To Be a Time Lord

Chapter 20 - Night Terrors

Night Terrors, part 2 -

They entered the room and the Oracle stood in the front of the group as George hung onto his dad's leg in fear. The Doctor stretched himself out, practically just stalling. He looked at Alex meaningfully and the Oracle looked at him, questioning what he was doing. He nodded at her.

"Oh, may I?", she sassed.

"Stop being so Scottish, this is serious", he whined.

"You're the one who's stalling, Mister monster-fighting's-my-job."

"Will you just open it now?"

She nodded once, took a deep breath and stepped forward. George was breathing heavier with every move she made. She leaned her head against it, trying to just listen at first. When she heard nothing she slowly moved her hand to the handle. Then, in one swift motion she jumped back, opened the cupboard and aimed her sonic screwdriver at the contents.

Nothing happened. Clothes were hanging inside and a dollhouse, surrounded by other toys was laying in the bottom. She searched through the cupboard with confusion but didn't find anything so she turned back to the group. "But- I don't understand. The readings were off the scale, something had to be in here."

The Doctor ran out of the room for a moment and came back with the photo album, flicking through the pages, "How old is George, Alex?"

"What? How old?", Alex repeated.

"Yes. How old is George?"

"Well, I told you. Just turned eight."

"So you remember when he was born, then?", the Doctor flicked to a particular page and when the Oracle peeked over his shoulder she saw what had been staring into their faces. She let out a small, "Oh."

"Of course", his look grew a bit distant.

"Course you do. How could you not? You and Claire. Christmas Eve, 2002, right?", he turned the album so Alex could see the picture of himself and Claire holding their glasses of sparkling wine into the camera and smiling.

"What? Er, yeah."

"Couple weeks before George was born. Tell us about the day he arrived. Must have been wonderful."

"Well, it was the best day of my-", Alex made a rather long pause in which his face fell as if he had just realised the point the Doctor was making, "Life."

"Sure?", the Doctor asked calmly.

"Yes", he insisted.

"You don't sound sure."

"What are you trying to say?", suddenly Alex was rushing about, trying to get rid of them, "Look, I don't like this. I've told you before, I want you to go."

"What's the matter, Alex?", the Oracle asked now.

"I can't. Oh, don't. Oh, this is scary", Alex held his head as it all dawned on him and he tried to deny it.

"No, Alex, this is scary", the Oracle flipped a page and pointed at a picture, "Claire with baby George. Newborn, yes?"

"Yes", he just nodded, aggravated.

"Less than a month after Christmas", she continued.

"So?"

"So look", the Doctor flipped back to a picture of Claire in full, standing in a group, sipping a glass of sparkling wine, "Look. Claire's not pregnant."

"What?"

"Not pregnant", he repeated.

"Well, of course not. Claire can't have kids", Alex yelled, before his whole demeanour dropped at having said it out loud.