My Queen of The Garden

by aliceoakdown11

"This is where we've always been heading, you and I." The Doctor's daughter was always shunned on Gallifrey, now travelling with her father, can she learn to trust him while keeping from him her biggest secret? That she's unavoidably in love with his best enemy. The MasterXOC

113. Part 7 - Chapter 113

Lily took her job very seriously. She and Anwen had spent all morning practising, making sure their baskets were full and that they knew exactly how to walk. Not too fast. Not too slow. Just perfect. That's what Auntie Gwen had told them.

So, when it was finally time, Lily held her head high, gripping Anwen's hand as they walked down the aisle. She tossed handfuls of petals, maybe a little too enthusiastically, some landed in people's laps. One even got stuck in Uncle Owen's hair. She had to bite her lip to stop from giggling.

Jack stood at the front, looking at Uncle Ianto like he was the most important person in the whole universe. Lily didn't think she'd ever seen Uncle Jack stand still for that long before. Usually, he was always moving, always talking, always doing something. But now, he just stood and looked.

Lily had seen weddings before, in movies. She knew how they worked. But this felt different.

Everyone was smiling, even though some people were also crying.

Grown-ups were weird.

She peeked over at her mum. Mamaidh was holding her hand, and when Lily looked up, she saw that Mum had tears in her eyes too. But she was smiling. Happy crying, Lily thought. She didn't really get it.

Then Uncle Jack and Uncle Ianto kissed, and everyone cheered.

Lily clapped too, bouncing on her heels as Anwen squealed beside her.

Uncle Jack and Uncle Ianto looked so happy.

After the wedding part, everyone went inside for dinner. It was very fancy, way fancier than dinner usually was. Lily had to sit up really straight, and there were so many forks. Too many. More forks than anyone could possibly need.

People kept making speeches. First Auntie Gwen, then Uncle Ianto's sister then Uncle Owen, who made everyone laugh. Then Uncle Jack stood up and talked about how much he loved Uncle Ianto, and Uncle Ianto stood up and said he loved Uncle Jack, and then they were both crying, and everyone else was crying again too.

She looked up at Mamaidh, who was next to her. "Why is everyone crying again?" she whispered.

Mamaidh chuckled, touching her cheek gently. "Because love is a very silly thing."

Lily wasn't sure how she felt about that answer, but she nodded anyway.

Lily was so bored.

There had been so many speeches. Grown-ups just wouldn't stop talking. And every time Lily thought they were finally done, someone else would stand up and start again.

She sighed, slumping slightly in her chair, kicking her feet under the table.

Mamaidh, sitting beside her, tapped her knuckles against the table to get her attention. When Lily looked up, Mamaidh raised an eyebrow before sliding something small and metallic towards her. A little device, the kind that had buttons and wires and screws that could be taken apart and put back together again.

Lily perked up immediately.

Mamaidh gave her a tiny smirk, then, without a word, started pulling the device apart, setting the tiny pieces on the table in front of them. Lily watched intently, then joined in, carefully twisting off a small component and placing it next to the others.

Mamaidh's hair tickled her face when she leaned in closer. It was scratchy.

Mum, sitting on Mamaidh's other side, turned her head and noticed what they were doing. She rolled her eyes but didn't tell them to stop. Instead, she just smiled at Mamaidh, the kind of soft, warm smile that made Lily feel funny, like something was pressing at her chest but she didn't quite know why.

Mum leaned over and kissed Mamaidh, brief but affectionate.

Lily pulled a face.

No one else's parents kissed this much.

It was embarrassing.

She kicked her feet again, flicking her gaze up at Mum, who was still watching Mamaidh, her expression relaxed and happy. Mum looked prettier than usual today.

She'd done her hair in a fancy curly bun, and she'd taken forever to get ready. Her dress was a soft green—not bright, but kind of like the colour of the carpet in Uncle Jack's hall.

Mamaidh, of course, was wearing black.

Lily thought it looked nice, but she knew Mum had told her off before they'd left.

"You can't wear black to a wedding."

Mamaidh had just worn it anyway.

Lily still wasn't sure why you couldn't wear black to a wedding. Most of the men were wearing black? It didn't seem fair.

Lily's own dress matched Anwen's. They were both a light blue.

She didn't like it.

She would've rather had green. Or purple. Or black. Or dark blue. But this was light blue. Baby blue. She looked like Cinderella. Or Sleeping Beauty. And she didn't like that. Neither of them were particularly impressive.

Finally—finally—the speeches stopped, and that meant she could finally eat her dessert.

She wasted no time digging in.

Lily scraped the last bit of sauce from her plate, licking the spoon thoughtfully.

She looked over at Uncle Jack and Uncle Ianto again. They were still smiling at each other, like they'd forgotten anyone else was even here. Uncle Jack's hand was on Uncle Ianto's cheek now, his thumb rubbing gently against his skin. Uncle Ianto had that soft, quiet look he sometimes got, the one that made him seem a little less serious than usual.

Lily frowned.

Love made people weird.

She turned to Mamaidh, who was still absentmindedly fiddling with the little device on the table, her long fingers slotting the parts back into place before pulling them apart again.

Lily hesitated for a second, then leaned in and whispered, "Mamaidh…"

Mamaidh hummed in acknowledgement, not looking up.

Lily kicked her feet, watching the way her fingers moved so confidently over the tiny bits of the device.

"What does it feel like?"

That got Mamaidh's attention. She tilted her head, eyes flicking up to Lily in mild amusement. "What does what feel like, my petal?"

Lily scrunched up her nose a little, trying to find the right words. "Being in love."

Mamaidh blinked. Then, slowly, a smirk curled at the edges of her lips.

"Oh, what a question."

Lily sat up straighter. "Well?"

Mamaidh exhaled a quiet chuckle, setting the device down properly now, giving Lily her full attention. "You really want to know?"

Lily nodded.

Mamaidh tilted her head, considering Lily's question with unusual seriousness. "Love is like a thorn, darling."

Lily blinked up at her. "A thorn?"

She nodded, twirling a strand of Lily's hair idly between her fingers. "Yes. A thorn that buries itself deep into your hearts. And the funny thing is, you never quite notice when it first slips in. It's just… there one day."

Lily frowned, trying to picture it. "Does it hurt?"

She smirked. "Oh, terribly." She tapped a finger against Lily's chest. "Right here. A little pinch, just at first. And then, the more you love someone, the deeper it digs. And sometimes, it aches. Sometimes, it feels like it's twisting. You'll want to pull it out, but you can't. Because if you did—"

She spread her hands dramatically. "—you'd lose all of it. The good parts, too."

Lily frowned. "That sounds awful."

Mamaidh chuckled. "Oh, it is. But you see, my little petal, the best part is that even though it hurts, you want it to stay." She gave a pointed look across to Mum, who was chatting happily with Alina, not listening to their hushed conversation.

Lily followed her gaze. She wasn't sure she fully understood, but she did know that the way Mamaidh looked at Mum wasn't like how she looked at anyone else.

Lily turned back to her, brows furrowed. "And people want that?"

Mamaidh smirked, her fingers lightly brushing against Lily's temple in an almost fond gesture. "More than anything."

"Does it make you scared?"

Her smirk faltered for just a fraction of a second, but it was so brief Lily might have imagined it. Then, her expression softened, just slightly, and she hummed in thought. "Fear is a part of it, yes."

Lily frowned. "But why? If it's supposed to be good?"

Her gaze flickered back to Hally, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Because, my darling, love is not just gentle. It's not just warmth and softness." She leaned in slightly, voice dropping, as if sharing a great and terrible secret. "It's a storm."

Lily blinked. "A storm?"

Mamaidh nodded. "It builds, rolling in like dark clouds on the horizon. Sometimes, it's a gentle rain, something soothing, something you don't even notice until you're already standing in it, soaked through." Her voice took on a lilting quality, almost like a story being spun just for Lily. "Other times… it's a hurricane. It takes you apart, rips through you, and you—" she smiled, slow and knowing, "—you let it."

Lily's brows furrowed as she tried to picture it. "But why would you want to be in a storm?"

She laughed, quiet and rich. "Because once you've been caught in it, standing in the calm feels dull. Because even when it rages, even when the thunder crashes and the lightning strikes—" She traced a finger down Lily's arm absently, as if mimicking the path of falling rain. "—it is alive."

Her fingers curled into the fabric of her dress as she looked back at Mum again. "Does loving Mum feel like a storm?"

Her smirk was back, but there was something almost distant in it now, like she was looking through Lily rather than at her. "Oh, my dear, your mother is the storm."

Lily thought about that. Thought about how Mum could be loud and sharp when she was angry. Thought about how she could be quiet and steady when Lily was upset. Thought about how she laughed, how she cried, how she always felt like something strong, even when she didn't speak.

"…And you?" Lily asked carefully.

Mamaidh tilted her head. "Me?"

"If Mum is the storm, then what are you?"

For a moment, she said nothing. Then, with a slow, lazy smile, she whispered, "I suppose I am the one who stands in the middle of it, daring to touch it."

After they'd finished dinner, there was dancing, and there was cake, and that was probably the best bit. The cake had so many layers, and Uncle Jack made a big show of feeding a piece to Uncle Ianto, which made Auntie Gwen roll her eyes and laugh.

Lily danced with Mum and Mamaidh, then with Uncle Jack, and then with Anwen and Auntie Gwen. Anwen had tried to spin her, but her arms weren't long enough to do it properly, so they just spun each other in circles until they got dizzy and fell over laughing.

She wanted to find Grandad and dance with him, but she hadn't seen him since the first bit—when Uncle Jack and Uncle Ianto put the rings on and all the adults cried.

She spotted her other two uncles hovering near the edge of the room. Uncle John was laughing, probably teasing Uncle Armi.

Lily marched up to them, hands on her hips. "Don't you dance?"

Uncle John smirked. "Oh, I dance, kid. It's him you wanna worry about." He nodded toward Uncle Armitage.

Lily turned to Uncle Armi, crossing her arms over her chest. "Not even a little bit?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, his usual frown fixed firmly in place. "No."

Lily frowned right back at him. "Not ever?"

"Not ever."

She huffed. "Why not?"

Uncle John let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, kid, believe me, I've tried."

Armitage shot him a sharp glare, but Uncle John just grinned wider, clearly entertained.

Lily wasn't about to give up that easily. She grabbed Armitage's hand and pulled, trying to drag him onto the dance floor, but he was far bigger and stronger than she was. She dug her heels in and yanked harder, but he barely moved.

Uncle John chuckled as she kept trying. "Oh, this is adorable."

Lily let out a huff and wrapped both hands around Armitage's wrist, leaning back as far as she could. Still, nothing.

Finally, she gave up, glaring at him. "You're no fun."

Armitage looked entirely unbothered. "Correct."

Uncle John ruffled her hair. "C'mon, kid, give it up. He's a lost cause."

Lily sighed dramatically and turned to Uncle John instead. "Will you dance with me?"

His smirk softened just a bit. "Of course, lil duck."

Lily pouted. "I'm not a duck."

Uncle John just laughed and let her drag him onto the dance floor.

---

Apparently, it was bedtime. It wasn't even that late. Lily didn't feel tired. But Mum said the adults were going out.

This didn't totally make sense, because they were already out. They'd been out all day.

Lily and Anwen were going to stay with Robert and his dad. She didn't mind too much, because a sleepover with Anwen was going to be fun, and Robert always had cool stuff to play with. Plus, Henry wasn't a bad babysitter. He let them stay up later than they were supposed to, as long as they were quiet about it.

Still, it wasn't fair that the adults got to keep doing fun things when she had to go to bed.

Mum had changed. She was wearing black now, like Mamaidh, but a dress instead of a suit. A short one. And red lipstick.

Lily frowned up at her, tilting her head. "Why have you made yourself more pretty?"

Mum snorted a laugh. "Careful, Lils, that was nearly a compliment."

Lily rolled her eyes at her not funny joke.

Mum just smiled and knelt down in front of her, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear before wrapping her in a hug. "Did you have fun today?"

Lily grinned and nodded. "Yes."

"Good." Mum kissed her forehead, then huffed when she pulled back and saw the red lipstick mark she'd left. She rubbed at it with her thumb, much to Lily's great distaste.

"Muuum, stop—"

"I can't have you running around covered in lipstick, you'll look like Uncle Jack."

