Anders was beside himself, and Jamie was sniffing and sobbing with fear when he was picked up by the man and taken back into the Pond's house. He had just seen his mother and best friend swallowed by the ground, because of a woman they had only just met. It was her he blamed. He knew how caring and friendly Zara was towards anyone, he himself very rarely trusted people he had just met. He had had "Stranger Danger" drilled into him from a young age, threaded with tails of aliens and monsters that emphasised how dangerous things could actually be. He hung on every single word of warning, whereas Zara always asked questions, wanted to know more. The thought of new and mysterious things delighted her. It was always Zara that he felt safe with though. She stood up for herself and him, and even though Jamie tried he never had that courage. He was a sensitive, shy child. Did what he was told. The only times he tried anything new was with Zara at his side and his parents nearby.
"How do we save them Uncle Anders?" he sniffled, wiping his face with the sleeve of his jumper, "We have to save them!"
"I don't know yet Jamie, but believe you me, we will get them back," sighed Anders.
"Daddy! We should tell him, he'll know what to do."
"I've already called him, he's on his way." Calling Rory was the first thing he had done, two heads were better than one. Especially when one was a time-traveller and the other an alien. Not to mention, where family was involved there was no greater asset than a fellow father.
"And why did mummy call that woman her daughter?"
Anders paused at this point, "That's for your parents to tell you. I wouldn't be able to explain it well."
For the second time in one day Amy woke up having no idea where she was, except in a giant brass bird cage. The room they were in was brightly lit, and looked like nothing short of the throne room in an Arabian temple. It was richly decorated in gold and scarlet, with marble floors, wine-red walls and gilded mirrors and paintings everywhere. She was sat on a raggedy and threadbare cushion. Across the other side of the cage she saw River, sitting and hugging her knees with her back to Amy. However, what alarmed her more was the quiet noises she heard every now and then. She was trying to smother the sound, but River was crying. Amy's first instinct was to go over and comfort her, but she felt like it would be intruding. If it had been Jamie she would know exactly what to do, but she only knew her daughter as a baby for a little while, then an adult. How did you comfort an adult exactly? Especially one that had been through so much. She didn't even know who this River was, which timeline, she didn't know what she had been doing at all. As luck would have it though, she needn't have fretted long. From the other side of their prison, Zara stood up quietly, and slowly walked over. She didn't um and ah and hesitate like Amy.
"River?" the girl said quietly. Neither of them had realised Amy was awake, once again she found herself watching instead of participating. River sat up straight with shock, she had no idea she had been caught and wiped her face as quickly as she could but it was already too late. Zara sat up close next to her, "It's ok to cry you know, I won't tell anybody,"
River smiled but her voice was croakier than normal, "No, I imagine you wouldn't, doesn't make it any less embarrassing."
"Well that's just silly. It's only human to be upset sometimes, and it isn't healthy to hide it,"
River couldn't hide a slight chuckle, "Says the seven year old alien,"
"Exactly. If even I know that it has to be true, right?" River couldn't deny the logic of that. "But really, what's wrong? You've seemed sad since I met you and there's something going on between you and Auntie Amy. Don't say I wouldn't understand, I'm smarter than people realise. I understand everything that my dad, Auntie Amy and Uncle Rory say. Other adults too. They don't think I do because I never let on because then they stop being honest. They forget that I'm not just another kid,"
"I knew since I first met you that you're some kind of genius prodigy. Even so though, I shouldn't be piling my problems onto a child."
There was a long pause whilst Zara thought up a response to that. She knew exactly what she wanted to say, but wasn't sure how to phrase it. In the end, she thought the simplest way would be best, "They didn't hide Jamie from you."
Magic words. Even Amy got a tightness in her chest as her nerves brimmed to the surface, she gulped as she tried to inhale more air to offset the breathlessness that overtook her. How had a child managed to cut through all the surrounding chaos and implications and get straight to the point? Better than any adult. How did she know? Amy wondered if she had overheard them speaking when they tried to find her, hiding until the point they caught up with her. But then she considered herself at that age. There was none so perceptive and honest as a human child.
"How did…?" River was astonished, embarrassed even. She lived her life lying and dodging and keeping secrets, and a girl she had only met earlier in the day had seen straight through her.
Zara sighed and looked down, "They didn't. Look, don't tell them because I'll be in trouble, but I heard them talking."
"Heard who?"
"Daddy and Auntie Amy,"
"When?"
"It was about a week ago. It was pretty late but I couldn't sleep. I left my room to go and sit with my dad, because he always reads by the fire before bedtime. But I heard someone knocking on the door so I stayed upstairs to see if it would be alright." She looked up thoughtfully at the ceiling, it was like she was there all over again. She could even smell the wood smoke.
"When my daddy answered I could hear it was Auntie Amy and she was really upset. I was worried so I stayed where I was to make sure it wasn't bad news about Uncle Rory, or Jamie. It was then she told Daddy all about you. Uncle Rory was at work, Jamie was at his grandparents. I think she was lonely. I didn't know it was you at the time, but she talked about her baby girl who was taken, and who she never got to buy Christmas presents for."
Zara returned her gaze to River who's eyes were still brimming, but she was listening intently, hanging on every word.
"The one that was taken and locked up and hurt and she didn't see until she was grown up. Until she was you I guess. Then she went on to say she was terrified something had happened to her baby since she hadn't seen you since Jamie had been born. She had been really excited to have you meet your little brother and play with him, but that nobody had heard from you in years." Zara shrugged, she had no idea what those words might mean to River,
"She even asked a doctor who I think knew you, but she couldn't get any answers. It wasn't until Auntie Amy called you her daughter before we fell that it all made sense." Zara stopped, she was clearly relieved to have all of that off her chest. She was naturally an honest and responsible girl. She hated having to hide things and worried about being found out.
"So, they didn't hide him. They weren't ashamed of you, they just didn't know where you were."
River couldn't speak, she had no idea what pain she had caused her parents without knowing it. But it didn't make her feel guilty, she was glad she knew the truth. If she knew the truth she could change things. She was suddenly aware that she had unconsciously reached out to Zara and was hugging her, holding on for dear life. Amy was fighting back tears of her own. She had no intention of unknowingly piling more anxiety on a young girl than she should ever have to deal with at that age, but she was also relieved that River understood now. Relieved that she didn't have to try and explain it herself. She would be ever grateful to Zara for that.
"I can tell there's still a lot upsetting you, but I won't ask you to tell me. I know what grownups are like. I just wanted to help out with the bit I could," admitted Zara,
"Zara?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," beamed Zara,
River wiped her face and stood up, "Now let's get out of here,"
She grabbed Zara's hand and swung her to her feet so strongly she left the floor for a moment and screamed with laughter. Amy decided to make her presence known by sitting up and putting on a cough. She rubbed her head like she had just woken up.
"Oh good. Another cage," she rolled her eyes and stood up, the other two turned to look at her, "All ok?" they nodded, River's gaze met her own for a moment whilst they were silent, a mutual understanding passing between them.