Author's Note: This is where 'Pairings' left off. I know that generally this would have been the first chapter to go with but I felt to understand the back story, I had to go with the ninth Doctor's story first. Thanks for hanging in there!
In another reality, the newly married Doctor in his fourth regeneration and his Sarah Jane had just made a remarkable discovery. Waiting just outside the Tardis for them was a newborn baby, a baby girl.
"Oh my!" Sarah exclaimed, as instinct took over and she rushed over and picked the crying baby up off of the cold hard floor. The very second Sarah touched her she stopped crying.
The Doctor came to her side and asked, "Where did she come from?"
"I was with you remember?" Sarah answered him, then held the baby closer and said, "How could someone just leave a baby like that? What are we going to do?"
The Doctor looked up and opened his mouth to answer when they heard footsteps and voices heading their way.
In the corridor outside of the Doctor's lab, walked Dr. Harry Sullivan and his good friend Sergeant Benton, both in their dress uniforms were deeply engrossed in searching the floor.
"How did you lose just one key off that humongous devise that you call a key ring?" Harry asked laughing.
"You're just jealous." Benton replied while he continued to retrace his path from earlier in the day.
"Jealous! Why would I be jealous?" Harry replied indignantly.
"Because the Brigadier trusts me with all of these keys." Benton said as he held up his surprisingly large key ring, "And he only trusts you with the key to the Sick Bay!" Benton looked over at Harry who was now sporting an ever increasing red face as he tried to appear as if he hadn't heard the remark. "You do have a key to Sick Bay?" Benton laughed aloud to the now angering Harry.
"I don't need a key to Sick Bay! It 'never' closes." Before he could reply further, he stopped in his tracks, gazing towards the Doctor's lab. "Did you hear that?"
"All right I get it. You don't want to admit that I'm…" Benton started before being stopped by Harry, who was now holding up his hand to get his attention. "What is…? It sounds like a baby crying." Both men looked towards the Doctor's lab.
"There weren't any babies at the wedding were there?" Harry asked, with a look of confusion on his face.
"No, not a single one. Let's go." Benton replied as both men started towards the Doctor's lab, noticing the crying had ceased just before they arrived.
The sight that met their eyes was unexpected to say the least. Sarah, still in her wedding gown was cradling what appeared to be a newborn baby. The Doctor in his tux had one hand on Sarah's back and the other's finger was being clenched by the infant's tiny hand. "Well you two sure didn't waste any time!" Harry exclaimed.
"I thought this might be a joke." the Doctor replied with confusion, then with a panic continued. "Tell me this is a joke." After seeing the innocent shock on their faces he realized that this was indeed, an abandoned baby. "So you two really didn't have anything to do with this?"
"I swear." Harry put up his right hand.
"Me too. But where did she come from?" Benton asked concerned. The idea that someone could sneak into a military base was a serious concern. And not only did they sneak in themselves, but they brought a baby. He knew that once the Brigadier found out, there would be hell to pay. So much for a relaxing weekend!
"Did I hear a baby cry…?" the Brigadier said as he and Doris came through the door together, both stunned at the scene before them. To anyone else, the Brigadier thought, they would look like a picture perfect family. But as with anything involving the Doctor, things were not to be taken at face value and anyone seeing the look exchanged between them would have agreed, something was wrong.
The Doctor decided to forgo the barrage of questions he knew was coming. "I know you have questions, so let me save everyone some time and tell you everything we know." he began; looking down at his new bride in what he hoped was a reassuring way. "Sarah and I went inside the Tardis, and 'no', we saw no one on our way here. We were just about to leave when Sarah heard a cry that turned out to be coming from her." the Doctor finished, lightly tugging at the finger the infant still held tightly.
"Well you seem to be a natural Sarah." Doris said excitedly. "What are you going to name her?"
Both the Doctor and Sarah exchanged looks of panic. "No!" they both replied as one.
"We won't be keeping her!" the Doctor replied, possibly with more force than he meant after seeing the shocked look on his friend's faces.
"I think what the Doctor means, what 'we' mean," Sarah started after exchanging a smile with the Doctor, "is that it's not as if we found a kitten. She belongs with her mother or father or family." Sarah walked over and handed the baby to Doris.
