*Fair warning: this chapter covers a bit of time. Just going to let you know. I figured that, while describing this in full detail would have been interesting, we needed more action than that. Be excited! You get to meet some people here! Oh, and yes, there are spoilers in this chapter for other seasons...quite a few other seasons actually, through season six almost I'd say. You've been warned. :) Now read and tell me what you think!
Chapter 12: Grounded
The Doctor's words shocked her.
And filled her with a sense of grief.
"Is this my fault?" Freya asked quietly, horrified at the thought. Maybe she was supposed to have died after saving the Doctor. She had lived, and the TARDIS had died.
"No. It wasn't. I would have put it right back if you hadn't. You didn't cause this," the Doctor reassured her, but Freya couldn't be too sure.
All she was sure of was that she was cold.
The warmth the TARDIS had been feeding her since she'd begun her travels was fading. The bracelet should have been giving her warmth, as it had before when she'd left the TARDIS, but she had a feeling that there was something more to it. The bracelet was to do something else now. Not keep her warm.
She shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around herself at that realization. If the TARDIS was truly dead, she was going to have to be used to being cold and alone feeling once more.
"But it can't be dead. Jack has to use the TARDIS to get back to the past and leave the book in the library," Freya muttered.
"Jack doesn't need the TARDIS to go back in time. He has a Vortex Manipulator. I'm sure it'll work for him a few times more, if I know Jack's luck. What book?" the Doctor asked her, suddenly intrigued.
"A book on what I should do about future events…wait," Freya realized. Her eyes widened as she took off running for the library, the Doctor hot on her heels. When they reached the library, Freya grabbed the book from the shelf. It was even in plain sight; she'd never taken the time to hide it properly earlier.
The Doctor took the book from her, quickly flipping through it. And getting more frustrated. He stopped on one page and read before slamming the book shut.
"Blank pages. Only you can read it. Besides a lovely note written to me by Future You, apparently. The TARDIS is stuck. We're stuck," the Doctor said. He slid the book back onto the shelf and sank onto the couch, dropping his head into his hands.
Freya moved towards him, ready to comfort him, only to stop.
Did he want her to comfort her? She had no way of knowing. And she didn't want to upset him any further. She left him in the library, slowly making her way back to the console room.
The console room felt even colder now. Freya grabbed the Doctor's leather jacket and pulled it on, allowing it to swallow her. He'd discarded it somewhere in the middle of his freaking out as the TARDIS had wrecked.
Freya moved to the doors and slowly opened them.
Snow was drifting to the ground outside. A strong gust of wind hit her, making her thankful for the jacket. She stepped outside, only for her eyes to fill with recognition.
She knew exactly where they were. And a general idea of when. With that knowledge, she turned around and ran back to the library. The Doctor was where she'd left him.
"Come on. I know where we are. And a window as to when. Let's go find out exactly when," Freya told him, gently tugging on one of his wrists. He jerked it away from her.
Freya hid the hurt on her face and left him quietly in the library. She'd find out when they were and then come get him. He needed more time. And he was mad at her. She knew he would be. It just…she'd hoped he wasn't, when he said he wasn't. But she understood. The guilt coursed through her.
She should have just let the Time Vortex kill her. If it had, at least the Doctor would still have the TARDIS. All he had now was her. Her and her short life.
She exited the TARDIS, pulling the jacket tighter around her as she started the trek towards the beautiful house. The small cottage that Freya remembered staying in as a kid was next to the TARDIS, but she doubted anyone would be there.
After all, if Marie's family still owned the land, the cottage would be a guest house.
Marie's mother and father had built the house when she was a teenager. When they died, they left the house to Marie. Granted, Marie didn't live there. Marie came every weekend to maintain the house and reminisce.
And the house looked exactly as it had the last time Freya had come with Marie, so she assumed it couldn't be too far off from the present.
She ought to have walked around to the front. She knew that, but the back door was closer and the Doctor's jacket wasn't doing much to keep the wind out. So she rang the doorbell to the back door, hoping it was the weekend.
The door was jerked open.
Marie stood in front of her, eyes wide in shock.
"Freya?" Marie gasped, staring at her intently.
"Hey," Freya said weakly. Marie glanced over her shoulder nervously. In that instant, Freya noticed something was wrong.
Marie looked older. Not too terribly older, but at least a few years older. She had gained some weight. Not a ton, but enough to show that this wasn't just a month or two off.
And there was a ring on her finger. Not her engagement ring. A wedding ring.
Any more of Freya's thoughts left her when Masen and two police officers rounded the corner. All of whom had eyes as wide, if not wider, than Marie's.
"Freya O'Leary Smith?" the first police officer asked. Freya swallowed and nodded, only for the second officer to move to her side, quickly pulling her in. Smith? Wait. But Masen and Marie didn't act as if there was anything off about them calling her that. Masen disappeared and reappeared with a blanket, which they wrapped tightly around her. She was sat down on the couch as everyone stared at her.
"Miss, if you don't mind us asking, what happened to you?" the first officer asked. Freya glanced around the room, desperate for a date, for something.
Her eyes landed on a calendar.
February. February 2013.
The last time she'd been home, it had been somewhere around November of 2006.
