Chapter Seventy Four

After getting on the bus, Alan and Namid found seats in the back while the woman sat in the seat in front of them. Alan grabbed Namid's arms, held them in front of her chest and rotated them around each other.

"The wheels on the bus go round and round," he sang as Namid giggled, "round and round, round and round, the wheels on the bus go round and round all through the town."

He stopped singing but Namid kept rotating her arms. Alan grabbed them.

"Oh no, the bus crashed!" he said as Namid laughed.

"You crashed my bus," Namid said to him.

"No, I didn't, it was your driving that did that."

Namid giggled, poked his side and ducked down in the seat when she felt Alan breathing hard on her hair.

"You poked me," he said as Namid giggled harder.

She laughed harded as she poked him again and felt Alan pressing down on her head with his face.

"I will not tolerate your sticky finger in my ribs and oi!" he said when Namid poked him again.

"You're good with children.'

Alan looked at the woman in front of them who was watching him play with Namid. He smiled.

"Well, I'm a bit of a kid myself," he said to her. "I don't believe in growing up completely."

"Is that why you still poop in your nappies?"

"Oi," Alan said as Namid giggled. "I'm talking to the nice lady, zip your lip!"

"What's wrong with her?" the woman said, staring at Namid's eyes.

"Nothing's wrong with me," Namid said, frowing while Alan gave her a proud smile.

"No, I mean, I'm not trying to be rude but her eyes..."

"I'm blind, lady, but that doesn't mean anything's wrong with me," Namid said angrily.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just wondered why she was looking past me," the woman said.

"Sorry, it's just that her father has instilled in her since birth that she can do anything and be anything she wants to be," Alan said as Namid raised her chin proudly. "No one in my family treats her blindness as a handicap so she doesn't either."

"I can take care of myself and do anything i want, there's nothing wrong with me," Namid said.

"Well, that's good, dear," the woman said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interupt your teasing. I just noticed you at the bus stop and i thought i'd say hello. My name is Marian."

"I'm Alan and this is my niece, Namid."

"Hello," Namid said, waving.

"Are you on your way to the funfair?" Marian asked.

"Yup, we're gonna find out about the circus tonight," Namid said.

"Oh, how nice," Marian said.

"Yeah, there's more of us and our family is going out for an evening of fun," Alan said. "In fact, I gather that's it right there," he added, pointing out the window to a huge field that had several amusement park rides and a huge circus tent in the distance.

"Yes, that's the carnival grounds," Marian said.

Alan pulled the cord above his head and the bus came to a stop.

"Nice to meet ya, Marian," he said as he and Namid got up.

They walked up to the front and got off in front of the main gate. They walked throught the wooden arch onto the field and looked around. Besides several rides there were booths for games and snacks but as far as Alan could see there were no people.

"Huh, it's deserted, Meemster," he said as he and Namid walked.

"Why?"

"Well, it's gone eleven which means most people are probably at work and children are in school. I'm sure the funfair opens in the evening and we're very early," Alan said.

"So what do we do?" Namid asked.

"Well, surely there are people around who are in charge of things, security guards, workers, someone who will tell us where to go. Come on, we'll find em."

They walked further into the funfair, Alan frowning as he looked left and right for someone who could help them.

"Find anyone, Uncle Alan."

"No, love, maybe everyone's off on their lunch break," he said. "Come on, we'll try the circus tent. Surely someone is there."

Alan shook his head as he kept on walking and saw no one.

"Where in the blazes is everyone?" he said.

"Maybe they ran away whenthey smelled your BO."

"Oh ha ha," Alan said, looking down at her.

He was about to turn his attention back to the tent when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked behind him and jumped when he saw Marian standing there.

"Oh," he said, stopping Namid. "Blimey, why didn't you say something? I didn't even know you were back there."

"Is it a worker, Uncle Alan?" Namid asked.

"No, it's Marian. She's been following us all this time."

"I'm sorry, i was gonna say something but you were busy looking so i thought i'd help you look."

"Oh, well, next time speak up. I'm kinda paranoid about people following me like that. I've had bad experiences with it."

"Really? What sort of experiences?"

"Let's just say that i've met a few bad apples in my time," Alan said. "Anyway, back to looking."

He turned and he and Namid walked on towards the tent while Marian followed.

