TIME MOPPETRY AHOY
Jul. 2nd, 2006 12:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizbeeEvery time I think I'm getting to the end, it seems to edge a bit further away. So this is apparently the penultimate chapter. Oh well.
Cheer Up, Emo Time Moppet
Chapter 3: Total Eclipse of the Hearts
Summary: The Doctor is given no choice about doing domestic.
Disclaimer: Characters, robot dogs, semi-sentient time machines and Sarah Jane's sofa are the property of the BBC.
Notes: Low in fat, high in oppression! (And look at the shiny icon that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
glossing made for me!)
Chapter 1
Chapter 1.5
Chapter 2
Cheer Up, Emo Time Moppet
Chapter Three: Total Eclipse of the Hearts
It was very different to her mother’s TARDIS. Amber and green rather than white and blue; elaborate colonnades instead of plain, smooth walls. A series of notes had been stuck to the console. Beside the door were three pairs of Converse sneakers, all in different colours, and a pair of electric blue high heels. And a single rollerskate.
Livia barely had time to register these details before the door opened again. She swung around, taking in the brown hair, the lean face, the oversized glasses. No curls. No scarf. No oversized teeth. She felt cheated.
“Morning,” he said, going straight to the console and barely looking at her. “Don’t suppose you’ve seen a subatomic wrench anywhere? Carry it around for weeks and never use it, and the one day you need it, you’ve left it somewhere.”
“It’s on the console,” she said. “Next to a reminder about adjusting the power cells and buying milk.”
“Good. Excellent. Can’t sabotage things without it. Well, I could, but Rose has the sonic screwdriver. By the way, who are you, and why are you in my TARDIS?”
“I’m—“ Livia broke off, searching for words, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Never mind. Aliens to fight. Why Earth, I always wonder? Is it for the food? Oh well. Come on!”
He raced off, trailing Livia in his wake.
“So who are you again?” he called over his shoulder.
“My name's Livia.” That wasn't enough. “You knew my mother once. You travelled with her.”
He skidded to a stop and stared at her.
“You're my father,” she added, just so everything was perfectly clear.
“Did Jackie Tyler put you up to this?”
“Sorry?”
“Sort of thing she'd think was funny, anyway.” But he was no longer laughing, and his face had grown suspicious.
“We came all the way from E-space,” she said sadly. “And Gallifrey was gone, and we set out to find you, and my mother is furious...” She trailed off and stared at him.
The awkward silence was broken by the welcome sound of an explosion, followed by a distinct squelching noise, and footsteps.
“Doctor!”
Approaching at a run was a young blonde woman – human, Livia assumed. The Doctor turned to her with visible relief, which faded as she said, “Doctor! Sarah Jane! Is back there, with K9 – two K9s! And another woman!” She came to a halt, puffing, and added, “all this chasing about, you'd think I'd be a bit fitter. Who's that?” She nodded at Livia.
“Never mind her--”
“Hey!” said Livia.
“--Two K9s, you said?” The Doctor began to march towards the warehouse with the expression of a man striding to his death.
“And a woman--”
“Blonde?”
The girl nodded. “They stopped the – bitey eatey thing.” She wiped a smear of slime off her shirt. “Sticky, isn't it?” She turned back to Livia. “I'm Rose, by the way.”
“Livia.”
“And you're here because...”
“Long story.”
The Doctor was well ahead of them now. Livia began to run, leaving Rose behind.
She saw her mother and Sarah Jane before the Doctor did: standing outside the warehouse, wiping slime off their arms and laughing.
They stopped laughing when they saw the Doctor. Livia's mother took a few steps forward, moving slowly, as if she were in pain.
Sarah Jane was biting her lip. The K9s were circling. Watching her parents approached one another, Livia fancied that the air was crackling with tension, although it was actually a gentle breeze that carried the scents of river-water and alien slime.
“Doctor.”
“Romana.”
Livia held her breath, bracing herself against the onslaught of maternal anger – no less terrifying for being directed at someone else, and possibly even more embarrassing. The only question was whether her mother would say something cutting, or yell, or hit him.
