Normal POV
The Doctor quietly enters his Tardis; by now it is 4:00 am - three hours since the argument with Gwyn. He'd spent those three hours after the fight wandering around London. Gwyn's words had made him think. His own daughter hated him - no, his own daughter hates him. She had held that hate and anger and pain hidden away for so long. He closes the door with a sigh and glances around the console room. None of his companions are waiting for him; they're all asleep by now. Probably a good thing, since the Doctor isn't in a revealing mood. He sniffs and wipes the dried tears from his face. He inches towards the Tardis console, not entirely sure himself what he intends to do now.
But River had heard the Tardis door open and she quickly rushed out of bed to confront the Doctor about what had happened with his old companion's daughter. She quickly got dressed in a grey tank top, with thin sage coloured pants. Not wanting him to push her away, once River got close to the console room she slows her pace. She pauses as she hears the Doctor sniffle. Clearly, it has not been a pleasant meeting. River had hoped he would have a chat with her, see for himself that Rose's family was safe, and then come back and they'd be off and into the stars again. River hides herself in the hallway and crouches down to eavesdrop on the Doctor, knowing he's always been keen on talking to the Tardis especially when he is alone.
The Doctor moves around the Tardis dashboard and begins to plug in coordinates for the Nibon planet in the year 8095. That's where he was planning to take the Ponds next. The human colonies had set up camp there and the native animals were similar to Earth's dinosaurs so of course all the amusement park business men had hightailed it and set up shop on the planet as a colossal zoo. Nibon had no sentient beings to reject the humans invasion so it became quickly conquered by the corporate people of Earth.
River's heart hammers in her chest as she hears the definitive sounds of coordinates being plugged into the Tardis. They are leaving. Why? Didn't he see Rose? River tries to focus on what her parents had said. The Doctor went to see Rose's daughter, so did he see Rose? Was Rose even here? River is shocked out of her thoughts as she is jerked sideways as the Tardis rumbles and jolts to a stop.
River listens intently as the Doctor rushes out of the Tardis and outside into wherever they have landed. River is still in shock and before she knows it the Doctor has rushed back into the Tardis and begins beating the Tardis console. Usually when in these moods the Tardis would shock him back into reality but right now she just hums and endures it. River stands up and slowly peeks into the console room where the Doctor is smashing buttons and hitting the sides of the control panel. River has never seen the Doctor in such a pitiful state before. His face is red and blotchy from crying and his clothes are all astray and out of place.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU LEAVE LIKE I TOLD YOU TO, YOU STUPID MACHINE!" The Doctor growls, throwing one last punch to the console before stilling completely. River watches as his body begins to shake and she hears him start to weep again.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I'm sorry for taking my temper out on you. I'm sorry."
The Tardis hums in response to her thief, telling him she forgives him.
"She doesn't want me anywhere near her. She hates me. Let's just go. For me," the Doctor pleads. River's head is running a mile a minute. Who hates him? Did Rose not want her near him? Why? Or was it Rose's daughter who didn't want him? What in Earth's name had happened? The Tardis refuses to budge from her place in London England, on October 21st 2011 4:05 am. The Doctor lets out a dark chuckle and laughs to himself, pushing himself away from his defeated position on the Tardis control board.
"My own DAUGHTER HATES ME! She wants me dead! So let's just go before I screw things up anymore than I already have!" The Doctor storms, twirling around the Tardis console. River lets out a gasp, then holds her next breath in fear that the Doctor had noticed. Thankfully it seems that he didn't, not through all the noise he himself was making. River hears a creak behind her and turns to see Amy and Rory, dressed in their night robes, coming up the hallway. She places her finger on her lips to signal them to be quiet. The Ponds give River a puzzled look until they too hear the muffled sobs and they quickly join their daughter in spying on the Doctor.
"Oh Rose, where are you? What do I do?" the Doctor laments. River's eyes widen. Now she understands; Rose is no longer in the picture. It would only make sense why the Doctor would be so keen on leaving without Rose. Amy abruptly decides she's had enough hiding, and moves out of their peeking spot to walk up to the Doctor. He quickly wipes his face and gives Amy a huge smile that looks painful in its forcedness.
