Meant to Be (TARDIS Family Adventures: Part 1)

Chapter 18: Morning Tea

"So, your Majesty. You and the Doctor, eh?" Wilf smiled nervously at Scarlett, unsure how to act with her.

"Please, Wilf, call me Scarlett." She smiled sweetly at the man. "I'm no longer the Queen, and even if I was, I would insist that you, as a friend of the Doctor's, call me by name. And—yes—me and the Doctor." She smiled down at the Time Lord who was kneeling over a telescope that lay on the ground. His sonic was currently being held in his mouth as he fiddled with a part of the telescope with his fingers.

"Well, my dear young lady, if that is what you prefer." Wilf smiled genuinely now, feeling more relaxed.

The Doctor took his sonic out of his mouth and used it on the telescope one last time. "There! All fixed, Wilf! Should be good as new!"

"Aw, thanks Doctor! What would I do if I didn't have my telescope and the stars to come up to every night?"

The Doctor grinned. "Well—have to stay in the house with Sylvia?"

"As I always say, a lifesaver, you are!" Wilf grinned at the Time Lord and patted him on the back.

The Doctor picked up the telescope and carefully placed it back on it's tripod. He then adjusted the angle of the telescope to just the right spot and looked into it. "Now, Wilf, if this was a much more powerful telescope, you'd be able to see Teni from this spot. Unfortunately, even I can't make it that powerful."

The Doctor moved over and Wilf bent down to look into the telescope.

Scarlett moved to stand beside the Doctor. "Really, Doctor? Where?"

He moved behind her, stepping in close to her back, and leaned his head down next to hers, pointing up to the stars. "Right—there." He dropped his hand and placed them both into his pockets, staying close as he turned his head to watch her. Her eyes searched the sky where he had pointed. He whispered into her ear, "We'll go back and visit, I promise."

She nodded and smiled, whispering back, "I know. Just finding it hard to believe I'm finally here, with you, under different stars.

Wilf straightened up. "We should be getting back, the tea will be ready, and Sylvia will have our heads if it gets cold before we're back."

"Yes," the Doctor agreed. "Let's not push our luck when Sylvia is in such a good mood."

-*-*-

An hour later, after their pleasant tea time had ended in a heated discussion about sleeping arrangements, the three men were headed out the door and Jack was on the phone booking a hotel room.

Scarlett had insisted that sleeping on the sofa-bed was perfectly acceptable, explaining she had slept in much worse conditions than the couch of the Mott/Noble home, such as during military training exercises and other various adventures before and after becoming Queen. It took quite a bit of placating to get Sylvia to agree, but she insisted on pulling out her best bed linens and duvet to go on the sofa bed.

-*-*-

The next morning, Scarlett was up before the rest of the household. She had already pulled off the sheets and put the sofa back into its regular position. She had folded the linens back up nicely, wanting to keep the good opinion that Sylvia had of her. After wandering around the downstairs, looking at photos of Donna from her childhood, she sat back down on the couch and smiled as she thought of an idea. It was time to test a theory. Long-range telepathic communication. They weren't too far from each other, as Jack had said the hotel was just up the road, on 'High Street,' but up to this point, their communication had been within the Citadel on Teni.