Recall

By Lumendea

Chapter Nineteen: Recalled by the Fourth III

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material, and I gain no income from this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: I'm back! Life just happened, and it was all I could do to keep up with Guardians!

….

When the Doctor had been young, he had enjoyed running through the fields any chance he got. Others had scoffed at his bursts of energy, but it had always felt natural and right. Gaia, it seemed, was much the same as him. Sarah had laughed as Gaia ran around the hillside inspecting everything.

"She has the zoomies," Sarah Jane said fondly.

"Zoomies?" the Doctor repeated with a smile. "I don't believe I've ever heard that term before."

"It is sometimes used to refer to animals when they suddenly go from sleeping to running in circles," Sarah Jane explained.

"Daddy!" Gaia's excited cry drew his attention though the Doctor could tell that Gaia wasn't worried. "Which ones are ripe? This one is a different colour."

The Doctor ignored Sarah Jane's widening smile. Why she was so amused, he wasn't sure. It was only wise to make sure that one wasn't eating anything dangerous. Gaia would have grown up travelling to different worlds and wouldn't know the native plants. The Doctor jogged down the hillside to where Gaia was inspecting a large bush full of berries with a critical eye. Some were darker than others, and the Doctor glanced at a nearby tree and noted with relief that he'd gotten the timing right.

"You want to pick the dark ones," the Doctor said. Kneeling beside Gaia, he gently pulled on one branch of the bush so he could show her the berries up close. His child immediately shifted closer to him, and a rush of affection filled his mind. "The ones that are pale or have white around their stems like this one aren't ripe yet. They won't harm you," he assured his daughter. "But they won't taste as good."

"How much should I leave for the wildlife?" Gaia asked seriously.

"Another good question." The Doctor grinned at her. "Spend much time with animals?"

"Only sometimes." Gaia shrugged. "We go to wildlife preserves and some petting zoos on different planets. I also enjoy watching documentaries with mum sometimes. The TARDIS has a lot of fantastic ones from a lot of planets."

The mention of her mother gave the Doctor pause. Her mother was an active part of her life. He'd suspected that, knew it, honestly, but every time it was confirmed, he wasn't sure how to feel. There was excitement, but also a firm need not read too far into it. The Doctor didn't want to be disappointed with the realities of his life in the future. It would do no good if he built up a fairy tale in his mind. Rarely had the universe been so kind to him.

"Here are some good ones," the Doctor said. He was eager to get off the topic and somewhat regretted his question. "Now, you want to be careful how much pressure you use, or you'll squeeze them too tight and get juice all over your fingers," Gaia smirked and eyed him mischievously. "Now, my little wolf cub," the Doctor scolded around a smile. "You do want to eat the berries, don't you?

His child sighed dramatically but nodded. With deft fingers, the Doctor showed her how to use her fingers to grip the berry from behind as if she was cupping it and twist it off that way. It was much clearer than other methods. The Doctor wasn't sure if Gaia had grown to be more accepting of baths now or not. Memories of cleaning her up when she was three were still quite vivid in his memory.

Gaia popped a few berries into her mouth, and the Doctor smiled as her eyes widened with pleasure. A chuckle from behind them made the Doctor look back to find Sarah Jane watching them with amusement. Huffing a little, he called her over for a quick lesson before digging into his pockets. There was a paper bag that used to hold jelly babies, which he quickly gave to Gaia. It was a good thing that he got a fresh bag whenever he ran out. He found another for Sarah Jane, who took a moment to tease him about his sweet tooth but set to work picking berries with her usual determination.

"What's the plan with the berries, Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked him. "Are we going to lay on the grass and watch the light show?"

"Oh!" Gaia cheered. "That sounds nice. We can eat berries instead of popcorn!"

Sarah Jane laughed. The Doctor assumed that she'd been teasing with her question, but his companion immediately folded in the light of Gaia's excitement. Reaching deeper into his pockets, the Doctor was relieved when he found another empty bag. Next time Sarah Jane teased him about never tossing anything out, he'd bring up this moment. It was useful to keep simple objects around.

"So, Gaia?" Sarah Jane asked. "Do you do things like this often?"

"Like what? We visit new planets a lot," Gaia explained. "Sometimes we do picnics, but we really like visiting communities. Mummy and I enjoy markets and festivals. You can learn a lot from watching the artisans!" Gaia toyed with the end of her father's scarf. "And there are always kids at markets who let me join their games." Gaia offered Sarah Jane a serious look. "You'd be amazed at the number of worlds that have tag and hide and seek. There are some variations, of course, but the core games remain the same."

