Hally sat across from Alina in the small, quiet room. She let out a long, tired sigh, her posture tense against the sofa behind her.

"You seem frustrated," Alina remarked, her tone neutral but probing, as always.

Hally let out another breath, leaning back slightly. "Oh, I am," she admitted, "but it's not the kind of frustrated you can fix."

Alina cocked an eyebrow, before a small smile pulled at her mouth in comprehension. "Well, you might just have to manage that, on your own."

"Yes. I know. I just… haven't had the time."

Alina nodded thoughtfully, her gaze softening. "It's important to make time for yourself."

Hally exhaled, dragging out the word, "Yesss," in reluctant agreement.

Alina hummed knowingly. She shifted in her chair, settling in for a more serious discussion. "Today, I want us to talk about something new," she said, offering Hally a gentle but firm smile. "You've been with us for over a year now, and Kate and the team have decided that it's time we start taking steps to work towards the goal of eventually removing the biodampener."

Hally's eyes widened slightly. Alina's tone remained calm and measured as she continued. "It will take time, of course. It'll be a multi-step process, but we've discussed that the best place to start is here, with you and me—both of us working to better understand the power you have, how it manifests, and how we can control it, even when you're placed in emotionally distressing situations."

Hally nodded slowly, but a frown soon tugged at her lips. "They want to take it off?"

"Eventually," Alina replied with a steady gaze. "It's a part of you, and simply locking it away forever won't make the underlying problem go away. You need to be able to control it. Understand it. And I think, as you alluded to a year ago when you spoke about the accident, I think you've been suppressing your full acceptance of it."

Alina cocked her head slightly to one side, offering a kind smile. "And as we know, anything you suppress has a way of finding its way to the surface eventually."

Hally let out a soft hum, considering the implications. Alina clicked her pen, the sound sharp in the stillness. "Can we start at the beginning? Can you tell me when you first noticed the manifestation of your power?"

Hally shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I don't like that word," she admitted, after a long pause.

Alina raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Power."

"Would you prefer we use another word?" Alina asked.

Hally shook her head slowly, uncertain. "I'm not really sure what other word we would use."

Alina hummed again. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she made a quick note. "How do you refer to it, yourself?" she asked, curiosity piquing in her voice.

Hally shrugged. "I don't really... all the words you might use just seem so… dramatic." She exhaled.

A small, knowing smile curved Alina's lips. "Or perhaps naming it is too close to acknowledging it? Acknowledging it as something important. Something that carries weight. Something powerful."

Hally's gaze dropped to her hands as she muttered, "I never wanted it."

"I know," Alina said softly, her voice gentle but firm. "And yet it exists. It exists within you. You are therefore responsible for it. Forget where it came from. Forget who you can blame for it. It's yours, and the responsibility for it is yours. Because it is dangerous, and it is powerful, and like you admitted yourself, ignoring that could—and has—had disastrous consequences."

Hally let out a soft sigh, the truth of Alina's words settling over her. She knew all of this, but it didn't make it easier to confront.

"So," Alina said, a teasing lilt to her voice, "I'll ask again. When did you first notice your power manifesting?"

Hally crossed her arms over her chest instinctively, a gesture she saw Alina notice with a flicker of interest. Realising she was appearing defensive, she uncrossed her arms, letting them rest on her lap instead. "I wouldn't say there was a first time as such," Hally began slowly. "It happened… gradually, over hundreds of years. Things that, at the time, I didn't attribute to me, or I thought were just coincidences. Tiny things. Small things."

She paused, biting the inside of her lip before continuing. "But as time went on, the things became… more conspicuous. Unlocking doors. Floating objects. Flickering lights. That sort of thing. I ignored them. Actively. I pretended they weren't happening."

Her voice grew quieter. "I knew it wasn't normal, whatever was happening. But if I could pretend it wasn't real, I thought maybe it would stop. Maybe it would go away, and I'd realize it hadn't been me all along."

Alina's pen clicked again, the noise punctuating the silence. "And when did that change? When did you come to realise, fully, that it was you? That you could control it?"

Hally looked up towards the ceiling, her gaze distant as she recalled. "I was… maybe two hundred? Early two-hundreds. I still didn't actively use it. I repressed it as hard as possible. People would notice. It wasn't normal. Time Lords aren't… kind to anyone even slightly… different. I was afraid. I'd always been an outsider, but this would have been different. I didn't know what it meant, so I just hid it." She shrugged, her tone casual but her expression tight. "Every now and then, I'd use it. Tiny things. Tidying my room, turning off a light when I was already in bed, putting a book back on a shelf. But that was it."

Alina's gaze was sharp with interest. "When did that change?"

A small smile curved Hally's lips, unexpected but genuine. "When I met The Master."

Alina studied Hally for a few moments. "How so?" she asked, her curiosity clear. "I'm going to assume it wasn't information you volunteered to him."

Hally let out a laugh, one filled with irony. "No. He… saw me. One of the rare moments I actually used it, and he saw me. I thought I could deny it, and eventually, he'd believe that perhaps he'd been mistaken, but… obviously… no such luck."

She let out a breath, shaking her head slightly at the memory. "He started to pursue me, manipulated a way for us to be alone together, and offered to 'help' me—to teach me."

Alina raised a discerning eyebrow. "No, it definitely wasn't out of the goodness of his hearts," Hally added with a knowing smile. "I was practically a science experiment to him. Something interesting and new, and serendipitously the daughter of his best enemy. His motives were purely selfish, and he didn't exactly give me the option to say no. But… well, it worked. He did teach me. I learned to control some parts of it, to become aware of it. I still hid it, of course, but it was like a new muscle, something I was strengthening."

