Emerald Green
Chapter Eighteen
Stay for Dinner
"No, no," the Doctor was saying, a few hours later. "You need to hold the light blue button on the helm panel down while you release the time-rotor handbrake, then set the plotter, then twist the gyroscoptic stabilizer, and then run your finger across the…what did you call it?...pearl pad."
Molly clung as tightly to what looked like an updated zig-zag plotter as she could with one hand, and a switch with the other. It took a minute for her to convince her brain that letting go of the plotter wouldn't actually send her hurtling into space, and then she slowly released the plotter and pressed the button and flipped the switch, then let go of the button and moved the plotter, and then twisted the…gyro-something…and then swiped her hand over the pad.
"Good!" the Doctor said with approval. "Now, three steps to the right, and spin the – the – the thingy, four times counter-clockwise." Molly took the three steps, and reached for the crank the Doctor had indicated, but the Doctor shouted, "Counterclockwise!" She adjusted her hand and spun it the right way. Or, left way, rather.
She wasn't sure why she'd thought learning to fly the TARDIS was a good idea. Theoretically, yes, an excellent opportunity any Doctor Who fan would die for. In reality, she had only just started to stop feeling like she was going to vomit every time she remembered they were in space. It was like someone afraid of heights deciding to fly a plane.
The Doctor, at least, was encouraging. Mostly. At times he was a bit like James when Molly had tricked him into letting her drive his Porsche 911 despite not knowing how to drive manual and only just barely being able to drive at all, but whenever she got something right, she could feel the Doctor beaming from the other side of her. That made it worth it. Sort of.
"Molly, focus!" he shouted, and then pushed her out of the way. He moved so quickly she wasn't quite sure what he did until he had already stepped back and gestured for her to take his place. "You almost crashed into 1561!"
The obstacles were a lot more interesting than driving through the country, anyway.
Molly stepped up and flipped a switch he indicated. "What next?"
"Okay, okay, now…walk around to the keypad, and…gently…press the top left, bottom right, and then the middle button twice. Then pull the lever."
She moved around the console, repeating the directions to herself, until she pressed the keys – top left, bottom right, middle, middle – and then pulled the famous lever, and was rewarded with that wonderful TARDIS landing sound. She turned to the Doctor with wide eyes. "Wait – did I just – are we -"
"Landed!" He shouted, rubbing his hands together. He leaned into the monitor and pointed into it. "Perfectly, too, by the looks of it." He turned towards her with an uplifted hand, and Molly gave him a high five.
"Are you serious?" she breathed. "I just flew the TARDIS somewhere?"
"Not just somewhere! London, 2015. We'll just pop out for a bit."
Molly leaned towards the monitor, and saw that they were parked in an alley, with people walking around a few feet away down the street. "I can't believe I just flew the TARDIS."
"And we didn't crash!"
She wanted to be smart about him expecting them to crash, but honestly, she was surprised, too. "This is amazing."
"You did great!" He replied, as he headed for the door. She followed him out into the alley, and they walked out onto a busy London street.
"I didn't really have the opportunity to look around London much before I got here. Pretty much just the airport," Molly said as she looked up and down the street. "It's so exciting to actually be here."
"All of time and space, and London still excites you," the Doctor said, sounding a little surprised.
She shrugged, looking over to him. "I could say the same about you. You're here all the time."
"Fair enough," replied the Doctor, as they started moving down the street. "I do like to drop in now and then. Keep an eye out for any alien invasions. These particular decades seem very popular for it."
"Probably why the show is centered on this time period," Molly mused. She peeked into windows to see London fashion. It was a lot like American fashion had been at the time. She remembered wearing all those layers. What had everyone been thinking?
"Speaking of alien invasions…" the Doctor said softly, pausing in his walking.
Molly almost groaned. "You're kidding me. What did you see?"
The Doctor pointed down the street, towards another alley. "A couple of beady eyes glancing up and down the street from behind the wall. Short. Grey body. One little fang."
Molly looking ahead and scanned around, but didn't see anything. "An Adipose?"
"Yep," the Doctor replied, headed for the alley.
Molly half-jogged to catch up. "What is an Adipose doing here, now?"
"No idea," replied the Doctor. "Quite a few years ago they used Earth as a sort of breeding ground for them, and then left with them all. Theoretically them all. It may have gotten left behind."