Lily scowled as Mum wiped it away, and then wiped her thumb off on her own dress.

"Now," Mum said, straightening up again, "be a good girl for Henry, okay?"

Lily put on her best innocent face. "I'm always good."

Mum arched an eyebrow at her, clearly not believing that for a second.

Lily just grinned.

Mum shook her head fondly before her expression softened, her fingers brushing lightly against Lily's cheek.

"Mum?"

"Mm?"

"Am I pretty?"

Mum blinked at her, surprised, then her face went gentle, warm. She tapped Lily's nose lightly. "You, my Lily, are beautiful. Inside and out."

---

The club was loud, bright, and teetering on the edge of chaos. The lot of them were crammed around a table, drinks spilling over napkins, half-empty glasses clinking as they laughed too loudly over nothing at all. Hally was perched between Missy and Toshiko, her cheeks flushed from laughter and alcohol, her head tilting against Missy's shoulder in that lazy, tipsy sort of way that came from being well past sober but not yet at the point of regretting it. Missy had one arm draped across the back of her chair, looking entirely pleased with herself, while Tosh was mid-story, gesturing with her drink as Alina laughed along beside her.

Jack, sprawled comfortably across from them with Ianto tucked against his side, was practically vibrating with an easy sort of content. That was when the stage lit up, and a Drag Queen, glamorous, towering, and commanding the room effortlessly, took centre stage.

"Alright, darlings," the Queen purred, her voice rich with mischief. "It's time for our favourite game of the night!"

The club erupted into cheers, patrons already turning to whisper and nudge their partners in challenge or dread.

Jack perked up.

The Queen continued, pacing the stage. "We'll be pulling a couple from the audience, asking them some very personal, very revealing questions, and if they match every single one, they win a fabulous prize!" She gestured dramatically toward a sequined assistant, who pulled back a curtain to reveal a large, dazzling bottle of top-shelf liquor, accompanied by a glimmering envelope.

"Oooh," Jack murmured, intrigued.

Ianto groaned beside him, already seeing where this was going. "Jack. No."

Jack ignored him, leaning forward as the Queen began scanning the crowd. Her gaze settled on their table—an obvious target, considering the sheer size of their group and the wedding energy radiating off them.

"Oh, I must come over here!" she declared, striding toward them. "You all look like trouble."

Jack grinned up at her as she stopped by their table, eyeing the group with playful scrutiny.

Jack hummed theatrically, rubbing his chin like he was giving it serious thought. "As much as I would love to do this myself…" He turned, his grin turning wicked. "I think I have a much better idea."

She felt his gaze land on her and she straightened. "Jack."

Jack ignored her, dramatically gesturing across the table. "Hally and Missy."

Hally scowled at him.

Missy made a sound of deep disapproval, already shifting as if she might vanish into the shadows. "Oh, absolutely not."

She pointed a perfectly manicured finger at them. "Oh, my little disasters, it's time for… Mr. and Mrs.! Or… well…" She waved a hand at Hally and Missy. "Mrs. and Mrs.? Mistress and Miss? Chaos and Disaster? Whatever you two identify as, I know you're about to be my favourite trainwreck of the evening."

Jack beamed, unfazed by the impending murder in Missy's eyes. "Come on, you have the absolute advantage."

Hally groaned, rubbing her temple. "Jack."

Missy, meanwhile, looked about five seconds from setting something on fire. "I do not participate in games."

"But you love winning," Jack pointed out, grinning.

Missy narrowed her eyes. She did love winning.

The Drag Queen leaned down, purring conspiratorially, "And if you win, you get the prize…" She held up the bottle of expensive liquor, waggling her fingers at the envelope. "And a mystery gift."

Missy muttered something vicious under her breath.

Jack smirked. "I dare you to say no."

Hally sighed, slumping back in her chair. "I hate you."

"Love you too," Jack chirped. "Now go win me something, Time Lady."

The table burst into cheers and mocking encouragement as the Drag Queen extended a dramatic hand toward Hally and Missy.

"Come on, my loves," she crooned, delighted by the clear reluctance oozing from Missy in particular. "Let's see if you two actually know each other or if this marriage is built on nothing but sheer chaos and spite."

Missy's glare could have melted steel.

"Well… it is built on that too." Hally sighed, draining the last of her drink before rising to her feet. She turned and offered her hand to Missy, her expression caught somewhere between amusement and resignation. "You coming, dear?"

Missy looked at her, then at the table, then at Jack, whose smirk was entirely too smug.

Hally batted her eyelashes. "I promise to make it worth your time."

Missy laughed, taking her hand, probably proof her wife wasn't entirely sober either. "I can hardly turn down a promise like that."

"That's the spirit!" Jack cheered, raising his glass as the Drag Queen took centre stage and gestured grandly toward them.

The crowd clapped as the two of them were led to the stage, settling into the back-to-back chairs that had been set out. Missy crossed her legs, looking at the audience like she was evaluating which one she'd set on fire first. Hally, meanwhile, exhaled through her nose and shot Jack a this is your fault look. Jack just winked.

The Drag Queen clapped her hands together. "Alright, darlings! Time to test this marriage." She pulled a set of cue cards from seemingly nowhere and waggled her eyebrows at the audience. "We're going to start nice and easy, don't you worry."

The assistant handed them each a set of paddles, one side labelled Me, the other Her. "Alright, first round! We'll ask a series of questions, and both of you have to answer the same. Sounds easy, doesn't it?"

Jack and Hart laughed loudly.

Missy hummed. "Harkness you seem to be under the misapprehension that because we know what the other is going to say… we're going to agree."

"Just do me a favour for once in your life."

"I stopped killing you didn't I?"

The Drag Queen spun to the audience. "Alright, let's start simple!" She lifted the first card. "Who's the tallest?"

Hally snorted. Missy rolled her eyes, already looking like she regretted agreeing to this.

The Queen caught it instantly. "Oh, sore spot already?"

Hally laughed, flipping up the Me paddle without hesitation. Missy, however, took a long, suffering breath before reluctantly raising Her.

She did it with the slow, begrudging energy of someone signing away their soul.

"Ohhh, you hated that, didn't you?" the Queen teased, delighted.

Missy clipped. "It wounds me more than I can say."

Hally laughed softly. "There, there."

The Drag Queen flourished the next card. "Who did better in school?"

A smile crept up Hally's face. "I guess you finished school." She purred, pressing into her wife's mind.

"Yes, but you married me. So, I think you got more out of it," Missy replied smugly.

Hally fought back a smile and flipped up Her. A moment later, Missy conceded in agreement.

"A promising start! Next question!" The Queen's eyes glinted mischievously as she lifted the next card. "Who kissed the other first?"

Hally raised Me, while Missy lifted Her at the exact same time.

Hally pouted at the amusement practically radiating from their group, crossing her legs. "Let it be known, I kissed her to shut her up."

Their table whooped at that.

The Drag Queen turned with a wicked grin. "Who gets their way the most?"

There was a short pause, before Hally slowly but surely brought up Me.

She heard the exaggerated sigh behind her. "You know, I used to be feared."

"You still are feared. Just not by me."

There was a round of applause signalling that they'd both agreed.

The Queen was already laughing as she lifted the next card. "Alright, alright, here's a big one. Who said 'I love you' first?"

For the first time, there was silence.

Missy and Hally both faltered, brows furrowing.

Missy turned her paddle over in her hands. "Oh."

Hally tilted her head.

Jack gasped. "Wait, you two don't know?"

The audience chuckled as Missy cleared her throat. "Uh… let's just assume it was you."

Hally arched a brow. "No, it quite easily could have been you. Probably screaming it at me in a fit of rage."

Missy scowled. "I didn't do that."

"Is it bad that I can't remember?"

The Queen fanned herself, delighted by their silence. "Ooooh, a mystery! I love it!"

Missy frowned. "Was it on the Valiant…?"

Hally blinked. "Really? Was it? It took that long?"

"Well, the Time War got in the way a bit. It was otherwise implied. Words are too small."

Hally huffed. "I remember you shouting the word at me in the library."

Missy waved a hand. "That doesn't count, I was telling you that you loved me."

"Feels kinda similar."

"It's not the same at all."

Hally smirked. "You did ask me if I was still in love with you, and I did say yes. Are we counting that?"

Missy sighed, running a hand over her face.

Hally let out a soft laugh. "Okay, okay… are we talking those exact three words?"

The Queen threw her head back, laughing. "Yes. But I love the desperate need for clarification."

Missy exhaled, already tired. "Okay, give us a sec—"

The Queen wagged a finger. "Most people know this one."

Hally hummed, then felt as certainty fell into her wife. "It was you."

Hally pouted. "Was it?"

Missy smirked. "Yes. Valiant, mid-dramatic, romantic monologue."

Hally groaned, shaking her head. "Okay. Fine."

They simultaneously held up the paddles.

The Queen beamed. "Finally!"

The next question was announced. "Who takes longer to get ready?"

Hally immediately groaned, but Missy had already held up Her, before she could protest.

"Well, it's obviously you, darling," Missy said with a slight smirk. "It's not that you're slow, it's just that your entire existence is an event."

"Rude…" Hally muttered under her breath but she held up 'Me'.

The Drag Queen picked up the next card with a mischievous grin. "Ooooh, this one should be good! Who has the worst temper?"

There was a brief pause as Hally tilted her head, considering. "How are we defining worst?" she asked, smirking.

Missy let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, don't start."

Hally smirked wider and flipped up Her without hesitation.

Missy, with an exaggerated huff, complied.

The Drag Queen beamed. "Alright, this one might cause a bit of controversy. Who is more likely to start something they can't finish?"

Before Hally could respond, Missy snorted and immediately held up Her, the smirk on her face downright smug.

Hally narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?" She said out loud, much to the amusement of their table.

Missy shrugged, completely unbothered. "I don't start things I can't finish."

Hally huffed loudly and conceded with a pout. "It's not true."

Missy smirked and leaned back in her chair. "It's okay, darling. I'll finish them for you."

Hally rolled her eyes.

The Queen fanned herself dramatically. "Oooh, marriage goals!"

The Drag Queen picked up the next card, eyes glinting with mischief. "Alright, darlings. Who has the more annoying family?"

Hally immediately groaned. "This question is unfair."

Missy smirked and held up Her without hesitation.

Hally shot her a look but flipped up Me. "Yeah, well, your parents are dead."

Missy hummed in agreement, then, completely deadpan, "If only yours would do us the same favour."

There was a mix of gasps and laughter from the audience. Jack choked on his drink. Gwen smacked his arm.

"Missy!" Hally said, half-laughing despite herself.

"What?" Missy smirked.

The Drag Queen chuckled, flipping to the next question. "Now, now." She raised an eyebrow at the next question and turned to the crowd with a dramatic flourish. "Who's louder in bed?"

A ripple of laughter ran through the audience. Hally's eyes immediately widened, her face turning red. "Urgh." She covered her face with one hand. Amusement filtered through their telepathic link from her wife, only making it worse.

The Queen grinned, pressing as Hally stalled. "So? Who's louder?"

Still red-faced, Hally begrudgingly flipped up Me.

Missy, looking entirely unbothered, leaned back in her chair with an easy smirk. "You have no volume control."

"Yes, I do."

Missy snorted. "I had to soundproof our bedroom."

"That was just a precaution."

"No, darling," Missy said sweetly, "it was completely necessary."

The Drag Queen grinned as she lifted the next card. "Alright, next up! Which one of you is the most whipped?"

Before either of them could answer, Jack's voice rang out from the crowd. "Literally or figuratively? Because that makes a big difference."

"Oh my God, Jack!"

Laughter rippled through the room. Missy turned her head sharply in Jack's direction, pouting. "I don't like this question."

The Drag Queen cackled. "Too bad, darling. Let's go with figuratively."

Hally, with a shit-eating grin, flipped up Her.

Missy sighed but begrudgingly did the same. "Fine."

The Queen leaned forward, delighted. "Oh, you didn't even argue that one?"

Missy gestured vaguely to Hally. "Well, can you blame me?"

The Drag Queen barely held back a wicked grin as she lifted the next card. "Alright, let's get real now. Who wears the strap?"

There was a beat of silence.

Then, with a knowing smirk, Missy held up her paddle. Me.

Hally groaned, slapping her hand over her face. "Oh my god."

The room erupted into laughter, whistles, and a very loud "Obviously!" from Hart.