"Amelia Pond! What are you doing up? You should be in sleeping!" The Doctor babbles. He moves around the console pressing buttons, trying to get the Tardis to move from its spot. He just wants to leave already.
"How does Nibon sound? The entire planet is a zoo for the massive animals! There's the Jikolap! It's as big as the Efifel tower!" Amy watches her best friend wistfully as he tries to cover up his feelings and hide the fact that he was crying a minute ago. "Oh, and they are one of the smaller creatures there! Or we could go to the moon circus in the 24th century! That's always a good…" The Doctor stops mid-sentence as Amy clasps her friend into a hug. It takes a moment before the Doctor reciprocates the embrace but eventually he returns it wholeheartedly. They just stand there, Amy comforting her best friend while the other two Ponds look on.
"She's my daughter. Gwyn is my daughter," the Doctor says heavily. Amy just sits next to him, holding his hand gently. "And she hates me. Can't say I blame her though."
"How can she hate you? You're her dad! She's lost her Mum but she's found you." Amy frowns. The Doctor lets out a weak laugh.
"Just because you're related doesn't mean you have to like them. I mean, your Aunt Sharon hated you and you hated her back. You basically raised yourself, Amy," Rory mentions from across the room.
"She has every right to hate me. I practically abandoned her. She wants me to leave her alone and I will do just that. But it seems the Tardis has other plans." The Doctor shakes his head, refusing to be comforted. Amy put her head on the Doctor's shoulder as silence reigns in the Tardis once again.
"Well, if we are stuck here, might as well explore London. Shall we, Doctor?" Amy asks as she stands up abruptly and males her way to her and Rory's room to change, her husband following close behind.
"Are you going to be alright?" River softly asks the Doctor, still sitting on the console stairs. He turns towards River and flashes her a fake smile.
"I'm always all right," the Doctor says in a hoarse unconvincing voice. River shakes her head.
"Come on, Sweetie, I know you better than that! Don't pull that line on me." River just wants this to all go away. By any means necessary. The Doctor remains silent at River's words, just staring off into space. The woman clenches her fists. She doesn't like this. This whole thing is changing the Doctor. Her Doctor.
"Well if you're going to be like that, then I guess I better head off. Can't be gone from prison long," River snaps, triggering her vortex manipulator in a huff and vanishing.
Gwyn's POV
"Thank you so much for coming!" I greet another one of Tom's family members or friends. The faces just begin to blur after a while. The clock on the left wall of the pub reveals that it's only a little after 7 pm. I let out a sigh and take a quick drink of water and leave Tom to say the hello's on his own. I pinch the bridge of my nose as the argument with the Doctor from early this morning echoes in my head.
"That's not true! I love her! If I had any choice in the matter, I would have stayed with her forever."
Was the Doctor being honest with his words? Would he really have stayed with us? If he had found us, would Mum still be here? Would she be here for my wedding?
"I hate you! I hate you SO MUCH! I WISH YOU WOULD JUST DIE AND LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE!"
Perhaps my anger got the best of me. I take another sip of my water and shuffle my way back into the party. I see Tom's mother Diana enter the party room and I hurry to greet her.
"Hello, Diana! It's so nice to see you," I chat with her. Diana wraps her arms around me as she pulls me into a firm hug. I give her a friendly kiss on the cheek.
"Here, let me take your coat. Can I order anything for you to drink?" I insist as I grasp her faux fur coat and place it on a hanger.
"Not at the moment, dear. Where's Tom?" Diana inquires as she walks more into the pub. I guide her towards the main party room where the rest of the guests are chatting and socializing before dinner.
"Oh you know, making small talk with other guests. I'm sure you'll see him soon," I reply.
"Well then I will just give this to you. Go on, open it now, dear! No sense in waiting. I know how stressful weddings can be." Diana enthusiastically hands me a blue gift bag, motioning for me to open it. I feel around inside the bag and my hand touches smooth polished glass. I assume it's a drink of some sort as I grasp the bottle neck and pull it out. It is a bottle of 1981 single malt Scottish whiskey. I take in the amber bottle colour and the simple rectangular design. But what really paralyzes me is the name of the brand. Bad Wolf. I feel my eyes water at the message. I quickly shove the bottle back into the bag and give Diana a hug.
