As an only child with cousins who are all older than her, my characterisation of Anwen is probably way off. Apologies.

Chapter Sixteen

November, and Winter with it, approached with startling speed, until it was only a week away. The end of October promised Halloween, and the first holiday Jenny would celebrate on earth. She was looking forward to this experience, perhaps more than she cared to admit. So it was that she and Sky (who was possibly more enthused than she) had gone completely overboard, at least in Gwen's eyes. The girls had decorated the house in honour of the occasion; fake cobwebs hanging from every available surface, a carved pumpkin sitting rather sinisterly on the windowsill, a witch that cackled evilly in greeting when the front door was opened, and a sign wishing them a Happy Halloween hanging in the living room.

They had made plans for All Hallows Eve in itself, too. They were to participate in the tradition of Trick or Treating (Jenny with the ready-made excuse of looking after Sky if eyebrows were raised on the topic of her age), dressed as aliens, as Luke had encouraged them. The irony was amusing, true, but the human idea of what an alien was confused her. Their costumes set them as green figures with large, black eyes. She had never met such an alien in her (though limited) travels. When they returned from the task, they would eat their rewards, and watch horror movies with Gwen, Rhys, Luke, Charlie and an eventually coerced Captain Jack Harkness. The inclusion of the latter had been Sky's idea, with the statement no one could argue against: "He'd be alone otherwise."

Luke Smith was currently on the train from Oxford, making his way home for the week-long break away from College life and the stress of exams. Charles Davidson, stubborn as ever, was not far behind. In reaction to the request to stay in Cardiff for the week, Gwen had merely sighed, acquiesced, and left promptly to buy a camp bed, which was set up in Anwen's room and where Sky would sleep. Jenny would reunite with her old friend the sofa, and Luke and Charlie would take the guest room. It was the sensible thing to do.

Jenny and Sky were sitting on the sofa, watching How I Met Your Mother to while away the time until it was deemed suitable to go and meet Luke and Charlie at the train station. Rhys would drive them, but he was on a grocery run, leaving them with no option but to wait.

And wait.

And wait.

"What's taking so long?" asked Sky impatiently, as the credits rolled for another episode and Jenny searched for the remote to skip to the next.

"It's not even one yet," answered the Time Lady sensibly, but she too was anxious to see her friends. "The train doesn't come in 'till half past."

Sky looked awed, and annoyed. "It's that early?"

"'Fraid so, kiddo."

Fortunately for them, with their frayed patience, Rhys's arrival was heralded by the sound of an engine, a door slamming, another opening, and a witch's cackle. Sky switched the TV off.

"Hey Rhys," Jenny greeted.

It wasn't Rhys who emerged from the hallway, however, but Anwen, running on her pudgy toddler feet and beaming as she usually did. She had another tooth, Jenny noticed.

"Hello Anwen!"

"Auntie Jemmy!" she exclaimed, as though she hadn't just seen them three quarters of an hour previously. "Auntie Sky!"

Jenny scooped the child up, setting her down on the couch between her and Sky. Rhys came next, carrying shopping bags and wearing a smile.

"Place was packed," he announced. "Who knew Halloween was as big as Christmas nowadays, eh?"

They stared at him blankly.

"We don't know what it used to be like …"

He shook his head. "Never mind."

"We still have things to learn, I guess," Sky shrugged, as Rhys deposited the groceries in the kitchen. She turned to Anwen. "How was your day?"

"Great!" she exclaimed. "An ol' woman said I was adorable."

"Well, aren't you a superstar?" said Jenny, reaching out to tickle the toddler. She squealed and squirmed, trying to escape the older girl's clutches.

"Ready to go?" asked Rhys, re-emerging from the kitchen.

Jenny stopped tickling Anwen immediately, picking her up instead. She stood up beside Sky, the young girl held against her hip, and her ready handbag hanging on her other arm.

"Since this morning," said Sky, and she started to giggle as the four of them left the house.

Anwen sat happily on her booster seat next to Sky, playing with the plush flubble Jenny had brought back for her from Zon.

"It'll be a bit of a squeeze," frowned Jenny, having only just realised the fact. Fitting six people into a five-seater car was always a challenge. "You'll have to sit on my knees, Anwen."

"Okay," she replied.

It took only a short time to reach the train station. They could have walked, but with the boys' baggage, it was inadvisable.

"I'll wait here," Rhys told them. "You can take Anwen with you if you want."

"Would you like to come with us, Anwen?"

"Yeah!" she nodded, more enthusiastically than was necessary.