"By the way, did you see the Quek rampage today?"

"Did i see it? I helped stop the Quek before it killed two kids," Alan said, talking while he looked around. "The owner was completely irresponsible, leaving it there unsupervised."

"It wasn't unsupervised."

Alan stopped Namid and turned to her.

"How do you know?"

Marian came up close to him.

"Because the Quek belonged to me."

Alan was shocked.

"You?" he said. "Nah, nah, nah, nah, the officer who did the scan said it beloned to Sasha someone and the woman had purple hair."

"I know. That's who originally owned the Quek. I killed her and stole it."

"Uncle Alan?" Namid said fearfully.

Alan stared at Marian for a moment and then suddenly he sprang on her.

"Namid, turn and run! Get away!" he said as he wrestled with Marian.

Namid turned and ran blindly away as she heard the sounds of fighting behind her.

Daddy! Help! Uncle Alan's in trouble! She thought to the Doctor as she ran.

She sensed his alarm.

Mi-mi? Where are you, love? He thought back.

The funfair. This woman followed us and she was the owner of that slave person and now Uncle Alan's fighting with her and i'm running away.

Hang on, sweetie, stay away from her if you can. We're going to the TARDIS now, the Doctor thought.

Namid heard a loud grunt and felt Alan's mind leaving her own. She froze, her hearts pounding as she heard Marian laughing.

"Thought you could knock me out, eh? Well, Skinny Boy, looks like you're the one unconscious!" she heard Marian crow.

Namid started to run again. Suddenly, her foot connected with a rock and she fell hard to the ground. She started to get up when she felt someone grab her.

"Thought you could do anything, Mi-mi," Marian taunted. "Looks like your blindness is a handicap after all!"

"What happened to Uncle Alan?"

"Your "Uncle Alan" is coming with me. He cost me my Quek so he's gonna take his place. As for you, i don't want a blind girl since you'd be a nuisence. Despite what your father thinks, you are a nuisence and an inconvience to your family."

"Leave us alone!" Namid said.

She gasped when Marian shoved her hard to the ground.

"Eat dirt, Blind Girl!" she said. "And kiss your uncle goodbye because I'm transmatting him outta here. Bye now, you sightless, useless freak!"

Namid gritted her teeth. She tried to get up but Marian shoved her back to the ground so hard it knocked the wind outta her. She felt tears well up as she heard Marian walk away. She waited till she heard a swooshing noise and sensed she was gone before she got to her feet. Her knees were skinned and they ached as she held her arms out and tried to find somewhere to sit down.

Daddy, Daddy, that lady's gone, she took Uncle Alan with her and I'm all alone, she thought, suddenly hating that she had to have her father come and help her. Marian's taunts rang in her ears and she did feel like an inconvience as she slowly walked along.

I'm coming, love, we'll be there shortly. We're in the TARDIS and she's tracking your energy signature. Just keep calm, the Doctor thought back.

Namid sank to the ground, drew her skinned knees up to her chest and began to weep angry tears. She cried harder and was still crying when the TARDIS finally landed beside her. She was crying so hard that she didn't hear it so when her mother knelt by her, she let out a shocked yell.

"Baby, I'm sorry, it's me," Rain said, stroking her head.

Namid cried harder and kept on crying, even when she felt the Doctor and Doc kneel down and come in close to her.

"Mi-mi?" the Doctor said, hugging her. "Love, are you alright?"

Namid kept on crying as the Doctor kissed her head.

"It's alright," he soothed as he examined her skinned knees. "We're here and I'll have your knees right as rain in a moment."

She heard felt him pressing the rejuvenator to her kneecap and heard the hum as he turned it on.

"Mi-mi, what happened?" the Doctor said as he healed her knees.

"I don't know, Daddy. I can't see cause i'm blind!" Namid retorted.

She heard the rejuvenator shut off and sensed everyone staring at her.

"Well, it's true," she said when no one answered. "I'm just a blind, useless freak who has to have everyone come and rescue her cause I can't do anything for myself!"

There was dead silence for a moment.

"Why do i get the feeling someone said that to her?" Awinita finally said.

"Yeah, that...woman that took Uncle Alan said it to me and it's true!" Namid said. "I'm useless. Uncle Alan got kidnapped and i could't help him cause I CAN'T SEE!"