Alina nodded slowly, absorbing her words. "Did anyone else ever find out, while you were on Gallifrey?"

"No… oh, well… no, there was once," Hally admitted, her tone dropping. She cleared her throat before continuing, "Someone saw me, but The Master… dealt with that."

Alina hummed knowingly, but chose not to push further.

"I don't think anyone else knew. But then, after we'd gone to war, when I was with him, he had a team and I didn't have to hide it from them." A small smile touched her lips. "That was the first time I didn't have to hide it. The Master encouraged me not to."

Alina cocked her head. "How old were you then?"

"Umm… two-hundred and fifties? Ish?"

Another nod from Alina as she made a note. "So, while you were on Gallifrey, The Doctor wasn't aware?"

Hally shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Well, I can't be sure. He never said anything if he was."

Alina tapped her pen against the page. "So then, when you ended up on his TARDIS…?"

Hally nodded, anticipating where this was going. "Well, I hid it for a while. Rose saw it and kept it a secret for me. I revealed it eventually… but only because I had to. I thought he'd…" She let out a slow, measured breath, almost laughing at the absurdity of it now. "I don't know. Travelling with him was so new, and I thought he'd be angry or scared or something. It was so weird, so unexplainable… at the time."

"And after you revealed it to him, how was he? Did he also encourage you to explore it? To learn about it?"

Hally hummed thoughtfully. "Not really… I mean, he wasn't scared or angry, and he didn't tell me to hide it or anything, but he was cautious of it, I suppose." She tilted her head, lips curving slightly. "Well, he made the biodampener, so I guess that tells you a lot. I got the impression that he preferred it when I didn't use it."

Alina nodded again, her expression contemplative as she made another note. "So… we could say that suppressing your power, around him, would gain you some form of approval from him?"

Hally shot Alina a knowing but withering look. "Yes. We could say that."

Alina gave her a small smile, jotting it down. "And then The Master suppressed it completely on the Valiant. How did that make you feel at the time? That he—the one who had helped you strengthen it—would take it away?"

Hally frowned, taking a moment to think about it. "Specifically, about that, I don't think I felt much. I mean… I felt betrayed in general, just because of… everything. But, I guess… it made sense. He only did it to exercise control. If he hadn't, I would have been able to overpower him. Or he would've had to keep me unconscious, and he didn't want either of those things."

Alina's pen tapped softly against the pad. "You ended up having the biodampener on for almost three years. How did that feel? Did it change your relationship with the power you had?"

Hally's expression softened. "I guess I did miss it. Parts of it. The convenience, the safety it offered. There were times I felt defenceless, and I never liked that."

"You were pleased when he finally removed it?"

Hally nodded, a hint of a smile forming. "Yes. I was. Perhaps I was simultaneously just pleased that he was alive to remove it, but I relished having it back. I felt powerful again, and I think I sort of… rode that high for a while. Like I was untouchable. Omnipotent. Until… well… until I lost control." She frowned slightly before continuing, "But I think part of the reason it felt so different that time, after he'd taken it off, was because I knew what it was then. I knew that it was mine. I knew where it had come from. It made sense then, why I was different, and it was okay. I wasn't just some freak… I had it for a reason. It was easier to understand."

Alina made a few notes while Hally spoke. She paused in thought for a moment before looking up. "I'm inclined to agree with you."

Alina shifted in her seat, taking a moment to think for herself before she spoke. "Your power… it's sort of like a child," she began, her tone light but intrigued. "And like you, it's grown up and learned all sorts of behaviours and had all of your experiences. Except… it's also been hidden away, rather a lot, and so it's barely had a chance to develop. It's still practically a child, or perhaps a young teenager."

She smiled wryly. "It hasn't explored the world or itself. It doesn't know its boundaries. It doesn't know when to stop. It isn't as developed as the rest of you has. It's irrational, and being a child, it's still deeply linked with your emotions—specifically large emotions. You can't control it because you equally don't understand it. It's difficult for you to accept it as a part of you because you've hidden it for so long. It's so different to you, in that, you haven't developed together."

She smiled, offering a slight grin. "It's a strange metaphor… am I making sense?"

Hally laughed softly and nodded. "I think so. I think I know what you're getting at."

"Good," Alina said with a pleased hum. "We need to try and fast-forward its development a little. Not in terms of power, but your personal understanding of it. How it feels, what it can do, what it means to you. This power has also been a sort of… chess piece within your dynamic with your father and The Master. It's been used by others against you. We need to reclaim it just for you. Whether your father disapproves or your husband actively encourages it should become irrelevant. It's yours, and you have to decide what that looks like."

Hally sat beside Jack on the balcony, overlooking the city as the evening lights flickered below. The faint sound of laughter and celebration drifted through the open doors. Owen and Toshiko's engagement party.

"So," she said, glancing sideways at him, "what about you?"

Jack raised a brow, his signature smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "What about me?"

"Is the infamous Captain Jack Harkness going to get tied down?" Hally teased, her tone playful, but there was a flicker of curiosity behind her words.

Jack snorted, shaking his head. "Ianto doesn't deserve that."

Hally laughed, the sound bubbling up unexpectedly. "Oh, wow, Harkness, is that a chink in your overwhelming self-confidence I hear?"

He gave her a sideways glance, lips curving into a crooked smile. "It's complicated."