The Drag Queen fanned herself dramatically. "Oh, that was quick! No discussion needed on that one."

Missy smirked, tilting her head. "Some things don't require debate."

Hally, face still burning, muttered under her breath, "Why did I agree to this?"

The Drag Queen clapped her hands together, her grin widening. "Alright, darlings, time to up the stakes! You're getting whiteboards now." She gestured grandly as an assistant handed them markers and boards. "It's about to get harder, but the goal stays the same—match your answers."

Hally adjusted the board on her lap. "Joy."

The Drag Queen lifted the next card. "First question—What's one thing Hally thinks they're great at but really isn't?"

Hally scoffed. "Rude."

Missy, without hesitation, wrote something down and turned her board around.

Keeping secrets.

Hally's mouth fell open. "Excuse me?"

Missy only smirked.

The audience laughed, Jack especially. "She's got a point, Hal."

Hally groaned but begrudgingly flipped her own board, which also read: Keeping secrets.

The Drag Queen cackled. "Ooooh, self-awareness! Love that for you, babe."

Hally rolled her eyes. "Next."

The Drag Queen winked. "Oh, this one's good. What is Missy's biggest turn-on?"

Missy raised a brow and after a few moments of thinking began writing at a very leisurely pace.

Hally hesitated, tapping her marker against the board. "Really?"

Missy hummed, her smirk audible. "Oh, definitely."

Hally sighed and scribbled something down.

They turned their boards at the same time.

Hally's read: Me being a badass. (She'll say it's bossy)

Missy's read: When she gets bossy.

There was a loud Ooooooh from the audience.

The Drag Queen chuckled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Alright, what are you most likely to argue about?"

Hally pouted, clearly not thrilled with the question. "How do I write down 'when you murder my friends' without it looking weird?"

Both of them held up their boards at the same time. The answers were the same: Morality.

The Drag Queen gasped dramatically, her voice rising in excitement. "Look at that! Completely in sync on the biggest red flag!" She turned to the audience, who responded with raucous laughter and cheers.

Missy leaned back in her chair, a calm smirk spreading across her face. "Philosophical differences," she said casually, as if they were discussing the weather.

Jack laughed heartily from the side. "That's one way to put it."

The Drag Queen's grin turned devilish, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "And now, the final question of this round—What was the last thing Missy said to you during sex?"

Hally froze. Her face immediately turned the deepest shade of red.

Missy's amusement filtered through their bond, like a soft taunt. She was thoroughly enjoying this.

"Oh my god," Hally muttered, her face heating further. "I don't know. She does a lot of talking."

Missy's eyes glinted as she eagerly scribbled something down, her smirk growing wider. A pleased little hum escaped her lips.

Hally groaned, her hands coming up to cover her face. "Seriously?"

Before Hally could react, Missy flipped her board, revealing the answer with impeccable timing.

"You're still talking, so you must be fine," it read.

The audience erupted into laughter. Owen was practically wheezing beside them, and someone at another table had actually spit out their drink.

Hally buried her face in her hands, utterly mortified.

The Drag Queen leaned in, still grinning. "Do you have any idea what she's written?"

Hally peeked through her fingers. "Yes…" she groaned.

"Are you going to write it down?" the Drag Queen teased.

Hally sighed heavily, still trying to hide behind her hands. "Or you can always say it out loud if you prefer?" the Drag Queen continued, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

Hally stuck her tongue out in exasperation, quickly scrawling the words on her own board before flipping it around. The Drag Queen fanned herself dramatically, clearly thrilled with the whole exchange.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we play this game," she announced, a wide grin on her face as the crowd roared with laughter.

The Drag Queen grinned wickedly as she strutted across the stage, holding up a fresh board. "Alright, darlings, final two questions are for their whole group. Let's see how well you know each other."

A board was promptly handed to Jack, who raised an eyebrow at the others. "Alright, team effort. We've got this."

"What is their favourite sex position?"

"Fuck my life…"

Their entire table turned to Alina in unspoken agreement.

She blinked at them. "Why are you looking at me?"

"You know everything," Owen pointed out.

"Surely, you know this." Gwen added.

Jack just waggled his eyebrows. "And let's be honest, if anyone could figure this out, it's you."

Alina's eyes narrowed. "Oh, hell no." She tipped her chin toward Armitage instead. "If anyone would know, it's him."

Armitage, caught mid-drink, made a face. "Excuse me?"

Alina turned on him, expression perfectly innocent. "What? You were literally paid to watch her twenty-four-seven on the Valiant."

Hally made a strangled noise. "Alina, please—"

Armitage's eye twitched as he pushed his glass aside like it had personally offended him. "I didn't watch those bits."

Alina smirked. "Okay, but come on—"

"No." Armitage snapped, looking somewhere between horrified and furious. "There were boundaries."

"Clearly, you weren't that committed to the job," Hart teased, grinning over his drink.

Armitage shot him a glare.

He snorted. "I dunno, sounds like a dereliction of duty to me."

Hally, meanwhile, was desperately running a hand down her face, looking like she was physically dying inside. "I hate all of you," she muttered under her breath.

"That's not an answer," the Drag Queen sing-songed.

Hally groaned.

"Alright, you are all useless," Alina muttered, flipping the board over and scribbling something down with the confidence of someone who had already solved the puzzle ten minutes ago.

Hally's head snapped up in pure horror. "Alina, don't you dare—"

"Too late," Alina said cheerfully, finishing with a flourish before flipping the board back around.

The group collectively leaned in to see.

Owen frowned. "Are you sure? That seems very vanilla for them."

Hally made a noise so strangled it barely qualified as human.

Alina just hummed, tilting her head. "A favourite is often what people find most comfortable, or the one that works most often." She smiled innocently, then added with a knowing glint, "Plus… it's far easier to top from the top."

A stunned pause.

Missy beamed at her.

Hally slumped forward. "I hate my life."

Jack, shaking with laughter, threw an arm around Ianto, wiping at his eyes. "Oh my god, this is amazing."

Hally groaned. "Can we please move on before I actually die?" Sighing in deep resignation, Hally grabbed her marker and scrawled something down with as much enthusiasm as someone signing away their soul.

At last, they flipped their boards.

A long beat of silence.

Jack squinted. "It is just missionary?"

A pause—then howls of laughter from the entire group.

The Drag Queen's grin widened, her voice taking on a playful edge. "Ok… you have been downright impressive, and I'm rooting for you. Final question, and again, I want three matching answers… If these two beautiful women were to have a threesome, who would it be with? And I don't want any celebrity cop-outs. I want chaos."

The moment the question left the Drag Queen's lips, their table erupted into theories.

"Oh, come on," Hart groaned, throwing an arm over the back of his chair. "We all know what Hally's type is."

"You shut up," Hally snapped, pointing her marker at him like a weapon.

Alina laughed lightly, rubbing her temples. "I want no part of this."

"Oh, like you wouldn't be a contender," Hart said smugly.

Armitage choked on his drink. Ianto sighed, already resigning himself to whatever fresh hell this conversation was about to become. Jack, meanwhile, was grinning ear to ear, tapping his marker against the board.

"Alright, people, let's be strategic here," Jack declared. "We need to think logically."

"There is nothing logical about this," Gwen muttered.

Hally let out a long, exhausted sigh, already regretting every life decision that had led her here.

"I don't want to have sex with any of them."

"Well… yes… obviously. But if we had to choose…"

"If I had to go anywhere near Harkness, I'd burn my own eyes out."

"I didn't even bring him up."

"The thought crossed your mind."

"No, it didn't!"

"I am literally inside your head."

Hally resisted the urge to groan out loud. "Toshiko seems harmless enough."

Missy hummed thoughtfully. "We're talking about sex darling, not a cuddle."

Hally snorted. "Well, Hart is certainly 'practised'."

"He would do far too much talking."

Hally barely held back a laugh.

"Armitage?" Her wife offered.

"I don't think sex is supposed to be silent." Hally quipped, her lips twitching upward despite her best efforts to resist.

"Then it's probably Alina."

Hally physically tensed. "We can't say we want to have a threesome with our therapist!"

Missy smirked just as Hally, with great reluctance, scribbled something onto her board.

Hart huffed, stealing the group board with a grin. He quickly scribbled something down, muttering to them, "She likes to be talked through it."

A beat of silence followed as everyone stared, trying to decipher what Hart had just written. Then, finally, both Hally and Missy flipped their answers in unison.

There was a long moment of silence.

And then—

"Are you kidding me?" Alina burst out, her voice a mix of surprise and amusement.

"Congratulations, darling, you're the least objectionable," Missy purred, looking genuinely pleased with herself.

Hally groaned. "Ok… well.. now we all need to get black-out drunk so no one ever mentions this ever again."

Hart smirked, swirling his drink in amusement. "I told you she had a type," he said with a casual shrug.

---

They'd won the game, and Jack was fucking welcome. The additional alcohol certainly contributed to the complete state of drunkenness they all ended up at. The group was absolutely wasted, laughter echoing through the club. Hally was even sure Armitage was swaying slightly, but she couldn't quite tell if maybe that was just her.

The dance floor was a blur of flashing lights, bodies moving to the beat. Hally didn't take her hands off her wife, she was glued to her. By the bar, the music thumped so loud they could barely hear each other, but Hally found herself pulling away just enough to shout over it, her voice tinged with a tipsy kind of urgency.

"Are you staying for Christmas?" she asked, her words slurring just a little as she leaned into Missy's ear.

Missy looked at her with a mischievous glint in her eye, a soft smile curling her lips. "Is that you inviting me?" she teased, a playful lilt in her voice.

"No..." Hally shook her head, searching for the right words. "It's me asking you if you'll still be here," she finally managed, sounding a little too earnest for the moment.

Missy's fingers gently brushed Hally's cheek, her touch warm and grounding. "Yes," she said, her smile soft but confident, her voice slow.

"Ok," Hally half-shouted over the pounding music. "Good."

Missy just smiled wider, leaning in as if to enjoy the moment a little longer. Hally's thoughts were hazy, her body warm.

"I want to go to Disneyland," Hally said, her words coming out faster than she'd expected.

Missy's eyebrow arched, and she smirked. "Oh? You do?"

"With Lily. Obviously. And you," Hally added quickly.

Missy chuckled, the sound warm and soft.

"I want to do Disneyland Paris," Hally continued, scrunching her face in concentration. "I wanna stand in two-hour-long queues to get cheesy family pictures with Mickey, I wanna go on the rides, eat candy floss, and watch fireworks. For Christmas."

Missy was watching her with a look of amused affection, her gaze soft as she took in the sight of her drunk, wide-eyed wife.

"No, no, no, don't just look at me like I'm cute," Hally protested, squinting at her playfully.

"You are cute," Missy responded, her voice full of fondness.

Hally waved her hand, dismissing the compliment. "I know it's human and it's gross, but I want her to have this," she said, her words slowing down as her tone shifted. "I want her to have this before..." She trailed off.

Missy's response was immediate, her lips pressing against Hally's in a kiss that was soft and tender. The world seemed to pause for a second, the hum of the club fading out as Missy held her close.

"Of course we can, my love," Missy whispered against her lips, her voice thick with affection.

"Mmmmmissy?" Hally murmured, her voice sounding more like a sleepy sigh.

Missy's laugh was light, her breath warm against Hally's skin. "Yes?"

"I wanna stay in the castle," Hally mumbled, her eyes half-lidded as her head leaned against Missy's chest.

Missy laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair from Hally's face, her fingers lingering against her skin. "Do you know what I think?" she asked, her voice slightly slurred.

"What?" Hally asked, still swaying a little as she struggled to keep her balance.

"I think you need to be in bed," Missy said, her grin wide, a playful glint in her eyes.

"Mmm… probably." Hally hummed contentedly, letting herself lean into Missy even more, the world spinning a little bit around her. Hally couldn't resist, her lips trailing along the curve of Missy's neck. The scent of her, sharp yet floral, something intoxicating and familiar, like a heady blend of wildflowers and something deeper, darker. Hally nipped at her skin, maybe a little harder than she meant to. Missy hissed sharply, tilting her chin up instinctively, her breath catching. "Careful with those teeth," she warned, though the edge of her voice suggested she didn't mind as much as she let on.

"Mmmaybe I don't… wanna be careful," Hally murmured, pressing closer, her lips brushing over Missy's skin again, now a little more daring, a little less restrained.

