Answered Questions
After they dropped Cassandra off at the party, the Doctor had set coordinates to the Time Vortex, insisting they were going to stay there until Rose got a full night sleep. He was a Time Lord, and even he was a bit drowsed from all the mind compression. Reluctantly, she bid him a good-night, then wondered off to her room, leaving the Doctor alone with his thoughts.
At first, he'd walked around the TARDIS Console, adjusting bits and pieces that probably would have been better left alone, but he didn't mind if it kept him occupied.
She kissed me… was one of the Doctor's regular thoughts, and even at the small, three worded thought, he couldn't help but crack a smile. Sure, it hadn't of been Rose at the time, but he didn't know that. Thinking back to the kiss, his smiled broadened when he felt his hearts sped up, his hands got a little clammy and he thought how happy- shocked- but happy he'd been. Rose may have been Human, but she was his Human. His little pink and yellow Human.
Human… the Doctor thought sadly, his smile fading. She's Human, for Rassilon's sake… You're a Time Lord… She'll die and fade away before the next century has gone…
"Then what are you waiting for?" replied a voice; Eliza's voice. Growling, he turned to see her in the jump seat, a serious expression on her face, her arms crossed across her chest. "I mean, like I told you before, you're just wasting time."
"And like I told you before, I have nothing to offer her," he replied. "We are completely different species, Eliza. Sooner or later, she'll get tired of all the travelling, she'll want more. She'll want to leave. If she and I were to…" he trailed off. "I'd just be holding her back."
"Okay," Eliza huffed, taking her arms away from her chest. "Look at it this way. Do you ever get tired of travelling?"
"I have been known to," the Doctor shrugged.
"Yeah, when you're having a bad day," Eliza replied impatiently. "You've been at it for nearly a Millennia, and you're still loving it."
"I feel like were having the same conversation," the Doctor spat. "It was a no then, and a no now."
Sighing, Eliza shrugged. "Fine, but you should know that you're disappointing her."
The Doctor frowned at her, not understanding her meaning.
"She likes you, numb-nuts," Eliza said hurriedly. "A little more than 'like', actually."
"And how would you know this?" The Doctor replied sceptically.
"I was in her head, if you don't remember," Eliza replied again, lifting her feet to rest them on the Console. "And don't even bother pulling that," She made her voice a little lower, attempting to imitate his voice. "'Eliza, you can't do that, that's not fair. I'm a pretty boy- blah, blah bollocks', I know you inside and out," she put on a playful smile. "And besides, you seemed to enjoy that little lip lock."
"It took me by surprise, is all!" The Doctor defended, a blush rising to his cheeks.
"Yeah, and I just 'happened' to bump into you at the hospital." Eliza scoffed. "Seriously, Gramps, you should know by now you can't hide anything from me. You're just scared that once she's gone, that's that. You'll be lonely again-"
"I don't want to have to go through that pain again, Eliza!" the Doctor bellowed at her, taking three strides towards her so he was directly in front of her. This was meant to intimidate her, however, she didn't even blink. "I went through hell when the War ended. My people, Eliza! They burned! What if something were to happen to her? I already have the guilt of Gallifrey on my shoulders, I wouldn't be able to take it if her life was added to the mix," he took a few steps back, leaning on the Console as his shoulders slumped.
Silence passed them, a very awkward one. Eliza stared at her feet for most of the time, the other time scratching her hand or her neck. "And you reckon I don't get that?" she asked finally. "But if that's the case, if she was going to die at your hands, what is she still doing here? Why not drop her off at the Estate?"
"Because…" the Doctor stuttered. In truth, he couldn't think of a good reason, a good enough lie to make her believe him.
"What's it going to take for you to admit you love her?" Eliza continued. "We know it, why not say it? It's what she wants to hear, and you know it. You're just using Gallifrey as an excuse," Eliza shook her head in disgrace. "You're a coward." Slowly, he bowed his head, giving a brief nod. Eliza smiled softly. That'll do it…
"What are you doing here, Eliza?" the Doctor asked, looking back up to meet her eyes. "I'm sure you're not here just to play match-maker," he added weakly.
"I needed a chat," Eliza shrugged.
"So why'd you come here?" the Doctor asked. "Of all the places, you come here."
"It's my second home," Eliza replied, jumping off the seat. "I'm hungry. Kitchen?"
The Doctor watched her get up and gave her an even stare. Slowly, he put his weight back on his two legs and followed her, quietly passing Rose's room as they went. When they came into the kitchen, Eliza walked to the kettle, flicking it on. She leaned on the kitchen unit as the Doctor sat on one of the stools. Knowing that the Doctor would only decline, she poured herself a cup of tea and sat down, taking some of the chocolate digestives from the cupboard, throwing a banana to the Doctor.
Nodding in appreciation, he peeled the banana. "How are your parents?" he asked after taking a bite.
"They're good," Eliza mumbled. She took a quick sip of the steaming tea, putting it down to cool. "Happy to have me back." Even though it's what she wanted, going home, she didn't seem all that happy now that it'd happened.