She'd been gone over six years.
"How long have I been missing?" Freya finally asked, hoping that she'd get some sort of insight. The police officers exchanged looks.
"Your parents reported you missing seven years ago, but we were informed you just lost contact with them. Mrs. Smith reported you missing a year ago. We were here for a followup check," the second officer explained.
"We can't help but notice you're wearing a man's jacket. And you look…a little worse or wear. Were you kidnapped?" the first officer asked her intently. Freya opened her mouth to contradict his words, but that was the moment the Doctor chose to plow into the room.
"Where did you run off to?" he called out before rounding the corner.
And his eyes went wide.
The police officers were on their feet in a heartbeat and had the Doctor in handcuffs before he could blink. He stared at Freya in shock.
"Sir, you're under arrest for the kidnapping of Freya O'Leary Smith," the first police officer told him before roughly pulling him out of the house. The second smiled at Freya.
"We'll send someone around to get your statement later," he promised.
And they were out the door.
"Freya…that was the Doctor. The first Doctor," Marie said in horror.
"That was the Doctor," Freya nodded staring in shock at the door before she lunged to her feet. She took off running for the door, but by the time she'd gotten there, the police car had driven off.
They'd arrested the Doctor.
"When was the last time you saw us?" Masen asked her intently.
"I saw Marie this afternoon. The Doctor had sent the TARDIS back home with me in it, but I took in the heart of the TARDIS and took it back," Freya explained. And her eyes widened.
"Jack! We left Jack!" she exclaimed in horror. She hadn't even realized that before. They'd gone and left Jack behind. Freya hoped – no, she prayed – that Jack's Vortex Manipulator, whatever that was, worked.
"You'll be fine. You'll see Jack again," Marie promised, only for Masen to shush her.
"Don't talk about the future. You know what River said. Spoilers," Masen warned her.
"River?" Freya asked, but she shook her head.
"No. Nevermind. No, don't tell me the future. But I need help. Please. I have to get him out," Freya begged.
"What can we say though? He was the number one suspect when your parents reported you missing. His other…this other bloke was the number one this time, but they knew what the Doctor looked like," Marie nearly slipped up. What other bloke? Her words intrigued Freya, but she didn't want to get in trouble for knowing the future.
That's probably why the book wouldn't allow the Doctor to read it.
Freya stuck her hands in her pockets absently, only for her eyes to widen. She whipped out the psychic paper.
"Take me to the station," Freya demanded.
"What are you going to say?" Marie asked her dubiously. Freya glanced at the date again before opening the wallet and handing it to Marie.
Marie stared at it before looking up at Freya in shock.
"But this is fake!" Marie exclaimed. Masen took it from her and shook his head.
"No. It's blank. Psychic paper. The Doctor used it on us a few times, remember?" Masen pointed out.
"But it looks just like a marriage certificate!" Marie protested. Masen's eyes widened and he let out a laugh.
"What's so funny?" Marie demanded, her hands going to her hips.
"What's funny? Remember the next time we meet them? The Doctor and Freya, in the past? On Christmas of 2006? When we asked them when they got married? They said 2013," Masen said with a smile.
"We tell you we're married the next time we meet?" Freya asked in confusion. Masen nodded.
"It was your best excuse to keep him from getting arrested. At least, that's what you told me. That it looked better for you to be travelling with a husband rather than a suspicious man with no name," Masen told her with a warm smile.
"So can we go get him, before he causes trouble?" Freya begged. Masen smiled.
"I'll take her. You can stay and get the kids from school," Masen told Marie.
And Freya's eyes widened.
"Kids?" Freya asked. The two of them laughed at her expression.
"Three. Katie and Blake are five and John's four. We named John after the Doctor," Masen explained.
"And when we told him, he was pissed because we didn't name him 'Doctor'," Marie said, her tone cross.
"John?" Freya asked in confusion.
"Yeah. His cover name. John Smith. Works out great around us. We have Marie Smith, Masen Smith, Mickey Smith, M-, John Smith, Freya Smith, E – yeah. Just one big Smith family," Marie said sarcastically. Freya stared at her.
They knew the future. Well, they knew Freya's future. Freya tried to block out her curiosity over Marie's slip-ups.
"Come on," Masen urged her, pulling her along with him. Freya let the blanket fall to the couch and tightened the jacket around her shoulders. She grabbed the psychic paper from the table Marie had dropped it on and tucked it back in her pockets. Masen grabbed a small wallet from a desk and handed it to Freya as well as they hurried out the door.
Masen started up the car and shut Freya in before climbing in himself.
"What's this?" Freya asked, opening the wallet.
"More psychic paper. They're gonna want proof that the Doctor is your husband. And he needs identification. When you hand that one to them, think of a driver's license. That'll be his other identification," Masen explained to her as he took off.
"Is there anything I need to know about my future self? Before I go in there?" Freya asked hesitantly. Masen glanced at her before focusing on the road.
"I don't need to know the future. I actually need to know as little as possible. But I need to know what to say to what they will most likely ask me," Freya pointed out. Masen took a deep breath and nodded.
