The Littlest Timelord: Cracks in Time

Chapter 18

Elise woke up and ventured out of her room. Where was her father and Amy? Just as she was about to go looking for them, they came through the doors with a man following them.

It was Amy's boyfriend.

What was his name again? Roger? Reggie?

The Doctor walked up to the small Timelord. "Elise! What are you doing? You're supposed to stay in your room until I come and get you", he scolded her.

Her bottom lip quivered as her eyes went wide.

The Doctor sighed and picked her up.

"Told you", Amy sang.

"Shut-up", the Doctor muttered.

"Um, who is she?" Rory asked Amy.

"The Doctor's sort-of daughter. Elise, you remember Rory?"

The Doctor handed Elise to Amy as he went down below the platform to work on the TARDIS.

"Umm, hello?" Rory said to Elise.

Elise just smiled and waved.

"She doesn't really speak. She's trying to, aren't you?" Amy said.

Elise nodded.

"But she's what? 4 or 5? She should be speaking by now", Rory said.

Elise, ashamed, hid her face in Amy's red hair.

Amy rubbed her back to comfort her as she glared at her fiancé.

"What?" he asked. He hadn't meant to upset the little girl.

"Oh, the life out there, it dazzles. I mean, it blinds you to the things that are important. I've seen it devour relationships and plans".

The rotor sparked and let out smoke.

"It's meant to do that", the Doctor told them, "Because for one person to have seen all that, to taste the glory and then go back, it will tear you apart. So, I'm sending you somewhere, together".

"Whoa. What, like a date?" Amy asked.

The Doctor put his goggles away and made his way to the platform. "Anywhere you want. Any time you want. One condition. It has to be amazing. The Moulin Rouge in 1890. The first Olympic Games. Think of it as a wedding present, because it's either this or tokens. It's a lot to take in, isn't it? Tiny box, huge room inside. What's that about? Let me explain".

"It's another dimension", Rory said.

"It's basically another dimens...What?"

"After what happened with Prisoner Zero, I've been reading up on all the latest scientific theories. FTL travel, parallel universes".

"I like the bit when someone says it's bigger on the inside. I always look forward to that".

"So, this date", Amy said, breaking up a fight she had feeling was about to start, "I'm kind of done with running down corridors. What do you think, Rory?"

The Doctor pulled a lever. "How about somewhere romantic?"

When they landed, Amy helped Elise into her new harness and they left the TARDIS. They stepped out into a busy marketplace.

"Venice!" the Doctor said, throwing his arms out, "Venezia. La Serenissima. Impossible city. Preposterous city. Founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun. It was just a collection of little wooden huts in the middle of the marsh, but became one of the most powerful cities in the world".