"Well, that's not really surprising," the Doctor said. "One of the key aspects of those games is that you can play them without any special equipment. Children can start those games as long as they have some playmates."

"Do you have playmates on the TARDIS?" Sarah Jane asked.

The Doctor teased at the question. It was innocent but very dangerous. "Don't answer that, Gaia," the Doctor said quickly but gently. "We have to be careful about future information."

"I know, Daddy," Gaia replied. She offered him a brilliant smile. "I wasn't going to answer. The question of if I have siblings will remain unanswered." Her eyes sparkled with glee. "Besides, if I did have siblings, then I would rather enjoy having the attention of my dad all to myself!"

The Doctor laughed even as he started to wonder. He shouldn't, but now Sarah Jane had put the question into his head. Not that he was going to try and find an answer. No, that would be a terrible idea.

While the sky was darker and the sun further away than on Earth, there was still plenty of light for them to move about safely. The Doctor kept a watchful eye on Gaia as she clamoured around the bushes to pick a good supply of berries. He grinned when she firmly instructed Sarah Jane to leave some of the ripe ones for the wildlife. Oh, he was going to enjoy teaching Gaia all about different planets and wildlife someday.

They filled their little bags with the berries, and the Doctor kept a close eye on Gaia as she clamoured up one of the trees to pick some of the fruit. She was a rather good climber. But he could see the excitement and physical activity taking its toll. Once Gaia was out of the tree, the Doctor took a tight hold of her hand, and they walked back up the hill to a spot where they had a clear view of the sky. Sarah Jane shrugged off her jacket and laid down on it. Following her example, the Doctor spread out his coat and stretched out on it with Gaia beside him.

A calm settled over Sarah Jane and Gaia as they ate their berries and watched the lights overhead. Gaia asked him a few questions about the atmospheric composition that he was happy to answer. Such a clever one, his little girl and always asking good questions. But slowly, the questions quieted, and Gaia's snacking stopped.

This parenting thing wasn't too bad, the Doctor decided. At least he wasn't terrible at it. His last self had been so concerned about Gaia eating her fruits and vegetables, but here he was with a child who was ready for a nap after a lot of berries and varsion fruit. If he'd known that this was where they'd end up, he wouldn't have even worried about Gaia eating that banana before they left the TARDIS.

Gaia curled up against him, her fingers gripping the edge of his scarf like a blanket. The Doctor sighed and adjusted his arms, putting one behind his head and placing the other protectively on Gaia's shoulder. Sitting still wasn't usually his thing, but the temperature was warm with a hint of a breeze, and their little patch of the hill was covered in thick purplish grass that was both safe and serving as a good mattress. He could feel the little girl drifting off and grinned at how perfectly all of this had worked out. Child was fed, safe, and resting.

"You're good with her," Sarah Jane whispered.

"No need to sound so surprised," the Doctor whispered. Gaia made no sounds of stirring. "I don't mind children."

"There's a difference between not minding children and being a good parent." Sarah Jane did have a point. She was looking at him with soft eyes. "It surprises me a little. Do you really not know when she'll be born?"

"No idea. Well, I've met the incarnation of me that is her father, but I don't know how far off he is. Someday, I'll regenerate into him and realize when I look into a mirror that Gaia will be born soon."

"I'm not sure how I'd feel about that. Having to have a child."

"Well, that's why knowing your future is complicated." A soft sigh escaped the Doctor. "And I know nothing about her mother or the circumstances of her birth, so don't ask."

"Alright." He could still hear the curiosity in Sarah Jane's voice. "So… you don't think that you meet someone and decide to have a child with them?"

"I don't know," he repeated. "And I'd rather not be disappointed because I build up an idea in my head. Gaia is…" He hesitated and sighed. "Well, she's important to me. I'm happy that she'll exist someday. That's enough."

He focused on watching the ribbons of light overhead and not looking at Sarah Jane. Humans had a tendency to make everything so emotional. The Doctor adored them for it but didn't know how they weren't constantly exhausted from feeling all the time. And it was true. He did not know the circumstances that would lead to Gaia. At this point… well, he didn't fancy the idea of returning to Gallifrey and creating Gaia there. She knew the language and the Laws of Time, but he strongly suspected that Gaia didn't spend time on the planet. Gaia didn't act like a child would be expected to on Gallifrey. That was a good thing. He'd hate for his little imp to face the lectures and disapproving stares that he had. There was a difference between educating a child, so they didn't harm themselves or others and trying to train confirmatory.

And that was what worried him. The Doctor had tried hard to leave some of the teachings of Gallifrey behind him when he left, but even after all of these years, he'd catch a stray thought and idea that he hated. Something that stank of their imperialism and sense of superiority that was horribly echoed in him. He knew he could be arrogant or at least come off that way when he was amongst humans and other species, and the Doctor worried how much of that sense of superiority it really had rattling around inside of him.

