Chapter 11
They left the survivors in Teros VIII. The unloading of all things and animals took a little longer than they expected, mainly because everyone was delighted to be on land, breathing fresh air and a real sky over their heads, including Beta, who until then had never left the wrecked old ship.
Nardole and Beta said good-bye to everybody, while Missy simply gave a half-awkward hug in Hazran and Alit and ride back inside the Tardis, disappearing into it lower levels to work on the engines.
Farewells were not her thing. When she needed to leave, she simply ran, she fled in the dead of night, without any warning or note, but those times had passed.
Before the final destination, they gave Bill a ride home and the young woman looked as cheerful as ever. Missy could hear her talking to Beta about someone named Harry Potter, but she did paid too much attention.
They parked Tardis back in college by night and the campus was quiet. Nardole apologized and left. Apparently he had something important to do and Missy found herself wary of a possible meeting with River. She watched the interaction between father and daughter as she moved here and there moving Tardis' controls and equipment and felt jealous wondering how Beta would react to that woman, they would certainly become best friends in 30 seconds.
The pang of jealousy grew in her chest, imagining that woman walking around the Tardis as if she owned the place, acting like her family as if it were hers and... She swallowed, looking at both of them. Her family. She had not seen them up to that moment as a family, not really at least. Before the idea seemed like a joke, but there, looking at both the idea became certain, in absolute and incontestable truth. They were a family, her family.
As the Doctor stood beside her, resting his left hand on her back casually she found herself letting out the breath she had not even noticed. He had a small smile on his lips, but she saw a wide smile in his eyes and it made her relax.
"We go into the garden to see the stars before bed. Are you coming with us?" His hand came up her back slowly and tortuously, completely inadequate, but absolutely wanted.
"Give me a little time and I'll join you." She answered casually.
For a thousandth of nanosecond there was doubt in his eyes, but the doubt had arisen so quickly that it had disappeared. Missy turned to him, fully aware, their bodies almost touching. She felt the pressure of his hand on her back trying to bring her close and she did not resist.
"The Lady needs a bath and a change of clothes." She purred to him softly before placing a kiss on his chin and smirking. "If I recall we have a date later."
She saw him smile back and move away. "Let's go little one."
Hand in hand the two left the Tardis under the watchful eye of the Time Lady. She wanted to give them time to get acquainted and adapt. In addition to herself she needed to readapt to a life of few restrictions and surrounded by different people all the time.
Her daughter was a time child without the proper education she needed and was about to be resaid in a Tardis. What could possibly go wrong? She thought with irony, but brushed away any worry from her head as she headed for the wardrobe in the hope of finding something to wear other than that horrible coat and jeans.
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The childlike surprise with each new detail was simply contagious and he had forgotten about it. When Susan fled Gallifrey with him in a stolen Tardis she was a teenager, so her excitement and enchantment were sometimes overshadowed by the hormones and bad moods of a teenage girl herself. Beta on the other hand, exploded in curious joy at every new discovery.
Her blue eyes sparkled as she saw the stars shining in the night sky, like thousands of diamonds scattered on a long piece of black velvet. She looked up with her mouth open, in complete bliss. A few seconds passed before she finally smiled broadly.
"They're so bright." There was haunting in the girl's voice.
"This is just an echo. Many of them don't even exist anymore and there are a multitude of other younger stars we do not see from here. But these are not the only stars, there are an untold amount of them out there in the universe." The Doctor explained without looking away from the stars.
"I want to see them all," Beta announced with conviction.
Seeing all the stars had been a pact he and Koschei had made thousands of years ago and there was their daughter having the same desire. He clasped Beta's hand with his, feeling unmotivably proud.
"We will see them together." He said without looking away from the starry sky.
He felt that the time to fulfill old promises made long ago finally arrived.
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When Missy found them, they were lying on the wide lawn that stretched across the side of the campus. Like the night before, Beta had snuggled up next to the Doctor and at some point as she stared at the stars and heard stories about them fell asleep.
"Sleep Beauty is out already, haven't you noticed?" She asked standing next to them.
She watched him look away from the sky and focus on her. Mary Poppins had given way to The Librarian. The long skirts had been replaced by new ones at the knee, the corset abandoned altogether had given way to a simple blouse, half hidden by a light cardigan, without buttons.
"You look good. I really like this new sexy librarian style." She said as she sat down next to them, her knees together and her back absolutely upright in an impeccable posture.
"Don't get too excited, my dear Do-c-tor." She hummed his name. "This is provisory. I need to do some shopping, must of those clothes are rubbish! And your little brat needs everything."
"Make a list, Nardole will see to it." He sounded distracted, his hands caressing the arm Beta had passed around him, his eyes fixed on Missy.
The expression on Missy's face changed immediately, gaining harsh serious contours as she stared at him. She wanted to kick herself for being so foolish hoping he would allow her to do something without supervision. It was clear for her that he still saw her as his prisoner deep inside and perhaps this perception would never change.
Before she could say anything, the Doctor understood the upshift on her and sensed the implication of his words.
"Missy, it's not like that. It's not a matter of trust, you can go shopping or do whatever you need anytime you want to, but we can't forgot I'm still your guardian and sincerely I didn't thought you would want to go shopping." He said in an impassive voice, noting that his words did not seem to have any effect on her. "We can go together if you want to, just us and Beta. What do you..."
She shushed him with a sudden hand movement.
A small part of her brain tried to warn her that it was not intentional, that they had been apart from each other for a different amount of time for each. That while she had had time to deal with her problems and manage to reach the goals drawn to her, he had not spent more than 12 hours away, between separation and reunion. But the outraged and hurt part of her, which was infinitely greater, took advantage at that moment.
Missy stood and picked up Beta, bringing it to her chest carefully. Soon the girl would be too big for that, but at that moment it did not matter.
"I'm taking my daughter to bed, Mister Guard." He said dryly and strode away, leaving behind a regretful Doctor, rubbing his face with his hands in a tired gesture.
IcanPoletelyMurderYou – 33 Thank you sweetheart. Next chapter some naughty Twissy and bottom cheeks check-up. LOL
Smokeydog – Thank you! Hope you keep liking it.
Zerousy – Bill don't have any idea how much work she'll have to save the Doctor.
J.H. Laivel – Hey! Don't worry, they will suffer, we'll be a bit sad and worried but in the end everything will be fine because I really can't deal with sad endings and they don't deserve one.
They getting married would be quiet interesting but I bet River wouldn't like it very much (not that this is a problem for me, because I never really liked her, but… :x) I see Missy and the Doctor as rebels in some way so marriage is not in their future, but might be something to be discussed later.
Bill and Nardole will have tons of work and there's a possibility they find some unexpected help, but I'm not sure about it yet.
I do really appreciate your comments and I hope you keep liking it. Have a great weekend =*