"You do. First of all, you should change his name. You mentioned once that he used the name James McCrimmon before. As long as he hasn't opened his mouth and told them John Smith, tell them his name is James McCrimmon. Their records will show that you've already married a John Smith. This…other bloke. So you don't want to get confused," Masen explained.
"So…I'm married?" Freya asked in confusion. Masen hesitated once more.
"Spoilers. I can't say. But if they ask, say you two broke up, got a divorce. James can be called John Smith's cousin. And you met him while travelling on your way home from John. That will answer those questions," Masen explained.
"Is there anything else I should know?" Freya asked carefully. Masen bit his lip, as if he were trying to decide just how much to tell her.
"If they ask about any belongings, or other people, say they are still with John Smith," Masen told her cautiously.
"Other people? Anything more specific, so I don't appear too shocked?" Freya asked him jokingly, not liking the way he tensed up at her words. Masen mulled over the words and glanced towards her again, almost methodically.
"If they ask about children, tell them you left your children with John for the duration of the travel home. You and….John…showed up with a kid or two once. Can't tell you whose kid it was, but you had to tell the police it was yours. They wouldn't have believed the truth," Masen finally told her. Freya's heart had lifted when Masen mentioned children, but sank once more with the rest of his words.
"What about this John? Who is John?" Freya begged. Masen shook his head.
"River would be so mad if she could hear me now. Spoilers," Masen told her.
"What's so important about the word spoilers?" Freya shot back. She wanted to know who River was, but knew better than to ask. That was the last thing she needed to do. River was, apparently, from her future. The less she knew about her future, the better off she would be.
"It's just the word River uses. River is…a time traveler as well, I guess you could say. She always says spoilers when someone asks her about the future," Masen explained.
All of this was too much. Way too much. Freya allowed Masen to continue talking as he drove, but she methodically tuned him out. It wasn't because he was boring; she just didn't think she could handle any more.
A bout of nausea hit her suddenly, and she gripped the door handle tightly.
"Pull over," Freya commanded, thankful they were only driving on a side road. She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on quelling the feeling, at least until they could stop. The car slowed and Freya bailed out the moment it stopped, stumbling only a two steps from the car before vomiting in the ditch. A car door slammed and she was being steadied as she retched once more.
Once she felt well enough, she straightened herself.
"Feeling better?" Masen asked her sympathetically.
"Why are you being nice to me?" Freya blurted out as she tried wiping her mouth. Masen smiled at her and pulled a few paper towels off of a roll from the car's floorboards before handing them to her.
"We didn't get along. Not when we first met. Took us awhile but you warmed up to me. I warmed up to you. We're actually good friends by this time. Hard to believe, huh?" Masen asked her with a smile. Freya started to nod but that made the nausea return. She turned away from him once more and retched. This time, when she stood, Masen had another paper towel ready along with a travel sized thing of mouthwash.
Freya eyed it oddly but took it nonetheless. It would be better than having the taste of bile in her mouth. The aftertaste alone was enough to make her feel like vomiting once more.
"Why do you carry mouthwash?" Freya asked him as she unscrewed the lid and swished the mouthwash around. She spat it into the ditch before wrapping the container up with the paper towels. Masen opened up a plastic bag and they threw the trash inside of it before he helped her into the passenger seat once more.
When he got in the driver's seat, he offered her a smile.
"Used to carry it around when Marie was pregnant. Can't count the number of times we had vomit breaks in car trips. And she would be furious if I didn't have mouthwash ready for her," Masen said with a chuckle.
"Sorry. I just…felt overwhelmed," Freya apologized. Masen shot her a sideways look but said nothing to counter her.
"Have you been feeling sick lately?" Masen asked her innocently.
She hadn't.
"No. It's just been a real rough day," Freya told him, absently pulling the Doctor's jacket tighter around her.
"There we are," Masen said, pointing ahead. Freya's head shot up. Sure enough, they were approaching a building. Masen parked the car and was out before Freya could get her seatbelt undone. She went to open the door, only to find it already open. Masen righted her automatically.
"After we bail the Doctor out, you need to get some rest. You're nearly dead on your feet," Masen observed. Freya didn't contradict him, instead chose to allow him to help her into the police station.
It was a small station, with only one room. The Doctor was already locked in the cell which was visible from the doorway, and he was arguing quite loudly.
"You don't understand! What I'm trying to say is…" he drifted off when he noticed Freya and Masen. The two police officers from earlier leapt to their feet, eyes wide.
"We were going to come by tomorrow to collect your statement. You didn't have to come by today," the first one told Freya, but she shook her head.
"There's been a misunderstanding," Freya told them softly. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the two wallet-like cases for the psychic paper. She took a step from Masen, only to sway slightly. He stepped forward, steadying her as she approached them.
"Sorry. She's exhausted, but she insisted on coming herself," Masen apologized to the police officers. Freya handed them the first, the Doctor's psychic paper. The first officer flipped it up and his eyes widened. He handed it to his colleague and both stared at her in confusion.
"Here's his I.D.," Freya added, handing over the second. The two men stared at the second piece of psychic paper much like they'd stared at the first.
"We're sorry, Miss – Mrs. McCrimmon, but we were under the impression that you were married already. To a Smith. At least, that's the information we were told," the first officer told her. The Doctor's eyebrows shot up at their statement, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.