From the second Sarah's hand left the baby's body, she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I don't understand. I'm usually very good with babies. Honestly!" Doris loudly replied in shock at the baby's reaction to her.
"Sir, can I try? I'm very good with my sister's kids." Benton asked.
"Anything to stop her screaming." the Brigadier replied, his voice now yelling to be heard above the din with the beginnings of a headache showing on his face.
Benton carefully removed the screaming baby from Doris' arms. For a split second, there was silence. Unfortunately the baby was just taking a breath, apparently refueling. If the group thought the baby's screams were ear piercing before, she was about to take her screams to the head splitting level.
"I say, that's very good Benton, you're incredibly good with her. I'm surprised your sister lets you through the door." Harry yelled above the baby's scream with a big smile.
"If you think it's so easy, you take her!" Benton yelled back as he held the now hysterical baby out to Harry.
Sarah watched the whole exchange, her eyes never leaving the crying baby. 'She was being passed about like a bag of potatoes', she thought. Leaving the Doctor's side, she walked over and retrieved the infant from Harry's extended arms. From the second Sarah had her in her arms, the child was silent.
Everyone in the room turned to Sarah, the silence was now somehow deafening. "What do you think she wanted?" Harry yelled, momentarily deaf.
"Sarah." the Doctor said, once again exchanging a knowing look with the Brigadier. And after exchanging a quick look with his bride, he knew this wedding night would be anything but traditional. "Let's try something." the Doctor said as he saw Sam passing outside the lab door. "Sam, could you come in here?"
"Great wedding you two." Sam told the couple, and then spotted the baby. "Whoa, what's going on?"
"We're conducting a little experiment." the Doctor said as he approached Sarah and the now cooing baby. "Now we know you like Sarah, let's see if you like me." he said as he carefully lifted the child from Sarah's arms. She settled into his arms just as quietly as she did when Sarah had taken her. "She apparently likes me. Well of course you do." he said into the baby's smiling face. "She obviously has remarkable taste." Everyone in the group laughed at the Time Lord's remarks. The Doctor walked over to Sam. "Now let's see if you like Sam." he said as he placed the baby in Sam's waiting arms.
From the second the Doctor's hands left the baby, the screaming began again in earnest. She screamed and twisted in Sam's arms, fighting to get away. "I'm usually very good with kids." Sam confessed.
"It's not you Sam." the Doctor yelled as he took the baby back. The effect was instantaneous. She settled right into the Doctor's arms, smiling and yawning. He looked back to his new bride and the pair exchanged a smile. "Well, once again I'd like to thank everyone for a wonderful day and I can't believe I'm going to say this but, Sarah and I and the baby will be calling it a night. I'm going to check her over and try to figure this out. Meanwhile Brigadier…"
"First thing in the morning, I'll discreetly inquire into any missing babies without letting anyone know we actually have one. Do you have any ideas Doctor?" the Brigadier asked, wondering exactly how he was going to make said inquiries.
"Nothing substantial." he said looking down into the now napping child's face. "Tomorrow's a new day, hopefully with some new answers." He walked over to Sarah and took her hand and the trio disappeared inside the Tardis.
"Never a dull moment around here is there?" Sam stated as he left the Doctor's lab.
"Benton, first thing in the morning, let's try to solve this little mystery before the Doctor beats us to it. Shall we?" the Brigadier said as he led Doris from the room.
"Yes Sir." Benton saluted his superior. He heard Harry's muffled laughter from his side and turned to respond but was interrupted by the Brigadier.
"You too Sullivan!" the Brigadier yelled now halfway down the hallway.
"Not quite so funny now, is it?" Benton smiled at the now frowning doctor.
As the Doctor and Sarah entered the Tardis, the baby awoke and started laughing and cooing. "She acts as if she's home." the Doctor replied looking down into the baby's smiling face. Then after looking at Sarah added, "But she's not. Let's go to the infirmary and see what we're dealing with."
The newly married pair and their small guest walked through the Tardis' corridors in silence. As they approached the infirmary the Doctor stopped. "What's wrong?" Sarah asked warily.
"You've never been this quiet before. Is there something you want to talk about?" he said turning to face his beautiful wife.