She huffed dramatically, crossing her arms. "Oh, is it? Is it complicated? Don't talk to me about complicated. It doesn't look all that complicated from where I'm standing."

Hally leaned forward, her expression challenging. "Have you even spoken to him about the possibility?"

Jack's gaze flickered away for a moment before he sighed, a rare vulnerability creeping into his voice. "No."

Hally rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should."

Jack's eyes narrowed at her in mock indignation. "Oh, because I'm sure you had long heart-to-heart conversations with The Master about marriage, right?"

Hally pouted at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "That was different. I asked him because I really didn't want to marry Rassilon, and he was the only option."

Jack paused, raising a brow in disbelief. "How romantic."

Hally shrugged, a small smile playing at her lips as she looked away, her tone casual. "It worked. If you ever want advice on how to trap a man into marrying and irreversibly bonding with you forever, you know who to come to."

Jack chuckled, shaking his head before curiosity flickered across his face. "Hold on… you asked him?"

She hummed nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Yeah, well, it was less asking, more demanding."

Jack barked a laugh, his head falling back in amusement.

"What?!"

"I just can't imagine you doing the asking."

Hally rolled her eyes, her smile softening into something more thoughtful. "You humans and your gender roles."

"That is not what I meant," Jack countered, wiping at the corner of his eye. He leaned in, eyes glinting with curiosity. "Come on, The Master being the one to be asked? What if he'd said no?"

Hally snorted, tossing him a look of pure confidence. "He was never going to say no." A self-assured smirk followed.

Jack studied her for a moment. "You know, all that time I thought he had you wrapped around his little finger, but I'm starting to see it might just be the other way around."

Hally's grin widened as she leaned back, eyes glinting with the satisfaction of someone who knew she'd won this particular round of banter. "It might just be."

It had taken Hally longer than she'd like to admit to reach out to Rory and Amy. She knew she should have done it sooner, probably while she had still been pregnant or maybe even shortly after Lily had been born. The longer she'd put it off, the bigger the task seemed to become. It had been over a year and a half for her—though it could have been longer for them. After so much time, she wasn't sure where to begin.

Finally, after staring at her phone for what felt like hours, she decided to text Rory. Of the two of them, she figured he might be the more forgiving.

A few days later, Hally stood at the front door of the Ponds' house, Lily balanced on her hip. She hesitated, taking a deep breath before knocking. Lily was wriggling, and had been in a pouty mood all morning. Hally had debated whether bringing Lily was a good idea. She assumed a fair amount of time had passed for the Ponds since Demon's Run, but bringing her own child around after they'd lost theirs felt… impolite. She knew they still had River, of course, but it wasn't the same. Their daughter was all grown up now, older than both of them, in fact. Still, Hally had shaken off the feeling, deciding she didn't want to miss the chance for them to meet Lily. Besides, if the conversation ran dry or awkward silences ensued, Lily would be a welcome distraction.

Rory had responded to her text faster than she'd anticipated, almost immediately inviting her over for Sunday lunch.

The door swung open, revealing Rory with his familiar, easy smile. His expression alone was enough to make her feel at ease.

"Hally!" he greeted warmly, his eyes lighting up as they landed on Lily. "Oh, wow. And this little lady must be Lily."

Amy appeared in the hallway behind him, arms crossed and wearing a teasing smile. "Took you long enough."

Hally hummed apologetically, but Amy's expression softened as she came over and pulled Hally into a tight hug. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too," Hally admitted, a bit overwhelmed by the warmth.

Amy turned to look at Lily, her eyes widening. "Oh my god, she's adorable."

Hally's smile widened as she glanced from Amy to her daughter. Lily pouted and buried her head into Hally's shoulder, hiding her face. Hally snorted softly. "She usually is—she's just in a mood. I wouldn't let her eat soil for breakfast…" She rolled her eyes fondly.

Amy pouted playfully and gently reached for Lily, and Hally, more than happy to pass her over, handed her daughter into Amy's arms. "Oh dear, how mean of mummy."

"I know. I'm so unreasonable."

They moved into the living room, Amy settling on the sofa to happily bounce Lily while Rory disappeared into the kitchen to finish preparing lunch.

"How have you both been?" Hally asked, sitting down on the couch. Watching, amused as Lily decided being in a mood was too much like hard work, her face splitting into a smile at Amy's attention.

"Same old," Amy replied with a casual wave. "Well, you know, except trying to balance life on Earth and travelling with…" Amy hesitated, her words trailing off awkwardly.

Hally chuckled softly. "Travelling with The Doctor." She finished the sentence for Amy. "It's fine, Amy. You can say his name. I'm not going to burst into flames." A small smirk tugged at her lips.

Amy gave her a grateful look before her expression shifted into something more playful. "Well… there's also the fact that I'm now officially a great-grandmother-in-law." She shot Hally a teasing grin. "Never thought I'd say that at my age."

Hally laughed. "You wear it well."

Amy winked. "Of course I do."

"So, you're both living here and travelling? That's a lot…" Hally pressed, intrigued.

Amy nodded slowly, letting out a soft sigh. "Yeah. It is. We're… well, we're not sure how much longer we can do both." She gave Hally a knowing smile, and Hally nodded in understanding.

"Yeah…" Hally's gaze shifted back to Lily, who was now reaching for a loose strand of Amy's hair. "Oh, careful. She's currently obsessed with pulling hair…"

Amy chuckled, carefully brushing her hair behind her back and out of Lily's reach. Lily pouted again, disappointed.

