Miss Brightside

Chapter 21

From the front row, Addi watched as the Doctor and Rose were knighted- then banished- with a grim smile. She hadn't felt the same since she awoke the next morning in an empty cellar covered in animal fur. She remembered what she saw. Her sister, burning with the light of a billion stars, with time itself. She witnessed the things she killed, the things brought back to life, and the Doctor with a different face saving her from herself, knowing it would kill him. 

Addi saw other things as well. Silver robots marching on London as flying salt-shakers wreaked havoc from the sky. A tall building with a burning name, a familiar blue box, a portal to a blank nothingness, life...death. Something was coming for her family, and she couldn't stop it.  

For now, though, she faked a smile and pretended that she was fine, like she had been doing for some time now. 

The walk back to the TARDIS was filled with chatter as the Doctor and Rose filled Addi in on what had occurred while she was 'napping' in the estate's cellar. A stone wiggled down the road next to her as she nudged it with her shoe, head hung and eyes staring only at the dirt below her.

"I told you guys, the telescope wasn't for stargazing," the young girl said, fidgeting with the ring on her finger and kicking the stone once again.

"I can't believe you caught onto that so quickly," the Doctor grinned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "She's a smart one, isn't she Rose?"

"Yeah," the blonde replied with a giggle. "She's always loved learning."

Addi paused in the middle of the gravel road making the other two stop as well. She looked up at them with sad eyes and a weary frown. "I want to go back to school."

"What?"

"Why?"

The young blonde looked at her sister and gave a weak smile, "I need to help my friend through something. He needs me."

"I need you," Rose said, lower lip wobbling as she stared at her sister, eyes glacing over with unshed tears. The Doctor kept silent, only frowning at the pair.

"I'm not saying forever, Rosy. I would love to travel through time and space forever with you and the Doctor...but I can't right now," Addi said, biting her lip with a guilty look plastered on her face. "In a few months I'll be back on holiday and we can travel together again!"

The older Tyler crossed her arms and looked at the gravel road beneath her sneakers. There were a million things Rose wanted to show Addi- all the stars and planets she had been able to see. She wanted to share it all with her sister. Yet, The girl was willing to wait if it meant making her sister happy- she would do anything for her. She tilted her head back up and gave Addi a weak smile, " Alright, we'll drop you at King's Cross-" Rose pointed a stern finger at her, "-but don't you go making summer plans now, yeah? We have loads to show you!"

Addi grinned at her sister and launched into her arms with a teary laugh, "Of course not! I wouldn't miss traveling wit you this summer for anything."

The Doctor grinned at the pair and cleared his throat with an expectant look on his face, swiveling around with his hands clasped behind his back. Rose rolled her eyes as Addi giggled, "Get in here, you big softy."