"I was just thinking. This wasn't a random act." Sarah said as the baby reached for her extended hand and grabbed one of the fingers with her tiny hand. "No one would go to this much trouble on a lark. Whoever did this meant for her to be here. Here with us. I just can't figure out the why." Sarah reached forward and kissed the baby's tiny hand.
"We're going to scan her in the Bio-Scanner. Hopefully that will give us some answers." He crinkled up his nose. "Do you smell something?
Sarah laughed at his reaction. "I think it's her. She needs to be changed."
"Changed into what?" the Doctor asked, a look of complete innocence on his face.
"A clean diaper." Sarah replied, with a smile. "Don't babies use diapers on Gallifrey?"
"Maybe, I've never been around a baby long enough to know." he answered, his face flushed.
"I just assumed by the way you held her. I don't suppose the Tardis has diapers on board?" Sarah asked.
"I highly doubt it."
"You scan her; I'm going to change out of…this." Sarah said as she sadly looked down at her beautiful wedding gown and turned to go.
"I'm sorry Sarah." he said solemnly.
"Don't be. Anyone can have a wedding and a honeymoon. But not everyone has a living mystery to solve. And remember, the honeymoon is only postponed." Sarah walked back to her new husband. The Doctor bent down, baby in hand to kiss Sarah. "I'll be right back." The baby squealed demanding her own goodbye. "I'll be right back little angel." Sarah gently squeezed the baby's plump leg before turning to go.
After watching Sarah leave the infirmary, the Doctor turned to the baby and said, "We are a very, very lucky pair. Do you know that? You are really starting to stink. We have to do something about that. But first let's get you scanned." He walked over to the Bio-Scanner and gently laid the baby girl down. He pressed the button while the machinery started to work.
When it was complete the Doctor picked up the smiling baby. "Let's see what we have." He walked over to the display. He heard footsteps and looked up in time to see Sarah walking through the doorway. She had changed into a black pair of jeans and a blue v neck shirt. "That was quick." he said as Sarah approached. "Quick but beautiful." He kissed Sarah.
"I thank you. But I come bearing a surprise." Sarah raised her hand with a thick white piece of material in hand. "I found this in the Tardis' Stores. It will do till you can move the Tardis to an all-night store. We really do have to pick up a few things." Sarah said as she took the baby from the Doctor's arms, then after seeing the look of shock on the Doctor's face asked, "What is it? What's wrong?" Sarah walked over to the display that was fueling the look on the Doctor's face.
"Wait a minute. I'm going to run a check using both our DNA."
"Both 'our' DNA? Why?" Sarah asked, now concerned.
After pressing a series of buttons, the Doctor stepped away from the display. He backed away till his back hit a bed, his hands raised to his mouth. "She has our DNA. She has two hearts." He then looked at Sarah, a look of shock on his face.
"How…how is that possible?" Sarah asked as she looked down at the angelic child's face.
"I don't know. I have to think."
The baby started to squirm, tired of the soggy diaper. "I…I…I'll change her diaper." Sarah said equally shocked as she laid the baby on a nearby bed.
"I'll move the Tardis." the Doctor said, his legs now working independent of his mind.
"Doctor come look at this!" Sarah said.
The Doctor approached the infirmary bed where Sarah had lain the baby down to change her diaper. "What's wrong?"
"Look at her. Look at her belly button. She's not just a young baby. She's a very new, newborn baby. She hasn't even been cleaned up properly. There are bits of blood and amniotic fluid still on the inside of her clothes. Who would take a baby who's just arrived away from her mother?" Sarah asked, confused.
The Doctor walked over to one of the cabinets and retrieved a small empty vial. He returned and scraped some of the dried fluid into the vial. "I'll check it out after I move the Tardis. Let's go get what we need." he said turning to go.
"I don't think I should take her to the store. Can you stay with her?" she asked, smiling into the now dry and content baby's face.
"Sure, no problem. We'll just have a little chat while you're gone won't we?" He smiled down into the baby's face in Sarah's arms. "By the way, have I told you that you're wonderful?" the Doctor said, as he put his arm around his new wife and led her from the room. "But seriously, as soon as this is all over we'll take that honeymoon. I swear." he said as he crossed both his hearts with his free hand.
