Dreaming of a Blue Box ✧ Doctor Who ¹ ✓

42 - Father's Day (Part III)

Continuing from 'Father's Day - Part I'

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IT DIDN'T TAKE LILY LONG TO CATCH UP WITH THE DOCTOR, her stamina had gotten much better after starting her travels. However, she was still out of breath as she talked to him. "She didn't mean it." Were her choices of words to greet him when she got to his side. "She didn't mean any of it." They exited the stairwell and the Doctor was still quiet, Lily wrapped her jacket around her body as a cool chill passed through. "Too many emotions were in control."

"What she said was uncalled for." That was all he said as he kept a steady pace.

Lily sighed, kicking a passing pebble with the toe of her shoes. "She doesn't know your entire past of losing your companions- only what I've told her." She tried to explain. "When you go to other places and save people-"

"That's not what I'm referring to." He interrupted her, glaring straight ahead. "She shouldn't have said you weren't their real daughter."

"She said it out of spite." Lily defended Rose. When the Doctor didn't answer her, didn't even look at her, she stopped walking when she realized something. She called out to him as he continued walking. "I'm not leaving without her." That made the Doctor halt and turn to face her, a few feet between them. "I'm serious, Doctor. Don't have me choose between you and her. Cos I'd choose her in a heartbeat."

The Doctor sighed and looked at Lily from her face to her feet and back to her face again. "You're just so good, Red." He walked up towards her while keeping complete eye contact. Lily knew that should make her uncomfortable but it only made her feel seen. "Forgiving and trusting and," The Doctor was now right in front of her. He smiled fondly at her. "Better than I'll ever become."

With her five foot five height she became used to looking up as she spoke to him. "She's my sister."

He nodded. "And she hurt you but you'd never admit it." He then narrowed his eyes and she knew that serious look of his. "But you should tell her."

She wet her lips at how intimate this started to feel. "I will." She lied.

"Until then, and if you change your mind and go join her, we'll just take a break in the TARDIS. And I promise," He put his hands on his chest. "Hands on both hearts, that I won't fly off without her."

She wasn't shocked but smiled when she heard him say that. "You do?"

He pursed his lips at the memory. "She got me mad, but I really like her. And I didn't mean what I said to her either." He casually tugged at her elbow to only steer her back into walking down the pavement. "How did you come to be adopted by them?" The Doctor asked as they started their lengthy trek back to the TARDIS.

"It's not that interesting."The Doctor nudged her with his hip and she giggled. "Mum and Dad were engaged but living together, very taboo for the eighties." She winked at him. "It was the first of February nineteen eighty-two which happened to be Mum's birthday. They were celebrating at home when the doorbell rang. Opened it and found baby me in a basket on the doorstep." She fiddled with her locket as the memories started. "For the adoption records, they used that date as my birthday. So, I share it with my Mum. The next year they're married and four years later, this year just back in March, Rose was born."

Lily watched as his face twisted in confusion. "Why'd name you Lillian Carter and not Lillian Tyler?"

"That's still a mystery to me to this day." They both quickened their steps when she saw the TARDIS in the near distance. "Mum and Dad fought a lot and didn't hide anything from me." She controlled her hands from shaking like they had before. "Mostly about money. Sometimes she accused him of cheating but I never knew if that was true or not. But when Rose got older and started asking questions, as younger kids do, we just tell her the good parts."