Two Worlds, One Family
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads this story and adds it to their story alerts. I appappreciate it! Sorry if this chapter seems a bit rushed. A re-write is in order.
Chapter 8:
As soon as they were on board, the Doctor and River raced up to the console and swiftly began to dematerialize before their alien enemies could do any harm to the ship, pounding on buttons, typing their destination on the keyboard, and occasionally, peeking over to the monitor where they could see the three Sky Djinn looking in awe at the TARDIS' ability to disappear like it did.
Hearing the TARDIS rotor, Amy and Rory, along with Alex joined them in the console room.
"Doctor, we both heard you yelling, what was that all about?" Amy asked amused, but seeing the serious look on his face, sobered.
"They wanted Alex," The Doctor sighed, "They wanted to return him to 1692." He didn't look at his companions, but rather he stared at the buttons on the console. "He was deemed a contain by his own people and made to suffer." He told the married couple the entire story, and by the end, Amy had her hands to her mouth in shock.
"So they just wanted him to die in the 17th century and make it look like an unfortunate accident?" Rory added, still a little stupefied by the details behind the boy's past.
"We won't let him go back to that," Amy affirmed, a look of seriousness passing through her features.
The Doctor smiled, "I knew you'd say that Amy. I will do all I can to protect you both and Alex."
"As will I," River added, stepping next to him.
"So..." Rory stepped in, "What do we do now? I mean, they can obviously time travel like we can, so they'll be able to track us anywhere we go."
The Doctor smiled confidently, as though he already had a plan in mind. "We'll go where children are adored and anyone who is out to hurt one will be severely punished. It'll be the perfect cover! We'll blend in!"
"Well, we might blend in," Amy snorted, "but you might be a dead give away with the tweed jacket and bow tie."
"Bow ties are cool," The Time Lord affirmed with a sniff and straightened it with indignation.
"Yeah, whatever Doctor." Amy rolled her eyes at him.
"Anyway..." Rory stepped in, looking slightly annoyed at the conversation's shift into fashion, "Do you think we can hide out for a few days there, Doctor?"
The Doctor nodded, "Easily. It's a planet of 34,000,0000 people, that should be no problem."
"But what about the TARDIS, Doctor?" River inquired, "They can recognize it now, how can we hide her? She gives off Autron energy that's easy to track."
"Not if we turn off all systems before we leave the TARDIS. Done in the right order, she can go into 'hibernation' while we're in the city without being detected."
"And what about you, sweetie?" River added, "You don't exactly give off human vibes with your Autron energy and two hearts. And they've seen all of us."
"Did I mention the 34,000,0000 people?" The Doctor returned, amused.
"Doctor, this is no laughing matter!" Amy snapped, "Alex's life and our lives are in danger from these aliens. Are we going to be safe or not?"
"We'll be safe. I can't guarantee it, but I'll do my best." The Doctor replied gently, hoping to give some re-assurance to his best friends.
"Where is this planet, anyway?" Rory addressed the Doctor.
"Third planet of the Yirua system in the galaxy of Zahradnik." The Time Lord informed them, pulling the lever that would make their travel faster.
"Doctor," Amy said quietly, which made him turn. "I was thinkin' maybe we shouldn't make those people protect us because we have a kid. That's not fair to them and I wouldn't want them to get hurt in our fight. We've strived not to let that happen with other aliens when their fighting.
The Doctor smiled kindly at his companion, and put a hand on her shoulders, "You're right. I'm going to try to throw them off the track a little. He clapped his hands together and grinned. "I'm gonna set the controls here for the Yirua system, but we'll use the secondary control room to set the real coordinates. Clever, eh?"
"So," Rory asked casually, leaning on the railings, "where are we going then?"
The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Time Machine, remember? Wherever." He turned to the controls.
"How about somewhere Alex will fit right in. How'd you like to meet Helen Keller?"
Captain Samor studied the computer's information screen and listened to his second in command's ideas about where their query may be going.
"And you believe," The Captain commented, "that according to their coordinates, they are headed to the third planet of Yirua?"
"It appears so, however-" the inferior officer paused, "This Doctor is said to be very clever. If he is going there, it must be for a reason. And if he is not-then we must be aware of his movements."
"Interesting," trying to elude us on a planet filled with doting parents." Captain Samor mused, more to himself than his crew. "How long before we arrive in the Zahradnik System?"
"Approximately, four and a half hours, Captain." his navigator replied.
Captain Samor sat back in his chair and watched the passing comets and small star clusters. "We will catch that Doctor and his friends before this goes too far."
When the TARDIS huffed into existence not too far from a large Southern style home, Amy could feel a sense of anticipation bubble up within her.
"Welcome to Alabama!" The Doctor proclaimed in a fake Southern drawl which made the two women roll their eyes.
"Doctor, do us a favor and don't." Amy snickered.