"I should have kept in better contact. John and I…well, we had a few disagreements. Got a divorce last year, sadly. James has been there for me through this entire ordeal," Freya lied, leaning more on Masen than before. The officers shot her parallel looks of pity. The first then nodded to the second officer and the second quickly unlocked the Doctor's cell. Freya took the two psychic paper wallets from the first officer and tucked them into the Doctor's jacket.
The Doctor was instantly at her side, hugging her tightly.
"Are you okay? You look tired," the Doctor told her worriedly. Freya smiled at him and glanced back at the officers.
"I'm sorry for not saying anything earlier. I was in too much shock to realize what was happening," Freya told them. Both officers looked quite chagrined and nodded.
"We shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. You've been the biggest case we've dealt with. Have a nice day," the first officer told them. Freya nodded and between the Doctor and Masen, they helped her to the car.
She opted for the backseat this time so she could lay down. And lay down she did. She was asleep before they'd even pulled out of the parking lot.
She woke up on a couch. On a couch with three children sitting on top of her, watching her intently. The girl tilted her head, staring at Freya.
"Mommy said not to wake you up. But we wanted to see you. You don't look like Aunt Freya," the girl told her. Katie, Freya's mind supplied. Both the girl and one of the boys had blonde hair like Marie's. The other boy, who looked younger, had brown hair like Masen's.
Freya sat up slowly. The children, she realized, had all perched themselves on her legs.
"Technically, this is the first time I've met you," Freya told them , giving them a smile. The blond boy nodded solemnly.
"We know. Uncle Doctor told us all about timey-wimey-ness," he told her, his expression completely serious.
"Timey-wimey-ness?" Freya asked, slightly amused yet confused at the same time. The three children nodded.
"He said that was why sometimes you looked younger or older when you came to see us. And why you were gone a lot. But he never looked different. Well, except now. I don't really think he's Uncle Doctor," Katie admitted.
"Did…Uncle Doctor….tell you about secrets? And what you couldn't tell us?" Freya asked the children carefully. Their eyes lit up at that.
"Yes! Him and Aunt River told us. Well, he told us not to tell him about him and you when you're older. Aunt River explained secrets," Katie admitted, eyes gleaming.
"And gave me a crocogator!" the youngest boy cheered.
"John. That's a secret," Katie told him, eyes wide. The youngest covered his mouth immediately, and Freya couldn't help but laugh at them.
"What's a secret?" Marie asked as she entered the room. Her eyes narrowed as she saw her children sitting on Freya, to which the children all scampered off of her.
"Doctor, Masen, she's awake," Marie called. The Doctor was in the room in a second. Masen came as well, but he wasn't as rushed as the Doctor was.
"Hey! How are you feeling?" the Doctor asked her, sitting next to her quickly.
"Fine. Just…tired," Freya admitted with a yawn.
"We've been updating Big-Ears on what he needs to know. And what he needs to avoid asking about. The spare cottage is set up for you. While you were asleep, Masen picked up some groceries for you guys. I hate to say it, but you're going to be here awhile," Marie said apologetically.
"Awhile?" Freya questioned.
"Indefinitely," the Doctor corrected, looking none too happy at that.
"What are we going to do?" Freya asked, glancing between Marie and the Doctor.
"I'm going to tinker. See if I can work out a way to fix the TARDIS. Bring her back. There has to be a way. And why do we need to stay in the cottage? You hadn't got to explaining that," the Doctor pointed out, staring at the two of them.
"The TARDIS is dead, so she's just a wooden box. A larger-than-life wooden box, but still a wooden box. It's freezing out. The wind blows right through it. Freya needs a warm bed. You do too, I'd suppose," Marie explained, wrinkling her nose. Freya couldn't help but smile at her friend's almost abrasive words.
"Thanks. It means the world to us," Freya told them earnestly.
"Yeah yeah, we know. Let's get you to the cottage so you can get some rest. You're in for a great time," Marie promised her.
"A great time?" Freya repeated, confused. The two of them exchanged looks before smiling at Freya.
"Yeah. You get to meet a lot of people," Masen told her. The Doctor was on his feet in an instant.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I thought you said you knew what you were supposed to be allowed to tell us and what not to tell us," the Doctor shot at the two of them, glaring intently. Marie laughed and pulled a small journal from her pocket.
"That's what this is for," Marie told them.
"Is that like my book?" Freya asked and the two nodded.
"Yeah. Except ours doesn't really contain stuff that'll change the world. Just tells us who to let you see, what to let you do, et cetera. We actually have already copied it for you. You need to put a copy of it in your library and give it to us next time you see us," Masen explained, pulling out his own copy of it. He tossed the nearly identical book to Freya who caught it cautiously.
"What's up with all the notebooks?" the Doctor asked grouchily.
"We had a lot to keep straight, so we keep notebooks. And there should be some sort of guidance. Don't worry. Notebooks won't always dictate your life," Marie told him with a wink.
"But I don't understand why you keep saying this! We're stuck here. She's dead. Unless you know how to fix her, we aren't leaving!" the Doctor protested angrily.