At that moment, Rory popped his head around the corner. "Lunch is ready!" he called out.

After they'd eaten and Hally had semi-cleaned up Lily, they sat around the dinner table, chatting, catching up on their lives, their jobs, and more. Lily was perched on Rory's lap, keeping herself entertained as he helped her with a colouring book. It was less 'colouring' lines and more chaotic scribbling.

The conversation flowed easily, Rory was filling Hally in on his work at the hospital, his family, he briefly mentioned how they still needed to finish renovating their bathroom.

"It's a lovely house," Hally hummed, glancing around appreciatively.

Rory and Amy exchanged a brief, uncomfortable look, something unspoken passing between them. Hally noticed and frowned slightly before it clicked. "Oh…" She gave them both a small, polite smile. "That was… nice of him." She tried not to let the moment become awkward. It wasn't their fault, after all. But still, a twist of something bitter tightened in her chest.

He'd bought them a house.

A house.

She couldn't exactly be too irritated; after all, she hadn't paid a penny for her own house either—but hers had been provided by UNIT. It wasn't some personal gift. The Doctor had bought the Ponds a home, while simultaneously leaving her on Earth, alone and pregnant. And he hadn't even done that himself. River had dropped her off. The only reason she had a home was because of the patience and kindness of Jack, Kate, and the rest of the team.

It hit her all at once how completely he'd left her with nothing. More importantly, he had left Lily with nothing.

Her hearts squeezed with a protective sadness.

Lily must have sensed the shift in her mood because she looked up from her 'colouring' and frowned. Without hesitation, she climbed off Rory's lap and, with all the daring of a toddler, ran straight across the table toward Hally. Hally chuckled, pulling her into the embrace Lily was clearly seeking.

"Lily," she gently reprimanded through soft laughter. "It's rude to run across people's tables." Lily nuzzled into her, wrapping her small arms around Hally's neck. Hally smiled, gently brushing her fingers through the thickening dark hair on her daughter's head.

Lately, she had noticed Lily becoming more attuned to the bond between them. It wasn't something Lily could control or use consciously, but she had started to pick up on Hally's emotions. If Hally was happy, Lily was content. If she was on edge or angry, tantrums followed. And if Hally felt a wave of melancholy, like now, Lily came for comfort.

Hally took a breath, steeling herself as she looked at Rory and Amy. "Have you heard from him recently?" she asked, trying to keep her tone light, as if she didn't particularly care about the answer.

Rory exchanged a glance with Amy before shaking his head. "Not in a few months. His visits are always… sporadic, but he checks in now and then."

Amy nodded, offering Hally a tentative smile. "We can… let you know the next time he drops by?"

Hally returned the smile, kind but distant. "That's sweet of you, but you don't need to. He knows where we are."

Something sad flickered across Amy's face, but she simply nodded in response, understanding.

River had started taking Hally "out" from time to time. Every other month or so, she'd simply show up and whisk her away, never for very long—just a couple of hours at most. They'd always end up somewhere on Earth where River claimed she needed Hally's help. A bank vault to empty, a crypt to sneak into. Most of the time, River got approval from Kate beforehand.

The first time it happened, Hally had been at home, finishing up a session with Alina, while Jack played with Lily in the other room.

"Um. No. I don't think you can just 'pop out with her'. We're busy," Alina had immediately rebuffed, her tone clipped.

River waved away Alina's concern with a dismissive hand. "I'll have her back in less than five minutes," she said, flashing a confident smile.

"You can't just whisk her away whenever you want. There are protocols," Alina replied, her voice sharp.

Hally sat quietly, watching the exchange unfold, an amused spectator.

River raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a playful smirk. "Well, I'm afraid I work outside of protocols."

"Not this time you don't," Alina shot back. "If you want to take her out unsupervised, you need proper approval."

River's eyes gleamed with amusement as she crossed her arms. "I have approval."

"From who?" Alina mirrored her stance, crossing her own arms, refusing to back down.

"From the highest authority," River said, smirking for confidence.

Alina huffed. "The Doctor has zero authority on this matter."

River feigned shock. "Don't be silly."

"I'm not. I'm serious," Alina said, her tone hardening. "You'd be putting her at risk, and for what? A quick trip and an adrenaline rush?"

Hally, still seated, glanced between the two women. River caught her eye and winked, but Alina remained resolute.

River let out an exaggerated sigh. "Sometimes a change is a good thing. A change of scenery."

"Yes, sometimes," Alina replied pointedly, "but not with you."

Rolling her eyes, River began to pace. "I thought you were teaching her how to manage stressful situations?"

"I am."

"Well then," River said with a glint of victory in her eyes, "call it practice."

"Not like this," Alina said firmly, her voice carrying a note of finality.

River's expression softened slightly as she stepped closer. "Nothing is going to go wrong. She's with me."

Alina's eyes narrowed, but Hally noticed a flicker of hesitation. She bit the inside of her cheek, then spoke up quietly. "I could go… We're staying on Earth, so it can't be that dangerous. And… maybe a brief change of scenery would be good." She shrugged, glancing at Alina. "If it has any kind of negative effect, then we won't do it again."

Both women turned to look at her. River's smile widened, triumphant but gentle. Alina let out a long sigh, clearly unhappy but unwilling to push too hard on the matter.

"Fine," Alina relented, glaring at River with flashing eyes. "She had better be back here in five minutes."

To Alina's frustration, the quick adrenaline rush had, in fact, done wonders.