"For all these years?" That was a long time for one little Adipose to be hiding out. How long were their lifespans?
They turned down the alley. There was a dumpster with a few trash bags piled beside it on one side, an abandoned bicycle on the other, covered in rust. But no Adipose.
"Is it hiding?" Molly whispered to the Doctor, not wanted to alarm the Adipose if it was nearby.
The Doctor took out the sonic. "Probably. That's how it's gotten by for so long, without getting caught and experimented on, or imprisoned. It's a clever one." He began to scan the area. "It's alright. We won't hurt you," he said louder, reassuringly. He followed where the sonic seemed to lead him, towards the dumpster. He tucked the sonic back in his pocket, and peeked behind the dumpster. "Hello there. I'm the Doctor. I'm here to help. I can get you home, if you like."
She saw the Adipose hesitantly stick its little head out, like a stray cat nervously deciding whether or not to trust someone. The Doctor crouched down, and held his hand out, palm up. The Adipose took a step out, and braced itself as though expecting an attack. But after a moment, it took another step forward, and touched the Doctor's fingers experimentally. Molly crossed her fingers behind her back, and was glad when the Adipose stepped up to sit in the Doctor's hand.
"Alright. I'm just going to put you in my pocket while we head back to my ship, so no one spots you. Don't worry, it's bigger on the inside," he explained as he opened his coat, and held the Adipose up to his pocket. The Adipose lifted itself up by the edge of it, then dove in, head-first. The Doctor carefully closed his jacket, and gave Molly a thumbs up.
Molly gave a sigh of relief. "Finally, something goes smoothly."
The Doctor frowned. "Don't jinx it." He headed out of the alley, Molly trailing behind him, stepped out and turned to walk back to the TARDIS – and then immediately stepped back, his face going pale.
"What is it?" Molly asked, her stomach sinking. Maybe she really had jinxed them.
"Saw someone I really shouldn't run into."
Knowing the Doctor and remembering the ballet, she asked, "Is it you?"
"No. Worse."
"Who?"
"Not me," he said. "We should be going. Don't want them knowing it's me. I already…it might cause problems." He turned and grabbed her arm and started walking quickly to exit at the other side of the alley. They were about halfway down it when Molly heard a shout.
"Hey!" Footsteps approached from behind them. The Doctor stopped, but didn't turn, so Molly did.
She was a terrible liar, but she hoped she covered her shocked expression well, because approaching them quickly from the other side was unmistakably Martha Jones. Jeans, graphic tank top, red leather jacket, determined look in her eye.
Molly swallowed, then tried for a casual tone. "Hey. Is there a problem?"
Martha shook her head, as she glanced around the alley. "I'm just looking for something. Have you seen anything weird around here?"
"Weird?" Molly repeated, and knew exactly how bad she was going to butcher this before she even spoke. "No, no. Nothing weird. I've never seen anything weird. All totally normal." Molly pinched the Doctor's arm to try to get him to turn around and save them.
Martha's suspicious eyes moved to the Doctor's back. "How about you, mister? See anything strange?"
The Doctor took a moment before turning with a large, overly-friendly grin on his face. "Me? Of course not. The epitome of normal, that's me. Call me Mr. Normal." He paused, and made a face. "No, don't call me Mr. Normal. How boring is that? Call me – ah…" He seemed to realize what he'd been about to say. "Call me John Smith."
"John Smith?" Martha's eyebrows went up. "I used to have a friend called John Smith."
"Unsurprising. Very common name. Anyway, we should be off, my friend here needs to head to A&E. Twisted her…" He looked up and down at Molly, looking for something that could be wrong with her that wouldn't be immediately evident. "Eardrum."
"Eardrum?" Martha said skeptically.
"Yes. Very painful. Isn't it, Molly?"
Molly wished he wasn't making her speak, but it was better than sitting by and watching this train wreck. "Uh. Yeah. Ow."
Martha folded her arms over her chest. "Well, I'm a doctor, maybe I can take a look at it." Clearly testing them.
"No need. We'll just be going," replied the Doctor, as he grabbed Molly's arm and started to drag her behind him, making his way around Martha. Molly saw him tuck the Adipose's head back into his coat as they hurried away.
