Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, but pretty much everything else is mine. Huh, not often that happens.

"Do you wanna dance?" I asked the Doctor in a sudden, panic-driven scheme.

For a moment, he seemed a bit startled that I'd asked. His eyebrows sat in the middle of his forehead, but nothing else showed his surprise. Then, with a shocking amount of enthusiasm, he smiled and nodded. The acceptance of my offer now had me shocked, and it took me a moment to comprehend that we were slowly moving towards the wooden dance floor.

Once there, he offered me his hand and I was suddenly reminded of the time he'd introduced me to his library. Just as I had then, I shakily accepted the hand, and he pulled me slightly closer to his tall, skinny frame. As he placed his thin hands on my waist and I reached up to gently set mine on his shoulders, a deep blush climbed my throat to flame across my face. I was thankful for the dim lighting, which was probably the only thing keeping him from realizing how much our contact affected me.

For the first few moments, there was nothing but awkward silence. The both of us were stiff, and I knew that this was just as weird for him as it was for me. Hopefully, it was also a good weird just as much to him as it was to me.

"Catherine," I jumped as the Doctor whispered my name in my ear. I hadn't realized we were that close. "Look at that."

My eyes followed his, and I caught sight of Nicky and Marie dancing with each other. They weren't nearly as close as any of the other couples on the floor, but they both had smiles on their young faces and twinkles in their eyes.

My rigid form softened a bit, and I smiled. "I congratulate you on a job well done."

"Well, I had a bit of help." He shifted his hands slightly, causing the muscles in my stomach to jerk excitedly.

"We make one hell of a team, huh?" I asked shakily, forcing a smile onto my face.

He looked slightly concerned at my obvious discomfort, but nodded anyways, and then resorted to looking around at all of the people. I did the same, catching the slightest glance of Travis. He was staring at us with a sad look on his face, and I felt bad for him. Not because he was missing out on all of this amazing sexiness (note the sarcasm), but because I wouldn't and couldn't return the feelings he directed towards me.

"He looks like he really wants to be in my position."

Once more, the Doctor's smooth voice made me jump. I turned to him, and looked down at our feet in embarrassment and shame. "Yeah…"

"What d'you say?" He reached up and brushed a hair that had strayed from my bun behind my ear. "Give him one dance?" The hope in his eyes made my heart break. That look normally meant something good, but not this time. This time, he was using it to get me to leave him alone. I didn't want to dance with Travis, I was rather content dancing with him.

With a disheartened sigh, I nodded. "Yeah, sure."

The Doctor grinned, and the music stopped. Then, after patting my shoulder, he walked past me and towards Ian and Morgan. I watched him for a few more moments, and then turned to go talk to Travis. He was standing quietly at the edge of the dance floor with his hands in his pockets and his head down.

"Travis?"

His head jerked up, and as soon as he caught sight of me a smile was on his face. "Hey, Cat."

I nodded and forced a smile to my face. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"A little bit," He shrugged, staring at me with pure admiration. "I was kinda hoping to be able to spend more time with you, but you seemed a bit busy."

I nodded, and then looked down at my feet. Sighing, I looked back at him. "I'm free for the next dance, if you're up for it."

A glint came to his eyes and a bright grin to his face, and then he reached out to grasp my hand and pull me towards the dance floor. His large hand was warm and soft, exactly the kind of hand to hold. Where the warmth would've comforted most people, it made me feel a bit sick and uneasy. Those unwanted feelings only increased as Travis gently grasped my waist and waited for me to place my hands on his shoulders.

"You never did introduce me," Travis's smooth, deep voice pulled me away from the twisting in my stomach. "What's your boyfriend's name?"

It took me a moment to figure out who he was talking about. "Oh, you mean the D- John?"

"Dijon?"

"No, um, John," I mumbled. "It's John Smith, and he's not my boyfriend."

This brought a grin to his devilishly handsome face. "Then I've still got a chance."

"Travis," I bit my lip. I didn't want to hurt the poor guy. Travis was amazing, and he deserved to be happy, but he couldn't be happy with me because I couldn't be happy with him. "I'm sorry, but-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," He interrupted, turning his head to avoid my eyes. "No chance. Figured it out a while ago, I just like to remain optimistic."

"Do you know why too, or should I explain that?"

He chuckled and shook his head, his hair falling gracefully in front of his eyes. "Figured that part out too," The small smile that had developed on his face fell. "Well, not really, Riley told me."

I nodded and looked down at our feet, feeling bad.

"I actually considered acting a bit more rude so I wouldn't remind you so much of your dad."

I chuckled. "You'd change your personality for me?" I joked, looking up at him through my lashes.

"Nope," He chuckled with me. "Hence why I didn't."

I smiled and gently patted his shoulder. "Promise you'll find someone that makes you happy?"

He grinned, flashing two rows of blindingly white teeth, and nodded. "Promise."