Jack had been hovering all day.

She kept telling him she was fine, over and over again, but he wasn't listening. It wasn't like anything was different today, and Lily had no idea what day it even was—so why did it matter? But Jack had hovered anyway, lingering in that protective way of his. At first, it was sweet, but by the end of the day, it had become slightly annoying. She wasn't that fragile.

After putting Lily to bed and getting ready for sleep herself, her phone buzzed. A text from O. She smiled.

O: Up for a chat?

Hally: Isn't it 4 a.m. where you are?

O: Perhaps… Struggling to sleep.

She called him instead, bringing the phone to her ear. "Oh, so I'm your cure for insomnia now, am I?" she teased.

He chuckled softly. "No, of course not."

She sighed, flopping onto her bed with a quiet thud. He must've heard the sound because his voice grew more concerned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…" she mumbled, feeling the weight of the day pressing on her. "Just… frustrating day."

"I'm all ears," he said, his voice carrying a gentle kindness.

"Is it Father's Day there too?" she asked, half expecting it wasn't.

She could almost hear him thinking on the other end. "Uh, no, I don't think so."

Hally let out a long sigh. "Ok. Well… it is here and I mean it's not really me who's that bothered but I think the team have all been walking on eggshells around me today. It's not that I don't care. It's just more a human thing and… well I miss him every day so… it doesn't really matter what day it is."

There was a brief pause on his end. "…Your father?" O asked cautiously.

"No. No, I meant Lily's father. I miss him."

"I… yeah, that's… hard."

Hally stared at the ceiling. "It just got me thinking. Right now, she doesn't know he's not here—not really. But as she gets older, she's going to start asking questions and noticing things. I just… I don't know how to handle that."

Another pause. Then, "How do you want to handle it?"

She bit her lip, rolling it between her teeth as she considered. "I want to be honest with her. As honest as I can be. But there are things… things like… what age do you tell your daughter that her father took over the planet… twice?" She let out a small, dry laugh. "What age do I tell her what I did? I don't want to hurt her, but I also need to be truthful..."

"I think you'll know," he said gently. "You'll feel it when the time is right. It won't be all at once, but when she asks… you can be honest, bit by bit."

She hummed thoughtfully, the weight on her chest lifting slightly. "I've started making a picture book," she said, laughing at herself. "For when she's older, about Gallifrey and regeneration and all that. I figured it'd be easier to explain in a story…"

O chuckled warmly. "That is… adorable," he murmured.

She smiled softly, feeling lighter, grateful for his easy understanding and the way he just listened. It was comforting, hearing his voice on the other end, steady and reassuring. "Mm," she agreed.

"I feel like there's something else…" O's voice cut through the silence, a hint of concern.

"Yeah," Hally replied quickly, though even she could hear the lack of conviction in her tone. "Just... thinking."

He didn't press right away, but his silence lingered, waiting. Finally, he spoke again, quieter this time. "What are you thinking about?"

Her breath caught, and she hesitated, unsure if she should even say it. "I..." She sighed again, rolling onto her side, clutching the phone tighter against her ear. "It's nothing. Stupid, really."

"Hally." His tone was soft but insistent. "It's not stupid if it's bothering you."

She laughed, but it came out more nervous than she'd meant. "It's just... I've been… tense lately. And it won't… go away."

"Tense?" O repeated, his voice dipping just enough to make her pulse quicken.

"Yeah." Her hearts raced as she tried to find the right words. "I've just been... feeling lonely. And frustrated. In a... you know, that way."

There was a beat of silence, and her face flushed with embarrassment. She immediately regretted saying anything.

"Sorry," she added quickly, wincing. "That's... too much information. I shouldn't have said that."

"No, no." His voice was soft, almost soothing. "It's alright. Really. We're friends. Friends… talk." There was a subtle shift in his tone, something warmer, deeper. "Trust me I… know the feeling."

The way he said it made her breath hitch, and suddenly the space between them felt smaller, more intimate. She pressed her thighs together. Her pulse quickened, and she wondered if he could hear it in her voice.

"Sorry…" she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've tried... believe me, I've tried to, you know, deal with it. But I can't stop thinking."

"Thinking about what?" His voice had dropped again, a gentle hum.

She swallowed. "Just… everything. There is so much going on… all the time. Lily and… work and me fretting about … people." Her voice wavered. "So I… lie here and I… try, but then in the dark and the quiet my mind won't leave me alone."

Another pause, this one heavier, and she could hear him exhale softly on the other end. "Do you want me to hang up?" he asked, though his voice had a slight edge to it.

"No," she answered quickly, the word slipping out before she could stop herself. "I don't want you to. I like... I like talking to you."

There was a brief silence, the tension thickened. When O spoke again, his voice was lower, rougher. "I like talking to you too, Hally."

The silence between them stretched, thick with an unspoken pull. Hally could hear the soft rasp of O's breath on the other end of the line, and the sound sent a shiver down her spine. Her body was warm, restless against the sheets, and she felt a flush of heat rise up her neck. She shifted again, her thighs pressing together in a futile attempt to relieve the growing ache. She tried to clear her throat. "Sorry… I… I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"You haven't." There was a long pause, during which Hally considered hanging up. She probably should, but the ache between her legs is more pressing than the embarrassment and shame.

"Hally," he murmured, his voice so low it sent a shiver down her spine. "Are you lying down?"

She swallowed, heat rushing across her face and chest. "Yes…"

The sound of his soft exhale fell against her ear. "Close your eyes."