They made it out to the alley without Martha stopping them, but Molly still looked back to make sure they weren't being followed before leaning closer to the Doctor's ear. "She totally knows it's you."
"She doesn't know. Of course she doesn't know. How would she know?"
"As much as you lie, you kind of suck at it sometimes. And we both know I'm the world's worst liar."
"I don't think you're being very fair to yourself," he replied. "You're not the worst liar in the world."
Molly chuckled. "You're wrong, but thanks."
"You're the worst liar in the universe."
"Oh, thanks," she said sarcastically. "But seriously, she definitely knows it's you. Even with a new face, you're pretty recognizable."
The Doctor shook his head. "No, no. She has absolutely no reason to be suspicious." They turned down the alley, headed for the TARDIS. "I'll just drop this little fella off in here, and we'll head back out. Opposite direction. Best she not know it's me."
"Okay," Molly said doubtfully. She glanced back, but still didn't see Martha following. Maybe she'd decided to pursue the Adipose instead, and search the alley thoroughly. She must have been tracking it down.
The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS and headed inside while Molly waited outside. It wasn't long until the Doctor stepped back out again, and turned to lock the TARDIS up. "All settled in a nice bath. He's clearly been out on the street awhile. I think-"
"I knew it!" came Martha's voice from down the alley. Molly smirked and turned as Martha approached with long strides. "I knew it was you."
"I told you so," Molly said, making sure to put as much arrogance in her voice as possible. "You're very distinctive."
The Doctor rolled his eyes, but then turned with a smile. "Can't get anything past you, hey?"
"Never," Martha replied, smiling as she stopped a few feet from them. She looked him up and down. "Your face is different."
"I regenerated. For real, this time. No hand to use to cheat the process and keep the old face." He paused, a thoughtful look spreading across his features. "Well, that time, that is."
"You look…" Martha began, looking him up and down again, and took a step closer to peer at his face. Molly saw the Doctor straighten his bowtie and stand straight, clearly ready for a compliment. But Martha said with a softer voice, "…older."
The Doctor's face fell. "Well, so do you, but I wasn't going to mention it," he said grumpily.
Martha was still looking into his eyes, smiling as she clearly found something familiar in them. "You really are the same old Doctor, aren't you?"
The Doctor gave a begrudging smile. "That's me. Silly old Doctor, as ever."
Martha leaned back and looked at him expectedly. "…well?"
"Well," the Doctor responded.
"Are you gonna hug me, or what?"
Molly saw the lines form around his eyes as he smiled, a sign that despite his hesitation in meeting her again, he was truly happy to see her. He gave a small laugh and surged forward, seizing her in a tight hug. "Good old Martha Jones!" It took a little while before he kissed the side of her head and pulled away. "It's good to see you again."
"It's good to see you, too," Martha replied, still smiling. "The last time I saw you…it looked like you were saying goodbye."
The Doctor nodded. "I was. I was dying, about to regenerate. I wanted to see everyone first."
Martha's expression turned to something a little more serious. "Did you get to see Rose?"
"Yeah," replied the Doctor. "Well, not the Rose that I knew, that knew me. I stopped by the New Years before she met me."
Martha's smile returned as she nodded with approval, and then she turned to Molly. "And this must be your new friend. Glad to see you aren't alone. I'm Martha, Martha Jones," she said, holding out a hand.
Molly stepped forward with a grin and shook her hand. Martha Jones. She was shaking the hand of Martha Jones. "Molly Quinn," she introduced herself, and hoped her handshake was strong enough, but also not crushing her hand. She always felt Martha was severely underrated, and wanted to make a good impression. "It's so nice to meet you. The Doctor's told me all about you," she added, just in case she let some knowledge she had of Martha from the show slip.
"Has he?" Molly glanced back to the Doctor nervously. "Only the good stuff, I hope."
The Doctor waved a hand dismissively. "It's all good stuff, remember?"
Martha stuck her hands in her pockets as she turned back to the Doctor. "What are you doing here? Were you here for the Adipose? Something else? Nothing too serious, I hope."
"Not serious at all!" declared the Doctor. "I was showing Molly how to fly the TARDIS. This was as good a place to stop as any."
"Then you have some time available?" Martha asked hopefully. When the Doctor replied in the affirmative, Martha said, "You really should come and see Mickey, then. He'll be furious if you don't."
