ignite ➝ Doctor Who¹

IV

Penelope sped through Cardiff, knowing that she had taken too long at the shops. Someone ran past her, causing her to stop briefly, dropping her books.

Cursing the person under her breath, she crouched down and started to pick them up, she knew that she should've bought a bag today.

Someone else grabbed one of her books and she looked up sharpish, ready to jab someone in the face if it meant her book wasn't stolen. She was met by a flashy smile and crinkled eyes.

"Hello. I'm Captain Jack Harkness. And you are?" He helps her up and she takes the last book off of him, wary of this stranger who stopped to help her.

"Thank you for that, but I'll be off now." A familiar man stopped suddenly, giving the Captain a look.

"Honestly, we have work to do. Sorry bu-" The Doctor stopped when he realised he was looking down at Penelope Adaams. He grinned wide, the smile pulling up his ears. "Penelope Adaams! Imagine seeing you again." She smiled politely.

"Hello Doctor." The Captain looked between the two, confused.

"Right, so you mean to tell me, Doctor, you knew that this gorgeous woman existed and you never introduced us." She smiled bashfully under the gaze of both men but still felt incredibly uncomfortable.

"Sorry, but if you don't mind, could I get back to work." The Doctor stopped her, a hand on her shoulder.

"I thought you worked for that other guy near the estate. Williams?"

"Wilkins. And he died not too long ago, I'm working looking after my mother now. She's not doing too great." She was aware of the irony, the two people that kept her from seeing the stars were dead and dying. He gave a sympathetic look, knowing that he really couldn't ask her to come away with him now.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's life." She steps back from his hand, knowing that if she stayed any longer she probably wouldn't be able to leave.

"See you again Penelope Adaams." She waved politely to both men before racing back to her mother's flat.

She pulled out the keys to the apartment, grateful that her mother got one on the bottom floor so she didn't have to waste time waiting to get to her again. Letting herself in, she put the books down next to her mother's chair, lovingly pushing her hair back.

There was a sudden lurch, as if the entire Earth shifted. She took a few wide steps to pick up a mug from the table before it went crashing down. Hearing a gasp from her mother she raced over, pushing the hairs out of her face again.

"Penny?! Baby? What's going on? Why did the flat just shake?"

"I'm not sure mum, but there is someone sorting it out right now."

"Good, good." The woman calmed down, settling back into her chair and pulling a book off the new pile. Penelope took out the mug and put it in the kitchen sink.

Resting her hands against the basin, it took a lot out of her to not break down right there. Her mother had her when she was only 17, her father being forced out of the picture for being an abusive boyfriend before she was even born. There was enough evidence, and potentially some bribery, that got him put away for 15 years.

He came back one night after 15 years. He found and beat her mother black and blue after he found he wasn't told about the pregnancy. Penelope hid from him that night, half buried in a ditch on the phone to the police listening to her mother's screams die out. He had beat Jena - her mother - so severely that she became unable to walk unaided for very long. So since 14, Penelope has been her carer.

She moved away to the Powell Estate for a while, but when her mother's condition declined and Wilkins died, she moved back into her mother's Cardiff flat to try and help her best she could.

She did all she could for her mother, knowing that the woman refuses to leave the house and is getting weaker day by day. But Penelope isn't stupid, she knows that there isn't long left.