Missy cocked an eyebrow, the gleam in her eyes both amused and predatory. Hally hummed a quiet laugh, the sound like a mix of teasing and intoxicated affection. "Maybe… I want to bite you back," she teased, her words trailing out slower, heavier as she leaned in even more, her breath warm against Missy's skin.

"Oh?" Missy purred, clearly intrigued. "Is that so?" Her voice dropped, turning to silk with an edge of mischief. "And how do you plan on doing that, darling?"

Hally pressed a soft kiss to her jawline, then dragged her lips down to the crook of her neck, her teeth grazing just lightly against the skin. "I'll figure it out," she murmured, just a whisper against Missy's skin, before capturing her wife's earlobe with her teeth.

Missy shivered, her eyes glinting dangerously, but her fingers dug into Hally's sides, urging her closer. "You're drunk," she said softly, though there was no real warning in her tone.

Hally chuckled, a low sound that vibrated through her chest. "Yep." She popped, pulling away just enough to look Missy in the eye, her expression a mix of love, mischief, and a little too much alcohol. "But so are you."

Missy's lips curled into a smile that was all sharp edges and heat, her voice low. "Bed?"

"Bed."

---

They did go to Disneyland Paris for Christmas. Alina got Hally and Missy to organise it together.

Trust Alina to turn something cute into some sort of therapy exercise.

But, it was perfect.

Just the three of them.

They ate so much food, waffles dusted with sugar, sweet crepes filled with chocolate and fruit, soft churros coated in cinnamon sugar. Hally couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten so much food with practically zero nutritional value.

The photos, of literally everything. Because Hally needed to have physical evidence of her daughter managing to manipulate Missy isn't wearing Mickey ears for an afternoon.

Every night they gathered in front of the Castle, their eyes trained on the sky. The fireworks exploded in vibrant colours, lighting up the winter night and casting a glow over their faces. Lily's hands were clutched tightly in theirs.

They went on all the rides and saw all the parades.

They took a trip into Paris itself. They wandered through Christmas markets, sipping hot chocolate in the cold air, and gazed at the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. They strolled along the Seine, the city's charm only deepened by the festive atmosphere. Their Christmas wasn't about the gifts or the decorations. It was about the memories they were making, the joy of being together, and the warmth that filled her hearts every time she looked at Missy or Lily. It was beautiful. It was perfect. And it was exactly what they needed.

---

She stood back for a moment, her eyes quietly tracking Hally as she moved about the room. Her movements were frantic, almost too quick, too sharp. Her wife had been doing this for days, withdrawing bit by bit. The shift had been subtle at first, like the change in the air just before thunder, but now it was obvious. Missy could feel it, could feel the weight of it in every glance, every breath between them.

Hally was bracing herself, preparing for the inevitable. Missy could feel it, the tension crackling in the space between them. The thought of it made Missy ache. It was inevitable, really. With the new year, Hally had shifted. Missy could see the desperation in her eyes, how hard she was trying to cling to every single moment. To keep everything from changing. To stop the inevitable from taking its hold.

But Missy couldn't stop it. Not entirely. She knew that, but it didn't make it any easier to watch. Hally was busying herself, endlessly, trying to fill the silence with everything except the words Missy knew were bubbling under the surface. The words she couldn't say.

Sometimes the silence between them was almost unbearable.

She could see it, feel it, in the tension in Hally's shoulders, the way her jaw tightened as she spoke to everyone else but Missy, the sharpness in her voice that hadn't been there before. It wasn't directed at her, not exactly. But Missy could feel it, the shift, the difference. Her wife was withdrawing from her, from everything.

It hurt because Missy knew. She knew why Hally was so on edge. She knew the reason for the tension. And as much as she wanted to fight it, as much as she wanted to make it disappear, there was nothing she could do to change it.

She couldn't change the fact that it had almost been a year.

She hated it too. She hated knowing what was coming, what would always come.

And Missy had accepted it, had known from the start that their time together was fragile. She'd chosen to come back, to help raise their daughter, to try and make something beautiful from the wreckage. She'd chosen Hally, and no matter how painful the reality was, no matter how much it twisted inside her, she wouldn't change it. Not a single thing.

But there were moments, like this one, when the weight of everything pressed down so hard it felt like it was suffocating her.

"I'm right here, love," Missy murmured softly, reaching out to touch Hally's arm, to ground her, to remind her that she wasn't alone in this.

Hally froze, her body stiffening, before slowly turning to face her. There was a flicker in her eyes, a quiet plea for Missy to not say anything more. Because her wife couldn't face this just yet, she couldn't accept what was coming. Missy didn't push. She wouldn't.

But the words were there, right on the tip of her tongue. The words she wanted to say but couldn't. Not yet. Not until Hally was ready to hear them.

She let the silence fall between them, but this time, Missy didn't step away. She stayed, pressing her hand gently against Hally's back, her fingers just brushing the edge of the fabric of her shirt, a quiet offer of comfort, even if she didn't know how to give it completely.

"I love you." Missy whispered again, her voice full of something softer, something more vulnerable than she had let on. "We'll always have this, my love."

---

Kate sat behind her desk, her eyes flicking up to meet Hally's the moment she entered her office.

"You summoned?" Hally's voice was clipped, a thin layer of attitude hanging in the air. Kate chose to gracefully ignore it.

Kate didn't hesitate before speaking, the urgency clear in her tone. "We're picking up a signal from Australia. Broadcasting loud and clear. It's big."

"Alright, so get Australia to deal with it," Hally replied, trying to keep her voice casual, though there was something in her words that hinted she wasn't entirely convinced. She already knew where this was heading, and she wasn't looking forward to it.

Kate sighed, a breath that seemed to carry the weight of the world with it, before leaning forward slightly. "The world leaders want us to look at it. Apparently, we're the most qualified, and I want you on this." There was no room for argument in her voice. It was an order.

"I don't really—"

"If you're concerned," Kate interrupted smoothly, almost too smoothly, "Missy can come."

Hally's brow furrowed at the suggestion, confusion mixing with concern. "I think that makes it worse," she muttered, crossing her arms and leaning back slightly in her chair. Walking her wife into any unknown was a risk she didn't want to take.

Kate's voice softened, almost as if she was trying to draw out her response. She must have sensed the reluctance, the hesitation hanging in the air. "If you're worried about safety, there's no reason to be. It's just a signal. It's simply an explorative mission, the only reason they've got us involved is due to the scale."

"I don't want us walking into something dangerous." Hally responded dryly, her scepticism still thick in her tone.

Kate, unfazed by the tension, pressed on. "You can bring her TARDIS. Most of the team will be there."

"How long do you expect this to take?" She asked.

"You can bring Lily as well," Kate added, already pre-empting where Hally's mind was going.

"You want me to bring my nine-year-old into some active alien threat investigation?" she asked, her voice thick with disbelief.

Kate didn't flinch at the question, her tone unwavering. "So far, there's no indication of any threat. It's just a signal. A very loud signal."

Hally scoffed, letting out a short, frustrated breath as she rubbed the back of her neck. "So, send someone else?" Her voice was sharp.

Kate was firm in her response. "We want the pair of you on this."

Hally's eyes narrowed, confusion and frustration mixing in her expression. "Why?" The question felt like a challenge more than anything else.

There was a slight pause before Kate answered, quieter this time. Her voice softened, but there was no hiding the urgency in her words. "The signal is… similar to one we've picked up in the past. And that's not something we can ignore."

The words hung heavy in the air, and Hally exhaled sharply, her stomach twisting in unease. "Okay, just spit it out, Kate."

At that moment, Kate's office door burst open. Hally turned quickly, eyes widening as her gaze landed on… Clara.

"Has he found it?" Clara asked, her voice tense with urgency.

"Found what?" Hally shot back, looking between both women.

"Gallifrey?" Clara asked, looking at Hally as though it should have been obvious.

Hally blinked, completely thrown. "Huh?"

"He went looking for Gallifrey?" Clara clarified, the words tumbling out in a rush.

"He did? When?".

"After… the Cybermen. After Missy. After you left…" Clara's voice trailed off. "She… she said she knew where it was. Before she…"

"Right…" Hally muttered, a deep frown etching onto her face. She was almost one hundred percent sure her father had not been searching for Gallifrey.

"He said he was going to find it. Did he?" Clara pressed, her voice almost pleading for confirmation.

Hally looked at her blankly. "I have literally no idea what you're talking about…"

"The TARDIS-like signal currently broadcasting in Australia?" Clara said, her words pointed.

"Oh-kay…" Hally muttered, looking between them. Alright, so the signal was apparently TARDIS like?

"Could it be him?" Kate asked, cutting through.

"The Doctor? In Australia?" Hally cocked a casual eyebrow. "Uh, yeah?"

"But why is the TARDIS sending out a signal?" Clara pressed, her urgency making Hally feel quite unsettled.

Hally shrugged. "I have no idea… we'd have to go ask it." Biting sarcasm laced her words.

"Have you heard from him?" Clara pressed.

Ok, Hally was starting to fill in some blanks.

Clara was evidently worried about The Doctor's whereabouts.

Clara and possibly UNIT were under the impression that the giant signal broadcasting from Australia was some kind of call for help from her father.

Hally thought for a moment, then answered, her tone clipped. "I mean, I saw him three days ago… He was arguing with my wife over the best way to set off fireworks."

Kate's face went ashen, and it took Hally a second to register why.

"Wife…?" Clara asked, her brow furrowing.

Hally sucked on the back of her teeth.

Oh, for fucks sake.

"Uh…"

"Hold on." Clara cleared her throat. "Your… wife?"

Kate shot Hally a glare, and Hally returned it with a look that screamed 'What? How is this my fault?'

"Missy?" Clara continued.

"Well…" Hally started.

"Your wife… who killed Danny."

Hally froze, blinking rapidly. "Uh…"

"The woman I watched get shot by a Cyberman?" Clara said slowly, her voice dripping with warning.

Hally nodded slowly. "Uh-huh."

Clara stared at her, stunned. "She's not dead."

Hally's response was simply, "No…"

"And… everyone else knew this?" Clara asked, motioning towards Kate with a flash of anger.

"I mean…" Hally started, her tone lightening with a shrug. "I haven't seen you… for like a year…"

Clara held up a finger in warning, cutting her off before she could continue.

Hally withered slightly, standing from her chair. "I'm going to… leave this conversation because… it's hurting my moral compass." As she made a move to leave, Clara grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back into the conversation. "Oh, no you don't," she muttered.

Hally raised her hands in mock surrender. "Okay… this feels very much like not a me thing… like… I never told you she was dead. Someone else really should have told you that she wasn't. Like Kate." She happily threw Kate under the bus. "Or my father. This is not a me thing… you are not my… companion."

Clara blinked, Kate glared daggers at Hally.

"I haven't seen him since!" Clara snapped, frustration laced in her voice.

"Oh… okay…" Hally shifted on her feet, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, yeah, this is suitably awkward." She coughed, glancing between Clara and Kate as if either of them could get her out of this. They didn't. "I'm… uh…" She made an odd flailing gesture, as if trying to physically grasp the right words. "I'm sorry about your boyfriend."

Clara stared at her, unimpressed.

Hally winced. "Yeah. That's… uh, yeah. Vaguely a me thing. Sorry."

Clara took a slow breath, as if deciding whether or not to throttle her. Instead, she crossed her arms. "Call The Doctor."

Hally blinked. "What?"

"Call him. Right now."

Hally let out a long-suffering sigh. She fished her phone out of her pocket, muttering under her breath as she dialled. It rang. And rang. And rang.

Then it cut to voicemail.

Hally exhaled through her nose, shoulders relaxing slightly. Thank fuck.

Clara and Kate, however, did not seem relieved. If anything, they looked more concerned.

"What if it's his TARDIS?" Clara pressed. "What if he's in trouble?"

Hally made a face. "Look… sometimes he doesn't answer his phone." She gestured vaguely. "It's a whole thing. But… okay… yes… we probably should go and check out this signal that may or may not be a TARDIS."

Kate gave a sharp nod. "I'll put together a team."

Hally exhaled slowly, pressing her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose. Because this—this—felt like exactly the kind of situation they should be avoiding right now.

Meanwhile, Kate was already talking logistics, flights, ETAs, basecamps. Hally barely registered it, already feeling the oncoming headache that was bound to follow.