"Okay," said Sky, picking up the girl, saying goodbye to Rhys (Anwen adding a, "Bye bye Da.") and leaving. Jenny, with her own goodbye, followed.

They reached the platform, where a few other people had gathered, presumably to greet other loved ones as they returned. The train had not yet arrived.

"Why hasn't Charlie ever come before?" Sky asked suddenly, chewing on her bottom lip as she contemplated the question.

"They probably weren't good enough friends when Luke last came home. And plus, there were plenty of alien things to be dealing with. A bit of a giveaway, don't you think?"

Sky nodded slowly. "But he knows now?"

"He knows now," she confirmed.

Sky repositioned Anwen in her arms. "How did he find out?"

"My pulse," Jenny replied, offering her wrist to be felt.

Sky placed two finger atop of it, as she had learned from television and other people. "It's faster than mine."

"Exactly. Two hearts."

The sound of the horn that heralded the train interrupted their conversation. Immediately, they stepped closer to the edge of the platform, watching the train pulling in dizzyingly. Sky passed Anwen over to Jenny, stepping even closer.

Eventually, the long vehicle stopped, and the doors opened. Jenny and Sky searched the crowds intently, looking for their friends (and brother, in the case of the latter). Eventually, they found them, Luke with his rucksack slung over one shoulder, a smaller bag in one hand, and a scarf knotted loosely around his neck, Charlie with one large bag in hand, and a pair of square-framed glasses. Luke reached them first, and, after dropping his bags, hugged Sky with such enthusiasm that he lifted her from her feet and she squealed to be put down. After releasing her, he gave Jenny a one-armed hug, adding a kiss on the cheek as they broke apart. He kissed Anwen's cheek too, and she hugged him as much as she could with her little arms.

"I didn't know you wore glasses," was Jenny's greeting to the other young man. He adjusted them upon their mention.

"I usually use contacts," he replied.

She nodded. "They suit you."

"Thanks."

Anwen broke the ensuing silence by asking, "Who that?"

"Anwen, this is Charlie," said Jenny. "Charlie, meet Anwen. Gwen and Rhys's daughter."

"It's nice to meet you," smiled Charlie, offering his hand to her. She grabbed onto three of his fingers and shook with as much vigour as she could. Charlie laughed. "Good strong grip you got there, Anwen."

"She's gonna be a woman to be reckoned with someday," Luke agreed.

Charlie turned to face his friend. "And this must be Sky," he said. The Flesh Kind nodded, smiling slightly from where she stood next to her brother. "It's nice to see you looking well, Sky. Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," she replied, smile growing in confidence as they shook hands.

"How are we getting back?" asked Luke, swinging his rucksack over his shoulder again.

"We walk," replied Jenny cheerfully.

Charlie gaped at her. "You're making us walk? After a terribly tiring journey? Weighed down by all this very heavy luggage?"

Jenny rolled her eyes at him, and Sky, giggling, said, "We only have to walk to the car park. Jenny's just messing."

The Time Lady huffed dramatically as they started to walk. "Way to blow my cover, Sky!"

Rhys was leaning against the car, arms folded, when they returned. He greeted Luke, introduced himself to Charlie, and immediately struck up a conversation that included the four of them.

"Have you ever been to Wales before, Charlie?" asked Sky interestedly.

"I went to Plymouth with my parents when I was a kid, but not since then, and never to Cardiff."

"Aren't your parents mad you're not spending the holidays with them?" Jenny frowned.

He laughed. "They're glad to be rid of me, I'd say."

Luke nodded. "I've met them; that's true."

Rhys pulled up outside the house, and Jenny announced it to be the place where they had all managed to squeeze themselves into.

"It's not that small," Luke admonished, as she passed Anwen over to him and got out of the car.

"Three bedroom," Sky agreed.

"Seven people," Jenny countered, taking Anwen back and leaving the other three to their own devices.

Gwen was not yet home. It was a quiet day at the hub, and she had gone to keep Jack company more than anything. Rhys unlocked the door, the witch cackled, and Jenny set Anwen down. The girl ran ahead through the hallway, the lights on her trainers flashing.

The boys and Sky joined her after a moment, and they stood in the doorway.

"Nice decorations," Charlie complimented.

"I'll give you the tour," said Jenny. She turned back to the Smith siblings, addressing Sky. "We've been here for three months now, can you imagine?"

Luke smiled. "You won't find it 'till it's a year. Then you'll be like proper humans."

"Oi!" both of them exclaimed at once, but their smiles gave them away.

"I'm never going to get used to the fact that all of you are aliens," Charlie lamented.