When The Doctor Was Me (Frerard Doctor Who AU)

I Can See The Stars...

A/N~ This is VerY long so apologies in advance! I know I like to make these chapters long already, but this is longer than usual so heads up!

~Skittles Out~

The Doctor held Melanie's teddy bear in one arm, while he held the little girl up in his other arm as they walked through the dark atmosphere. Melanie had told the Doctor that her teddy would help keep away the nightmares around them. Her head was leaned against his shoulder as she quietly watched the area ahead.

"How are you doing, love?" The Doctor asked, stepping over a gnarled tree root.

She hummed quietly before responding. "I miss my Kelly and Vic..."

The Doctor nodded. "Yea, I miss my Frankie too." He paused his walking before looking around, "How big is this place?"

"Nightmares are huge." Melanie spoke softly, "It may take awhile before we find them... But Kelly can usually help me when we get separated..."

"How's that?" The Doctor asked, trying to determine a direction to walk in.

Melanie yawned. "The mutation in our genetics..." She muttered, softly. "I can just feel it... We came from the same splice of DNA, he was just born first..."

"So you're bonded in a way?"

Melanie nodded against the Doctor's shoulder. "Kind of like a twin thing, I guess... 'Cept I took longer to develop they said..."

"Who said?" The Doctor asked.

"The grown ups..." The small girl sighed, tiredness evident in her tone.

"Don't think about that." The Doctor told her, patting her back as he carefully walked forward. "Just sleep, alright? I'll protect you."

Melanie hummed again, but added nothing else. Just minutes later, the Doctor could hear light snores coming from the child. He smiled, knowing that she was comfortable enough to rest, but still held worry in his chest for the missing three. He could only hope that Frank had managed to hold onto the boys, or vice versa.

He had just gotten Frank well again. How had he already put him in danger once again? How was he supposed to protect him when they had already been separated?

The Doctor had already been forced to imagine one of his fears, he hated the idea of living another...

---

"Does he talk at all?" Frank asked, nodding towards Kellin. The shorter haired boy was being given a piggyback ride by Vic as his eyes scanned the trees surrounding them.

"He can't." Vic shrugged, "They messed up his genetics, which is why it took all the extra time for them to finish Melanie."

"So... Test tube babies?" Frank asked with an unsure tone.

Vic thought for a moment before shrugging again. "Pretty much. They're technically related, because of the similarities of DNA or something or other. I don't know. The science stuff is garbage when it's constantly used to push you into suffering."

Frank moved a gnarled tree branch out of his way as he nodded. "They really make you the damn guinea pigs? What kind of parents would do that? Or even adults in general."