The Doctor clapped his hands together. "Mickey! Yes! Let's go say hi to Mickey."
"Excellent," Martha said, and turned to begin back down the alley. The Doctor followed beside her, and Molly followed a bit behind, giving the two a chance to have a bit of a chat together and catch up. Martha didn't live too far from where they'd landed, so all they'd really had a chance to discuss was it had been "a few hundred" years for the Doctor (Molly assumed he was concerned a real estimate would prompt questions he wasn't ready for), and that Martha and Mickey were semi-retired from UNIT, only brought in for special cases.
They reached the door and Martha took out her key to open it.
"Ah! You still have the TARDIS key," said the Doctor, pointing at where it dangled beside what seemed to be a car key.
"Of course!" replied Martha. "You never know if you might need it again. Besides, it's a nice keepsake, a little reminder of when we were traveling together."
As Martha turned back to the door, Molly spotted the Doctor's expression. He was touched by Martha holding on to the key all this time. And as Martha opened the door, she saw that warmed expression turn a little anxious, and he hesitated to follow Martha inside. He seemed nervous to see Mickey again, to spend time with Martha. Molly reached out and squeezed his arm reassuringly, and then stepped inside ahead of him, to buy him another few seconds.
She walked down a little hall to the living room, and shortly heard the front door close behind her. The living room was as normal a living room as Molly had ever seen, not just with neutral-colored furniture, but with the lived-in look she felt so much more comfortable in then places that looked so neat and clean they could be found on the cover of a magazine. A few mugs sat on the coffee table, beside the coasters they were meant to be on. A couple books sat on the edge of it, one on black holes, one an Agatha Christie mystery, and two children's books on top of them. One armchair had a pile of laundry, and across the couch were strewn a few teddy bears, and more laundry draped over an arm. Under the coffee table Molly spotted a child's brightly colored xylophone, and there were a few blocks around the entertainment center. The television showed an action movie Molly thought had been popular at the time.
In the other armchair sat Mickey Smith, his feet up against the coffee table, one hand on the remote, dressed in a plain black t-shirt and blue jeans.
"Mickey, guess who's dropped by for a visit," Martha said, as she stepped in and began picking up the laundry on the couch.
Mickey glanced over to Molly and the Doctor, and looked confused as he paused the movie and stood. "Hi. Sorry," he apologized. "I'm sure we met sometime, but I don't remember."
"That's alright, it's been a while," said the Doctor, taking a big step over a wood train set to stand next to Mickey. "I look a bit different."
Mickey's face scrunched up a bit as he stared at the Doctor, trying to place him, while the Doctor stood there, beaming goofily. Mickey glanced around the Doctor at Martha, who looked like she was holding back her excitement, and then over to Molly, then back to the Doctor.
"Still not sure where I know you from," replied Mickey apologetically, but as soon as he'd said it, his eyes widened with realization. "Wait – no way. Doctor?"
"Hi there, Mickey!" replied the Doctor eagerly, now seizing Mickey's hand in an overenthusiastic handshake. Mickey still looked stunned. "It's lovely to see you again, really. It's been a long time. Well, for me it's been a long time. Not sure if it's been a long time for you. It's…what, six years? Is that a long time?"
Mickey still seemed taken aback, especially by the rush of words. The Doctor moved away from Mickey and started looking around. "I don't under…" Mickey began, but then his face broke out in a smile. "I mean, it's really good to see you, too, Doctor."
The Doctor picked up a doll sitting on top of the entertainment center and looked under it, then set it down and turned, examining the place. "See you redecorated, Martha. Not to my taste, but if it's what you like."
Martha seemed confused by this comment. "You haven't been here before, Doctor."
The Doctor looked at her with surprise. "I haven't?"
"It's not the same place, Doctor," explained Molly, then she turned and offered her hand to Mickey. "I'm Molly Quinn. Nice to meet you." What a delight to introduce herself by her real name.
"Nice to meet you," said Mickey, giving her a firm handshake. "You must be the new us."
Molly shrugged. "Pretty much. Not quite as physically tough, but witty and cute."
As Mickey laughed, the Doctor came back to clap him on the back. "So, Mickey! Mickey Smith! And Martha Jones! What have you two been up to since I've been gone?"
