking for you. Mondas people are ready to leave this hole. Time to go."

"Great, let's get people on board and go home. And I'm not your boyfriend, Missy." He said, finishing with a slight tease.

He saw a smug smile curl Missy's lips and felt her hand on his chest.

"You're right, the 'h' and the 'w' words suit us better, but I think it's a bit too soon for that." She glanced at Beta and looked back at him from the corner of her eye. "Or too late." Missy turned her attention to her daughter. "Where is my koala? Oh there she is! Are you already friends with this old rubbish box?"

"The Tardis is great, Mommy, I can feel her pulsing." Beta was too delighted to get away from the console.

"Pet, this is a machine, don't go after this silly men thinking it's something alive." Beta did not even seem to hear her. "Already corrupting the child?" Missy gave him a look of pretended disapproval. "Tsk tsk tsk Doctor, I thought you would know better. She might stole the Tardis from you one day."

He shrugged, taking Missy's hands with his. Their fingers intertwined automatically. There was that magnetism again.

"I guess that won't be a problem as long you're there to give me a ride."

xxx

Bill was sitting in one of the old chairs at the shed door staring at the scene in front of her. A hundred yards away the Tardis was parked on the grass on a high point of the ground, completely visible, even in the distance.

She saw the Doctor with Missy and Beta, talking and smiling naturally. If she did not know better, she could even say that the child was on their plans. They were happy.

Seeing them together acquiesced Bill's heart. As much as Missy was not the best person in the world or the nicest or even affable, a lot had changed in her and it was obvious and undeniable that the Doctor was all over her and it was more than clear that that little girl had already conquered him too.

She needed to think, to think very carefully.

"Will you tell me the real reason that made you come back?" Bill was startled for a moment as Nardole asked, coming up beside her suddenly.

"What?" Bill blinked at him in confusion.

"Your story doesn't make sense. You've got back for some reason and since you're not telling the truth I guess it's something bad. So, what do you know?"

The young woman said nothing, turning her gaze to her own hands, which writhed in a slow, unsettling gesture. Nardole, overcome with curiosity, sat down beside her and waited watching her closely.

"Heather took me to lots of places, places I didn't know before. One of these places was Gallifrey and I met the Doctor there." She said trying to keep her voice as impassive as possible.

"Gallifrey? But Gallifrey is..."

"Soon Gallifrey will return to it's coordenates."

"Ok…" He said slowly, calmly to encourage Bill to continue. "And you met the Doctor. How was he?"

Bill swallowed. Images of a shack in the middle of the desert resurfaced in her memory clearly and faithfully, as a totally vivid and terrifying memory. She could smell the sand and his sour odor of the lack of hygiene. Could see those deep dull eyes.

"Bad, he was... a shade of what he's now."

Nardole sat on the edge of the chair seat, paying as much attention as possible.

"Missy and Beta?"

"Gone." Bill said almost robotically, trying to remain impassive despite being betrayed by her own eyes.

"Dead? Both?"

She nodded almost imperceptibly. "I think Heather took me there on purpose. She knew I would do my best to help him. So I came back to prevent this events."

"Bill, you know we can't change history."

"We won't change history. Nardole, don't you see? I'm here to change de present when it comes."

Bill watched her friend open and close his mouth a few times without making any sound. She knew exactly what he was feeling at that moment. The confusion, the conflict between reason and emotion. Nardole shook his head and they watched the new family walk toward them. Family, funny but that was what they were, all of them.

Missy had Beta in her arms, upside down, making the girl laugh as she talked to the Doctor.

"How long do we have?" Nardole asked seriously, signing with Bill a tacit and silent agreement.

"We have enough time."


A.N. - I'm really sorry it took me so long to update. It's been a rough week and I didn't know were to go with the story. Thanks for all the support. You guys are the best.x

J.H. Laivel - Hello! Just let me say at once I really appreciated your review, it made my day! Missy is clever, she needed Nardole, but she was changing in the end and I think if she was through a pregnancy and all that stuff she would became a bit softer, specially with him. Beta is a mixture, lots of wavy hair and blue eyes, but she's a bit manipulative. Hope you keep liking it.