13 Novella 6

Traces

"I've got coordinates"

You blink and look up at The Doctor in surprise. She had woken you all early to find the source of coordinates that had appeared to the Tardis late last night.

You yawn and stretch, leaning against Missy and trying your hardest to care. She wraps her arms around you from behind and holds most of your body weight so you can rest on her.

She chuckles and nibbles your ear, making you swat at her. In response she lets you go and you cannot be bothered to catch yourself. Jenny catches you before you quite literally hit the deck, and brushes you off impatiently. She never liked you scaring her, even if the risk was minimal.

"So I think we should check it out" finishes The Doctor, glancing at her girlfriend who is rocking a sleeping Gail. You can't help but feel jealous. Of a baby. A little embarrassing but you needed your sleep.

"And why did we have to get up so damn early" you grump and Jenny squeezes you.

"Sorry love, you can sleep later" she says and you finally smile, reaching up to kiss her on the cheek.

"Ok where are we going?" Asks Yaz and The Doctor scratches her head thoughtfully, looking for all the world like a confused puppy.

"Well it's in the Cakenen Galaxy, and that's one of the safest galaxies of the fourteen Kansndkns" she says. You nod, pretending to understand. "Which is a little suspicious..."

"...Because if I wanted to attack you, I'd first want you to feel a false sense of security" finishes Missy, nodding approvingly.

"And you've thought about this a lot have you?" Asks Jenny and she shrugs.

"The normal amount you think about killing your childhood best friend"

"Which for most of us is never" says Jenny and The Doctor rolls her eyes.

"Well she didn't, so let's leave it at that" says The Doctor.

"There's still time" mutters Missy under her breath.

Jenny opens her mouth to bicker some more but you silence her with a look. Missy didn't need reminding of her past, she needed to look to her future. Jenny agrees to drop it begrudgingly and you smile gratefully.

"Ok, so we do we do about fun sized blondie?" Says Missy. You decide she is referring to Gail.

"We'll leave him here with Yaz, maybe (Y/n) too so-"

"Stop trying to keep me out of trouble" you hiss and The Doctor looks at you evenly.

"Love maybe it would be best-" starts Missy and you turn on her next.

"Unbelievable! None of you trust me? I haven't tried anything in ages" you protest, pulling yourself from Jenny's arms.

"(Y/n) you need to stay with Yaz" says The Doctor with a note of finality. You look desperately at both your girlfriends but you know for a fact that neither will argue with her while your safety had any chance of being compromised.

"Fine" you growl, stalking over to Yaz and plonking yourself next to her and Gail.

"Fine" you repeat, looking anywhere but at them. You didn't like to admit it, but you were a little hurt that they didn't believe you capable of looking after yourself. You can see from Missy's thoughts that she is considering coming over to you.

"Don't bother" you say calmly out loud. She understands you mean her.

You take off and land soon after, the three Time Ladies throwing you pitying glances before exiting and shutting the door behind you, leaving you two humans behind with Gail.

"Hold him for a second?" Suggests Yaz timidly and you sigh, shaking your head and extending your arms. She places him gently as he begins to wake, threatening to cry. Taking inspiration, you rise and pace around.

"Hey hey there, I know Auntie (Y/n) is in a bad mood, but I could never be angry with you! You're going to be big and brave one day, just like your mummies, and then you will see the stars, just like I did. It's better than you can even imagine, there's galaxies and people and beings and colours and tastes and smells and so much good, if you can learn to live with the bad." You say, jogging him slightly as he listens.

He lifts a hand and you let him stroke your face. You close your eyes and picture the Galaxy you showed The Doctor back in the first trip to New New York, you're favourite you've ever seen. You saw it when you yourself were seventeen, before the ward, and before your abilities.

You still remembered it so vividly, and now it was Gail's turn.

His little mouth opens with what you imagine to be awe when he catches the images, releasing the hand from your face and trying to catch the planets behind his eyes. You maintain the connection, extending it to Yaz when she comes over to see what he is reacting to. She sighs and squeezes your hand and you don't even react. You were all safe here, they had been right.

"Thank you" whispers Yaz, and you smile in response.

"Can you do something for me though?" She asks after a moment and you look at her, breaking the connection for you two but holding it for Gail.

"Could you, would you show him... his family?" She asks a little breathlessly and you frown in confusion. "I just don't think they'll want to meet him, not if he, well me and The Doctor..." she trails off but you understand. You don't need to instruct her, she pictures her parents and her sister, a few people you suppose to be Aunties, Uncles and Cousins maybe, as well as some Earth friends. He waves his hands at their faces and you note a tear slide down Yaz's cheek.

"I just wanted him to meet them, to know who they were" she gulps, his tiny hand wrapping around her finger. You were honoured to be a part of this moment, even if you did feel slightly like an intruder.

"Your family"

You wished someone could show you yours.