She swallowed, her breath catching as she let her eyelids flutter shut.

"Are you comfortable?" he continued, his voice calm but with an edge of something else beneath it, something intimate.

She rolled her lip between her teeth and without thinking, she slipped under the covers of the bed, moving back to lie on her back. "Yes."

"Relax. Just breathe for a moment."

She did as he said, letting out a slow, shaky breath as she shifted into a more comfortable position, the sheets cool against her heated skin. She settled deeper into the bed, her body melting into the mattress, but the tension was still there, coiled tightly in her belly.

"That's it, just focus on your breathing. It's just you. Alone. It's alright to do something for yourself." O said, the warmth in his voice wrapping around her.

"Take your time," O's voice coaxed, steady and calm. "It's ok."

Her fingers hesitated at the waistband of her pyjama pants, trembling slightly. She swallowed, heart racing as she slipped her hand beneath the fabric, brushing lightly over her skin.

"Slowly. Eyes closed. I want you to focus on you. Just you. Nothing else matters right now."

She obeyed, letting her fingers glide gently over herself, the touch light and teasing. Her breath hitched as her body responded, warmth flooding through her.

"That's it," he murmured, his voice soft but commanding. "You're doing so well. Keep going, nice and slow. Focus on it. How it feels."

Her breath quickened, her fingers moving more deliberately now, the ache between her legs growing with each soft stroke. She could hear his breathing on the other end, steady but with an edge of something darker, something that mirrored her own growing desire.

"I want you to listen to me," he said, his voice taking on a slightly firmer tone. "Don't rush. Let this be for you. Let yourself enjoy it."

She chased the gentle, pleasant tendrils curling inside her, her breaths deep and heavy.

"Just a little harder…" O said softly, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She pressed her fingers more firmly, a soft moan escaping her lips as the sensation intensified, sending waves of heat through her. Her body responded eagerly, her hips shifting slightly as she lost herself in the rhythm.

"Good gi-… Good." He praised, his voice sending a thrill through her. "You're doing so well. Just keep going. Let it grow."

She obeyed, her fingers moving with more urgency now, her breath quickening as the heat between her legs grew more intense. She let out a soft gasp, her body arching into the sensation.

"That's it. Closer. You're so close, Hally. I know you can feel it." A low growl vibrated next to her ear.

She whimpered softly, her body trembling, her fingers moving faster, harder. The ache inside her humming impatiently.

"You're amazing," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. "You're beautiful, Hally. I want you to let go. Just for you. You deserve this."

Her entire body was shaking, her breath coming in gasps as she edged closer and closer to release.

"Let go for me," he urged, his voice low and filled with need. "I want to hear you. Let go, Hally. Just let go."

Her body obeyed, and with a soft, muffled cry, she tumbled over the edge, her fingers stilling as the wave of pleasure crashed over her. The release was overwhelming, her body trembling with the force of it, her breath catching in her throat.

For a moment, everything else fell away. There was only the warmth flooding through her.

She lay there, her body limp and sated, her mind blissfully blank as she tried to catch her breath. On the other end of the line, O's breathing was heavier too, though he hadn't said a word since her release.

Breathing hard, her body gradually relaxed, settling into a sated calm. It was just the two of them in the silence, both catching their breath for a few moments.

"…Thank you," she murmured, her voice carrying a hint of awkwardness. Now that the fog of arousal had lifted, she felt… strange about it. Not that strange, but strange enough. She had thought she might feel dirty, but she didn't. It wasn't mutual—he had just… helped her. It hadn't even sounded like he'd touched himself…

He let out a soft breath. "That's alright," he replied kindly, with just a tiny edge of teasing in his tone.

She bit her lip, uncertainty creeping in. "Are you… alright?"

"Mmhmm. Are you?"

"Yes…"

She can hear the slight smile in his voice. "We can pretend… if you prefer… that it didn't happen?"

She cleared her throat, chewing the inside of her mouth. "Maybe…"

"Would you like to hang up, or talk about something else?" He offered gently.

"I… let's talk, about something."

"What would you like to talk about?"

"You. Let's talk about you." She let out a soft breath, relaxing and again shifting to turn to lie on her side. "How're things with you?"

"They're good. Yesterday I saw a Kangaroo."

"Oh. That's fun. The best we get are the foxes."

O chuckled softly.

"Is it hot?"

"Very."

"I don't like it when it's too hot."

"I don't think you'd like it here then."

"No. I don't think so."

The gentle sound of his chuckle lingered in the quiet between them.

"You prefer rainy, cold London." O teased lightly, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

"Mmhmm." She smiled, tugging the blanket higher around her, feeling the warmth settle over her. "In the cold I can snuggle."

There was a comfortable silence, both of them just breathing quietly. Hally's eyelids grew heavier, her body slowly giving in to the weariness creeping in.

"Tired?" O's voice was soft, almost a whisper now.

"Mmm, a little," she admitted, her words slurring slightly as she curled up on her side.

"Good," he said gently. "Go to sleep."

"Yeah…" She yawned, feeling the weight of exhaustion tugging at her limbs. "You too…"

Another beat of silence passed, the only sound their slow, steady breaths in unison.

"Goodnight, Hally," O said, his voice a tender murmur.

Her eyes were already closing, the last bit of consciousness slipping away. "Goodnight, O," she whispered back, barely audible.

Trying to leave the house seemed to get more difficult by the day. Hally could feel the tension in her shoulders as Hart's hands rubbed across them.

