Title: Snapshot
Author: HearMeCalling
Rating: G
Characters: Romana II, Charley Pollard (and family), Four (briefly), Eight
Spoilers: BF audio Neverland (#33)
Summary: Charley was determined to be an Edwardian Adventuress, even at the age of seven.
Disclaimer: Doctor Who doesn't belong to me. If it did, I'm sure I wouldn't know what to do with it.
Snapshot
Romana leant up against the hard, reassuring TARDIS door as she took in the view. It was a relief to be outside of there; it sometimes felt as if the walls were closing in with the Doctor around. He had been to busy telling off K9 for correcting him to even notice that they had landed. She took a deep breath; the air was definitely of Earth composition, yet she was still lacking the knowledge to be able to discern exactly what era it was.
The snow cracked under her feet deliciously and it elicited a smile from her. She walked onwards once she realised that neither of her companions would be joining her. Obviously, they were both sulking because of the other's actions. So much for being above them, or technologically inept. It was a shame, really. This Era was particularly quaint and was obviously celebrating the holiday the Doctor was so fond of.
A child was singing a Christmas carol heartily, her older sister glaring at her, whilst she hung onto her mother's hand tightly. Romana's mouth twitched slightly as the girl skipped along without a care in the world, her blonde, bobbed hair bouncing.
"Oh come on, Cissy, Mamma, sing along," she shouted, not realising just how loud she was speaking. "In the bleak mid-winter, frosty wind may moan."
"Mamma, please can you get Charlotte to be quiet?" Cissy asked. "She is being quite annoying. I do not know why she cannot be more like Margaret."
"Oh Cecilia, stop being such a, such a," Charlotte couldn't seem to find the word. "Humbug," she declared, with relish. "Tell her, Mamma."
"Please calm down, Charley, dear," Lady Louisa Pollard announced. "And Cissy, you can stop acting so smug. It is not becoming of a young lady."
The two girls glared at each other for a short while until the younger became distracted. She let go of her mother's hand and ran on ahead. When she came back, she was out of breath, very excitable and ever so slightly startled.
"I've found something new, Mamma," Charley announced. "Look, a strange, blue box. Just there, in front of the Harris' house."
"Stop making up things Charlotte," Cissy replied. "There is nothing new there."
Romana frowned. Charley had run off in the direction that Romana had walked from; the Doctor cannot have already moved the TARDIS. Stranger still was that the girl had even noticed it at all. Romana had checked the perception filter barely days ago and had had to recalibrate it. She knew it was working perfectly, now.
"Just because all you want to do is marry someone and have children when you grow up," Charley snapped. "When I grow up, I want to be an adventuress."
"Don't be silly, only men are adventurers."
"What about Alice?"
The girls bickered as they walked onwards. As they passed Romana in the otherwise empty street, Charley mouthed 'Merry Christmas' to her. Romana smiled in return but jumped as the Doctor placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Don't do that," she hissed. "There's something odd about that girl."
"What girl?"
"That..," Romana started before realising the family had turned the corner. "Oh, never mind. Have you and K9 stopped arguing yet?"
~*~
"Doctor?"
Romana approached the Doctor tentatively. Everyone was rushing around them, preparing for the imminent launch into anti-time. The Doctor seemed to pretend not to listen to her. She sighed heavily before starting again.
"I'm sorry about the time torpedoes, I did try…"
"You tried, Romana, well, thank you. There is nothing that shows care, gratitude and friendship like just trying."
"Don't take that tone with me, Doctor," she replied, curtly. "I wanted to talk to you about Charlotte."
"Charley," the Doctor replied automatically.
The Doctor didn't know quite why he was so annoyed with Romana. After all, she was one of his best friends and had only been doing her job. And very good she was at it, too. She was his favourite President since Borusa. But then again, after seeing what happened to him, he wasn't so sure that was a good thing.
"Charley," Romana echoed. "She was that girl."
"What girl?"
"All those years ago, I said she was odd."
"I didn't see her."
"You walked past her."
"I can't remember every young girl I see, even if they are to become future companions of mine."
Co-ordinator Vansell was growing impatient and urging them to board the time-station. Romana glared in his direction, and he started waiting patiently and quietly, but not before he had apologised to her in an overly obsequious manner and still managing to insult the Doctor,
"Just after your argument with K9? We'd landed in an Edwardian winter; the smell of roasting chestnuts was heavy in the air? You insisted I tried some and I told you they were the foulest thing I had ever tasted." The Doctor shook his head blankly. "Oh fine. So you didn't save her from the crash of the R101 because you recognised her?"
"No, no, of course not Romana," he replied. "Or maybe, yes. On a subconscious level, though. But it was because I liked her, too."
Romana opened her mouth to reply but promptly shut it again wordlessly. She had already received an answer as to why the Doctor had risked the web of time; therefore there was nothing to be expanded upon. She strode towards the time-station, urging the Doctor to follow. There was no point keeping Vansell, and the crew aboard the Doctor's TARDIS waiting any longer.
end