"I mentioned we both work for UNIT, just on special occasions. We still freelance sometimes, but not as often," said Martha, "Since we…you know." She gestured around the living room, and the Doctor nodded sagely.
"Martha went back to work as a doctor," said Mickey. "I've been doing computer programming from home. It's not much, not saving the universe, but it's a good paycheck, and I like it. I'm good at it."
"You did always have a mind for computers," replied the Doctor, with a hint of pride in his voice.
Again, Mickey seemed a little confused. "You know, if you were this nice to me to begin with, we might've gotten on better."
The Doctor looked thoughtful as he appeared to think back to when they'd first met. "I was bit of a Mr. Grumpyface at the time, yeah," he admitted. "But look at us! We're best mates now."
"Best mates," Mickey repeated skeptically. "Yeah. Speaking of that, we tried to invite you to our wedding, but you didn't answer the call."
The Doctor looked from Mickey to Martha, surprised. "Are you married?"
Molly lowered her face into her hands with secondhand embarrassment as Martha laughed.
"Yeah," said Martha, holding up her hand to show him her ring. "We got married a bit before you came to say goodbye."
"Ah," said the Doctor, rubbing his hands together. "Sorry. I was busy. Forgot to check my messages for a bit. A decade or so."
"He would've just embarrassed you with his dancing," Molly interjected.
"I am an excellent dan - no, no, wait!" the Doctor interjected, pointing a finger at Martha. "There was another bloke. What was his name? Tom. Tom! What happened to Tom?"
Martha shrugged. "It just didn't work out. It's hard, you know. When you've been on so many adventures and you're trying to share your life with someone who'll never quite understand them. He didn't really approve of me working for UNIT, either. Thought I should just focus on being a doctor. But I wanted to stick with UNIT at the time."
"We're a much better match," said Mickey, sounding a bit defensive now.
"Right, yes," agreed the Doctor. "Martha and Mickey. Mickey and Martha. This is lovely."
Martha turned and started headed for the kitchen that Molly could see just around the corner. "You want to stay for dinner?"
"I'm making some shepherd's pie. There'll be plenty," added Mickey.
The Doctor wrung his hands together nervously. "Oh! No, thank you, thank you, we really shouldn't impose."
"Don't be ridiculous!" said Martha. "You're staying. We've barely even started catching up."
"Oh. I don't…" the Doctor still seemed uncertain. Molly figured it had been a long, long time since he'd stayed anywhere for dinner, especially with friends. And it wasn't something he did often in the first place.
"I'm starving, so I'm staying," she said, making the decision for him. "You can go back to the TARDIS alone if you want."
The Doctor hesitated, but slowly he smiled. "Well, in that case, I'd be glad to stay. Thanks." He was, as he usually was, touched that Mickey and Martha wanted him to stay.
"Good, because I wasn't giving you a choice," replied Martha, and she turned and headed into the kitchen. She came out with a pile of plates and headed for the small dining table in the living room. She started setting the table, including one little bright orange plastic plate.
"Here, let me help," Molly offered. "Where's the silverware?"
"You don't have to do that," replied Martha.
"But I'm going to anyway. Where's the silverware? I'm just gonna start opening random drawers otherwise," she said, as she headed into the little kitchen. It smelled wonderful.
As Martha helped guide her to the silverware drawer, Molly listened in on the conversation in the living room. The Doctor was saying, "You've done really well, Mickey. Nice home, if you like that sort of thing. Great wife. A job using your talents. It's good to see that."
As Molly came out of the kitchen, she saw Mickey shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you really the Doctor? You're being way too nice to me. It's starting to freak me out."
"Don't be silly," said the Doctor, clasping his arm for a moment. "I'm always nice to you."
"That's a laugh," replied Mickey, but a moment later he added, "But thanks, Doctor. I appreciate it. I really do."
Martha set the shepherd's pie on the table. "Alright, we're all set," she said, then turned to shout down a nearby hall, "Maggie! Dinner! We have guests!"
The Doctor seemed confused, and even more so when a little girl about three and a half feet tall came trotting out of the hallway, a teddy bear that had clearly once been white in her arms. She eyed the Doctor suspiciously, then Molly.
The Doctor looked from Maggie to Mickey, then Martha. "…you had a baby?"