She was stressed.

"Why are there so many people in my house?" She muttered irritably.

"We're helping." Hart said, sounding innocent.

"You're slowing me down," Hally muttered under her breath. Jack was, in fact, helping—he was feeding Lily. But Hart? Hart had just been in her way, as usual. And, for some reason, Armitage was also in her kitchen. At least he had the decency to stay out of the way. Still, the kitchen felt crowded. Hally checked the clock and her stomach dropped. She was already twenty minutes late for a meeting at UNIT.

Ianto walked in. "Ready?" he asked, his voice calm and collected.

"Noooo…" Hally whined.

"Mummy's stressed," Hart teased, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Hally squirmed out of his hold with an irritated huff. Jack, meanwhile, was cleaning Lily up after she'd finished eating.

Hart moved toward Lily with his signature grin. "Oh. Hello, baby. Your mummy's stressed, isn't she? Yes, she is." he cooed, picking her out of the chair, and bouncing Lily in his arms. Lily, of course, found Hart hilarious and giggled, which only made Hally more annoyed.

"Yes, she is. I think mummy needs a naked cuddle. Maybe your godfather will give her a cuddle, hmm?"

Hally rolled her eyes and took Lily from Hart, her voice sharp. "You're not her godfather."

Jack didn't even pause, hitting his hand into Hart's chest with a smirk. "Out."

Hart, still grinning, replied, "But I'm on surveillance."

"Well, we're all going out," Hally said impatiently. "I need to leave. Like… thirty minutes ago."

Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she groaned. It was Kate. Of course, it was Kate.

She answered, trying to sound composed. "Yes. Hi. I know I'm late. I'm… on my way," she lied, glancing around at the chaos of her kitchen and her half-dressed daughter.

"We've got a problem," Kate's voice was serious, which made Hally wince.

"Mmmhmm," Hally responded, distracted, just as Lily yanked at her hair. She shot her daughter a warning look.

"Mummmyyyyyy," Lily whined in response, ignoring the look completely.

"Go ahead, Kate. What's the problem?" Hally asked, trying to keep it together.

"When can you get to UNIT?"

Hally surveyed her surroundings—her kitchen in chaos, Lily still not dressed, and three full-grown men occupying her kitchen space like oversized children. She sighed. "Fifteen minutes…?" Her tone was anything but convincing.

Kate, clearly unconvinced but continuing, said, "We've got a Silurian cell who's taken civilian hostages. The underground building works we stopped three months ago? Well, the contractors went ahead anyway, and now we've got a stalemate. I need you here to negotiate a truce before things get worse."

Hally made a face. "Oh… I mean, I'm flattered, but that's definitely more your ballpark."

"Yes," Kate agreed, "but he's refusing to speak to any human on the matter."

Hally huffed softly. Ianto, sensing her distress, moved over and gently pulled Lily from her arms, mouthing, "I'll get her dressed."

Just as she was about to reply to Kate, Hally felt a sudden shift in the air beside her. Before she could react, a hand gripped her arm, and she was yanked sideways into the Vortex.

With a sudden pop, she reappeared in an unfamiliar place. Turning to her left, she found River standing there, a wide grin on her face. "You weren't busy, were you?" River asked, that mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Hally just stared at her, bewildered.

"Hally, are you still there?" Kate's voice came through the phone, muffled but insistent.

"Uh… yes," Hally said, distracted as she looked around at her new surroundings.

River had already started moving, barely waiting for Hally to catch up. They were in what looked like a cave, strange lights illuminating the walls. In the centre stood a massive altar, and atop it, a glass box containing a giant diamond.

"So, I can arrange the meeting for thirty minutes?" Kate's voice cut through again.

River, glancing over her shoulder, gave Hally a knowing look, pouting playfully.

"Well…" Hally began, but River interrupted, raising her voice loud enough that Kate could hear through the phone.

"Just patch it in through a conference call," River suggested, a little too cheerfully.

Hally shot her a glare.

"Is that Professor Song?" Kate's voice now held a tone of suspicion.

Hally hummed an awkward affirmative.

"Hally. Are you off-world?" Kate's tone was patient, but the disapproval was clear.

Before Hally could respond, River chimed in, her voice filled with fake innocence. "No. I can promise she's definitely still on Earth." As she spoke, River was already messing with the mechanism of the glass box

Kate's sigh was audible even through the phone. "Professor Song, we agreed that you needed express permission before removing her."

River hummed thoughtfully. "I have permission."

"Not from me, you don't."

River waved the detail away with a casual shrug. "Ah… well… next time."

Kate huffed in frustration, and Hally whined in exasperation. "Kate… just… give me five minutes. Sorry. I just… she does this." Hally clicked off the phone before Kate could respond further, pocketing it as she turned to River with an annoyed look.

"I was busy!" Hally protested.

"Well, let's be quick," River replied, her tone breezy and unbothered as she continued working.

"Are we stealing this?" Hally asked, crossing her arms.

River hummed an affirmative, and Hally let out a loud huff.

"We are stealing it back," River corrected. "It was taken from the original owners. A village. Lovely people. We're doing the right thing."

"Yuhuh…" Hally said, arms still crossed, not entirely convinced. "What do you need me for?"

River smiled that wry, playful smile she always gave when she had an agenda. "The mechanism is tricky… I didn't have enough hands."

Hally rolled her eyes but stepped over to help. River moved around quickly, hacking into the device with practised ease. She guided Hally over, instructing her to hold something in place. Grumbling under her breath, Hally did as she was told.

