This is a bit of a short chapter, barely scraping three thousand words which is my absolute minimum for my works. (Yes, there's multiple works. Don't expect them to be published anytime soon lol.)

Also, I want to thank you all so much! This story has officially reached thirteen favorites, seventeen alerts, and six reviews. (On FanFiction that is)

My last fic only got thirteen favorites and sixteen follows in all of the time that it's been published, which was almost two years ago, so I'm super excited! Thank you all so, so much!

I also want to let you know that I will be editing or completely rewriting this story. I'm just not as happy with it as I could be. Don't fret, I'll try not to let this interfere with my updating schedule. But, knowing me…

This fic is owned by not me. Idk who owns it, but it's not me. Sorry to disappoint, y'all.

Please review the trigger warnings from the prologue.

When I was fourteen, Riley ran away. For all of two hours before he was found again. I remember sitting at my desk, staring blankly at my homework while I listened to Dad beat him. I sat there for nearly an hour.

I didn't know what was right that day. I had thought of running away as well, and I'm certain we all had. I wondered if it was truly wrong. What was so bad about wanting to feel safe at home? And why did Dad react so strongly to him leaving? The answer I eventually came to was that Dad loves us. That conclusion left me with more mixed feelings than I started with.

I know as soon as I open my eyes that I have done the same thing he did. More extreme, but the same.

I sit up, my back hunched and most of me aching. I stare at the wall ahead of me for a few minutes, trying desperately to escape my thoughts. I don't want to think about this, I want to forget, even if it just is for a little bit.

I feel, right now, like I did when I was young and Dad gave me chores to do, and I wasn't sure if I'd done them all. I would usually wander around the house, fidgeting, anxious. I feel like there's extreme consequences coming for this.

I can't decide if I want to go home, or if I want to run forever.

I grab my phone and turn on the flashlight, illuminating the room. I sit up, tucking my legs under me and opening my phone, checking my email. Riley emailed me about a day ago, going on and on about school, amongst other things. I don't bother with replying at the moment, and chuck it to the other side of the bed. I change into a different shirt that's too baggy on me and open the door.

The hall is illuminated by some light shining from seemingly nowhere. I spin around, examining it. My brain is apparently still waking up, because I can't figure out where it's coming from. I'll have to remember to ask the Doctor about that later.

Every time I come across an open door, I poke my head in. There's a room with a wash and a dryer in it that look ancient. Across from that is a room with a bed in it. It's rather large and had a few pictures on the wall. I look around and see shoes on the floor. On the bedside table is a picture of a red headed women and a man, smiling at the camera. Underneath is a page that appears to be torn out of a book. I pick it up gingerly and read the first few lines.

Hello old friend, and here we are, you and me, the last page. By the time you read these words, Rory and I will be long gone. Just know that we lived a long life, and are very, very-

I lose interest and return it to its place walking out of the room and closing the door quietly behind me. The next room I across a library. "Doctor?" I call out.

There's no response so I walk in. I take a few steps inside, looking around I stop, blinking a few times as I look at a swimming pool. In the library, a swimming pool.

"Oh, God." I moan, looking around the room again to make sure the Doctor isn't there.

I turn on my heel and march out of there, walking down the hall again until I find the kitchen, where the Doctor is cooking something on the stove.

"Ah, Ada, good morning. Have a seat." He gestures to the table and I sit down, opening my phone and going through it. I decide against texting anyone, since I'm not entirely sure if it will pop up in the right time. Social media seems to be working fine, though.

"Why do you have a pool in the library?" I ask.

He turns to grin at me and I raise my eyebrows at him.

"You like that?" He asks.

I shrug nonchalantly.

"It seems like a bit of design flaw. Water right next to books?"

"Not any books I like, though," He says.

I chuckle, "Why would you bother with books you don't like?"

"So they aren't splashed with water. Keep up, Ada."

I snort, rolling my eyes. He sets a plate of eggs in front of me.

"Thanks," I murmur, setting my phone on the table in front of me.

The Doctor is quiet for a long moment, which is unusual for him. Usually he'll made idle small talk, or discuss politics from thirty years ago. Right now he seems to be mulling something over in his head, something really important, if his somber expression is anything to go on.

"Ada," He's using the same tone Jesse does when he's really serious. Like when I failed an exam in school, or when he told me he was moving to America. I set down my fork on the table and will myself to look straight into his eyes, though I probably can't say much for my expression.

"Who…" He swallows, breaking eye contact and examining his hands. "Who hurt you?"

Why would he ask that? He knows who it was. He knows what happened! What will saying out loud do except for cause me pain?

I open and close my mouth a few times to speak, but don't find the strength. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I don't want to talk about it." I whisper.

"Ada…"

"I said I don't want to talk about it, Doctor!" I hiss, standing up and knocking the chair behind me in the process. He looks hurt by my words, his face crumpling.

"Can we just forget about it?" I wipe tears out of my eyes that I didn't notice off of my face and sniff, my eyes cast on the ground.