Hally sighed, running a hand through her hair as she turned on her heel and walked away. Her feet carried her on autopilot, straight to Alina's office. She knocked once, a quick, perfunctory rap against the door.

"Come in!"

She barely registered the invitation before pushing the door open and stepping inside. Without ceremony, she threw herself onto the sofa, landing with a graceless thud.

Alina glanced up from her desk but didn't speak immediately. Instead, she waited, giving Hally the space to start talking on her own. When she didn't, Alina finally prompted, "You okay…?"

Hally let out a huff, slumping further into the cushions. "Not really. Having a small spiral."

That was enough to make Alina pause what she was doing. She stood, moving to sit opposite her. "And you'd like to talk it through?"

"Yes." Hally exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "There's just… a lot happening in my head, and I haven't worked out how to work through it yet. I'm feeling a lot of things, and all of them are stressful."

Alina nodded, listening. "Okay… do you want to tell me what sort of thoughts you're having?"

Hally was quiet for a moment before murmuring, "It's almost been a year."

"Mmhmm." Alina hummed knowingly, because they'd spoken about this before.

"I don't want her to go. I don't want this to change."

"I know."

Hally sat up slightly. "Kate wants us all to go on some jaunt to Australia, and it just feels like exactly the kind of thing we shouldn't do."

"Because you want to avoid losing her."

"Well… yes. Obviously."

Hally's fingers curled around the hem of her sleeve. "Then I'm worried about Lily. If we are walking into something dangerous, then we shouldn't take her… but I don't want to leave her here either. Not if we're on the other side of the planet."

Alina just looked at her.

Hally sighed. "Which I know makes no sense. I know. I'm fully aware that I leave her all the time—for school, for work, for running to the other side of the universe that one time—but…" She swallowed. "I guess I'm just clutching. It feels like I'm clutching onto the both of them so tightly because… because I know we don't have long left."

"That's understandable, Hally." Alina's voice was gentle. "To try and hold on to something that you know is going to change."

"I just…" Hally's hands flexed into fists before she let them drop. "I don't know what to do about it."

Alina's lips curled into one of those smiles, the kind that made her eyes glitter knowingly. "Perhaps there's nothing to do about it."

Hally shot her a yes, I know I'm being controlling kind of look.

Alina merely continued, "Most people aren't given a fair warning. Most people don't have the foreknowledge you've had. That makes it harder because it gives you the feeling that you might be able to change it. To deny it."

Hally let out a slow breath.

"But perhaps you can't change it," Alina went on, voice quiet, steady. "Perhaps some things come, and some things happen, and even when we know they're coming… we simply have to let them be. To prepare ourselves for what we know that feeling will bring."

There was something about the way she said it, the softness in her expression, that made Hally pause. For just a second, she saw something in Alina that she hadn't noticed before.

"So, you think we should go?"

"I think…" Alina tilted her head, considering. "If you didn't have this information, you would go. You'd go, and yes, you'd probably take Lily with you. You'd take Missy's TARDIS, so she could be safe inside it. With Armitage or Jack or someone else you trust."

Hally frowned. "It just feels like a risk."

"Is it, really?" Alina asked. "If you already know the worst that's going to happen?"

Hally didn't answer.

Alina gave her a small, knowing smile. "She told you so you could prepare for how it was going to feel. She told you so that you would know things would change. She isn't going to disappear, Hally. She just said it would be different."

"I don't want different," Hally muttered. "I like it how it is."

"I know."

Silence stretched between them for a moment.

Then Hally let out a long, loud sigh.

"Fine."

---

"Oh my god, another adventure!"

Hally barely had time to react before Lily was already sprinting out of the room.

"No—Lils, it's not—"

But it was useless. Their daughter was already halfway up the stairs, her voice echoing back down at them.

"I'm going to paaaack!"

Hally let out a slow breath, pressing her lips together before turning back to her wife, who was watching her with an infuriatingly amused smirk.

"A whole family trip, hmm?" Missy mused, head tilting in mock innocence.

Hally shot her a flat look. "It's work."

Missy's smirk widened. "Starting Lily early, are they?"

Another look.

Missy held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, fine. It's work. But your workplace is bending to your current overprotective parent needs."

Hally exhaled through her nose, unimpressed.

Missy snorted, then reached out, brushing her fingers over Hally's cheek with surprising gentleness.

---

The UNIT team—plus Clara—took a plane.

The Time Lords did not.

Alina was already tired. The jet lag was not doing her any favours, and the Australian heat was making everything worse. Her mood only soured further when she found out who else Kate had brought in on their little jaunt.

She stood beside Jack, arms crossed, watching the morning meeting from her usual position at the edge of things. She'd told him to let her know the second his vortex manipulator picked up a reading that Missy's TARDIS had landed. Because she wanted to exercise some control over this mess.

The hastily constructed base was still sleek, modern, although it felt temporary. The room was already packed with too many people. The tension between Clara and the Doctor was bearable—a problem Alina did not need to get involved in. And then there was River. But why Kate thought it would be a good idea to bring Osgood along was beyond her.

There were enough people in this room without adding the woman who'd had her twin get murdered, with the woman who murdered her twin, about to walk in.

Then there was him.

The fucking egotistical idiot.

"Local knowledge," Kate had said.

Ha.

Stupid.

Local knowledge. Right.

And of course, he was looking at her like he knew something.

Like he wanted her to react.

Osgood had hugged him when they'd reunited, all smiles and warmth, and Alina had had to pretend to be happy to see him. Had to pretend she wasn't itching to stab a knife into his back.

Already, the meeting was dragging. Briefings, scans, comparisons. Kate laid out UNIT's data alongside the readings The Doctor had taken with his TARDIS, because, of course, he was fine. And his TARDIS was here.

So the TARDIS hadn't sent the signal.

Which meant all of this felt… unnecessary.

Jack's vortex manipulator beeped, the sound sharp and distinct.

Alina barely caught the sigh before it slipped from her lips.

Joy. Let's add more Time Lords to this mess.

"You good?" Jack murmured beside her, voice low.

She turned to him, forcing a tight, easy smile onto her face. "Jet lag's killing me," she offered.

Jack hummed in acknowledgement.

"I'm going to go grab them."

Another hum.

Alina didn't wait for a response. She just turned and left.

---

Hally stepped out of the TARDIS, Missy in tow, Lily's hand firmly clutched in hers. If she let go, their daughter would be off like a shot, sprinting around half the base before anyone could stop her. She'd been given strict instructions to behave.

The room they landed in was a makeshift office, empty.

Missy huffed. "Oh, I hate it when it does that."

Hally turned, brow furrowing, only to see what Missy was talking about. Their TARDIS had disguised itself as The Doctor's TARDIS, because, of course, The Doctor's TARDIS was parked right next to it.

"So, it's not his TARDIS," she clipped.

"No. It's not." Alina's voice pulled her attention. She'd just walked in, a tight smile on her face. "Apparently, it's not a TARDIS at all."

Armitage was right behind her.

"Wonderful," Hally drawled. "Can we all go home now?"

Alina exhaled, something caught between amusement and exhaustion. "Sadly not." She cleared her throat. "Everyone's in the boardroom."

An invitation.

Hally nodded. Armitage stepped forward slightly, enough for her to take the cue. He was on babysitting duty. She turned to her daughter.

"Lils, me and Mamaidh have some work we need to do, okay? Uncle Armi's going to hang out in the TARDIS with you for a bit."

Lily's face immediately started to twist into a pout.

Hally crouched. "I know, but we won't be too long. And when we're done, we'll explore the base together, okay?"

Lily considered it for a few moments before sighing. "Fine."

Hally smiled. "Thank you." She kissed her forehead before standing. "But you have to behave for Armitage, okay?"

Lily crossed her arms, smirking. "I always do."

Armitage hummed.

Spawn officially occupied, they followed Alina.

She cleared her throat, and Hally glanced at her. There was a slight tension in her jaw, something tight and unreadable.

"So, yeah, your father's here already," Alina said.

"Okay. Cool."

"River's here too."

"Oh, did she come with him?"

"No." Alina's response was immediate, before she backtracked slightly. "Uh. No, I don't think so."

"Fun." Hally hummed. Beside her, Missy let out a quiet, amused snort.

"Kate… uh… also called in Osgood."

Ah. So was that was what had Alina tense?

"Right…" Something heavy settled in Hally's stomach. Not unexpected. Guilt, mostly. She could deal with that.

"So," Alina continued, voice pointed, "you know… if you could, be nice." She shot a sharp look at Missy.

Missy's face split into a grin. "Oh, don't worry about me," she lilts. "It's much less fun killing someone the second time around."

Alina levelled her with a glare. "Yeah, things like that?" She clipped. "Maybe just say them in your head."

Hally and Missy exchanged a look behind Alina's back.

"You okay?" Hally asked as they rounded the corner, approaching a set of double doors.

"Yep. Never better."

Alina scanned her card at the reader. The door beeped, unlocking, but before she pushed it open, she turned back, almost as an afterthought.

"Oh. O's here too."

She shoved the door open. The boardroom was full. Everyone Alina had mentioned was there, plus most UNIT team, Kate, Jack, Hart, Martha. And now them.

And Clara, obviously.

Kate looked up, offering a polite smile as she motioned for them to take a seat. In front of her, scans were spread across the table, the team still pouring over them, but the weight in the room wasn't just from the data.

Tension practically buzzed through the air.

"The signal is temporal," Kate began, getting straight to the point. "But The Doctor has scanned it, and it's not a TARDIS like we originally thought."

They were about ten miles out from the source. It was coming from a rock formation, old, isolated, out in the desert. UNIT already had a team on-site, taking samples, monitoring the situation, and bringing back anything worth testing.

People were paying attention, but at the same time, there was an unspoken awareness that no one was acknowledging the multiple elephants in the room.

The tension was thick.

And for once, it wasn't just Missy's fault.

Clara and her father, the tension there was obvious. Yes, technically Missy had something to do with that, but it wasn't a solely Missy problem. It seemed the two of them had been avoiding each other for ages.

Then there was a lighter tension between River and her father. Hally didn't have a clue what that was about.

And, of course, there was the Osgood problem, which had settled like a discomfort over the entire room.

At least Missy was behaving. She hadn't even looked at her.

And Alina, for once, seemed just as wound up as the rest of them.

Kate wrapped up the briefing, outlining the next steps. They'd all be staying overnight, waiting for the samples, then approaching the source of the signal tomorrow. Keeping external interest at bay. Keeping an eye on the situation.

Once Kate had finished addressing the room, she lingered and Hally approached. "How did you get him here?" Hally asked.

Kate sighed. "I didn't. He was already here."

"The signal is very loud…" The Doctor cut in, answering for her.

"Your TARDIS picked it up?"

"Yes."

"If it's that loud, it's going to be drawing attention," Hally pointed out.

The Doctor hummed in agreement, his brow furrowing. "It's not just that it's loud, though, it's wrong. It doesn't behave like a normal temporal signature. The readings fluctuate, almost like it's unstable."

"That's what's odd," Kate said, motioning toward the scans in front of them. "It's consistent, but the fluctuations don't seem random. It's pulsing, a pattern. Almost like a beacon."

Missy, who had thus far been watching, rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, let's not be boring about it. It's obviously something playing at a TARDIS. Whether it actually is one or just something pretending to be, that's the question."

Silence settled over them for a moment.

"Lovely," Missy drawled. "Now that's interesting."

And then they felt it, eyes on them.

They turned just in time to see Clara staring.

Missy smirked. "Oh dear, Doctor. I think your pet is feeling neglected."

Clara's glare could have cut glass. She turned on her heel and walked off.

The Doctor sighed, rubbing his face before motioning vaguely. "I… I'm going to… go."

Hally lifted a hand in a small wave.

The tension didn't leave with him.

People were hovering, like the room was too uncomfortable to be in but no one quite wanted to be the first to leave. Hally sort of wished she'd brought Lily into the meeting. Their daughter was the perfect social shield.

No one could start discussing the people her wife had murdered with a nine-year-old sitting at the table.

Ha.

Coward.

The room had shifted into something looser, people breaking off into conversations, the tension giving way to familiarity. Martha was hugging River. Osgood had found Jack, who lifted her off the ground in an enthusiastic hug before setting her down.

Then Osgood was in front of her.

"Hi."

"Hey."

