The Girl of Colours (Book TWO)

Abandoned

"What just happened?"

"I think Sky just grew up." Sarah Jane breathed as I stayed at her level, letting her carefully watch me.

Clyde made a face. "What, with no birthdays? That's just rubbish."

Metal boy stepped back. "I am too late."

"Face your destruction, Metalkind. The child is your doom." The woman laughed as energy played over the little girl I had so quickly fallen in love with, like she was my own daughter. I was the first to truly hold her...

"What's happening to me?"

Blondie pointed at the metal guy. "Destroy him!" She threw an energy bolt at him, and he flew back into a wall to her delight. "Again, my child."

Not a chance, love. "No."

"What am I?"

I looked back at her, taking her hand lightly. "Oh, Sky, don't be frightened."

"You are the hammer to crush the Metalkind. You are the weapon and salvation of our species." She was still being told by her biological mother. "Destroy your enemy."

Looking back at the woman, I threw a sonic ball at her, trying to knock her back. "No, Sky. You don't have to destroy anything. You don't have any enemies. Just be calm, and trust me. It's all right."

"Callie?"

That made me smile, and I stood up, still holding her hand. "Everything's going to be all right, I promise."

The woman righted herself after my sonic attack and glared. "Stop your meddling. Come with me. Return home and fulfil your purpose."

She just hid in my cardigan. "I don't think she wants to go with you. Don't blame her, I've been a weapon before, took out a Dalek fleet, and trust me, it's not good."

"I am the child's mother."

Clyde spoke up then. "Introducing Miss Myers. She spells it the alien way."

"Well, my name is Calliope Jace Smith, also known as the Bad Wolf and the Girl of Colours, and I don't think you're a fit parent."

"She is a weapon, grown in a laboratory to destroy the enemies of my species." Miss Myers snapped at me. "I grew her." Which meant you had no right as a mother, you were a glorified surrogate mother.

Sky looked up at me. "What does she mean?"

Rani shook her head. "Oh, don't listen to her, Sky."

"Well, none of us can help the way we come into this universe, but we have a say in what we become. And whatever you had planned for her, this is an innocent child, not a weapon, and I will protect her from the Metalkind and I will protect her from you." Then I started to sing, a piece of equipment sparking as a diversion as I pulled the little girl away from the woman who was trying to take away her life. "I have to get you as far away from that woman as I can."

The little girl was still terrified. "Is she really my mother?"

I got back down to her level as everyone else got into the car. "All I know for sure is somebody brought you to me and Sarah Jane to protect you, and that's what I've got to do. Come on, poppet, I can keep you safe."

Then we started off back towards the house, and we get her inside, trying to keep her away from the windows so Gita wouldn't see. "This is where you live, I remember."

"What, you remember when you were a baby?" Rani asked in confusion.

"It was only about half an hour ago." Clyde reminded the girl as I started clearing things away. I was so tired, all those dreams about my own mother keeping me up, and then Sky coming and not letting me get back to bed.