"And the bad news?" the Doctor urged.
"We just…" Eliza attempted, but then sighed. "We had a bit of a disagreement, is all. Me and my step dad, really." Taking in the Doctor 'encouraging face' she continued, "Technically, I have five parents. I've got, again, technically, three biological parents, a step mum and a step dad. I was raised by my mum and my step dad. Not too long ago, I found my real dad," she gave a weak smile.
"Well, that's good, isn't it?" the Doctor asked, confused at her negativity. When they were on the TARDIS a lot of the time, he could practically hear her thinking about her parents, wishing that she could be back with them, back to her real home.
Eliza shook her head. "He doesn't know who I am. Not yet, anyway," she took her gloves off, placing her now bare hands around her mug. "That's what the disagreement was about. I'm tempted to tell him everything, but there are some things that haven't happened yet; things that have to happen. If I told him who I was now, I probably wouldn't be here right now."
"Can't you just go to after, whatever it is, happens?" the Doctor asked, more in concern now as he watched the tears rise to Eliza's eyes.
Again, she shook her head. "He… uh… he says it's difficult to look at me," she cleared her throat. "He says it kills him to look at me." Against her will, a lone tear spread from her eye to her cheek. "Do you know how much that hurts, Gramps? To have my own father turn to me and say he can't look at me because it puts him in agony?"
Staying silent, the Doctor watched as the lone tear was joined by more, a small puddle forming on the table. This was very surprising for him, he'd hardly ever seen Eliza cry. It made him angry. She was such a strong character, and for someone to do this to her…
"Why does he say that?" he asked softly.
"Says I remind him too much of mum," Eliza chocked. "I don't really get it, I don't look much like her. The only time I can actually even talk to him is when I wasn't born, that's the only time I can speak to him without him looking at me like I'm about to cut him in half."
"You don't need him," the Doctor spat. "He doesn't deserve to call you his daughter. You have the people who raised you, you don't need him, Eliza."
Eliza chuckled lightly, leaning over and taking a strip on kitchen roll, dapping it to her face. She muttered something under her breath, then added, "I do. I'm an impossible thing, Gramps." The Doctor frowned at her, then she replied, "Let's just say my dad isn't… compatible." With my mother... she added silently so he wouldn't hear her.
The Doctor formed an 'o' with his mouth, understanding her intention. "But, no offence to your mother or anything, but wouldn't that tell you that she… you know…"
Eliza laughed at this. "No, I can assure you, she didn't," she shook her head. "My dad sort of… died just after conception, she was a bit too… depressed to go round sleeping with everyone else."
"But-" the Doctor stammered. "I thought you said that when he looks at you-"
"I know," Eliza replied hastily. "I know, it's all reeeally complicated. I'm still trying to work out a lot of it myself."
The Doctor nodded. "So, who are your parents?"
Eliza smiled softly. "I can't really tell you. I can say that you know my mum, my dad and my other biological parent. You've yet to meet my step parents."
"Oh, c'mon," He begged, smirking. "I like secrets."
Eliza shook her head again, finishing her tea. "What is it you do, anyways?" he added.
"Protector of the Universe," Eliza said, quoting Novice Hame. "Weeelll, I say 'Protector'. It's more like I'm the Universe's bitch. I gotta do what I'm told, like it or hate it," she looked down at her empty mug, fingering the rim. "Anyway, I have to go. I'm violating my rights," she got off the stool and stretched, making her knee's click.
"Actually, before you go," the Doctor started, joining her. "Why is Rose Telepathic? I took that power away from her."
"You took the Bad Wolf away from her," Eliza corrected. "Thing about Gods and Goddesses is that you can't just take them away like that," she clicked her now covered hands. "They leave a mark on you. For Rose, it's the Telepathy."
The Doctor chuckled at her statement. "What?" she asked.
"'Gods and Goddesses'?" the Doctor repeated. "Being as you told me before that you were born with the Cub, you're saying you were born a Goddess?"
Eliza frowned, looking down at the ground, her 'thinking face' on. "I never thought of it like that…" she mumbled. "I suppose you could say that, yeah. 'Riva, the almighty Goddess of Time and Space'." she mused. "I like it, got a nice ring to it."
The Doctor gave a mocking bow. "Until next time, almighty Goddess." It was strange saying those words. In the letter he'd received when he first found her on the ship, the person who wrote it said she was an important part of the Universe, but he never actually thought she'd be saving it.
"See ya, Gramps." Eliza chuckled, walking towards the kitchen doors, stopping a few meters away. "And about Rose..." she started. "I seriously don't know what you're doing. You're wasting valuable time every second you're not with her. An old friend once told me that you never know what you have until it's gone," she looked up at him and ended, "You and I both know she'll die sooner or later, and I promise you, you'll regret not doing anything once that time comes." Putting two fingers on her forehead in a sign of a lazy solute, she turned once again, strutting out the door, a blue light eliminating the corridor as she disappeared.
