20 - Aliens of London (Part II)

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Continuing from 'Aliens of London - Part I'

AFTER THE POLICEMAN LEFT, THE DOCTOR WASN'T FAR BEHIND HIM- reading the room that Lily needed a few moments alone with her family. He told her he'd see her up on the roof when she was done, which threw her off a tad. Now, Lily stood in the kitchen with Jackie and Rose with the latter still holding onto the ginger's hand.

Lily now matched her family's faces. Her sobs were nearly in sync with theirs. "Did you think about us at all?" Jackie asked for both herself and Rose- soothing a chunk of Lily's hair over her shoulder.

"I did," Lily admitted, sniffing back the tears as she did. "All the time, but-"

"One phone call." Jackie interrupted, cradling Lily's face between her hands. "Just to let us know that you're alive."

Lily leaned into her touch and cried some more when Jackie started wiping away her tears with her thumbs. "I'm sorry, Mum." She felt Rose's arms now snake around Lily's waist and hug her the best she could with Jackie's hold on her- Rose's nose pressed against her shoulder. "I am. But, I just-"

"Do you know, what terrifies me is that you still can't say. What happened to you?" Jackie pleaded once more. "What can be so bad that you can't tell me the truth, sweetheart? Where were you?"

After a few more tears and Lily having to almost put in writing her promise to her mum she'd be right back, the ginger opened the door to the building roof and let out a heavy sigh when she saw her Doctor. "I invited Rose up but she said she'll deal with Mum for a tick." He watched her stroll up and lift herself to the ledge of a half wall. After situating herself, legs dangling off the edge, Lily watched the Doctor join her by leaning his back against the bricks, next to her legs.

"She's never going to believe me." She fiddled with her locket's chain. "Even if she walks into the TARDIS herself she'd think it's still in my head. That what she's actually in is probably a result of lack of sleep or something. And I missed a whole year!"

The Doctor shrugged. "You didn't miss much."

"But I did though." She corrected him softly- their eyes meeting. "I missed Rose's twentieth birthday. Halloween, Harvest time, Christmas! I just-" She stops to collect her thoughts before her emotions spill over. It would embarrass her if the Doctor saw her cry over something like this. "Those moments I could have had with them I can never make up."

"Well," He seemed hesitant to ask. "Are you going to stay here now?" Lily took a moment to think up an answer, but the Doctor added before she could speak. "It's just if you do decide to stay, the library is still your responsibility."

That made her smile. "Oh really?"

"It's a lifelong commitment, Red."

"I would have loved to know that when you gifted it to me." She was now laughing and was thankful to him for being the reason. "I want to stay," When she noticed the toe of her boot grazing his upper arm she jerked it back and crossed her ankles. "More than anything in this world. But I can't do that to them again."

"She's not coming with us." Lily agreed with a frantic shake of her head. "I'm perfectly fine with Rose tagging alone, but I cross the line at mothers."

Lily nearly died laughing at the memory- having to hold her sides as they started to hurt. "She slapped you!"

"Nine hundred years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother!"

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