Starlight ★ TENTH DOCTOR

Five Minutes

After the parallel Earth, the trio stayed at Rose's mom's apartment for a couple of days. Elizabeth noticed that Jackie had the same spitfire personality. She cared for people the same way Rose did but also could pick a fight with anyone who dared to cross her. Elizabeth got to hear the story behind how Jackie first met the Timelord. Long story short, by the end of it Elizabeth was practically on the floor laughing. The Doctor even got a bit embarrassed and hid away in the Tardis for the remaining of the rest of the evening. Elizabeth had to bribe him with cookies for him to come out.

Elizabeth also took this opportunity to sightsee the early 2000's London. It was crazy to think that her younger self was out there just living her childhood without a care in the world and not yet knowing true heartbreak. 

Elizabeth had come across a photo studio where she got the brilliant idea of developing all the pictures she had taken on her trips. She could of course have asked her best friend David to do it for her for free, but she wanted them to be ready for when she goes home.  

But this thought of David and meeting the other Marie made her miss home more than usual. And the Doctor had coughed up with the change of her mood. 

Elizabeth was in the middle of decorating her room on the Tardis when the voice of the Doctor interrupted her humming. 

"I don't remember you taking this one." He was holding a photo where he was pictured lounging on a futuristic beach chair. he was wearing dorky sunglasses that apparently Freddy Mercury had given him and sleeping with his hand folded over his stomach. Elizabeth thought he looked too cute not to take a picture of. Her and Rose's giggling shadows could be seen on the corner as well. 

"I think it might be because you were asleep, Doc." She joked, jumping off of her bed to join him by the table with all the photos. He rolled his eyes, bumping her shoulder with his. 

"Actually I came to talk to you about something." Elizabeth raised her eyebrow at him, urging him to continue. "I noticed you've grown homesick. I think it's time I finally keep my promise and take you home." 

Elizabeth's face lit up like a Christmas tree. She wrapped her arms around the tall man's neck and kissed him on the cheek. But as she pulled away, concern soon after covered her features. "But what about Rose, is she ready to leave yet?"

"Don't worry about her. I already told her and she said she's ready. She just went to say goodbye to her mother." The Doctor grinned.

"Fantastic! Let me just grab my things and I'll meet you in the console room." Elizabeth quickly grabbed a backpack and threw a couple of things she would need. A couple of presents she had gotten her family and of course copies of the pictures she wanted to show them.

★★★★

With a skip to her step, Elizabeth made her way towards the console room, where Rose and the Doctor were already waiting. 

"Hey Lizzie, my mom sends her regards. She hopes you visit again." Rose told the older blonde.

"Oh, I hope we will again soon. Your mum's amazing!"The girls grinned at each other. 

"You ready?" The Doctor smiled at the excited blonde. She nodded, standing next to him and held onto the console. She was already all too familiar with the bumpy ride that it came as second nature for her to hold onto something. 

"Alright then! July 16th, 2020 here we come!" The Doctor pulled a lever and sent them flying into the time vortex. The Tardis shook and wheezed for a minute and then stopped with a heavy thump. 

"We're here. Five minutes just after we've left, as promised." The Doctor gestured towards the door. Elizabeth grabbed her backpack from the floor and excitedly ran towards the door. She stepped inside her living room expecting to see the nervous pacing of her best friend and the soft morning light creeping in through the partially shut curtains. But what greeted her was a dark room with not a soul in sight and rain pouring down heavily against the window.