"Thank you," I tell to her, more from the heart than she knows. I navigate my way towards the wedding gift table to place her gift with the others; Diana follows behind me.
"I bought it when I was pregnant with Tom. I have one bottle of Scottish whiskey for each of my kids, for their wedding day. All from different distilleries. This one just stood out. I never found that distillery again. It was a little place in one of the smaller northern villages." I just listen to Diana chat merrily about how she found the distillery and how the family tradition started up. For the rest of the evening I continue greeting and counting down the minutes. This was a sign. I have to talk to the Doctor. I smile and play nice for the next three hours. At 10:30 pm all the guests have finally left and only myself and Tom are left moving the wedding gifts from the pub's party room and into the trunk of our car.
I am silent all the way home. I'm trying to figure out how to tell Tom I am leaving on the night before our wedding, to go on a maybe fatal journey to save my mother. As we pull up into our drive way, Tom parks the car but doesn't get out. Instead he just stares at me, like he knows what's coming.
"I'm going to find my Mum. I will regret not going and saving her when I had the chance, she should be here for my wedding day. If I let the Doctor leave now, like this - he won't be the one abandoning me. I would be the one abandoning him." I confess to Tom. He says nothing, just grabs my hands.
"I'm coming with you," he insists. I shake my head and squeeze his hand tighter.
"I can't let you. I could lose you. Please. Stay here. I mean, we both can't disappear before our wedding." My voice quivers. I caress his cheek with my free hand. Tom quickly presses his lips to mine.
"Better both of us disappear than leave the other alone." Tom pleads. I lean my face into the crook of his neck and inhale his pine aftershave.
"Don't worry. I won't leave you. I'll come back," I promise, hoping it's a promise I can keep.
"Of course you will, because we will come back together." Tom insisted. I look up into his spruce blue eyes. I run my right hand through his tawny brown hair and smile.
"You aren't going to leave this alone are you?" I whisper. He grabs my hand that's caressing his head and gently kisses the side of it.
"Not in this lifetime my darling." He assured. I sigh and move away.
"You are just as stubborn as me so I know there's no point in arguing about it any further." I admitted. I give him one last kiss before getting out of the car and calling Uncle Jack. I arrange to meet up with him at the alley where the Doctor had parked the Tardis. Hopefully, he hasn't left yet.
I change into more travel-worthy clothes than my party dress I'd worn for dinner. I pull on a pair of comfy acid wash jeans with my favourite pair of faux-paint-splatter converse high tops. Completing the look is a form fitting black t-shirt with the graphic "Long ago but somehow in the future…" in bold blue letters. I grab my black leather motorcycle jacket as an afterthought. Satisfied I'm dressed appropriately for a trip in the Tardis, I move to the closet and carefully pry up the loose floorboards, gently taking out the box of Mum's precious items. Grabbing her sonic screwdriver, I shove it into left inside breast pocket. I quickly put the box back into its hiding place and reach into the hole to grab my specialized gun. It is something I had designed when I was 14 and was depressed about my Mother's continued absence.
Its primary function is to temporarily send a person into a pocket dimension in a state of suspended animation; this lasts about 10 minutes - long enough for me to get away from the scene before the person returns to reality. The second function is a little more deadly and it's keyed in to my TNA. It activates the Tardis inside me and uses my power to scatter a person or object's particles, cells, atoms across the time vortex, never to be reconstituted. I slip the gun into its holster in my right inner pocket. I close up the floorboards and meet Tom at the front door; he was dressed in a pair of casual indigo button up dress shirt made out of breathable jersey knit fabric with a classic collar; he left the first couple of buttons undo revealing a little of his upper torso. He had donned acid wash denim jeans and obsidian balmoral boots. I grabbed the house keys shoved them in my left side inside jacket pocket and headed out the door with Tom to meet up with Uncle Jack.