"I want to know everything." I said after a few moments of silence. "What was the danger?"
My parents looked at each other. "It's a long story, sweetie." Mum replied.
I shrugged. "It seems to me we have all of time and space at our finger tips."
Dad cracked a smile. "Smart as a whip, isn't she? Takes after her dad. Well, her mum is pretty smart too. Maybe she gets it from both of us. I'm not quite sure." He with a genuine thoughtful look that made me want to laugh.
Mum rolled her eyes. "Dear, could you please try to stay on subject?"
"Ah, yes. Sorry. You wanted to know the danger you were in. Well, like your mother said, it's a very long story. Instead of just telling you, why don't I show you?"
I looked at him, puzzled. "Show me? How?"
He lifted his hands to my temples. "Like this." He said with a gentle smile on his face.
As soon as he touched my head, a whiz of memories came flooding into my mind. There was one reoccurring name that seemed indelibly marred into my head. Kovarian. Within moments I knew everything about her and her cause: to kill my father at all costs, using any and all means necessary. Even if it meant taking a baby and training it to kill… as my mum was."
He lifted his hands from my head. "We thought she was dead." he continued with words, "But soon after you were born, we discovered that that was far from the truth. She began trailing us. It was too dangerous for us to keep you. One wrong move and she would have you in her grasps. We couldn't let that happen."
"We took the Tardis into the Time Vortex to disguise where we went and took you to earth. We made you human with your Fob Watch and then brought you to an adoption agency." Mum continued. "It was the hardest thing I ever had to do."
Dad gripped Mum's hand and continued. "We were always with you, though not physically. You see, Time Lords have a deep connection to their children. A psychic connection. Every time you fell, every time you cried, we knew. Your mother's connection is especially strong."
"I was the voice in your head, always comforting you. When you were very young, I even used to sing to you." Mum said, her eyes sparkling, as if holding back tears.
"I remember that…" I said, trailing off.
There was a silence for a moment or so before I asked, "How did you know to come today? How did you know I would be going to the adoption agency?"
"I heard you thinking about it and we figured that you, almost an adult, were ready to know the truth."
"But I can't go with you yet, can I?" I said, trying not to sound sad.
Mum took my hand. "Kovarian is still out there. It was dangerous to even come. I had to… bribe… your father." She said, looking over at him with an almost lustful gaze.
I guessed what she bribed him and immediately changed to subject so as not to think about it. "So, now that I know, you expect me to just go back to normal everyday life?"
"Sweetie," She said soothingly, "I know it's hard. I had to wait for your father a few times myself. But it's for your own good. In any case, no daughter of mine is going to go traipsing off across the universe without a decent knowledge of Trigonometry! You really should finish school." She said with a smile.
"River," My father said softly, "We should be going. I don't want them to track us down."
My mother nodded and kissed my forehead. "There is one more thing I would like you to know before we leave."
"Yes?"
"Now that you are older, you deserve a decent amount of privacy, if you know what I mean." She said with a mischievous smile.
"Mum!" I exclaimed in shock, knowing exactly what she meant.
"If there is anything you ever want to keep from me, from our psychic connection, just imagine a door and close it in your mind. I won't barge in. That doesn't mean that you can't tell me anything, my love. I am always here to listen, no matter how far apart we really are."
I nodded and then she took me into her arms. "I love you, more than anything." She whispered in my ear. "Don't forget that."
I smiled sadly. "I won't."
As I went to go out of the Tardis, my father called out, "Oh, and one more thing. You might want to avoid doctors. Two hearts might be hard to explain."
I laughed and called back. "There is only one Doctor I will be going to."
As I began to shut the door I heard him say, "Clever clever girl, River! She must take after me!"
I smiled and shook my head then stood back and watched as the Tardis slowly disappeared into nothing. A few moments later, I began my long walk home, not knowing that fate was following close behind me… in the form of a man.