Would he pass that on to Gaia? Or, in trying to protect her from that, would he deny her a connection to Gallifrey and leave her drifting in the universe by herself? He hated both options but had little faith that Gallifrey would change enough for the better for her to be safe from either fate. She tried not to give herself away, but Gaia's speech, clothing, and manners all gave him clues.

Clearly, his daughter would spend a great deal of time in the early 21st century. He'd only recently ceased to be exiled, and Gaia's recall assured him he was still travelling, but there was some sort of tie to that era. Maybe it was his companions. He always told himself to visit them, even if he knew that was unlikely. When they left, they left because they were done with his life.

"Doctor?" Sarah Jane was observing him. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong, Sarah." He gave her a smile and tried to push away the unsettling thoughts. "Nothing at all. Just thinking about the clues I've picked up from Gaia over her visits. She's very careful, of course, but it's impossible not to reveal anything." He nodded to her. "After all, when you stowed away on the TARDIS and stumbled out into the middle ages, your clothing gave you away."

"I see what you mean." Sarah Jane nodded in understanding. "But you're not supposed to think about things that, are you?" She chuckled. "Then again, you're good at doing things you shouldn't do."

"Shouldn't do or am not supposed to do?" the Doctor's grin widened. "Those are two different things."

Sarah Jane laughed and shook her head. Gaia shifted against him at the noise, and he glanced down at the child. Sending a look at his companion, the Doctor was pleased with Sarah Jane gave him an apologetic smile.

"It must be very strange," Sarah Jane whispered. "Meeting your child before they're born."

"A bit," the Doctor admitted. "But Gaia isn't my first child."

"What?"

"I had two children on Gallifrey." The Doctor sighed. "They took after their mother, who divorced me years ago when I was exiled." He shrugged and watched the ribbons of light in the sky. "It wasn't like it is with Gaia. She's something very different, but I'm always happy when I'm around her." He turned to look at Sarah Jane. She was staring at him with shock and confusion written on her face. As fond of her, as he was, the Doctor knew that he rarely told his companions much about himself. "But when you're a time traveller, you learn to accept that life is sometimes very strange."

"I suppose so." Sarah Jane rolled back to look at the sky and released a soft contented sigh.

Contentment was nice. The Doctor didn't let himself fall asleep. They were on a planet with plenty of wildlife after all, and he had his child with him, but he did let himself enjoy the peace that wrapped around him. This was a good moment. Even if this suit now had some berry juice stains from Gaia's hands on it. Worth it.

The peace did not last very long. Gaia began squirming in her sleep as her energy built, and the Doctor grinned in amusement when the girl's soft features tightened into a scowl in her sleep. It radiated displeasure and not fear, so he held off waking her. Then she woke rather suddenly, her blue eyes flying open as her legs twitched.

"Good morning," the Doctor teased.

Gaia looked up into the sky and then smirked at him. "Good afternoon, Daddy. The sun is moving towards that horizon. That means that it's afternoon."

"Right you are."

Gaia scrambled to her feet, thankfully managing not to kick him or step on him. She hopped off of his coat and stretched out. Dried juice glittered on his fingertips. It was probably time to get her cleaned up. But Gaia was eying the trees again with energy sparkling in her eyes.

"Oh, go and play," the Doctor chuckled. "But stay close."

"Yes, Daddy!"

And Gaia was off before the Doctor, and Sarah Jane had even climbed to their feet.

"She has a lot of energy," Sarah Jane said lightly. "Reminds me of a puppy. Zoomies indeed."

Perhaps the Doctor should have been offended to have his child compared to the domesticated animals that humans kept as pets, but watching Gaia zoom around the hillside between the trees left him with the impression that Sarah Jane might be right. She was zooming around rather like an animal. He beamed in amusement.

"Well, that's a good thing. She enjoys being active."

"I suppose she'll need to be good at running someday." Sarah Jane grinned at him. "I doubt any child of yours will want to wear a recall device forever. Give it a few years, and she'll be running away from trouble with you."

That made the Doctor pause. How was he supposed to feel about that? "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Sarah Jane laughed. "No, maybe about that. She's a lot like you. Probably going to find trouble just as much."

The Doctor smiled at that and laughed. Sarah Jane beamed at him and shook her head fondly as they bent down to retrieve their coats. Below them, Gaia called up for him to watch as she climbed up one of the trees. Hurrying down the hillside, the Doctor ignored Sarah Jane's teasing giggles and focused on keeping Gaia out of trouble.