"Calm down. Everything will work out," Masen ordered him. The Doctor glared at the two before leaping to his feet and taking off out of the house. Freya's heart sank with each step he took.
"Don't worry about him. He'll come around," Marie promised, taking the seat he'd just vacated and wrapping her arms around her friend.
It had been three weeks.
Three weeks was the time Marie and Masen gave the Doctor and Freya to settle. And in three weeks, the Doctor hadn't left the TARDIS during the day. Freya made him food and left it in the kitchen, and every morning it was gone, but by the time she'd gotten up and made it to the kitchen, he was gone.
She was thankful the cottage had two bedrooms. It was obvious from what Marie said that she expected the two of them to share a bed, but Freya knew better. She let the Doctor have the real bedroom and she took the closet-like bedroom.
After all, it's not like she got too much sleep.
The nightmares had come back since the first night away from the TARDIS. One night, she'd even snuck into the TARDIS and tried sleeping there, but woke up three hours later freezing. The essense of the TARDIS, it appeared, was gone.
And so were her nights of sleep.
It was around the three week mark that Marie started introducing her to people. People Freya didn't know. When Marie first mentioned that she would get to meet people, Freya's first question was if she'd get to see Rose.
Marie and Masen had exchanged looks and told her Rose was out of the country.
Freya could tell they were lying.
The first person Freya met was a woman named River.
She'd been hearing of River quite a bit, moreso when the Doctor wasn't around, but she was always mentioned. And on a Monday morning at the beginning of their third week, Freya woke up to who she later learned was River opening her window.
The cold air rushed into the room, jerking Freya awake. She'd only just gotten to sleep an hour before and the nightmares had yet to hit her. The woman in her room had blonde curly hair and a wide grin plastered to her face.
"Get up beautiful. We're going out," she'd said before tossing some clothes on Freya's bed.
Clothes that were most certainly not Freya's.
Freya obediently put the clothes on and made her way out of the room, only for the curly haired woman to observe her.
And sigh.
"What has he been doing to you?" the woman asked sadly before pulling Freya into the bathroom. She whipped out a makeup bag and eyed Freya.
"I'm River, by the way. River Song. You don't know me yet, but I know you. As soon as I finish your makeup, we're gonna skedaddle before Big-Ears decides to meander in here," River told Freya.
"Why do you call him Big-Ears? I know why Marie does, by why do you?" Freya asked. River's mouth opened and Freya was certain she was going to say spoilers, but she stopped.
"Do you know about regeneration?" River asked her carefully. Freya shook her head. She didn't think she'd ever heard that word before.
"Okay. Well, you'll learn it someday. Anyway…the Doctor has nicknames. Along with other names. It feels weird calling him the Doctor. And I rarely will call you and him by name," River explained. Freya could sense that she was leaving big points out, but she knew better than to ask. She was thankful River was trying to explain things to her.
As soon as River was done with makeup, she pulled two wigs from her bag. Freya eyed them suspiciously, but River just shrugged her shoulders.
"We're gonna meet someone today who can't recognize you. Or me. It's complicated. She knew you and the Doctor, but doesn't now and if she remembers him, it'll be bad," River tried explaining. Freya nodded, puzzled.
"So when we meet her, what do we tell her our names are?" Freya asked. River smiled at her and winked.
"Well, I'll be Mel, and you can be Amy," River told Freya, her eyes sparkling with knowledge.
"And those names won't set her off?" Freya asked. River shook her head.
"She never heard those names on her travels. Don't worry. Now let's get these wigs on and get out there!" River urged.
The wigs were both blonde. Blonde, straight hair. River helped Freya get hers on and pulled Freya along with her.
They stopped at Masen's car and River shot her a grin before picking the lock.
"What if he needs his car today?" Freya asked anxiously, glancing at the house. River shook her head.
"He has another car in the garage. It's a power thing. Now hop in. We're going shopping in London."
When they got to London, River was practically bouncing in excitement. Freya just wanted to go to sleep. But she didn't tell River that. River, it seemed, knew her well enough to realize that that was the case.
She pulled Freya from the car and before she pulled them into their first store, she examined Freya. Really examined her.
"Oh honey. You aren't getting sleep, are you? Big-Ears is so dense," River said in distaste.
"I'm fine," Freya told her, but that didn't stop River from examining her.
"You're not eating very much. You should. I've got some vitamins I left at the house for you. Good thing too. You look like you could use some vitamins. And you're way too pale. Come on. What do you want to go shopping for?" River asked Freya eagerly. Freya shook her head.
"I don't know. I don't need anything," Freya told the woman. River shook her head.
"Nonsense. We're getting you something. Now come on!" River urged, pulling Freya along after her.
They didn't get far before colliding with a redhead. An older man was standing behind her, eyes wide as they stared at Freya.
"Sorry. We weren't watching where we were going," Freya apologized.
"I'll say you weren't!" the red-head snapped back.
"Neither were you," River retorted.
"Oi! I was just minding my own business, and…Mel?" the woman asked, squinting at River. River shrugged and nodded.
"Yeah. It's me," River said. The red-head pulled River into a huge hug, and River only shrugged at Freya, mouthing the words time travel.