"No." Is all he offers before he brushes past me and walks out of the room.

I wait a while before following him into the control room. I linger in the doorway for a few moments, listening to him move around on the floor. He's stomping a little, like being passive aggressive will help anything.

I slowly walk up the stairs and stand there, waiting for him to tell me what to do. If he's angry at me I expect he'll ignore me or yell at me.

He does neither, and turns to me, a smile on his face.

"All of time and space, the entire universe," He gestures to the T.A.R.D.I.S. console, a smile playing on his lips. "What do you want to see first?"

I chuckle nervously, wringing my hands together.

"Can we go to the past?"

"Yes! Good choice, Adaline!"

"Anywhere particular?" He asks.

"Rome!"

He grins, gesturing for me to come over.

"Pull that lever down when I say, then press the grey button."

I nod, staring fixedly at the control platform, waiting for my cue.

"Now," He says.

I do as he said, a small feeling of accomplishment in me.

"Where did you learn to do this?" I ask.

"Gallifrey, I missed most of the classes though."

"Why did they let you have a space ship!?"

"Hit that button," He orders, gesturing to the button in front of me. "And they didn't. I stole her."

I freeze, my hand hovering over the button for a couple seconds.

"Like, for real?"

"Yup!" He smiles at me, like stealing is some massive accomplishment. Though, I suppose it could be.

"Oh, my gosh!" I stare at him with a mix of disbelief and admiration.

"You actually st-" I'm cut off by the machine jerking violently, throwing me to the ground. I scream, covering my face with my arms.

I'm winded for about thirty seconds before I sit up. The room in clouded with smoke, and as soon as I breathe in I start coughing.

"Doctor?"

"It's fine- it's fine!" The Doctor says, right before another burst of smoke comes out of the console.

"Oh, that's not…" He wrestles with the console for a minute- "…good."

"Doctor?" I ask.

"Um…"

I start to feel lightheaded as I inhale more of the smoke.

"I think we should evacuate," he says.

"Aren't we in space?"

"There is a very good chance that we just crash landed." He extends his hand and helps me get to my feet.

"I'm fine," I sigh, covering my mouth with the collar of my shirt.

The light outside burns my eyes at first, and I step back, feeling desperately dizzy. I crouch, covering my face with my hands.

The Doctor puts his hand on my shoulder which I don't push away.

"I feel like I've been choked," I murmur. "Which, by the way, sucks!' I uncover my eyes, blinking a few times in the light.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"Earth. America. Two thousand and eleven."

I laugh breathlessly, looking around.

"That's so cool!"

We're on the side of a road beside a field, no one in sight. Someone turns the corner and drives past us, leaving a cloud of dust in the air.

"Can we go places?" I ask. "Like, are we going to change something important inadvertently?"

"Um..." He's quiet for a moment. "Just, avoid important looking things. And don't talk about technology of your time, or any time after right now."

"Got it."

I look around the area around us, completely fascinated. The Doctor turns around, examining the T.A.R.D.I.S.

"She's repairing herself. She'll be completely fine in a little bit."

"Let's go look around," I suggest. "See the town."

He nods, turning in a full circle to examine the area around us. "That way!" He says, pointing down the road and grabbing my hand.

"How far do you think we are from a town or city?"

"About two miles."

"Probably good we don't have the T.A.R.D.I.S…. people wouldn't know what to do with a bigger-on-the-inside time machine, 'specially in this day and age."

He laughs. "Probably not."

I stare at the town's entrance sign, trying to read it. It's too far away to make out.

Welcome to Alanville Kansas.

"We're in Kansas."

I glance at the Doctor briefly before a flash of light sparks and he disappears. I spin around, throwing my hands in the air.

"Doctor!"

He if five feet in front of me, laying on the ground with wide eyes focused on the sky.

"Bloody Hell," He murmurs, sitting up and holding his hand against his head.

"What happened?" I stammer, standing still.

"Force field," He grunts. I offer my hand to help him up. He pulls out his sonic and scans the air in front of us.

"It's only susceptible to aliens! That'll explain why it didn't hurt you!"

He presumable disables it as he starts walking again, this time through where it was. I catch up to him after a moment of hesitation.

"Why is there a force field?"

"That is the question…" he pauses for a moment. "And I really do have no idea."

I gawk at him for a moment.

"You!? I thought you knew everything!"

He laughs.

"I guess there's a first time for everything."

The road in the town in dirt, and the building are all old and faded. People wear clothes especially odd, like jean skirts with floral designs, boots that look like they're from an old western, despite this being a fairly sizable town. We walk by an RV and I gawk at it.

I freaking love the past!

"This is so cool!"

The Doctor smiles at me, then returns to looking around the town for a moment.

"Do you think that the reason why there's a force field on the outskirts of the town is because the government is actually trying to keep aliens out?" I ask.

"Not likely. The technology is far too advanced for anything of this time, or your time, really." He says. "It's aliens or other time travelers put them up."

I think for a moment about this. Who would possible come all the way to earth just to set up a force field to block aliens out of a town? Time travelers seem to be the only logical explanation, though I can't see that.