Hally was very grateful that her wife was currently on the other side of the room, locked in what appeared to be a slightly heated discussion with River.

Osgood followed her line of sight before looking back at Hally with a small smile. "She doesn't scare me, you know. She's hardly going to kill me twice."

Hally swallowed, looking back at her. "Osgood, I…"

"I don't need you to say anything," Osgood said gently. "There's not that much to say, is there?"

"No… I know. Just… I'm sorry. For your loss."

Osgood's smile was kind. "I know. Me too."

And then, to her surprise, Osgood hugged her. It was brief but warm, before she pulled back and headed out with Kate.

Hally exhaled, the guilt still sitting somewhere low in her chest, and moved back toward her wife. Missy was still engaged in whatever verbal sparring match she had going with River, but her presence was comforting regardless. She wasn't looking at her, too occupied with some pointed remark she was making, but Hally knew she had noticed her return.

Jack was shaking O's hand now. O moved to approach them, but Alina—who had been hovering—got to him first. From the outside, it looked friendly. Just two people catching up. But Hally knew Alina, and there was something off. A sharpness in her eyes. A tension she couldn't quite place.

It was… off-putting.

So, she left Missy and River to their quipping and made her way over. It had been a while. They had kept in contact, on and off. Lately, more off. Life. She'd gotten busy. She probably hadn't texted him in over six months.

He saw her approach from behind Alina and smiled. "Hey, stranger."

She pulled him into a hug.

His arms wrapped around her, squeezing gently. He held her. Maybe a little longer than necessary. But it had been nine years.

There was a very deliberate cough from behind her.

Right. Probably shouldn't have hugged a human for so long in front of her wife. She was either about to develop a weird new complex about it or just outright murder him, and that would be a real shame.

Hally pulled back, shooting O a vaguely apologetic smile for whatever was about to come out of Missy's mouth, and turned to face her.

"Missy, this is O. We're friends." She said it slowly, like she was explaining something to a particularly stubborn child.

Missy narrowed her eyes, a low hum vibrating in her throat. Her gaze sharpened, head tilting just slightly as she stepped forward, slow and deliberate.

Hally sighed internally. Here we go.

Missy was calculating, assessing, and, alright, just a little bit murderous.

O met her stare evenly, his smile glinting with something unreadable. But it wasn't a smirk, wasn't antagonistic. If anything, it was just polite.

And then, before Missy could open her mouth to say whatever undoubtedly scathing thing was brewing in her mind, O did something that actually caught her off guard.

He held out his hand.

Offering a handshake.

Hally blinked.

It was bold. No one ever greeted Missy like that. Usually, meeting Missy was accompanied by some combination of insults, threats, and barely-contained fury. Or sheer, outright terror.

Missy's eyes flicked down to the offered hand, then back up to his face.

For a fraction of a second, surprise flashed across her features. Then it was gone. Replaced with cool calculation.

And then, even more surprising, she took his hand.

It wasn't quite a handshake. Not really. It was more like Missy gripping his hand too tightly, fingers pressing in just enough to make a point.

Something shifted in Missy's expression. The sharp corners of her mouth curled into a sneer. She released his hand, flexed her fingers, and growled softly under her breath. Her eyes flicked up, sharp and possessive. "Don't touch her again."

O exhaled a quiet laugh. "Noted."

Hally watched the exchange, biting back a sigh.

She wasn't entirely sure if O had passed whatever test her wife had just subjected him to, or if he had failed in a way Missy found interesting enough to let live.

Behind Missy, Alina was still hovering, watching the interaction with keen interest, but her expression was unreadable.

Hally opened her mouth to comment on how weird everyone was being, but before she could—

"Muuuuuuuum, I'm boooooored."

She barely had time to brace herself before a small force collided with her, arms wrapping around her waist as Lily practically barreled into her.

Hally let out a soft oof, catching her daughter easily.

Lily clung to her, pressing her face into her side.

Hally smoothed a hand over her hair. "Lilja, where is Armitage?"

Lily leaned back, looking up at her with a proud little grin. "I lost him."

Hally arched a brow. "You lost him?"

Lily nodded smugly.

"You mean you gave him the slip?"

Another nod, her grin widening.

"Huh." Hally ruffled her hair, smiling. "You'll have to teach me how to do that sometime."

From the doorway, Armitage cleared his throat.

Lily twisted, spotted him, then immediately turned back to Hally.

Hally leaned down slightly, whispering, "Although… I think he meant for you to escape."

Armitage's mouth twitched, half a smirk forming, but he didn't say anything.

"Can we explore now?" Lily asked, eyes bright with excitement.

Hally smiled. "Yes. I suppose we can."

"Don't I get a hug, young lady?"

River.

Lily hesitated, suddenly shy—it had been a few years—but she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around River in a big hug.

River grinned, holding her close. "Have you been behaving yourself since I last saw you?"

Lily tilted her head, considering. "Sometimes."

River laughed. "Attagirl."

As Lily pulled back, her gaze landed on O for the first time.

Immediately, she pressed herself into Hally's side, half-hiding, peeking up at Missy questioningly.

Missy, predictably, did not offer an explanation.

So Lily turned to Hally instead, tiptoeing up to whisper, "Mum."

Hally whispered back, amused, "Yes?"

"Who's that?"

"That's O."

O smiled, warm and kind.

Lily frowned slightly. "Why is his name O?"

Hally huffed out a quiet laugh. "I have no idea."

It was supposed to be a whisper. Technically, it was a whisper. But absolutely everyone was listening.

O chuckled softly and gave a small wave. "Hi, Lilja."

Missy let out a weird, half-growl.

O, notably, did not seem at all bothered by it. "It's nice to meet you."

Lily peeked up at Hally, still half-hidden behind her, but after a moment she smiled, giving O a small, cautious wave.

Hally offered her her hand. "Where do you want to start?"

Lily's eyes lit up. "Is there a basement?"

Hally laughed, squeezing her hand. "I don't know," she said, grinning. "Shall we go and find out?"

Lily nodded eagerly, grabbing Hally's hand and attempting to drag her forward. Hally barely had time to glance back at Missy.

"You coming?"

Missy didn't immediately answer.

Hally missed the way her wife shot a sharp glare toward O, eyes dark with warning. Then, in a clipped hum, "Mmhmm." She turned on her heel and followed them out.

They wandered the base, letting Lily take the lead as she eagerly poked her head into rooms, skipping a little ahead of them in excitement.

Missy was stewing.

Hally could feel it, an undercurrent of something simmering beneath the surface.

She glanced sideways, lowering her voice. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart."

Hally arched a brow. "You're in a mood."

Missy hummed. "It's nothing."

"Have I done something?"

Missy shook her head, voice softer. "It's not you. It's… me."

Hally snorted. "That's quite cliché."

Missy chuckled, the warmth creeping back in, and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

From up ahead, Lily's voice rang out: "I FOUND A LASER!"

Hally's stomach dropped.

"LILJA, DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING!"

---

The base had spare rooms for them to use. They could have stayed in the TARDIS, but Lily had been insistent that she wanted to 'sleepover' at the base instead.

Hally didn't argue. If Lily wanted an adventure, she could have one.

Missy had taken her back to the TARDIS to grab their overnight things while Hally set up the sofa bed in their room for Lily.

There was a knock at the door.

Martha.

"Kate says we're doing a team dinner in the mess."

Hally frowned. "A what?"

"Yeah… I don't know. She called it a team dinner." Martha smirked. "It sounds like chaos."

Hally narrowed her eyes. "Is it… optional?"

Martha laughed. "I don't think Kate does optional, to be frank."

Hally sighed dramatically. "Joy."

Martha leaned against the doorframe. "And by team dinner… I think she means… everyone."

Hally closed her eyes briefly.

"Right," she said, rubbing a hand down her face. "Well… in that case, I'm also bringing my daughter."

Martha grinned. "I think the social buffer will be appreciated."

Hally smirked. "She's so useful like that."

---

Hally's footsteps echoed softly as she moved down the corridor, the sterile lighting casting long shadows. She wasn't even sure why she was still looking for Clara—guilt, maybe. But that flicker of regret faded the moment she heard Alina's voice, sharp and unmistakably tense.

"–e's not stupid."

Hally froze mid-step. Alina was just around the corner.

Another voice responded, lower, smoother, with an edge like glass under velvet. She couldn't catch the words, but the tone prickled the back of her neck.

"No. No," Alina snapped, frustration bleeding through the muffled walls. "-ate sent fucking helicopters, you shouldn't have come."

Hally's pulse picked up. She shifted her weight, silent, her back pressed lightly to the cold wall. Alina didn't lose her temper easily. Whoever she was talking to had cut through every layer of her usual detachment.

"This is only a problem because you're making it a problem," the other voice replied, calm, precise.

Huh?

Hally's brow furrowed. That sounded like O. But not exactly. His voice was… wrong. Just enough to make her stomach twist, like standing in a room that looks familiar but isn't. Sharper. Colder.

Her mind flickered through possibilities—something covert, maybe a mission she wasn't looped in on. But then:

"Why exactly are you here?" Alina's voice again, quieter now but no less brittle.

"Because I was invited."

Hally's chest tightened, her breath shallow.

A stray thought cut through the tension like a blade—were they…? No. That was ridiculous. Alina didn't—she wouldn't. Right? But the way Alina's voice had softened, not with affection but with something more dangerous—something personal—made her feel slightly off-balance.

She stepped back, her heartbeat a steady drumbeat in her ears. Then, deliberately, she cleared her throat loud enough to be heard.

Silence.

By the time she rounded the corner, both Alina and O had rearranged their faces into masks of casual indifference. Alina's arms were still crossed, her expression neutral but her jaw tight. O stood like he always did—relaxed, hands in his pockets, wearing an easy, familiar smile.

But it didn't reach his eyes.

"Oh," Hally said, pitching her voice light and curious. "Didn't expect to find you two here."

O's smile flickered, just for a second. "Just catching up," Alina replied, her voice flat.

Hally's gaze flicked between them. The space between them felt heavy, like a conversation still echoing in the air.

"Right," she said, forcing a casual shrug, though her skin felt too tight. "Have either of you seen Clara?"

O shook his head immediately. "Not since earlier."

Alina didn't say a word. Just stared.

The silence felt heavier now, thick with something unspoken. Hally's chest ached with it, though she couldn't say why.

"Well," she managed, past the knot in her throat, "I'll keep looking."

She turned and walked away, her footsteps too loud in her ears. When she was finally out of sight, she exhaled sharply, her heart pounding.

Fucking weird.

---

She didn't find Clara, so instead, she just focused on getting ready for dinner.

She told Missy to be good.

She told their daughter to chew with her mouth closed.

That was the best she could do.

On the way to the boardroom, now converted into a dining room, she ran into Jack.

"This is weird, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jack agreed, sighing. "But she pays all our wages, so I guess we're doing dinner."

"Wonderful."

"She's even got Armitage coming."

"Fucking hell."

So, they all sat down for dinner because Kate had told them that's what they were doing.

The table was too long. That was Hally's first thought as she sat down, wedged between her wife and Hart. Across from her, to her right The Doctor and Clara were deep in conversation, hands moving animatedly as if nothing catastrophic had ever happened between them. Maybe they'd made up. Or maybe they were just good at pretending.

Why anyone would think this was a good idea was completely beyond her.

Even Alina, who usually loved this kind of chaotic, simmering tension, looked thoroughly pissed off.

Someone had broken her therapist.

And for some reason, Hally's main suspect was now O?

Hally stole a glance at him, his attention seemingly on his plate, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as if he were in on a joke no one else knew. Something about him itched at the back of her mind.

Had they been having an affair?

The thought came uninvited, ridiculous as it was. It didn't make sense. Alina wasn't… like that. Was she? No. Probably not. But that was all Hally's brain seemed capable of pulling up right now, like shaking a snow globe and watching the same stupid flakes fall over and over.

Anyway. Dinner.

Her daughter was having the time of her life, nestled between Martha and Jack, basking in the undivided attention of adults. Lily knew exactly how adorable she was and wielded that knowledge with the precision of a tactical weapon, bright-eyed, charming, and utterly shameless about it. Honestly, Hally couldn't even be mad.

At least there was wine. Thank god for that.

The conversation hummed around her, fragmented bits of dialogue overlapping. Something about UNIT protocols, an offhand joke from Jack that made Osgood nearly choke on her drink, Clara laughing too loudly at something The Doctor said.