"This is my friend Amy. Her and her husband are staying nearby with a friend of mine. We were going shopping, but Amy couldn't think of anything she needed," River said, winking at Freya. The older man's eyes widened even more.
"Oh, I can think of some things you need. Let's go! I could use another friend! Gramps, you wanna come too?" the woman asked. The man shook his head, still staring at Freya.
"Amy, this is my friend, Donna," River introduced. Freya smiled at her.
"Oi! I see what you're doing. I'm Donna Temple-Noble. Not about to have Mel cheating me out of introducing myself as that now. Got married two weeks ago," Donna said proudly, showing off her ring. River's eyes widened but she schooled the reaction carefully.
Freya assumed this was the friend they were going to meet today.
"And I'm Wilfred Mott. Donna's grandfather. I'll walk you three to the mall," the older man said. River glanced at Freya then at Wilfred before nodding and linking arms with Donna.
"Well come on then!" River said enthusiastically. Wilfred fell into step alongside Freya.
"Freya? What are you doing here?" Wilfred asked her quietly. Freya jumped slightly, glancing at him.
"Oh. So I'll know you eventually," Freya murmured. Wilfred nodded.
"Yes. Oh. You're a past version, aren't you? Do you…do you know what you can't say?" Wilfred asked her.
"I think I do, Wilfred. River – Mel – told me I can't say anything about the Doctor or time travel or my real name. She told me that on the way here," Freya admitted.
"Just Wilf, m'dear. And yes. I just wanted to make sure you knew. Her life depends on it. If she recognizes you as Freya, or the Doctor, she'll die," Wilf told her solemnly. Freya's eyes widened and she nodded.
"Of course. I'll be careful," she promised Wilf. Wilf nodded and smiled before giving her a quick hug.
"I'll go meet your mother and tell her you're spending some time with your friends," Wilf called out to Donna. Donna waved him off and Freya hurried to catch up to her new friends.
Freya had to say, by the end of the day, she was so glad she'd met Donna and River. The two of them brightened her day more than it had been brightened in the three weeks they'd been stuck here.
It was only after they'd had supper that River stood and offered Freya a smile.
"I've got to get back home. Didn't realize it was so late. Sorry to cut our afternoon short. Amy, can you get home okay?" River asked her. Freya's eyes widened but Donna intervened.
"I'll drive her home. It's been too good of a day to cut out early," Donna said. Freya grabbed River's arm as she tried to pass.
"What if I say something?" Freya asked in panic. River winked at her.
"You'll say lots of things. You won't say the wrong thing. Just don't let her see Masen or Marie. And as long as she believes the Doctor is James McCrimmon you'll be fine," River told her with a smile before waltzing out.
"Now that she's gone, let's go put the bags in my car. Then we can decide what we want to do," Donna suggested cheerfully. The two of them managed to carry their bags to the car and load them in the backseat of Donna's car, only for Freya to feel a wave of exhaustion creep over her. She stumbled into Donna, who straightened her up.
"You okay there?" Donna asked her worriedly. Freya nodded, only for nausea to hit her. She'd only been sick two or three times since their first day, but she knew better than to think it'd go away. She rushed for a trashcan on the corner, only barely making it before she was spewing supper.
"How long?" Donna asked her as she held her hair back. The wig back, that is. Freya was grateful River had put the wig on, because she was sure she wouldn't be able to have kept it on like that otherwise.
"How long what?" Freya asked as she wiped her mouth, reaching into her pocket. Sure enough, a pack of tissues were there. River. She'd known this would happen.
"How far along are you?" Donna asked her.
And just like that, Freya's world tilted.
She woke up feeling disoriented. Her eyes scanned her surroundings. She was sitting in the car. Donna's car. Donna was on the phone outside, talking with someone. When Freya opened the door, Donna hung up and smiled at her.
"Amy! Sorry. I figured since you weren't feeling well, I'd go ahead and drive you home. We can hang out at your house if you want to, or I can leave you there. It's up to you," Donna told her. Freya could sense Donna wanted to stay with her. Donna seemed to emit the same sort of loneliness Freya did, and the need to quell that loneliness in Donna was so strong she couldn't deny it.
"Yeah. We can hang out at the cottage for awhile," Freya acquiesced. Donna's entire face lit up at her words.
"Great! Can you give me the address? I'll plug it in to the GPS so we can take off," Donna said as she hurried to get into the car.
After the address was put in, Freya's mind wandered back to what Donna had said before she passed out.
"What did you mean by how far along are you?" Freya asked her. Donna shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"I figured you were pregnant. I mean, Mel picked up a few things while you were in the bathroom for you, so I figured you were pregnant," Donna told her. Freya's eyes widened and she spun in her seat, digging through the bags in the back seat. Sure enough, she found a bag she was sure she hadn't bought. She pulled it to the front seat and started pulling out the contents.
There was a tiny pair of boots, unisex, but clearly for a baby. And a tiny teddy bear.
And three pregnancy tests.
Freya felt sick once more.
This time, she was thankfully able to bit it back. She glanced at Donna, wide-eyed.
"But…I…" Freya drifted off.
"It was probably the way Mel thought it would be best to let you know what she thought. Mel can be a bit eccentric," Donna explained with a rueful smile.