"Do other people have time travel?" I ask.

"Sure. Humans even invent it around—" He glances at me and cuts himself off.

"Spoilers."

I'm quiet for a few more moments.

"Maybe it's there to keep you out specifically?" I offer.

The Doctor stops in his tracks for a moment before moving again.

"Possibly." He says.

"Okay… I guess we should start with who would want to keep you away from them?" I ask.

"Could be anyone." He says.

I laugh, then look at him. The look on his face is enough to make me completely believe that he has thousands of enemies.

"Well… Not anyone, yeah?" He gives me another look and I turn away, defeated.

I curse under my breath, just loud enough that he won't hear me.

We walk for a few more minutes in a silence that is very familiar, and not at all uncomfortable. The Doctor stares around the town, no judgement, just the curiosity of someone trying to understand the world around him.

I can't imagine what he sees. I mean, as interesting as it is to be in the past, see how those lives before you, I don't see much that's different about it. People are still people. They're causing problems, falling in love, dying. All routine.

His eyes lock on a woman walking into the store across the street from us and he frowns.

Fancy some ice cream?" The Doctor asks.

I shrug nonchalantly and follow him into the parlor. The room we enter is rather large, with tall tables set up through the room. At the very back is the freezers which hold the ice cream, with an odd looking woman behind the counter. It's not that there's anything wrong with her appearance, it's that it's too… normal. Everything about it is bland and forgettable. Brown hair, brown eyes, a pale face with an ordinary nose.

I find I can't really focus on any of it. She seems to be… blurry. Like she's flickering in and out of the world.

"Can I help you?" She asks.

I rub my eyes and the Doctor says, "Yes, I'd like a bowl of strawberry ice cream."

She turns to me expectantly.

Did her face just flicker?

"Vanilla medium cone, please."

She nods and turns around, making my cone first.

"Five forty two." She says.

The Doctor holds out three dollars, and I find myself trying again to focus on the outline of her face. It doesn't work this time either.

"Thank you!" The Doctor chirps, startling me out of my musings. I repeat the phrase and follow him quickly out of the room.

"You noticed it too, I assume?" He asks.

I nod numbly.

"Good."

He stops talking from there, and I realize something. If I were asked to describe this woman, I wouldn't be able to. Her entire image has been wiped from my brain.

We sit down at a table outside of the parlor.

"Eat your ice cream." He says after a minute.

I nod, staring across the street absently while I eat. I feel worlds away from my home, but I suppose it would be easier to get home if it were just that. Time travel? If it weren't for the Doctor I'd never see home again.

"I think I have an idea." He's quiet for a moment after saying that, then turns to me.

"Ada, will you go wait in the T.A.R.D.I.S. for me?"

"What?"

"I don't want you to get hurt. I have an idea of what's going on."

I open my mouth to object, then nod.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. And don't wander off." He points at me.

"I mean it,"

"I won't."

"No, really."

"Fine."

He stares at me, as if he doesn't believe me.

"I'm going to listen to you, Doctor."

He stares at me for another moment, before sighing.

"Right. Um, yes. Do that."

He turns around, and in a few seconds has turned the corner.

I stare after him for a moment before turning around myself and walking back to the T.A.R.D.I.S.

I sit underneath the console, scrolling through my phone with music playing softly.

I avoid making any sort of obvious presence on social media, worried about when it might pop up on my timeline.

After a few minutes I sigh, turning off my phone and closing my eyes. The Doctor didn't give me any idea about how long it would take him to do- whatever he's doing.

I feel a gentle buzz start to come from the console, which turns into a gentle thump.

Thump, thump, thump.

I smile, a sense of peace filling me. I stop hearing all other sounds, the thumping filling all of me. The sound of a heartbeat.

Find him.

The voice fills my head and I sit bolt upright. It was completely clear, yet simultaneously soft. It comes from nowhere.

Before I have time to think, I act completely impulsively. I drop my phone as I get to my feet, stumbling as I lunge forwards towards the door. I open the door and run towards the town at my highest speed.

When I get to the town I stop, turning around in a circle before groaning. I have no idea where I'm going!

Someone brushes my shoulder as they walk by me, and I turn sharply, making eye contact with them.

Their face is blurred, like the woman's at the ice cream shop and I frown. They turn away immediately and I'm left stunned for a few moments.

I stare after him and feel my blood run cold and panic fills me.

Hanging halfway out of his pocket is the Doctor's sonic.

It falls out and hits the ground with a small ding, and I stare at it.

What the Hell is happening?

Really, really lame ending, and chapter at that. I know. I'm trying! I do have a plan for this. I'm not just running blindly through this.

SOOO, I guess I should address why this took me so long.

I've sort of gotten writers block, as well as laziness, as well as rehearsal every single night for the past like three weeks. (Not including weekends) And I fell majorly behind in math. I do have excuses!

I've been feeling really bummed out in general lately, so could you please leave a review…? I know I sound really needy but it would really make my day! I love you all!