Cosmo || Doctor Who

16 : Sleeping On The Sidewalk

𝔏𝔬𝔫𝔡𝔬𝔫, 𝔈𝔫𝔤𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔡, 𝔈𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔥
𝔍𝔞𝔫𝔲𝔞𝔯𝔶 1941

There is a natural instinct which comes to parents mere moments after their first baby is born. From the moment they see their child, they just know what to do. It's so far ingrained into their minds that it even stays with Alzheimer's patients to keep them calm.

     When Josh was born, EJ had been terrified. He didn't have a good paternal role model, so being a father was the worst possible thing for him. While Zoë was suffering a traumatic labour, he was cradling and comforting himself in the waiting room. It was horrific, until he held Josh in his arms. The minute he could feel the weight of his son, a tiny person who was half of him, he felt like he was going to be okay.

     Whenever EJ needed to feel better, he remembered that moment. He remembered Josh, and the worries just melted away.

     However, not everyone had this. People like Rose, who'd never reared a child, didn't have that easy love. They didn't know how to hold a baby without thinking. It didn't apply to them, but Nancy was different. She wasn't a mother, she was too young, but the way she cared for all of the homeless children made her different. It was confusing.

     Nancy thought she was more sly than she was. Her sleuthing skills were interesting, but nothing in comparison to the determination of the Doctor and EJ. As she ran across the abandoned train lines, they followed her with ease. Perhaps it wasn't what they were supposed to be doing, but it was they needed to do if they wanted to find out more.

     They watched as she snuck into the engine carriage of the train, and opened the coal compartment. She dropped food in there, some of the things she'd taken from the house. It was an interesting process to say the least. However, when she looked up, she saw them, and jumped, clearly startled.

     "How'd you follow me here?"

  The Doctor beamed. "I'm good at following, me."

  "He is." EJ nodded. "It's creepy."

  "Got the nose for it."

  Nancy shook her head, and downturned her eyes. "People can't usually follow me if I don't want them to."

  "My nose has special powers." He grinned, and it seemed odd that it was yet to rub off on her.

  "Yeah?" Her eyebrows raised as she glanced at the Doctor. "Is that why it's so..."

  Unaware, he queried. "What?"

  EJ fought to hold back his laughter as Nancy shook her head. "Nothin'."

  "What?" He pressed.

  "Nothin'." Was her response until she too was smiling along with them. "Do your ears have special powers too?"

  The Doctor scoffed, then. "What are you trying to say?"

  She just turned to leave, politely. "Goodnight, mister."

"Nancy..." He sighed, catching her attention once more. "There's something chasing you and the other kids. It looks like a boy and it isn't a boy. And it started about a month ago. Right?"

For a moment, they were unsure whether she was going to leave or not. Her attention seemed to be elsewhere for quite some time, until she finally turned back to them. Uncertainty was hidden in her eyes. She didn't understand how they knew what they did, and she didn't want to. Nancy was putting it all behind her.

     "The thing I'm looking for..." The Doctor informed. "The thing that fell from the sky. That's when it landed. And you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"