But Freya knew it was more than that. River was from the future. She would know if Freya was pregnant.
Oh God.
Freya was pregnant.
The realization struck her so suddenly that her eyes lit up.
"I might be pregnant," Freya gasped, unable to keep the joy from her voice. Donna gave her a sideways smile.
"I guess it's good then. I was worried you'd be upset. You didn't seem to be taking it well," Donna recalled. Freya shook her head.
"No. It's just…I didn't think it would have been possible," Freya admitted nervously.
"Not possible? You've been married for how long?" Donna asked her in disbelief.
"…a few months. But…we don't…we don't really….a lot," Freya finished awkwardly.
"And by a lot….when was the last time?" Donna asked her gently.
"Almost two months ago," Freya admitted when she realized it.
"Oi! Your husband's got to be a rubbish git then!" Donna shouted, offering Freya a grin as she did.
"It's complicated," Freya retorted quickly. Donna shrugged.
"Most men are. So tell me about this husband of yours. Mr. McCrimmon, yes?" Donna asked slyly. Freya bit her lip, trying to think of what to say.
"James is great. He's…he's been busy. Tinkering on this project of his. It's his life right now. We're…travelers. We travel the world. But our….transportation broke down. He's trying to get it working," Freya admitted awkwardly.
"Ah. He could just call a mechanic," Donna pointed out, but Freya shook her head.
"He's stubborn," Freya lied. Donna laughed.
"Aren't they all?" she retorted. Freya wasn't able to hold back her laughter.
She found she didn't want to.
When they got back to the house, Freya led Donna in and they dropped all of her bags into her bedroom, which Donna made sure to comment on.
"This room's a closet! What're you doing in it? Shouldn't you be sleeping with your husband?" Donna asked critically. Freya's head dropped.
"It's complicated," she tried explaining. Donna slung her arms around her shoulders and led her to the bathroom, whipping out the pregnancy tests.
"If it's as complicated as you say it is, let's get this figured out before he interrupts us. What was it Mel was calling him, Big-Ears? Come on," Donna urged with a large grin. Freya mirrored the grin and, twenty minutes when the tests each bore a plus sign, Donna grinned and jumped around with Freya.
The two of them made sure to dispose of the evidence in case the Doctor tried snooping. Freya protested, saying he wouldn't, but Donna insisted. And she let Donna do it. When they'd finished, the two of them relaxed in the living room and just talked.
It was the best time Freya'd had in a long time.
The Doctor was tired.
It was around three in the afternoon when he gave up on the TARDIS. He'd been trying for three weeks straight, and nothing seemed to be helping. He was wasting his time with Freya. He never wasted his time with his companions. He knew better. Soon she'd be gone, just like all the rest. And he shouldn't be wasting that time.
With that knowledge in mind, he made his way into the kitchen. She usually had food in the fridge for him when he came in each night, and he was alarmed to see she didn't do it this time. He quickly scanned the house, checking each room before going to her bedroom.
He hadn't entered her bedroom since they'd arrived. She'd told him where his bedroom was and where hers was, but he'd never tried seeing what hers was like. When he opened it, he was devastated to see how small the room was. That was where she'd been staying? That wasn't fair. That wasn't right. She should get the bigger room. She slept more than he did.
But did she? He hadn't seen her but maybe three times since they'd been stuck. He'd been too busy. Why had he been too busy?
And where was she? Was she okay? Had she been kidnapped? He searched the house before barreling over to Marie and Masen's house. He didn't even knock, choosing instead to enter their house and search high and low for Freya. He needed to know where she was.
"What are you doing here?" He spun around to see Marie standing in the doorway of the room he'd just entered, her hands on her hips.
"Freya's missing. I was looking for Freya," the Doctor said quickly, trying to move past her to finish searching the house.
"She's not here," Marie told him. He tensed up at her words. Where was she then?
"Calm down. I'm sure she's fine," Marie told him, but her words only further alarmed him.
"You don't know where she is?" the Doctor asked anxiously.
"No. But Masen's car was missing when he went to work. That means a friend's visiting. She probably took Freya into town for some shopping. In the future, this friend always enjoyed taking Freya shopping," Marie explained.
"Which friend? Rose?" the Doctor asked. Marie's expression temporarily darkened and she shook her head.
"Nah. You don't know this friend yet. Just relax. Go back to your tinkering," Marie said, but her tone had underlying malice. The Doctor tilted his head, observing the woman in front of him. After a moment, her eyes widened.
"You really don't see it, do you?" Marie asked in shock. The Doctor glared at her.
"What don't I see?" the Doctor shot at her. But Marie just shook her head.
"You don't even know what you're doing. I thought you were this all-seeing superior being, but you're just like every other male on the planet!" Marie snorted at her ludicrous statement. But it was true.
"How am I acting like an ape?" the Doctor retorted angrily. Because he was getting frustrated. He needed to know where his companion was. That she was safe. And he needed to apologize. And spend time with her.
"You've been neglecting the poor girl. Never spending time with her. She's getting worse, you know. Hasn't slept properly in ages. I figured the two of you'd been sleeping together, since she looked well-rested when you two showed up, but she hasn't. She can't sleep alone. She has these horrible nightmares. They keep her awake," Marie explained.