He was never that funny.

Kate—ever composed—lifted her glass and thanked them all for coming.

As though keeping up the façade that any of them had had a choice…

Hally's eyes drifted around the table, the friends, the 'not' friends, the questionable moral alignments, at least four people who'd technically died at some point, and one child happily eating mashed potatoes like none of it mattered.

She took a sip of her wine.

The clatter of cutlery and the hum of overlapping conversations filled the space. Missy sat beside her, stiff in a way Hally couldn't quite explain. Not the usual performative sharpness, not the theatrical disdain Missy liked to wear like a second skin in social situations, no, this was tighter. Quieter.

Hally glanced at her sideways. Missy's jaw was tense, her posture perfect, a hand wrapped delicately around her glass of wine but not drinking from it. She was smiling when she spoke, even throwing in the occasional quip, but it didn't land with the usual precision. It felt…off.

Across the table, Alina was tense, too. Not tense like I hate small talk tense, tense like something was pressing down on her, just behind her eyes. Her gaze flicked occasionally toward O, sharp and quick, like she couldn't help herself. Like she was trying to puzzle something out and it was slipping through her fingers.

O just sat there. Smiling. Calm. His fork moved methodically, cutting through his food with the ease of someone who belonged here. But he didn't. That was the thing. He didn't.

It was only really Osgood engaging him in conversation.

She assumed they'd kept in touch?

Hally's stomach tightened.

She looked at O again.

Really looked.

The way he held himself, the easy charm in his voice, the subtle confidence underneath the meek researcher façade.

The practical stranger she'd clung onto when giving birth to her daughter.

Her hearts skipped.

The flirting.

Her grip on her fork tightened.

The flirting.

That awful, teasing grin. "Come on. Where's that Time Lord ego?" His hand in hers. She hadn't let go. God, she hadn't let go.

She'd known him for what, six months? And she'd clung to him like he was an anchor. Like he was familiar.

No…

No, no, no… because was she really that fucking stupid?

"If you were travelling along someone's timeline, how would you ensure you don't inadvertently create a paradox by altering even minor details?"

She felt it before she understood it, a cold, sharp thing sliding into place in her chest. Not a slow realisation. Not a gentle click.

It hit her like a fucking freight train.

Her fork clattered against the plate. No one really noticed.

Her breath caught, her vision tunnelling slightly, the sound around her fading into a dull roar.

O.

Not O.

Her eyes snapped to Missy.

Missy didn't look back.

Oh my god.

Because that made it make sense.

That was the only explanation that made it make any sense.

Alina knew.

Her wife knew.

He'd held out his hand to her.

O.

He'd held out his hand to the woman who had murdered his friend?

Smiled at her.

Ha.

No.

What the fuck.

Hally's pulse roared in her ears, drowning out the scrape of chairs, the low murmur of conversation, the clink of glasses. Her fingers felt numb, her breath shallow like her lungs had forgotten how to work properly.

No. No. No.

Her eyes stayed locked on Missy, searching for something—anything—that would contradict the screaming certainty clawing its way through her mind. But Missy didn't flinch. Didn't even shift. She kept her gaze trained on Kate, responding to something with that perfect, sharp-edged smile, her fingers drumming lightly against the table like nothing was wrong.

But everything was wrong.

O had held out his hand to her.

The woman who had murdered his friend.

Smiled at her.

Not like a stranger. Not like someone new.

Like someone who already knew exactly how she'd respond.

The man who'd been there when she was pregnant.
The practical stranger she'd trusted without question.
The person she clung to like a lifeline when giving birth to her daughter.

At the time she'd blamed her beyond depressed, pregnant, hormonal state.

Because it hadn't made sense.

Her chest felt too tight, her thoughts spiralling, crashing into each other like shards of broken glass.

Alina knew. That's why she was so tense. That's why she couldn't look relaxed even if she tried. She'd figured it out. How long had she known?

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to laugh.

She wanted to grab the nearest object and throw it.

She had spent months feeling guilty over that fucking phone call.

She was an idiot.

It was obvious.

Obvious.

She had trusted this man to be at the birth of her child after what, what? Six months?

She had flirted with him.

She didn't FLIRT.

Oh my god.

Dickhead.

She was going to murder him.

Sitting at the dinner table, polite chatter swirled around her like white noise, meaningless and distant. She stared down at her plate, fork idle, hearts pounding like it was trying to punch its way out of her chest.

She had flirted with him.

Her throat felt tight, bile rising, but she swallowed it down. She could feel the heat creeping up her neck, the flush of humiliation prickling under her skin. Months. She had spent months feeling guilty over that stupid fucking phone call, wondering if she'd crossed a line, wondering what it meant.

It was obvious. It had always been obvious.

She'd trusted him. She'd let him be there when she was at her most vulnerable. It should have smacked her in the fucking face at the time.

Her gaze flicked up—just for a second—toward O. No. Not O. He was laughing softly at something Kate had said, head tilted slightly, like he was just some mild-mannered, awkward researcher. The kind of man you never looked at twice.

Except she had.

Her stomach twisted. She wanted to scream. She wanted to throw her glass right at his smug, perfectly crafted face.

But she didn't.

Hally swirled the wine in her glass, letting the deep red liquid catch the light, her expression calm. Composed. Because if there was one thing she had learned from being married to The Master… It was how to be petty.

Hally shifted, moving to place her hand on Missy's thigh, lingering, the touch a little too high to be casual. Barely a few moments later Hally's fingers drifted higher, just enough to have Missy's spine straightening slightly, her grip on her wine glass tightening. She could feel the subtle shift in Missy's body, the flicker of tension beneath the surface—controlled, but not unnoticed. Good.

She leaned in, her lips brushing the shell of Missy's ear, voice a soft, honeyed whisper only for her. "Is something wrong, my love?" The words dripped with sweetness, the kind that prickled just under the skin.

Missy's breath hitched, just barely, but Hally caught it.

A slow smile curled at her lips.

Her fingers traced idle patterns against the fabric of Missy's trousers, fingertips feather-light but deliberate. Knowing.

Missy didn't pull away. Didn't react beyond the faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth, the way her grip on the wine glass had gone rigid.

Instead, her voice remained smooth, steady, though Hally knew better than to believe she was unaffected.

"Not at all, darling," Missy murmured, tilting her head ever so slightly, lips just brushing Hally's cheek as she turned toward her. "Are you enjoying dinner?"

Hally hummed, pressing her nails in just enough to make Missy's breath stutter.

"Immensely."

Missy's eyes darkened, flickering down to where Hally's hand remained—lingering, warm, possessive.

Hally just smiled, taking a sip of her wine.

Missy let out a quiet, almost imperceptible breath.

"Careful, sweetheart," she purred, voice dropping to something just for her. "You know how I get when you tease."

Hally smirked against the rim of her glass.

"Oh, I'm counting on it."

Missy turned her head slightly, meeting Hally's gaze with a sharp, practised smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, threaded with that quiet, unspoken don't you dare warning.

Hally smiled back, all warmth and affection on the surface, her thumb tracing slow, idle circles against Missy's thigh, creeping incrementally closer with each pass. She didn't break eye contact, letting the tension stretch thin, like pulling a string taut just to see how far it would go before it snapped.

Across the table, O was laughing again, something about UNIT protocols, but Hally didn't miss the quick glance he stole, just a flicker, really. Barely there. But she saw it. Because she'd been looking for it.

She shifted slightly in her chair, angling herself just enough so her body leaned into Missy's, her hand drifting higher still, fingers light, deliberate. "You're so tense," she whispered, the words dancing along Missy's skin, playful on the surface but with that razor-thin edge underneath.

Missy's smile twitched, her jaw tightening imperceptibly as she shot Hally a side-glance, sharp and warning, the kind that would've made anyone else back down.

She kept her expression soft, affectionate even, as her thumb grazed the inside of Missy's thigh, slow and unhurried. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she turned her head slightly, pressing a delicate kiss to Missy's cheek, her lips lingering just a fraction too long, her breath warm against her skin.

Missy's hand found Hally's under the table, fingers wrapping around her wrist, not pulling it away, not really. Just holding it there. A silent enough wrapped in silk.

Hally's smile grew.

The conversation carried on around them, but she could feel it, the undercurrent, the silent exchange woven between touches and glances. O spoke again, answering something Osgood had asked, his voice smooth, steady.

But there was a pause. That split-second hitch when he thought no one would notice.

She noticed.

Hally's gaze drifted lazily back to O, her fingers still resting gently against Missy's thigh, the touch just a little too high to be entirely casual. She sat back, her posture relaxed, like she had all the time in the universe to play her game.

"The Australian sun must agree with you," she purred, a beautiful smile spreading across her face. "I swear you've hardly aged."

O smiled back, though it was awkward, his gaze flicking nervously from her to Missy, as if trying to read the atmosphere, confirming whether she was really flirting so openly in front of her wife.

Hally's fingers drifted, rubbing small, deliberate circles on the inside of Missy's thigh. It was subtle, but enough to command attention, her wrist still caught tightly in Missy's grip.

Her eyes flicked to the pair in front of her, her voice light and unaffected as she spoke, making sure to keep her presence known. "It's so sweet the two of you kept in touch."

O shifted slightly, uneasy as her gaze flitted between O and Osgood.

"I suppose it's hard to make friends when you've banished yourself to the middle of the desert," she added, her voice lilting with something playful.

Hally's finger moved again, this time more deliberately, brushing between Missy's legs. The slightest pressure. Her lips curled upward, watching for the smallest sign of reaction.

"So," Hally continued, her voice slicing through the murmur of conversation like a scalpel, "O, what have you been up to all these years?"

She didn't bother to look at him yet, keeping her gaze fixed on Missy's profile. She studied her wife's expression: the tension at the corners of her mouth, the quick tick of her jaw before it smoothed out again as if it had never been there. Missy would say nothing. Of course, she wouldn't. The question wasn't for her.

O chuckled softly, the sound mild, practised.

"Oh, you know," he replied casually, a shrug accompanying the words. "Research, mostly. A bit of fieldwork here and there."

Hally finally turned her head, locking eyes with him. His smile didn't falter, and that was what almost broke her. It was perfect, polished, warm, the faintest flicker of shyness underneath that only made it more infuriating.

She tilted her head slightly, playing up her curiosity.

"Fieldwork?" she echoed, letting the word linger. "That sounds… exciting. Dangerous, even." Sarcasm laced her words.

For a second, there was something, an almost imperceptible glint in his eyes.

"Oh, nothing too dramatic," he replied smoothly, a calm mask over the brief flicker of something more. "I prefer to observe rather than interfere."

Hally's smile stretched wider, teeth flashing.

"Really? Are you sure?"

And there it was—the briefest flicker of something else behind his eyes. A hesitation. A tiny crack in the mask.

Hally let the silence stretch for a beat longer, the tension hanging just thin enough to be plausible in the context of polite conversation, but taut beneath the surface like a wire pulled tight. She tilted her wine glass, watching the liquid swirl lazily, her fingers relaxed against the stem.

Then, with the softest of sighs, she leaned forward slightly, resting her elbow on the table, her chin balanced lightly on her hand as if the thought had just meandered into her mind.

"You know," she began, her voice light, conversational, almost dreamy, "I'm not sure I answered the question you were asking, before."

Missy's fingers, which had just started to relax against Hally's wrist, tensed again—barely noticeable, but Hally felt it.

She glanced across the table at O, her eyes lazy with faux curiosity. "Do you remember?" She pursed her lips. "It was something about paradoxes and crossing the same timeline multiple times?" She smiled, all warmth and ease, like it was just an amusing anecdote. "You were very thorough about it. Went on for ages, actually."

O's polite smile flickered, just for a heartbeat, before snapping back into place. "Ah… yes," he said with a soft laugh, feigning casual. "I was probably overthinking it."

"Oh, no," Hally replied sweetly. "It was a good question. I'm not sure I fully understood the scope of it at the time."

She swirled her wine again, then turned her gaze deliberately toward her father. "Hey, Dad," she said, her tone airy, light, perfectly balanced between affection and curiosity. "Hypothetically… do you think it's even possible to follow someone through their timeline without leaving any trace? Like, really embed yourself without causing a paradox?"

She'd opened up the conversation to the table, which immediately drew attention.

