Child of the Doctor

Chapter 13

Doctor POV

I worked through the night, until Rose came in, we started chatting about different things until I felt the bond stir. 'Ayla is waking up'. She seems to be in a good mood. 'Good, then hopefully she will listen to me today'.

I led Rose to the kitchen and we started to make breakfast. I told Ayla to come and have some breakfast.

'Finally she is eating properly, and almost everything on the plate, the past few days that I have been with her, I've been worried about the amount of food she has eaten, her body is recovering from malnutrition in good time- won't be long now until she is fully recovered'.

"You look beautiful today Ayla", Rose says to her. Ayla blushes and replies with a soft "thank you".

When we were done, we went to the console room. Rose asks,

"Where are we going today?"

"Farther than we have ever been before, hold on tight Ayla".

"Ayla, traveling with me can get dangerous, so there are rules that you have to follow to keep you safe. Rose has to follow rules as well. And the first rule is absolutely no wandering away. I want you to stay by my side at all times unless I tell you otherwise. When I give a command, I expect you to follow it. If not, then you are going to stay in the TARDIS during certain adventures. Do you understand?" I ask, hoping she would take this seriously.

I see her face looking a bit defiant, but it changes to acceptance. 'Good'.

She nods her head at me. "A verbal response please Ayla". I can hear her think 'I expected him to say something like this to me'.

"I understand doctor".

"Good, let's go".

The TARDIS has materialized across the river from a massive city. Flying cars zoom overhead.

"It's the year five billion and twenty three. We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth".

"That's just. That's just..." she didn't seem to find words for this.

"Not bad. Not bad at all", I reply finishing her sentence.

Ayla's mind seems to be filled with wonder. She looks in awe at everything around her.

"That's amazing. I'll never get used to this. Never. Different ground beneath my feet, different sky. What's that smell?"

"Apple grass", both Ayla and I said at the same time.

"Apple grass", Rose repeats in wonder.

I look at Ayla and ask, "how did you know that?". "It smells just like apples", she replies. 'Sheesh, suspicious much doctor', she thinks in her mind. 'She is hiding something, I can feel it. I don't think she intended for me to hear that. I just want to make sure if it's her time sensitive abilities working or just observation'

"Come on", I say as I start walking on the hill.

I take off my coat and lay it in the grass, as I sit down, pulling Ayla down with me, and Rose sits on her other side.

"So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted".

"That was our first date". Rose replied

"We had chips". I say and I feel Ayla's amusement again, 'I'll just leave it for now'. I think.

"So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in".