The Doctor could relate to that. But why hadn't she said anything? Shouldn't he have noticed before? Maybe the TARDIS had been keeping the dreams at bay before.
"How often have you even seen her?" Marie asked in disbelief. The Doctor thrust his hands into his pockets at her words.
"Three times?" he said, but his words were more of a question than a statement.
"Well, you'd bettered plan on making it four tonight. Poor girl. She still blames herself for the crash, you know. She told Masen that the second day you two were here. She thinks it's her fault. Told him she figures that if she'd just died, you could have still traveled the universe. You'd bettered correct her, and you'd bettered do something magnificent to make up for how you're treating her," Marie told him sternly.
"What do you think I should do?" the Doctor asked her miserably as the words sunk in.
And Marie's eyes had lit up.
When he got back to the cottage hours later, he hoped he hadn't missed her. He'd bought her a bracelet, at Marie's urging, that matched her necklace. It was simple, but he was sure she'd like it. He'd also bought a bottle of wine, remembering how she'd acted when Jack had forced her to drink some wine. He half considered trying to contact Jack. He knew Jack was more or less on Earth, but he resisted the urge.
Jack felt too wrong now. He could now see what Freya had been talking about before.
He'd also picked up some white roses (Freya's favorite, according to Marie), and some chocolate.
The apology was what he was working out as he opened the door.
The lights were out, save the kitchen light. He approached the kitchen cautiously. When he entered, he was shocked to see a red-head sitting at the table instead of Freya. When the red-head caught sight of him, her eyes narrowed.
"Big-Ears indeed," she muttered, staring at him.
"Oi! Who're you?" the Doctor asked her, indignant.
"Donna Noble! I'm assuming you're the clueless git Amy's married to," the woman shot back.
"Amy?" the Doctor asked, confused.
And that was the moment Freya entered the kitchen, wearing a blonde wig. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the Doctor.
"James…I didn't think you'd be in so early," she said, glancing nervously at Donna.
"My friend Mel introduced me to Donna today. We've been visiting," Freya said nervously, tugging on her ear. The Doctor forced a smile onto his lips.
"You don't need my permission to have friends," the Doctor told her. He glanced down, noticing that he was still holding the roses and the bag in his hands. He sat the bag down carefully and handed her the flowers. Freya stared down at them, eyes wide.
A quick glance at Donna proved that he'd rendered her speechless as well.
"I've been a proper arse, ignoring you lately," the Doctor apologized. Freya glanced up from the flowers, shocked even further by his words. He then pulled the bracelet out of the bag and offered it to her.
"You didn't have to buy me things," Freya protested, but the Doctor shook his head.
"No. But I wanted to. I was hoping it could be a start to me making it up to you for how horrible I've been," the Doctor told her awkwardly. For a moment, he thought Freya was going to reject him, but she then held out her wrist to him. The wrist that didn't have the TARDIS charm bracelet on it. He latched it on her wrist and the pulled out the chocolate. Freya's eyes were even wider at this, and he had the feeling she only accepted it out of shock and nothing more. She sat it down on the table, and the Doctor was annoyed to see that Donna wasted no time in opening it and popping one of the chocolates into her own mouth.
The Doctor then shot her a smile and pulled out the wine.
"Got to thinking of the last time we had wine. Figured we could have a repeat, without as much running," the Doctor told her with a wink.
Only to notice her rapidly paling face and her glance at Donna. Donna, it appeared, was also paling.
"I think that's my cue to leave. Good luck," Donna told her before leaping to her feet. She gave Freya a quick hug before hightailing it out of the house.
"What's wrong?" the Doctor asked her, moving to her instantly. Freya shook her head and pulled out a tall glass to put the roses in. Once she'd done that, she turned to face him and took in a deep breath.
"I can't drink wine," Freya told him slowly. The Doctor appeared puzzled at her words and Freya played with the hem of her shirt, avoiding his eyes.
"You drank wine at the London Blitz," the Doctor pointed out, but Freya shook her head.
"No. I mean, I could before, but I…I can't now. Not for awhile," Freya admitted carefully. The Doctor was instantly at her side, eyes wide.
"What's wrong? Are you sick?" the Doctor asked worriedly, settling the wine on the table without a second thought. Freya opened her mouth and closed it once more.
"In a manner of speaking, sort of," Freya told him shakily. He all but forced her into the chair and felt her forehead quickly.
And that's when he noticed her charm bracelet from the TARDIS.
"Freya…what happened to the bracelet? Wasn't it full?" the Doctor asked her worriedly. The bracelet looked quite like it had before it'd filled itself with charms. But the charms had been depleted. And with what they'd been able to figure out, that meant it'd been protecting her against quite a bit in the last three weeks. Freya bit her lips at his words.
"Doctor…I'm pregnant."
Waaah! What do you think? I couldn't resist adding in River and Donna. I just felt like the two of them would be the best of friends if given the opportunity. So I gave it to them. I also couldn't resist throwing everything in there like I did. :) Let me know what you think! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and the next one! I just couldn't let Nine go that easily without having fun with him! :)