Romana burst into tears.
It was worse than Livia could ever have imagined.
“What's happening?” Rose demanded behind her. Livia whirled around.
“Can't you see?” she snapped, “this is the worst day of my life.”
*
They all – humans, Time Lords, dogs and TARDIS – returned to Sarah Jane's house after Romana had calmed herself, and Livia began to hope that the long-anticipated argument might be avoided. She sat between her parents on Sarah Jane's sofa, while her mother drank sweet tea and her father snuck sidelong glances at both of them.
“So,” he said eventually, “grew up in E-space, did you? That must have been ... interesting.”
“Not really,” said Livia.
“No ... always thought it was a bit dull, myself. Too small. Too crowded. Bit rubbish, really. N-space is heaps better. You got Daleks, Cybermen, evil blobby things that live in the cerebellum and eat your grey matter – it's great.”
On Livia's other side, Romana made a small choking noise.
“I don't see what you're so angry about,” said the Doctor over Livia's head. “I mean, sure, you had to raise her, but it's not like I was the only one present at the conception. And as I recall, it was you who initiated--”
Livia sprang from the sofa. “Mother!” she shrieked, “you told me aliens made you do it!”
From across the room, Rose called, “And you believed her?” at the same time as Sarah Jane collapsed in laughter and Romana stood up and snapped, “Once again, Doctor, you've managed to completely miss the point!”
When she had his full attention she continued, “I'm not in the least bit angry about Livia. She was rather good company before she entered puberty, and I expect she'll be bearable again afterwards.”
“Mother!”
“I'm angry about Gallifrey.”
“Oh,” the Doctor said. “That.”
“I'm sure I don't have to point out that it's ceased to exist.”
“Um,” said the Doctor, “yes.”
“And the general consensus in this dimension is that you had something to do with it.”
“Ah.” He grimaced. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, you know. What with the war, and the paradoxes, and the Daleks about to take control of the Eye of Harmony and the various accoutrements of Rassilon.”
“You destroyed it! Millions of years of civilisation wiped out because one egomaniacal lunatic couldn't come up with something better!”
“But you didn't like Gallifrey!” Now the Doctor was on his feet too. “I mean – you left me rather than go back.”
Romana opened her mouth to answer, then looked around.
“Shall we discuss this somewhere more private?”
“Good idea.”
They retreated into Sarah Jane's spare room. Livia sank back onto the sofa and buried her head in her hands. Rose sat down beside her.
“Yeah,” she said, “I used to wish I was adopted too.”
Livia looked up. “How did you get over it?”
Rose shrugged. “I ran off to travel time and space with the Doctor.”
“I don't think that will work for me.”
“You could get a job in a shop?”
Livia got to her feet. “I need a glass of water,” she said.
When Sarah Jane found her, some minutes later, crouched beside the door to the spare room with the glass between her ear and the door, she just shook her head.
“It's your funeral,” she said. “Or regeneration, I suppose.”
“Sshh!”
Her parents were speaking in low voices, and she could only make out snatches of conversation.
“...to Adric? I suppose you got him blown up as well.”
Silence, then the Doctor muttered something about Cybermen.
“What's happening?” asked Rose, joining them. Sarah Jane and Livia shushed her.
“Crashed into what? And you think you should...” Her mother's voice became indistinct.
“I have a lot of experience with teenage girls!”
This was easily audible. Rose started to laugh, and had to stuff her sleeve into her mouth to keep quiet.
“I bet you do!”
Sarah Jane was unable to repress a giggle. Livia wondered if there was any possibility of being swallowed by the ground beneath her.
“I practically raised Susan single-handedly!”
“And look how she ended up!”
Livia put the superfluous glass of water down.
“I thought she did very well for herself.”
“Married to a freedom fighter in a war against the Daleks? You don't think that speaks of psychological issues?”
Rose's giggles turned into hiccups.
“Made sense to me.”
“Query, Mistress,” said K9, “what is purpose of this gathering?”
“Sshh!” said everyone.
“We're eavesdropping,” said Sarah Jane.
The two K9's tail sensors wagged disapprovingly. But they both remained.