"I know we will and I love you for that. But I…I just don't understand how she can have both of our DNA."
They had reached the console room when the Doctor replied, "I know, but we'll figure it out." He walked over to the central console and set some coordinates and the time rotor began to move. In less than a minute they landed. "Here," he said as he handed the debit card that the Brigadier had given him to Sarah, "you'll need this. We'll need everything. We don't know how long she's going to be here. I think she'll need one of those things that you put them in when they go in the car."
"A car seat." Sarah helped.
"One of those. And diapers, and clothes and…" the Doctor helped.
"And bottles. Oh no!" Sarah said, suddenly alarmed.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know what kind of formula she needs." Sarah said alarmed.
"Then get several kinds. Just use your best judgment." After seeing her frown, he added, "It will be all right. I promise." He reached forward and took the baby from her arms and kissed her as passionately as he could with a baby between them. "I've parked in the parking lot. Be careful."
"I doubt there will be an alien invasion in the grocery store at midnight." Sarah exclaimed with a smile.
"Uh hu, now go." he said as he turned around and headed toward the interior of the Tardis. He took a deep breath and yelled out, "Don't forget diapers!"
"I won't." Sarah replied, sounding overwhelmed.
The Doctor frowned. The results of the scan couldn't be right. Yet they were. "I've got to figure this out." he said to the baby in his arms. "You aren't the only one that needs a change of clothes tonight. Let's go introduce you to my scarf." They turned and headed for the bedroom, his mind going in a million ways at once. He had to figure this out!
Sarah pushed a fully loaded, top to bottom shopping cart through the Tardis doors. She removed several bags of diapers, a bag with bathing supplies and two bags with baby clothes from the cart and began her search for her new husband and new…little houseguest. Yes, that was plausible. The only other option was that she was now their baby, and 'that' thought overwhelmed her. As she turned another corner, she saw the pair standing outside a door that hadn't been there before her shopping trip. The closer she came to them; she could see a sense of wonder on the Doctor's face, his mouth slightly ajar.
"Hi, I'm back." Sarah tried.
The Doctor turned his head around and looked somewhat shocked, now that she had a clear look at him. Looking down at the baby, Sarah noticed she was trying to suck one of his fingers. "You, my love look hungry. You'll be very glad to see that I bought formula." She noticed that the Doctor had returned to staring into the room. "What is going on in that room that's so fascinating?" she asked as she squeezed passed the pair and entered the room. "Oh my, it's beautiful."
The room was the most beautiful nursery she'd ever seen. The ceiling looked like fluffy white clouds set against a beautiful blue sky. The walls were painted in the palest pink with white vertical stripes. The carpet was the deepest pink, in both color and depth. The baby bed itself was built into what looked like a carriage, a white carriage fit to take Cinderella to the ball. In the center of the room was a beautifully padded white rocker. Against the far wall was a white changing table and a matching large white chest of drawers. Oversize stuffed toys were scattered throughout the room, a giraffe, an elephant, a pony and a zebra. The lighting overhead was nothing less than a crystal chandelier.
"Did you do this?" Sarah asked turning to see the Doctor step through the doorway.
"No, I swear. I came back here to change my clothes. When I walked passed here the door wasn't there. When I came back out it was. At first the door wouldn't open. I guess she wasn't finished yet. I waited a few minutes and it slowly opened on its own."
"She does beautiful work." Sarah said slowly turning around again, taking it all in.
"She always does, when she's inspired." The baby started fussing in his arms.
Sarah sat the bags down on the floor. "I'll take her and you take the bag with the bottles and the formula. Can you make her a bottle and heat it up? I'll clean her up, change her diaper and get her ready for bed." She smiled at him and continued, "Then we can get ready for bed." Sarah winked.
"Yes Ma'am." the Doctor saluted and whisked the supplies out the door. Looking down at the baby she told her, "And that little one is what's called incentive. Now let's get you taken care of." Sarah smiled down at the small baby as it grasped one of her fingers in its small hand.
Thirty minutes later the baby had been bathed, fed, burped and settled into bed where she fell instantly asleep.
Author's Note: Nine chapters to go. As always reviews are greatly appreciated. I want to especially thank the anonymous reviewer for the great review. You really made my day. Thank you!