"I thought it was rather good, actually," huffed the Doctor sounding insulted.
Amy was the first person who caught two forms sitting on the porch. One was a little girl in a rather cute 19th century style frock complete with a white apron that was perhaps six years older than Alex. Next to her was a woman with dark brown hair in a bun wearing dark tinted glasses and holding her fingers out for her pupil to study that no doubt had to be Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller's teacher.
"Wow," she whispered in Rory's ear, "She looks just like how she did in "Miracle Worker."
They approached with some caution, but not as to act as though it were a sneak attack.
"How do you do, M'am." The Doctor spoke first, causing Helen's teacher to raise her head, "I'm the Doctor. These are my companions, Amy and Rory, and River." He then gestured to the boy, "And this is their son, Alex. You wouldn't happen to be Ms. Sullivan, would you?"
"I am her, yes." Ann Sullivan answered calmly, her Irish cadence prominent in her voice. "You're Americans? I don't think I've heard of many British immigrants coming over to the United States."
The Doctor smiled and answered politely, "My wife is a professor of archeology and I'm a Doctor of-" he stopped, trying to come up with a feasible lie, "of space. These two are my son and daughter and law."
Rory shot him an annoyed look that luckily Annie couldn't see while the Doctor continued to talk. "Their son is blind and deaf as well."
"How may I help you then?" She asked curtly, but not without politeness.
"We've heard-" Rory answered, that you've come here to teach this little girl and was wondering, well-we've taught him the alphabet, but..." he trailed off.
"You don't know what he should be taught next?" Annie asked. When Rory nodded, Sullivan explained, "You must teach him that the words mean something. Find a word that may trigger a memory or a breakthrough of some sort." she patted Helen's head, "For Helen, it was water. Once you find that breakthrough he will want to learn anything he can."
By this time, Helen had sensed that more people than just her teacher were present on the porch and had taken to finding these guests. Hands out in front of her, she touched the face of Alex who pulled back. She persisted, and finally was able to touch the alien boy's face, her eyebrows drawn together as she studied his features. Her teacher stepped next to her, and spelled out the boy's name in her hand which she repeated and gained a nod from Annie. Next she took Alex's hand and spelled out "teacher" that he soon reciprocated, allowing him to touch her. She then put the boy's hand on Helen's face and spelled out her name. The Doctor and his companions all took turns "introducing" themselves to Helen, allowing her to gain their trust without her going into one of her wild tantrums at the strangers.
Much to Amy and Rory's surprise, Helen had taken two sweets from her pocket, which she shared with Alex.
"Aww, that's so-" The Doctor began and then patted his jacket pocket, "Hang on a moment, those came from my jacket pocket!" he exclaimed rather alarmed.
"Poor Doctor had sweets nicked by a ten year old." Amy giggled.
"She's a clever girl, that one." Ann affirmed, "but rather tenacious. Don't ever think because a child is not able to see or hear that they are not intelligent. Helen is the perfect example of that."
"Oh," River asked, trying to act surprised at this, "She's had her bouts of trouble, has she?"
"Indeed. She's locked me in my room and hidden the key, and it took me fully three hours to teach her to sit at the table like a proper young lady and fold her napkin." Annie frowned, but then allowed her features to soften. "But she was a challenge, one that I hoped I would get and able to learn from just as she would learn from me."
"Perhaps you'd like to stay for dinner?" Annie asked kindly, "I don't know how the Colonel will act around British people, but I'm sure that they would like to meet one who has a child who is like their own."
"We'd hate to impose-" Amy said politely, but soon was cut off by Anne.
"Pish Posh. I'm sure the Kellers have had their share of dinner parties in the past, it will be a welcome change."
When the tutor had returned, The time travelers met the family of Helen. They spoke for two further hours while Helen and Alex 'played', or rather, taught each other words that they knew, before dinner was announced by one of the servants.
Nearly an hour later, as the sun began to dip down into the horizon, the two couples along with Alex found themselves seated at the dinner table. It was a fine meal of ham, potatoes, black eyed peas, and biscuits, all on ornate dinnerware. After a delicious desert of sweet strawberry pie and tea, the travelers took their leave of the Keller household, much to the family's disappointment.
"May we at least drive you to your home?" The Colonel asked, the hand of his daughter clasped in his own.
The Doctor shook his head, but smiled. "It's a nice evening, we'd like to enjoy a leisurely stroll. Thank you kindly for having us." He tilted his head up to the heavens, where hundreds of stars were making their debut as the sun finally slipped away. "It's a shame that Helen will never be able to see the vastness of the night sky when she steps outside like we can. But given time, I am sure that she will be able to tell you from what a star or a comet is composed. I have a feeling that she will be a strong perserving young lady."
And with their final goodbyes spoken, the four adults and the little boy at their side strode down the dirt path back to the TARDIS.