The argument had become inaudible again. Livia reached for her glass, and found it empty.
“I drank it, sorry,” said Rose. Under Livia's glare she added, “I had the hiccups!”
“K9,” said Sarah Jane, “can't you--?”
“Eavesdropping on the Doctor Master and Mistress Romana conflicts with my ethical subroutines.”
“Blast your ethical subroutines.”
The door opened.
“If you are all quite finished,” said Romana.
“Let's take this somewhere else,” said the Doctor. “Or maybe somewhen.”
“That's the most sensible thing you've said all day. Livia, do get up off the floor, you look absolutely ridiculous.”
“My TARDIS or yours?” asked the Doctor as they walked away.
“Does yours still work?”
“As well as she ever did.” The Doctor sounded slightly offended.
“That's not entirely reassuring,” said Romana, “but mine is having a problem with the temporal flux inhibitor.”
“Mine it is, then.” The Doctor waved vaguely at them all. “Back soon, Rose. Nice to see you again, Sarah Jane. Stay out of trouble, K9 ... and K9. Livia, um...”
“Don't let her get you down,” said Livia.
“Right. Thanks. Um. Yeah.”
Rose went to the door to watch them leave. As the TARDIS dematerialised – to the consternation of the woman next door, who was watering her roses at the time – she said, “I can't believe he just went off like that.”
“He'll be back,” said Sarah Jane. As if to reassure herself she added, “Romana wouldn't let him abandon Livia.”
“Who is Susan?” Rose wondered.
“His granddaughter,” said Livia. “My neice, actually.”
“Oh.” Rose twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “He's got a few kids, then. Or did have.”
“I hope,” said Sarah Jane in a careful voice, “that you're taking – precautions.”
“What? Oh no, it's not like that at all.” Rose was speaking very quickly, and her ears were red.
Livia sat on the floor and petted K9.
“Do Cybermen feel humiliation?” she asked.
“Negative, Mistress Livia. Cybermen feel no emotion.”
“Then I wish I were a Cyberman. Then they'd all be sorry.”
“That course of action is inadvisble, Mistress.”
“It was a joke, K9.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
to be continued (again)
Cheer Up, Emo Time Moppet
Chapter 3: Total Eclipse of the Hearts
Summary: The Doctor is given no choice about doing domestic.
Disclaimer: Characters, robot dogs, semi-sentient time machines and Sarah Jane's sofa are the property of the BBC.
Notes: Low in fat, high in oppression! (And look at the shiny icon that
glossing made for me!)Chapter 1
Chapter 1.5
Chapter 2
Chapter Three: Total Eclipse of the Hearts
It was very different to her mother’s TARDIS. Amber and green rather than white and blue; elaborate colonnades instead of plain, smooth walls. A series of notes had been stuck to the console. Beside the door were three pairs of Converse sneakers, all in different colours, and a pair of electric blue high heels. And a single rollerskate.
Livia barely had time to register these details before the door opened again. She swung around, taking in the brown hair, the lean face, the oversized glasses. No curls. No scarf. No oversized teeth. She felt cheated.
“Morning,” he said, going straight to the console and barely looking at her. “Don’t suppose you’ve seen a subatomic wrench anywhere? Carry it around for weeks and never use it, and the one day you need it, you’ve left it somewhere.”
“It’s on the console,” she said. “Next to a reminder about adjusting the power cells and buying milk.”
“Good. Excellent. Can’t sabotage things without it. Well, I could, but Rose has the sonic screwdriver. By the way, who are you, and why are you in my TARDIS?”
“I’m—“ Livia broke off, searching for words, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Never mind. Aliens to fight. Why Earth, I always wonder? Is it for the food? Oh well. Come on!”
He raced off, trailing Livia in his wake.
“So who are you again?” he called over his shoulder.
“My name's Livia.” That wasn't enough. “You knew my mother once. You travelled with her.”
He skidded to a stop and stared at her.
“You're my father,” she added, just so everything was perfectly clear.
“Did Jackie Tyler put you up to this?”
“Sorry?”