Then, her phone started vibrating again. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen. "Kate." She sighed, answering the call.

"Things are worsening, we need to do this now," Kate's voice was clipped and urgent.

Hally hesitated. "Well…"

"I'll patch you in," Kate said, cutting her off. A second later, Kate's face appeared on Hally's phone screen via video call. Before Hally could even respond, a second window popped up beside Kate's—a Silurian face, male and angry.

The Silurian scowled, his voice hard. "You speak for the humans?"

Hally exhaled. "Let's call me a neutral party."

The Silurian narrowed his eyes. "You look human."

Hally's brow furrowed. "Ok, well that's offensive." She shot back, not missing a beat.

At that moment, River pulled the diamond free from the mechanism, triggering an alarm. It wailed through the cavern, and Hally winced, glaring at River, who grabbed her arm without warning. Before she could even brace herself, they jolted, and in a flash, Hally found herself back in her kitchen, disoriented but upright.

She shot River a murderous glare.

"Is this a bad time?" the Silurian asked, clearly losing patience.

Hally forced a smile, regaining her composure. "No… no." She offered him a winning smile. "Just… lost signal there for a second. Right. Here I am… now, you have demands, I assume?"

Hally and Alina were in Alina's office, wrapping up their latest session. They'd spent part of the conversation talking about River's visits, with Alina wanting to ensure that her jaunts weren't causing Hally any undue stress.

"I know you probably don't want to hear that they're helping," Hally began, "but… they sort of are. It's just nice to get away for a tiny bit of time. Sort of like my life was before. I mean, she never takes us anywhere actually dangerous but… you know… running around, adrenaline, all that jazz. It's weirdly familiar and kind of comforting."

Alina nodded, making a note.

"But, it's also nice because I want to come home. It makes me realise that I like what I've built, what… all of you have built for me."

Alina hummed softly. "Well… as long as you're not using it as a distraction, then I don't have a problem with it." She smiled gently.

Hally nodded in agreement.

They shifted the conversation to Hally's recent meetings with Rory and Amy. She had met with them three times now, and they were even planning for Amy to babysit Lily sometime next week. The session was coming to a close when Alina rounded it out with her usual question.

"Is there anything else that's been on your mind?"

Hally paused. There was something. It had been lingering in her thoughts for weeks, but she hadn't known how to bring it up. Biting her lip, she hesitated.

Alina, noticing the shift, raised an eyebrow. "That's certainly a yes if ever I saw one…" Her expression was patient, inviting Hally to go ahead.

Hally exhaled slowly. "Well, it's… complicated."

"Go on."

"I… did something… and I'm not really sure how I feel about it."

Concern flickered briefly across Alina's face.

"Not- nothing bad. Like… well, sort of bad, but not bad, bad."

The concern deepened on Alina's face. "Did it involve putting yourself or others in danger?"

"No!" Hally shook her head quickly. "No. Nothing like that. It was… more a personal thing."

Alina relaxed a little. "Alright, well, I'm here if you'd like to discuss it, or simply get it off your chest."

Hally bit her lip again, struggling to find the right words. "I did initially feel bad… sort of guilty, but then… then I thought about it, and I realised that it wasn't really cheating."

Alina's eyebrows rose slightly.

"It was like you'd said before… you don't make me cry, you facilitate it. So, I sort of decided it was the same. He didn't make me… you know, he just sort of… facilitated it."

Alina blinked in confusion. "I'm slightly lost…"

Hally let out a small, apologetic breath. "Yes… sorry. I had a phone conversation with O."

Alina's eyebrows raised again. "Mmhmm."

"And well, we sort of… it was like a mutual… but then actually no, it wasn't... He sort of just… talked me through it."

A look of comprehension passed over Alina's face before her expression smoothed back into calm neutrality. "Just to confirm, what you're saying is that you had a sexual encounter with O, over the phone?"

"Mmm…" Hally hummed, her voice catching awkwardly. "Well… less of an encounter. I don't think he… did anything." She glanced away awkwardly. "He just… helped me do it."

Alina nodded slowly, running her tongue along the inside of her teeth. "Right…" She paused for a moment before continuing. "Well… you are both consenting adults."

Hally winced slightly. "Yes, but… you know…"

Alina's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "You're concerned about The Master."

"Yeah." Hally let out a long breath, relieved to have voiced her main worry. "I mean… I'm not saying it will happen again. It won't. It wasn't a romantic type of thing…"

Alina made a noncommittal sound in the back of her throat, one Hally couldn't quite read.

"I just feel a bit strange about it."

Alina nodded, her expression remaining neutral. "Well, that's understandable."

Hally frowned. "But… I'm also simultaneously surprised that I'm not a complete mess about it…"

Alina winced slightly. "Mmm."

Hally opened her mouth to continue, but Alina interjected. "It sounds as though the encounter was purely functional."

Hally tilted her head, considering Alina's words.

"For example… you wouldn't feel like it was cheating to… for instance, read or watch pornographic material, would you?"

Hally shook her head slowly.

"Right. Well, it sounds as though the encounter acted like something similar." Alina cleared her throat. "Nothing personal."

Hally nodded slowly. It made sense, now that she thought about it. "Hmm… yeah. I think you're right."

Alina smiled gently. "Good."

A: Would you like to explain to me why I've just had to give your wife some bullshit reason why phone sex isn't cheating?

O: Well, if she's my wife, then it isn't cheating, is it? ;)

A: DO NOT DO IT AGAIN.