Feeling a bit more comfortable with Travis, we settled into a light bit of chatter about the weather, and eventually went our separate ways when the dance ended. As he moved towards a group of the bridesmaids, I went back to the Doctor, who was standing with Ian. Morgan had wandered away from the edge of the dance floor to the bar for another one of her favorite flavor of Mike's.

As I approached, the Doctor offered me a smile and looked like he was going to say something, but Ian got there first. "You look beautiful, Cat." He smiled at me boyishly, running his hand through his hair.

I smiled at him, blushing slightly at the compliment. "Thanks,"

"I still think the glasses are sexy…" The Doctor mumbled as he reached up to tug at his earlobe.

Of course, this compliment had even more of an effect on me than Ian's had. The slight blush increased to another one of those things that feels like flames are burning across your body. Once more, I owed the dim lighting for sparing me another moment of extreme embarrassment.

"Space Doctor, Space Doctor!"

I grinned as I heard Nicky's odd nickname for the Doctor. I'd grown rather fond of it, actually.

"Chicken Dance!" I couldn't help but chuckle as my nephew and the Doctor started squealing and ran over to the dance floor. Together, the two started moving their arms and backsides to the song, grinning from ear to ear. Seeing those grins, I couldn't help but to mimic them.

As the night progressed, a few people left claiming that they had to work in the morning. I knew that wasn't really the case, and that they were actually leaving because they'd gotten bored, but whatever. I knew Riley never let her parties actually start until well into the night because that removed all of the party-poopers. Their loss, right?

Anyways, Riley and Dave had been talking with their parents for the last half hour, the Doctor and Nicky were still dancing, and Travis was in a corner with a few girls. To be honest, I was slightly offended by how quickly he got over me. Moving past that, I was left with Stephanie. Alexis had been forcefully removed by a group of policemen, claiming that she 'didn't have it' and that she was 'innocent.'

"Who's… that guy?" Stephanie pointed at someone behind me, someone I hadn't met yet. "Do you think the puppy-dog look would work on him?"

As I looked at the guy, I figured that Stephanie was way past the legal limit. Not only was she slurring her words and tripping on everything when she stood, the guy she was staring at was at least sixty. Probably one of Riley's uncles or something.

"I don't know, Stephanie, why don't you go find out?"

She turned to me and grinned, a devilish glint in her eyes. "Don't wait up." Then, she got to her feet and sloppily sauntered over to the old man.

I watched with my eyebrows in the middle of my forehead. I didn't think she'd actually do it.

"Cat," I turned around to find Riley staring at the same spectacle I had been. "Why is Stephanie hitting on my step-grandpa?"

I glanced back at her, looked up at Riley, and shrugged.

"Well, I think that's the best answer, anyways." She smiled and dropped herself onto the chair Stephanie had been occupying. "I saw you dancing with Travis earlier."

I grabbed the plastic cup full of Dr. Pepper that was on the table next to me and took a sip. "And?"

"Well, what happened?"

"Nothing, we just talked."

"About…"

I rolled my eyes. "We're good, okay? He's moved on."

She smirked and glanced at him, flirting in the corner with all of those tall, beautiful women. "I'd say."

Once more, my eyes rolled in their sockets, and I looked away from her towards the two goofballs on the dance floor. They were much more interesting than Travis's newfound love of flirting.

"Why aren't you dancing with them?"

I glanced at Riley out of the corner of my eye, caught that worried and curious look, and sighed. Sometimes, she was too much of a sweetheart. "I just don't feel like it."

"Oh, now I see. You're afraid you'll embarrass yourself in front of that hunky, British-like alien."

I blushed fifteen shades of red, and shook my head furiously. "No, I'm just tired."

"Cat, if he can do that," She gestured at the Doctor, who was shaking his arms in front of him like he was having a seizure. "I think you're allowed to trip over yourself a few times."

"They're having so much fun, I don't want to butt in." I tried one more excuse.

She just shook her head and sat back, crossing her legs in the decently short dress. "Say whatever you want, but you know I'm right."

I bit my lip and watched the boys for a few minutes more. I don't think either of them had stopped grinning at any point during this night. It seemed that Nicky was becoming more like the Doctor with every second he was around him. It made me happy, knowing that my nephew had such a good role model.

"He's pretty great with kids," Riley said after a few moments of silence. "Do you think he'd consider babysitting when Dave and I get to that stage?"

"I don't think he'll be around long enough for that." I sighed. "But, if he is, I'm sure he'd happily do it."

"He better be!" She yelped, attracting the attention of a few quiet partygoers. "Seriously, I'm beginning to think you'd fall apart without him."

"I functioned before he was here, I'll still function after."

"That's a lie if I ever heard one."

"Riley, I'll be fine, don't worry."

She shot me a look, and then got to her feet, using her hands to smooth out the creases in her beautiful white dress. "Do me a favor and go dance with them." It wasn't a question or a suggestion, it was a command. I swear, I live in the communistic country of Riley O'Connor (now Foxe, I suppose).