Namid heard someone curse low under his breath. He thought it was Jack but she couldn't be sure. Then she sensed everyone was moving away from her except for her parents and she heard the TARDIS door opening and closing. Not knowing what was going on made her cry again and she shook with her sobs while her parents scooted closer to her.

"Mi-mi, listen," the Doctor said. "Will you dry your tears for just a second so we can talk to you?"

"Is everyone leaving?" Namid asked. "I heard the TARDIS door close."

"No, i put up a privacy block around their minds and asked for the three of us to be alone with you for a minute because we need to address this. I refuse to believe that one little taunt has made you lose all your self confidence. I think you've always felt this way deep down inside and her words and the fact that you couldn't help your uncle made these feelings come to the surface. Am I right?"

"Will you laugh at me if I tell you the truth?"

"No. I want you to tell me the truth so we can help you," the Doctor said. "You're not totally useless. You just deduced from your hearing alone that everyone except me and Dada and Mum went inside the TARDIS and closed the door."

"I just hate being blind," Namid said, reaching down she felt a blade of grass, pulled it up and tossed it.

"Can I tell you the truth?" the Doctor said.

"Yeah."

"I hate it too. I hate that you can't see and we have to mentally show you everything. I would give anything for you to see but at the moment you can't and you have to deal with it which you had been doing beautifully or so I thought since I see you were hiding alot of your true feelings and it's led to this which is why I keep telling you to come to us and talk. Now, as for your being a useless freak, not only did you notice that everyone went inside the TARDIS and closed the door but most of the time you can tell who's around you by their smell or the way they walk or you're able to sense it. Any thoughts, gang? Wanna help me out here?"

"You're able to get dressed by yourself and you walk around the house without your cane, " Rain said. "You help me in the kitchen. You can operate everything on that ereader of yours except choosing the story and you can operate alot of electronics and appliances besides that."

"You changed me back into my normal self after I'd been the Valeyard. I'd say that was a huge help in my case," Doc said.

"You help me fly the TARDIS," the Doctor pointed out. "I just had to teach you how to count over from where my monitor was to find the button or gizmo and you do that. And building on what Brother just said, you not only helped him, you faced the Master and survived that and that's a big plus in my book. You sit here and cry because you couldn't rescue Alan but I have a feeling Alan told you to run, didn't he?"

Namid hesitated and then nodded.

"But I wanted to help him."

"I know, love, but you did the right thing by running," Doc said. "It wouldn't have done us any good to have you both kidnapped."

"Which brings me back to my question, what happened. Did she say or do anything that you heard?" the Doctor said.

Namid sniffed as they rubbed her back.

"Baby, what happened. Did this person say who they were?" Rain said gently.

"Marian," Namid said as they comforted her with love in her mind. "She...she's the one that owned the slave person and she took Alan cause she was mad that he caused her to lose him. She was on the bus with us and talking to us and she asked what was wrong with me and I said nothing was wrong with me because you always say I'm normal like everyone else."

"And you are, Ya'nala," Doc said.

"That's why she called me a freak, I s'pose," Namid said, pulling at another blade of grass. "Cause I sassed off to her about that."

"Perhaps but if she's the sort to own slaves, I'm sure she's just an arrogant git," the Doctor said.

"She said she killed the original owner, that Sasha person the police were looking for. She stole that slave person from her and she said she was nearby watching cause Alan said no one was looking after the slave person and...and she said she was gonna take Uncle Alan and he shoved her and they fought and she...transmatted him away with her."

"Now see, you aren't useless, you gave us all that information," the Doctor said.

Namid nodded and all of them kissed her. Rain hugged her and whispered in her ear how proud she was of her while the Doctor quickly healed her other knee. Then, Doc picked up Namid and held her close while Namid wrapped her arms around his neck. The Doctor went inside the TARDIS and found everyone else inside the console room.

"Is everything okay?" Ianto asked.

"I think everything's sorted now," the Doctor said, glancing at Namid and giving her back a quick rub. "I think we managed to mend her self esteem."

"We did a scan and we found Alan's artron energy," Jack said.

"Brilliant, let's go get our funnyman back then so we can go to the circus tonight!" the Doctor said.

He gave Namid a quick kiss and whispered his love for her in her ear as she smiled. Then he ran over to the console and began to power up the TARDIS.