𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒔 ☆ The Glorious Series ｟ BOOK 1 ｠

Closing Time [Part 4]

Inside, Owens house, Kitchen, Night...

The Doctor was playing mad scientist, mixing up something on the table as the cybermat rested beside him. Lexi had her arms folded on the table in front of her as she herself stared down at the cybermat.

"I'm going down the shops, we've run out of milk. You know what to do if he cries." Craig said, tossing the intercom at the Doctor, him catching it.

"No!" The Doctor quickly looked up.

"Me neither." Craig replied from the hallway before exiting the house and shutting the door.

Alfie's crying then suddenly started up again.

"Why don't I see what I can do." Lexi said, getting up from the table.

The Doctor just watched her exit the kitchen before going back to what he had been doing.

Inside, Owens house, Alfie's room...

Above Alfie's crib was a soft mobile of the moon and stars. As it turned, it played music and projected stars onto the ceiling. Lexi stepped cautiously into the room.

"Hello, Stormy." Lexi whispered, smiling. "What seems to be the problem?"

Lexi picked up a small stuffed bunny and tried to get the baby's attention.

"Not really that amusing, is it?" Lexi questioned, glancing at the small stuffed bunny before tossing it over her shoulder and looking back to Alfie. "Do you want to be held, is that it?"

She then reached inside the crib and carefully lifted Alfie from it.

"You know..." Lexi began as she lightly bounced the baby up and down as she walked around the room. "I've never really been around babies any time during my life. Well, except when me and my sister were babies ourselves. I got to hold my niece once, though. Just once. Then stuff happened. It was a bad day. But, it was also just a tiny bit good as well. I got to meet my children. Well, I had already met them but didn't know they were my children at the time. Not until that day. Ever since I found out who they were, there's been this almost indescribable feeling of... happiness inside me. But, there's also been this feeling of dread as well, I think. With everything that's going on I don't know if I'll ever actually get to raise them." Lexi sighed, glancing down at Alfie to see him just staring up at her, like he was taking in her every word. She smiled at him, kissing him on the top of the head. "You're lucky, you know. You've got your whole life ahead of you. You can do anything you want to. I wanted to escape my boring life in a little village called Leadworth. And I can tell you, Alfie, that I have done exactly that. And so much more."

"You know, you're really good with him." A familiar voice commented from behind her. "You're a natural."

Lexi turned around and saw the Doctor leaning against the doorframe.

"How long have you been standing there?" She questioned as she adjusted Alfie in her arms.

"Long enough." He replied, pushing off the doorframe and walking over to her. He gently caressed Alfie's head as he leaned over him and kissed Lexi on the forehead. "You'd make a great mother."

"Thank you." Lexi smiled, glancing down at Alfie before looking back to the Doctor.

He smiled back at her before looking down at Alfie. "She's right, you know. You've got a lot to look forward to. A normal human life on Earth. Mortgage repayments, the nine to five, a persistent nagging sense of spiritual emptiness. Save the tears for later, boyo. Oh, no!" He rubbed his forehead as Alfie and Lexi watched him. "That was crabby. No, that was old! But I am old. I am so old. So near the end."