To Be Astrid

Chapter 9 - Winston Churchill, Vincent Van Gogh, River and Astrid

Winston Churchill, Vincent Van Gogh, River and Astrid -

"Doctor Smith, what is it this time?", her supervisor greeted her when she timidly entered her office.

She furrowed her brows, "I don't know. I didn't do anything. I think."

"Oh, right, that's right", her supervisor scrambled a bit to sit upright, "I had you called in, you didn't do anything. Sorry to have scared you."

This new lady had taken over around the same time Jeremy had left. She had come from a completely different sector and was very aware that she knew less about her division than most of her subordinates. The way she carried out her authority was adorable in Astrid's personal opinion.

"Anyway, ever since I've started this job I haven't spoken to you once and you constantly seem to avoid this one sector", the human supervisor put a plan of Stormcage down on her desk and pointed to the sector River's cell was in.

"I try my best", she just nodded.

"To avoid it? Why? Are we holding Macra there?", she joked.

"No", Astrid chuckled under her breath, "My best friend. River Song?", she phrased it as if she was trying to jumpstart this stranger's memory, "I've gotten two warnings because of our friendship and I'm trying to avoid the boot."

"Oh. What did River Song do?", the supervisor asked, genuinely interested.

Astrid fought with herself over the question. If she was going to tell the truth, say nothing, that would sound like she'd try to end River's sentence. Again. However, she couldn't bring herself to tell her she killed the Doctor. It wasn't true and it hurt her to say it.

"She's accused of murder", she then decided.

"Oh", the supervisor let out and stared straight into her eyes with a pensive look in them, "Oh, that's not a good friend to have."

"With all due respect", a phrasing she'd picked up on in her first week, "I disagree. And I think I'm capable of picking my own friends. Does this briefing have a point?"

"Yes", she put the map aside and got the shift schedule out instead, "You see, I believe that for a functional work atmosphere everyone should take on any job they're qualified for some time. So I think you should take patrol there tomorrow."

Before Astrid could even reply the woman had switched her name with another so she was in the announced position. With a sigh she turned around to leave but she was called back.

"But, Doctor Smith. I've heard a rumour recently, from a peer of yours. Do you own a vortex manipulator?"

Just lie. No biggie.

"Yes."

Damn, you're bad at this.

"Hand it over, please", she reached out a manicured hand.

Astrid reached into the pocket by her thigh and retrieved the vortex manipulator, placing it into her supervisor's hand. The dark-haired woman got a screwdriver from the cupboard by her desk and opened the back of it. She proceeded to take out a chip and closed it up again. Then she gave it back.

"What did you do?", Astrid asked with genuine intrigue.

"This chip gives it the potential to travel through time. It's easy to follow a person through space, but not through time. You can keep it this way, and I might give this back to you when you leave us for good, but for as long as you're here, I can't let you travel through time."

"I'm not sure you're allowed to do that", she protested with furrowed brows.

"I'm not sure you were allowed to have it in the first place, Doctor Smith. You're allowed to keep it. Enjoy that part at least."

She pursed her lips to keep herself from retorting anything that would cost her the entire device, or her job, and just left without another word.

The next day, she begrudgingly made her way to the sector with River's cell in it. She noticed the look River gave her but when the prisoner tried to speak up she threw her a glare to tell her not do that. River saw the pain in the glare and the resignation in her steps. She worried for a moment but both of them were interrupted when the phone opposite her cell rang.

You should have known this would happen.

"Cell four two six, this is Astrid, how may I help you?", she greeted the caller.

"I'd like to speak to the Doctor", the caller said immediately.

Wouldn't we all?

"Ooo, she's so clever the Tardis", she replied instead, "Yes, I'll put you on speaker. This is his daughter and, you know, someone important."

She turned to River's cell and handed her the phone, cringing internally. 

You'll get fired now.

//Refer to To Be Forgotten, Chapter 9 - The Pandorica Opens, for the whole story//

And, oh, the return to Stormcage. They arrived per vortex manipulator and the alarm immediately went off. River strode over to her cell and Astrid turned to the phone again.

"Sorry, turn it off. It's me", she sighed, "I'll be right there."

"Are you okay?", River asked.

"I remember how Dad forget me and Mum was plastic and I died. And then I was fossilised before I could regenerate. It was terrifying. And now I'm about to get fired", she bit her lip, "No, I'm not okay."

"Whoa, wait. Why are you going to get fired?", River furrowed her brows.

"This was strike three. I'm sorry."

"Strike three? Astrid, what are you talking about?"

"I left. Three times, I got two warnings and now I'm leaving Stormcage."

Somehow her hearts picked up speed in fear. She'd given up so much for this job, just to be close to River, when in reality, all that kept her here, River, had been taken from her years ago. Upon the realisation that she was about to lose this job, she realised that she'd never wanted it in the first place. The past six years she could have been travelling with her parents, the past two years she could have lived a normal life with Jeremy.

"I'm sorry, River. I know this is it."

"You didn't have to do this in the first place, Astrid, it's okay. It was more than I could have asked for in the first place. Thanks."

She smiled at her. Then she took the malfunctioning vortex manipulator out of her pocket and handed it to her discreetly, "It only travels through space, but I take it, that'll suffice for now."

River smirked at her. That little expression told her that she understood her Gallifreyan words. Honestly, it still confused her as to why River had all this natural knowledge, just through being conceived in the Tardis and spending her childhood in Silence-captivity, but she was so glad she did. Even though this was her aunt, she was also her best friend.

"I'll see you soon", River said quietly, also in Gallifreyan and Astrid smiled at hearing her mother tongue coming from someone who was neither of her parents.

Then she turned to go back to her flat. She started packing her rucksack and slung it over her shoulder when all her belongings had entered it. There was a knock at her door and she opened it to her supervisor, flanked by two guards. The woman handed her a sheet of paper that explicitly fired her immediately. She only smiled, signed and let them lead her to the transmat.

For three years after that, she explored time and space on her own, quietly looking at anything she rendered interesting. She stayed wherever she deemed convenient, hoping on her way she'd find her parents, at some point past Demons Run. However, the first sign she ever received of them was a rock on an extinct formerly Aplan planet that held space-time-coordinates to the exact same place in a different time, along with the words:

"Get used to boring."

//So this is it for Astrid, River and Stormcage. The story isn't over yet. Is it obvious what's happening next? In case any of you were confused about that ending, she still has the properly functioning vortex manipulator they bought from Dorium in 'The Pandorica Opens'. Go back and read it if you like :)//