The Doctor blinked, a forkful of food halfway to his mouth. He set it down slowly, his brow furrowing just slightly, gears clearly turning. "Hmm. Well, in theory, if you're careful enough… maybe. But even the most meticulous time travellers leave some sort of footprint. It's inevitable. Relationships, emotional connections—they're the hardest to avoid. People remember feelings, even if they don't remember why."

Alina stiffened.

Hally hummed softly at her father's answer, as if considering it deeply, her fingers idly tracing small, slow circles against Missy's thigh under the table. Missy's grip on her wrist was like iron now, deceptively gentle on the surface but laced with tension underneath, a silent warning Hally chose to ignore.

"Well," Hally said after a moment, her voice light and thoughtful, "what about doing it more than once?"

She shifted slightly in her seat, crossing one leg over the other, her hand slipping just a fraction higher. Missy's breath hitched almost imperceptibly, and Hally's smile grew, lazy and satisfied.

"I mean," she continued, tilting her head as if the thought had only just occurred to her, "if it's difficult enough to follow someone's timeline without causing a paradox, how much harder would it be to cross into it twice? Or for argument's sake, three times."

O's glass paused mid-air. The Doctor's brows lifted, intrigued, oblivious to the sharpness beneath her words.

"Well," The Doctor began, clearly slipping into lecture mode, "that would be exponentially more complicated. The risks of creating overlapping events, or even accidentally encountering yourself, would be significant. You'd have to be incredibly precise."

Hally let out a soft, thoughtful hmm, her gaze drifting back to O. His polite expression had grown just a little too careful, the corners of his mouth too controlled.

She smiled sweetly at him, then shifted her attention back to Missy, leaning in as if to share something private. Her lips brushed the shell of Missy's ear, her voice low enough to be intimate, but not so low that the table couldn't hear.

"Of course," she murmured, "the real trick isn't avoiding being seen. It's avoiding being remembered."

Missy's fingers dug into her wrist now, nails biting just enough to sting, a silent stop. But Hally didn't flinch.

She just smiled, sipping her wine again, letting the taste linger as she savoured the ripple of tension spreading through the table within the select few.

The Doctor tilted his head, clearly mulling over her question, his fork forgotten on his plate. "Well," he began thoughtfully, "doing it once would require precision. Twice? That's either remarkable skill or sheer luck—probably both. But a third time…" He trailed off, his brow furrowing deeper. "That would be almost impossible. Every interaction compounds the risk. Even the smallest ripple could unravel the entire timeline."

Hally hummed softly, like it was nothing more than an interesting bit of trivia. But her eyes—sharp, bright, and entirely too knowing—flicked to O, just for a second. Just enough.

"Almost impossible," she echoed, voice light, her thumb tracing an idle circle against Missy's skin. "But not completely impossible?"

The Doctor gave a small, thoughtful shrug. "In theory, no. But in practice? It would require an absurd level of control. You'd have to be meticulous, relentless… and a little bit mad."

Hally let out a soft laugh, leaning back in her chair, her fingers never straying from where they'd settled. "And of course, you're running the risk of that person noticing."

"Well…" Her father hummed in agreement. "They'd have to be incredibly stupid not to."

"Quite."

Missy's nails dug in again, sharp enough to leave little crescent marks in Hally's skin, but Hally only smiled wider, turning her glass in her hand as if none of it mattered.

Across the table, O's face was carefully neutral, but his knuckles were white around his glass, the grip just a fraction too tight.

Hally took a sip of her wine, the taste sweet and sharp on her tongue.

"Oh well," she said breezily, setting the glass down. "I suppose some people can't help themselves."

She let the conversation die, allowing people to go back to their own pockets of conversation. Although, her hand never left Missy's thigh.

Her gaze drifted slightly to Alina, who was watching her with an unreadable expression. "What?"

Alina raised a brow. "What?"

Hally smirked. "You're looking at me like you want to say something."

Alina deadpanned. "I always want to say something."

Hally rolled her eyes but there was no real bite to it. She let herself sink further into her chair, her fingers absently tracing the rim of her glass. Only Alina was looking at her, although she could practically feel the attention of O on her. So she took a calculated risk. After a beat, she asked, "Was it this obvious at the time?"

Alina, who had just taken a sip of her drink, immediately choked, catching the attention of those around her. River's gaze flicked between them, smirking slightly, Osgood looked mildly baffled. Meanwhile, O was staring at her, his eyes narrowed and focused.

"Was what… uh… obvious?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

Alina quickly cleared her throat, trying to regain some composure. "Sort of," she admitted, her voice sounding a little hoarse.

Hally gave her a dry, unimpressed look. "Sort of?"

Alina gestured vaguely, still trying to steady her breathing. "I mean, there was a lot going on. And I try not to jump to conclusions about people who have… complicated relationships with time."

Hally arched a brow. "Complicated?"

Alina shot her a flat, almost warning look. "You know exactly what I mean."

River hummed in amusement.

Alina glared back at her, but wisely didn't press her advantage. Instead, she leaned back into her seat, rubbing at her temple. "Anyway. Not the point. The point is, some of us were too busy trying not to die to overanalyze your personal timeline nonsense."

O ran a finger along the rim of his glass, his expression thoughtful, almost amused. Then, as though a thought had only just occurred to him, he shifted his attention to Alina. "I'm not convinced you worked it out all on your own," he said lightly. "I think someone told you."

Hally went still, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Alina frowned, clearly caught off guard by his completely 'out of character' statement. "What? No one told me anything. I figured it out myself."

O smiled, slow and almost too mild. "Did you?" Hally swirled her wine in her glass, watching O with a carefully controlled amusement as he continued. "Well, if you remember it so clearly, maybe you should tell us what gave it away."

Alina's eyes narrowed. "You know what gave it away."

O tilted his head ever so slightly, his smile polite but entirely too interested. "Do I?" O added smoothly, "Perhaps we're still in the realm of hypotheticals."

Alina exhaled sharply, her patience clearly beginning to thin. "Oh, come on. If you're going to be cryptic, at least try to be subtle about it."

O's smile only widened, the expression pleasant but with a knowing edge. "I am being subtle. You're the one getting flustered."

Alina scoffed, clearly trying to maintain control. "I'm not flustered."

River made a quiet, amused sound. "You do seem a little flustered."

Alina shot her a glare. "Shut up."

Hally leaned her chin on her hand, watching the back-and-forth with open amusement. "You know, I don't think she's actually answered your question."

Alina scowled at the ongoing game.

"No, she hasn't." O practically purred.

She turned back to O, crossing her arms, clearly done with his cryptic answers. "Well? If you think someone told me, then who?"

O tapped a finger thoughtfully against the table, his smile never faltering. "Hmm. That is the question, isn't it?"

Alina exhaled sharply, clearly trying not to rise to the bait. "You're insufferable."

"So I've been told."

River raised an eyebrow, studying Hally with a sharp look. "I have to say, I'm surprised you haven't lost your mind by now."

Hally leaned back, a wry smile pulling at her lips as she took another sip of her wine. "I'm sort of used to them showing up where they shouldn't," she said casually, her eyes flicking to O for a brief second. "Although…" She frowned slightly, her tone tightening just a fraction. "I am a little annoyed by the amount of time I spent feeling guilty about that phone call."

The words hung in the air for a moment, the tension between them palpable. Hally didn't look away, didn't blink, just let the silence stretch between them until O let out a short, breathy laugh. His fingers curled slightly around his glass.

"You're welcome," he said, voice just a touch too pleased with himself.

Hally's eyes narrowed. "Don't push it."

Beside her, Missy shifted. Not much, just enough for Hally to feel the faint growl vibrating through her, a protective tension radiating off her in waves. Hally didn't need to look to know her wife was wound tight, coiled like a predator ready to strike.

But Hally didn't break eye contact with O. Instead, she reached out, a deliberate, grounding touch against Missy. A silent message. I'm yours. She felt Missy exhale, just barely, the tension easing by degrees.

And then Hally smiled, serene, unfazed. "And your choice in friends is quite frankly psychotic." Her voice was light, easy, but threaded with something sharper, honey laced with venom.

O hummed, almost thoughtful, muttering more to himself than anyone else. "I thought it was a nice, full-circle moment."

Hally scoffed, tilting her head. "You're an awful, awful person." The words came out sweet, too sweet, just a little too smooth to be entirely genuine.

O barked a laugh, sharp and sudden, and it wasn't his laugh. It was something older, something richer, deep and wrong. His gaze locked onto hers, eyes glinting with a knowing amusement.

And then he smiled, awful and terrible. "Why, thank you."

And it hit her, how easy it was.

How effortless it had been to fool all of them, because no one else around the table had batted an eyelid during this entire conversation. Not a flicker of recognition, not a pause in breath. Apart from the ones she knew already knew.

And River.

Because of course River fucking Song knew. She always knew.

The moment splintered as a small, warm body wriggled between her and Missy, shifting easily onto Hally's lap.

Lily.

Their daughter yawned, tucking herself in close. Hally let out a slow breath, smoothing a hand over Lily's back as the little girl settled against her, head resting against Hally's shoulder. She was warm, heavy with sleep, and it grounded her, cut through the lingering hum of tension still buzzing under her skin.

She glanced at Missy, who was watching her with something unreadable in her expression. Not quite fond, not quite wary, but something in between.

"Time for bed, sweetheart," Hally murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Lily's head.

Lily made a sleepy noise of protest but didn't argue, her fingers curling into the fabric of Hally's sleeve as she shifted off her lap, the pair of them rising from the table. Hally took Missy's hand, bringing it to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.

"Bed?" she murmured.

Missy hummed, standing with her. Together, they murmured their goodnights, and Hally let her gaze drift across the table one last time. Her eyes landed on him.

Her smile wasn't as sharp this time. Just knowing. An almost amused glint in her eyes, but softened, the tension from earlier eased into something quieter. Because she wasn't angry. Not really. She knew why he had been there. And, she was nothing but glad.

---

Lily was already half-asleep by the time they tucked her in, only stirring slightly when Hally smoothed a hand over her hair. She murmured something incoherent, her breath already slowing into that deep, steady rhythm of sleep.

Hally lingered for a moment, watching her, before letting out a slow breath.

Missy was already moving toward their own bed, her movements fluid and effortless as she pulled off her jacket, tossing it over the back of a chair. Hally followed, reaching for her hand as they settled under the blankets.

Her fingers were cool but steady as they curled around Hally's, and there was a flicker of something in her gaze, something Hally recognized, something sharp and possessive and undeniably hers.

Missy shifted, shoving her knee between Hally's legs with a small huff. "Tease," she muttered.

Hally only laughed softly, pressing a gentle kiss to Missy's mouth. "Consider it payback."

Missy's lips curled, eyes dark in the dim light. "But I haven't done it yet."

Hally huffed a quiet laugh against Missy's lips, her fingers tightening briefly around hers. "Yet," she echoed, amusement curling at the edge of her voice.

Missy shifted closer, their bodies pressed together beneath the blankets, her knee still slotted between Hally's thighs in a way that was deliberate but ultimately futile.

Because two meters away, their daughter was sleeping soundly.

Not that it stopped Missy from pressing her mouth against Hally's jaw, lingering there, her breath warm against her skin. "I think I deserve a little reward," she murmured, her lips brushing just below Hally's ear, voice a hushed and sultry thing.

Hally exhaled sharply, fingers digging into Missy's hip. "For what, exactly?"

Missy tilted her head back just enough to smirk at her, eyes glittering. "For being on my best behaviour all night. Despite your meddling."

Hally raised a brow. "Oh? That was your best behaviour?"

Missy scoffed softly. "Compared to what I could have done? Absolutely."

Hally shook her head, but her grin lingered as she pulled Missy in closer, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to the corner of her mouth. "Well, I'll give you credit for effort."

Missy made a pleased hum, but her fingers were already dragging lazily over Hally's hip, lingering, teasing.

Hally exhaled, shifting just enough to hook a leg over Missy's and pin her properly in place. "Go to sleep."

Missy sighed, the dramatic kind that meant she wasn't done sulking yet, but she didn't push further. Instead, she rested her forehead against Hally's, her breath warm between them.

Hally stroked a hand over her back, slow and steady, feeling the tension ease from Missy's body, little by little. A wordless affirmation.

"…Don't get any ideas," Missy muttered sleepily after a moment.

Hally smirked, eyes drifting shut. "Go to sleep."