“Sort of thing she'd think was funny, anyway.” But he was no longer laughing, and his face had grown suspicious.
“We came all the way from E-space,” she said sadly. “And Gallifrey was gone, and we set out to find you, and my mother is furious...” She trailed off and stared at him.
The awkward silence was broken by the welcome sound of an explosion, followed by a distinct squelching noise, and footsteps.
“Doctor!”
Approaching at a run was a young blonde woman – human, Livia assumed. The Doctor turned to her with visible relief, which faded as she said, “Doctor! Sarah Jane! Is back there, with K9 – two K9s! And another woman!” She came to a halt, puffing, and added, “all this chasing about, you'd think I'd be a bit fitter. Who's that?” She nodded at Livia.
“Never mind her--”
“Hey!” said Livia.
“--Two K9s, you said?” The Doctor began to march towards the warehouse with the expression of a man striding to his death.
“And a woman--”
“Blonde?”
The girl nodded. “They stopped the – bitey eatey thing.” She wiped a smear of slime off her shirt. “Sticky, isn't it?” She turned back to Livia. “I'm Rose, by the way.”
“Livia.”
“And you're here because...”
“Long story.”
The Doctor was well ahead of them now. Livia began to run, leaving Rose behind.
She saw her mother and Sarah Jane before the Doctor did: standing outside the warehouse, wiping slime off their arms and laughing.
They stopped laughing when they saw the Doctor. Livia's mother took a few steps forward, moving slowly, as if she were in pain.
Sarah Jane was biting her lip. The K9s were circling. Watching her parents approached one another, Livia fancied that the air was crackling with tension, although it was actually a gentle breeze that carried the scents of river-water and alien slime.
“Doctor.”
“Romana.”
Livia held her breath, bracing herself against the onslaught of maternal anger – no less terrifying for being directed at someone else, and possibly even more embarrassing. The only question was whether her mother would say something cutting, or yell, or hit him.
Romana burst into tears.
It was worse than Livia could ever have imagined.
“What's happening?” Rose demanded behind her. Livia whirled around.
“Can't you see?” she snapped, “this is the worst day of my life.”
*
They all – humans, Time Lords, dogs and TARDIS – returned to Sarah Jane's house after Romana had calmed herself, and Livia began to hope that the long-anticipated argument might be avoided. She sat between her parents on Sarah Jane's sofa, while her mother drank sweet tea and her father snuck sidelong glances at both of them.
“So,” he said eventually, “grew up in E-space, did you? That must have been ... interesting.”
“Not really,” said Livia.
“No ... always thought it was a bit dull, myself. Too small. Too crowded. Bit rubbish, really. N-space is heaps better. You got Daleks, Cybermen, evil blobby things that live in the cerebellum and eat your grey matter – it's great.”
On Livia's other side, Romana made a small choking noise.
“I don't see what you're so angry about,” said the Doctor over Livia's head. “I mean, sure, you had to raise her, but it's not like I was the only one present at the conception. And as I recall, it was you who initiated--”
Livia sprang from the sofa. “Mother!” she shrieked, “you told me aliens made you do it!”
From across the room, Rose called, “And you believed her?” at the same time as Sarah Jane collapsed in laughter and Romana stood up and snapped, “Once again, Doctor, you've managed to completely miss the point!”
When she had his full attention she continued, “I'm not in the least bit angry about Livia. She was rather good company before she entered puberty, and I expect she'll be bearable again afterwards.”
“Mother!”
“I'm angry about Gallifrey.”
“Oh,” the Doctor said. “That.”
“I'm sure I don't have to point out that it's ceased to exist.”
“Um,” said the Doctor, “yes.”
“And the general consensus in this dimension is that you had something to do with it.”
“Ah.” He grimaced. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, you know. What with the war, and the paradoxes, and the Daleks about to take control of the Eye of Harmony and the various accoutrements of Rassilon.”
“You destroyed it! Millions of years of civilisation wiped out because one egomaniacal lunatic couldn't come up with something better!”
“But you didn't like Gallifrey!” Now the Doctor was on his feet too. “I mean – you left me rather than go back.”