Molly again lowered her face into her hands. "I swear. I promise. He's not always this stupid."
The Doctor turned to Molly. "That's the nicest thing you ever said about me."
Molly narrowly avoided holding a finger up at him that would have been inappropriate in front of a child.
Martha was laughing. "Yes, Doctor. We have a daughter. This is Maggie. Maggie, this is an old friend of your dad and I. He's called the Doctor. And that's his friend Molly."
Maggie waved her fingers nervously and held the bear tighter. The Doctor stepped up to her and crouched down to her level, and offered his hand. "Hi, Maggie. It's very nice to meet you," he said, his voice gentle.
Maggie hesitated a moment, then gave a shy smile and put her hand in his. "I'm five," she informed him seriously.
"Five!" the Doctor exclaimed, shaking her hand. "That's practically a grown-up." He stood, and measured her height against him, exaggerating where she came to on his body. "You're going to be taller than me, soon. And what's their name?" He asked, briefly poking the nose of the teddy bear.
"He's Bailey," Maggie replied, holding him out proudly. She pressed a button in its paw and the bear announced 'I love you!'. "He protects me from the monsters."
"Ohh, monsters," the Doctor replied seriously. "Are there very many scary monsters in your room?"
Maggie nodded. "They run under my bed."
"It's mice," Martha explained. "Somehow mice got in. That reminds me, Mickey, did you place the traps?"
"I may have forgotten that," Mickey admitted as he took his seat at the table. "I'll get to it."
"It's monsters in my closet, too," insisted Maggie.
The Doctor turned back to Maggie. "You know how to protect yourself from monsters, right?"
Maddie nodded. "Pull the covers over your head. Mummy taught me."
"Your mum's a very smart woman," said the Doctor.
"And a nightlight," added Maggie.
"Nightlights essential," replied the Doctor. "And you've got Bailey, and your mum and dad. I think you're well protected. I think it's the monsters that should be scared."
Maggie giggled, then ran and hid behind Martha, who guided her to the table. "Bedtime after dinner," she announced, helping Maggie onto her chair. There was a chair beside her for Bailey.
Molly and the Doctor moved to join them at the table. Molly smiled at the Doctor. He really was good with children. She'd always wanted to be that good with kids, but she never quite got the hang of it. It was probably for the best. She wouldn't make the best role model for a kid.
Still, watching the Doctor with Maggie was heartwarming. He must have been an amazing dad, she thought, not for the first time.
"Well, let's eat," announce Mickey, and he began serving the shepherd's pie.
It occurred to Molly that this was the first real family meal she'd had since she was a kid herself.
It was a lovely meal. She hadn't had Shepherd's Pie before, and it was delicious, despite her usual dislike of casseroles. But better than that was watching the Doctor reconnect with Martha and Mickey, occasionally giving a comment to Maggie. Molly mostly stayed silent, enjoying watching the old friends. Plus, well – it was Martha and Mickey. More characters from a show she loved that were absolutely real here.
She dodged a few questions about who she was and where she was from, except to say she was from Texas and had sort of stowed away on the TARDIS. Otherwise, her first real family meal in over a decade had been lovely.
Mickey cleared the table as Martha helped Maggie down from her chair, and handed her Bailey. "Okay, sweetheart, time for bed."
"No, no, no, no, no!" Maggie screamed. "Not time for bed!"
"Yes, Maggie," said Martha, picking her up. "You have a playdate tomorrow, remember?"
Maggie squirmed, trying to get free. "But it's dark!"
"You have your nightlight," Martha reminded her, headed for the hall.
"It's still too dark! The monsters will get me!"
"Hey," the Doctor started, and he stood and walked over. He held his arms out in a request to take Maggie from Martha, and as shy as Maggie had been, she dove into his arms to get away from the mother who was trying to send her to bed. "Are you scared of the dark?" Maggie nodded enthusiastically, and Molly could see tears in her eyes. "You know what? Me, too."
"Grown-ups aren't scared of the dark," Maggie insisted.