Sighing, I took a final sip of my Dr. Pepper and got to my feet. I followed Riley's example and smoothed the folds in my tan, knee-length dress. After taking a deep breath to calm the butterflies that had just started to settle in my stomach, I started towards the two. Neither of them noticed me until I was but a few feet away, and though that scared me at first, I was comforted when they both grabbed me and pulled me into their little group when they did realize I was there.

I didn't know why, but we were dancing in a circle with our hands connected. It was kind of uncomfortable, seeing as Nicky was so short and the Doctor was so tall, but I managed. In no time, I was grinning just as they were. We were skipping and sliding, and even jumping here and there. I hadn't had that much fun in a long time, and I decided to love the Doctor for every moment of it.

"To be honest, I'm kind of glad she's gone," I mumbled, pulling my legs up and beneath me. "I wasn't appreciating all of the flashbacks to high school."

"Now, Catherine, that's not very nice," The Doctor chuckled.

"She was a bit of a bitch." Riley agreed with me.

We were talking about Stephanie, who had been carted out of here just as Alexis had before her. However, this time, someone needed to be removed due to almost raping an old man. I felt bad for Riley's step-grandpa…

"You two are horrible."

"Oh, don't pretend that you're never rude," I gently kicked one of his long legs, causing him to roll his gorgeous brown eyes.

"Girls," I sneered at the distinct nasal voice that suddenly erupted from behind me. "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Yes, mother," Riley replied obediently, as she always did to her witch of a mom.

Mrs. O'Connor smiled (though it looked a bit painful) down at me. "Catherine, you as well?"

I nodded stiffly, trying to ignore the instinct to punch her, or call her a mean name or something.

"And you," She looked to the Doctor, that same pain-filled smile curling her already horrible features. "I don't believe we've met yet. I'm Beatrice O'Connor, Riley's mother." She stuck out her hand, and the Doctor cautiously reached forward to take it.

"John Smith."

"A friend of David's?"

"No, no, Catherine's."

And boom! The Doctor was on her bad side. I really should've warned him before we came.

"Then I'm afraid you shouldn't be here, friends and family of the bride and groom only." She sneered at him, removing her hand and wiping it on her jacket, as if he had some sort of germs.

"He is," I defended, a frown creasing my face. "We all saw a movie together."

"I hardly call that being an acquaintance, much less a friend!" She cackled, pushing her pointy chin into the air and crossing her bony arms. "I insist that he leaves."

"Mother!" Riley yelped.

"Sweetheart, be quiet and behave. It's your wedding, after all."

"Yes, it is my wedding, therefore I will not 'be quiet and behave'!" She got to her feet, folding her arms and moving to stand in front of the Doctor. "I'm sick of you deciding everything about my life! The… John is a friend of Cat's, and therefore a friend of mine. Now, I insist that you leave."

Mrs. O'Connor stared at her daughter with wide eyes, obviously shocked that, after so many years of listening and being obedient, she was taking a stand. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it before anything could come out, and repeated this several times before Riley said something again.

"I said leave."

Finally managing to pull herself together, Mrs. O'Connor sneered. "Don't expect me to pay for any of this."

"She doesn't need you for that," I said. "I can pay for everything."

"Thank you, Cat," Riley turned and smiled at me, and the frowned back at her mother. "You can go now."

Flustered, Mrs. O'Connor spun on her heel and started away from us. "Alex, we're leaving!"

Out of the crowd of people, Mr. O'Connor stepped towards his wife, but did not follow her to the door. He stood, shaking his head at his wife. I'd always liked him, and not just because he preferred it if I called him by his first name. He was nice, and was the voice of reason of the O'Connor family.

"I'll have Dave drive me home after the party." By now, everyone was silent and watching the scene unfold, so he didn't have to talk very loud.

Mrs. O'Connor glared, and then puffed her chest and stormed out.

I smiled and turned to the Doctor and Riley. "Highlight of my night!"

"Thanks, Dave," I said through the window of his car, looking past Alex, who was in the front seat with him.

He smiled and shook his head. "Just make sure you're parking in a legal spot next time,"

I nodded, and waved as they rolled up the window and drove away from the curb. Then, I turned to irritably face the Doctor. He was the one who parked it in that illegal parking spot, so it was his fault. "I can't believe they towed my baby." I frowned at him. "You're paying for me to get it out of the impound lot."

He grinned cheekily. "No money, sorry."

"Of course you don't have any money, you're an alien who travels in time and space using a big, blue box… I should've figured…"

He chuckled. "C'mon, I'm sure my old girl feels a bit neglected." He grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards my front door, and I felt a spark go through my entire body. And then I looked past my house.

And I saw a bright, blue flash of light.

A/N: Alright, I'm in a bit of a hurry, but I needed to get this up, so this is all I'm gonna write. The next chapter will be up Thursday, and the final part of the story up on Saturday.

Thanks for reading!

Jazmine