Romana opened her mouth to answer, then looked around.
“Shall we discuss this somewhere more private?”
“Good idea.”
They retreated into Sarah Jane's spare room. Livia sank back onto the sofa and buried her head in her hands. Rose sat down beside her.
“Yeah,” she said, “I used to wish I was adopted too.”
Livia looked up. “How did you get over it?”
Rose shrugged. “I ran off to travel time and space with the Doctor.”
“I don't think that will work for me.”
“You could get a job in a shop?”
Livia got to her feet. “I need a glass of water,” she said.
When Sarah Jane found her, some minutes later, crouched beside the door to the spare room with the glass between her ear and the door, she just shook her head.
“It's your funeral,” she said. “Or regeneration, I suppose.”
“Sshh!”
Her parents were speaking in low voices, and she could only make out snatches of conversation.
“...to Adric? I suppose you got him blown up as well.”
Silence, then the Doctor muttered something about Cybermen.
“What's happening?” asked Rose, joining them. Sarah Jane and Livia shushed her.
“Crashed into what? And you think you should...” Her mother's voice became indistinct.
“I have a lot of experience with teenage girls!”
This was easily audible. Rose started to laugh, and had to stuff her sleeve into her mouth to keep quiet.
“I bet you do!”
Sarah Jane was unable to repress a giggle. Livia wondered if there was any possibility of being swallowed by the ground beneath her.
“I practically raised Susan single-handedly!”
“And look how she ended up!”
Livia put the superfluous glass of water down.
“I thought she did very well for herself.”
“Married to a freedom fighter in a war against the Daleks? You don't think that speaks of psychological issues?”
Rose's giggles turned into hiccups.
“Made sense to me.”
“Query, Mistress,” said K9, “what is purpose of this gathering?”
“Sshh!” said everyone.
“We're eavesdropping,” said Sarah Jane.
The two K9's tail sensors wagged disapprovingly. But they both remained.
The argument had become inaudible again. Livia reached for her glass, and found it empty.
“I drank it, sorry,” said Rose. Under Livia's glare she added, “I had the hiccups!”
“K9,” said Sarah Jane, “can't you--?”
“Eavesdropping on the Doctor Master and Mistress Romana conflicts with my ethical subroutines.”
“Blast your ethical subroutines.”
The door opened.
“If you are all quite finished,” said Romana.
“Let's take this somewhere else,” said the Doctor. “Or maybe somewhen.”
“That's the most sensible thing you've said all day. Livia, do get up off the floor, you look absolutely ridiculous.”
“My TARDIS or yours?” asked the Doctor as they walked away.
“Does yours still work?”
“As well as she ever did.” The Doctor sounded slightly offended.
“That's not entirely reassuring,” said Romana, “but mine is having a problem with the temporal flux inhibitor.”
“Mine it is, then.” The Doctor waved vaguely at them all. “Back soon, Rose. Nice to see you again, Sarah Jane. Stay out of trouble, K9 ... and K9. Livia, um...”
“Don't let her get you down,” said Livia.
“Right. Thanks. Um. Yeah.”
Rose went to the door to watch them leave. As the TARDIS dematerialised – to the consternation of the woman next door, who was watering her roses at the time – she said, “I can't believe he just went off like that.”
“He'll be back,” said Sarah Jane. As if to reassure herself she added, “Romana wouldn't let him abandon Livia.”
“Who is Susan?” Rose wondered.
“His granddaughter,” said Livia. “My neice, actually.”
“Oh.” Rose twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “He's got a few kids, then. Or did have.”
“I hope,” said Sarah Jane in a careful voice, “that you're taking – precautions.”
“What? Oh no, it's not like that at all.” Rose was speaking very quickly, and her ears were red.
Livia sat on the floor and petted K9.
“Do Cybermen feel humiliation?” she asked.
“Negative, Mistress Livia. Cybermen feel no emotion.”
“Then I wish I were a Cyberman. Then they'd all be sorry.”
“That course of action is inadvisble, Mistress.”
“It was a joke, K9.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
to be continued (again)