"I'm only kind of a grown-up," explained the Doctor. "You know what helps me?" She shook her head. "Knowing I have very brave friends who would help me if anything happened. Your mum and dad are some of those friends. Did you know that they're very, very brave?" Maggie looked to Mickey, then Martha, then gave a small nod. "Yeah. They're superheroes. They help me save the world." Maggie giggled at that. "No, really. You don't have to be afraid of the dark, because you've got your superhero dad and your superhero mum to watch out for you, don't you? And Bailey will let them know if any monsters are trying to hurt you." He shifted Maggie to one side and reached into his pocket and pulled out the sonic. The high-pitched sound seemed to echo on the walls as he pointed it at the teddy bear. As soon as he put his sonic back in his pocket, two cell phones gave little text alert sounds, and then announced in the same voice Bailey used, "Extraterrestrial nearby". Mickey and Martha both reached for their phones and checked them. Martha slipped it back in her pocket with a smile.
Maggie looked confused. "What does extra-rest-sale mean?"
"Don't worry about it," replied the Doctor as he handed the little one back to her mother. "You just hold on really tight to that bear. Don't lose him."
Maggie held Bailey a little closer. "I won't," she promised.
The Doctor patted the curls down at the top of her head. "Think you can go to bed, now?"
Maggie considered it. "Mmmhm."
Martha rested her cheek on top of her daughter's head. "Say goodnight, Maggie."
"Goodnight, Daw-tor," said Maggie, then turned her head towards Molly. "Goodnight, Molly."
"Goodnight, Maggie," Molly replied. The Doctor waved as Martha headed down the hall.
Mickey approached the Doctor and patted his shoulder. "Thanks, Doctor," he said. "That was really nice of you."
"I told you I'm always nice," the Doctor replied, but then added, "Don't worry about it. Least I could do."
"You sticking around this place and time for a while?"
The Doctor shook his head. "Just dropping by, as I said. People to go. Places to see." He frowned. "Other way round, I think."
Martha came back down the hall. "We really appreciate that, Doctor. It can be a bit nerve-wracking, raising a kid and knowing what's out there."
The Doctor nodded in understanding. "Now you'll know if there's anything to be worried about. And hopefully, when not to worry. About aliens, at least. Wait until she's a teenager. Then you'll have to worry about…you know…rock music, hanging out in pool halls…Twitter." He didn't seem to remember what it was teenagers actually had to deal with.
"We'll, uh," started Mickey. "Be prepared for that."
"Well, good, good, you should be," replied the Doctor. He paused a moment. "Well. We should be off."
Molly wanted to object, to give them more time together, but she had already made him stay this long. She didn't know what was going on in his head, didn't know how well he was dealing with this. It was probably his turn to make a decision here.
Martha stared up at his face for a moment, as though trying to memorize it. Then she gave him a tight hug. "Don't be a stranger," she said, wiping tears off her face as she pulled away. "I know you will be, but still."
"Oh, don't cry, Martha," said the Doctor, squeezing her shoulders. "You'll get me started. And Molly is a crybaby, so that'll get her started, and then poor Mickey will have to just stand and watch us all cry."
"Yeah," said Mickey. "It's not like I'm gonna cry or anything." Molly glanced over to him, and saw that he did, indeed, have tears in his eyes. He stepped up for his turn to hug the Doctor. "You be careful, alright? Don't get into too much trouble."
"I'm never in any trouble," the Doctor replied. "Well, any real trouble. Well, I haven't died. Well…it hasn't stuck."
"That's my Doctor," Martha laughed. She turned to Molly. "You look after him, now. He's prone to do reckless things, I'm sure you've noticed."
"I'll try my best," replied Molly. "It's been really good to meet you, Martha. And you, Mickey."
"Nice meeting you, too, Molly," replied Mickey, as he reached out and shook her hand.
Martha came over and gave her a short hug. "It's really nice to meet you."
Molly gave Martha one tight squeeze before they separated. Martha and Mickey followed her and the Doctor towards the door. Molly opened it and stepped outside, and the Doctor followed behind her. He turned back towards his old companions, looking at them one last time. "See you later," he said, his voice strained. He really hated goodbyes.
"Goodbye, Doctor," said Martha. Mickey waved, and Molly thought he might be too scared to speak, in case his voice caught.
Then from the phone in Martha's pocket came the words: "Extraterrestrial nearby."
Author's Note: Fun fact: there IS actually a list of TARDIS controls, and what each panel is for. I thought that was pretty cool. And super helpful.