ODDITY ⇆ DOCTOR WHO

0.27 | HOME

                〖 HOME 〗

THE DOCTOR TOOK immediate notice in Valarie's demeanor shift. Of course, she had been through some things lately. But this was odd. Different. Yes, everything about her seemed different.

The first notice was that night back in nineteen-thirteen. She was such a touchy, affectionate person. When she refused to hug or touch him at first he felt something was wrong. Yes, perhaps she really did not want  because of the thick layer of dried mud on her face, in her hair, and on that gown. But something in his gut told him otherwise. The way she hid her face from him after.

Since then she avoided his contact like the plague. He would press his arm against her to lean down and show her something on the console and she would wiggle away, placing space between them. When he would grab onto her arm or hand to lead her and Martha around some foreign planet she would loosely hold back before withdrawing her hand completely.

He had also caught her zoning out a lot. Like something heavy weighed on her conscious. It was that indication that sprung an idea into his mind.

The TARDIS rocked gently and stocked with its signature thud, suggesting a landing. Martha looked up, Valarie enthralled within a book to take up empty time. He bounced in place.

"Val, come on now. Got something for you that I think is just what you need." He grinned. He reached a hand towards her and she eyed it. She looked at him before slinking out of the chair and brushing past the open hand. He kept it extended for a second after she passed before recoiling it to his pocket awkwardly.

She opened the TARDIS door and he nudged her out. Before her stood a home.

"You've brought me home?" She asked, confused.

"Oh, just for a night. We will be back tomorrow." He rested a hand on her shoulder. She tensed at the touch but deep down did not want him to take it away. "You've seen kinds out of it lately. Thought, it's probably been a while since you saw your family. And no one needs to go forever without seeing their family."

"How," she began, "how long do you plan on leaving me for?" She asked, looking up against him. The top of her head rested against his chest as her neck craned awkwardly to him.

"Oh, just for tonight. Let you get a good nights rest. While the TARDIS may have infinite rooms it is rather harder then it should be to find a comfy bed." He laughed. She stepped onto the side walk and turned to him. She studied him as he leaned against the blue wooden door frame, and tucked hair blowing in the breeze behind an ear.

"Promise that you'll be back?"

"Hey, cross my heart. Well, hearts." He teased as he did an x in the air over each side of his chest and raised a hand as if taking an oath.

"What about a pinky promise?" She joked.

"Oh, a pink promise. The most serious of promises as deemed by the Shadow Proclamation." He gasped and stuck a picky out. She locked hers with his before withdrawing and stepping back. The door sealed and the classic whirling of the box began. The air picked up, and it began to fade from in front of her.

"Valarie?" A voice from behind asked. She turned towards it and saw her mother leaned out of the door staring at her. Her mother stepped out fully of the door.

"Mum." She breathed and rushed her mother, wrapping her arms around her tightly. While she was unsure of where the Doctor had gotten the idea she was homesick from, she did miss her family. Nearly dying a few times does that, she supposed.