An Unexpected Adventure-A Doctor Who Fanfiction

Nightmares and FairyTales

{SORRY FOR THE JUMP AHEAD, I WAS GETTING BORED OF LILY BEING SO YOUNG}

SEVEN YEARS LATER

The Doctor awoke with a start, tears rushing down his face.  It was just a dream, but it felt so real, so raw.  He stepped out of bed, exiting his room.  Lily was fine, but still he cried.  She had died, and even though it had just been a dream, it scared him.  She's all he has, and without her his life would be incomplete, even though years before he would never have thought that.

He entered the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the hot water burn his skin.  He choked slightly, sobbing and remembering the horrors of the dream.

It felt so real because it had happened before.  It was so long ago, but the memory was still fresh.  He never liked to talk about it, but he had a family back on Gallifrey.  A family he had to give up to save the universe.  

Sometimes he wondered if it was worth it.  Saving the world but having to give up the thing he loved.  

The dream, of course, involved Lily's demise.  Those bloody daleks.  She didn't regenerate, and that's what scared him the most.  Can she?  

Finally, when he coudn't tell the difference between tears and water, he stepped out.  His skin was red and giving off heat.  He looked in the mirror, his eyes bloodshot, his face swollen.  How was he going to tell Lily about the horrors of his past?  Would she still look at him the way she does?

He dried himself off and exited the bathroom.  Once dressed, he laid back down even though he knew he wouldn't fall back to sleep.  After a few minutes he heard Lily call him from the other room.  

"Dad?"  He sat up.  "Dad?"  He got out of bed and left his room, hoping it wasn't obvious that he had been sobbing.  "What is it, Lily?  What's the matter?"  She sniffed and her realized she had been crying.  He sat down on her bed and stroked her head.  "What's wrong sweetheart?"

She swallowed.  "I-I had a nightmare.  Something was here, Dad.  Something was in my room."  He leaned over and wrapped his arms around her.  "Oh Sweetie, I'm sorry.  Don't worry, nothing's going to hurt you.  Not while I'm here."

She sniffed and wipped her tears. "I'm to old to have nightmares.  I'm sorry I woke you, I'm being so childish..."  He cut her off.  "There's nothing wrong with nightmares, and there's nothing wrong with being scared.  Even I have nightmares."  She looked up at him.  "Really?  Why would you have nightmares?  You aren't scared of anything."

He clucked his tongue.  "I have nightmares all the time.  And I am scared of many things."  "What?"  "I'm scared of losing you."

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 After comforting Lily, he made her a cup of peppermint tea, her favorite.  She settled back into the bed, the mug between her hands.  "Everything better, then?"  She took a sip and swallowed, shaking her head.  "I'm still scared.  Will you sit in here with me for a little longer?"  He sighed and ruffled her hair.  "Of course I will."  She put the now empty mug on the table beside her bed.  "Tell me a story?"  He smiled.  "What do you want to hear?"  

Lily shrugged.  "Something... Different.  Something about your travels."  He nodded, thinking.  "Okay, I'll try."

"There once was a man that travelled the universe.  He was lonely even though he wasn't always alone.  He searched the universe, trying to fix it's problems and forget his past, but the memories always returned at night.  It had been many years since this man had truly loved someone, and he didn't expect to love again.  Then one day, when he had stopped on Earth for a break, a bundle was dropped at the steps of the Tardis.  It was a baby, and although at first he protested, he soon realized that this little girl was his beacon of light, his reason to carry on.  Her name was Lily, and she made him feel happy again.  He cherished her, and watched her grow up into a strong girl, and although he never found her mother, it didn't matter anymore.  Finally, he had found someone to love, to protect, and to care for.  And that made everything all right."

 He finished his story and glanced at Liy.  She was asleep, snoring softly.  He smiled at her and tucked her in, kissing her forehead.  He reached beside her and turned off the lamp, grabbing the mug and carrying it out of her bedroom.

 He placed it in the sink.  There was no reason to clean it now, he could always do it tomorrow.  He walked back to his room, exaustion finally taking over his body.  He removed his shirt and bowtie, then flopped into bed, yawning.  

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"Dad!  Wake up!  I have a suprise for you!"  His eyes opened heavily.  Lily stood beside him, a large grin plastered on her face.  She tugged at his arm.  "Come on, I wanna show you something!  Get dressed!"  She ran out of the room and he pulled himself out of bed, sleepily grabbing his shirt and buttoning it up.

He stepped out of the room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.  Now where did she go?  She answered that for him by popping up down the hall, gesturing for him to come closer.  "Come on!"  He chuckled and met up with her.

She grabbed his hands and covered his eyes with them.  "Keep your eyes shut tight!  It's a suprise!"  "Is it now?"  She guided him into the room a few feet then stopped.  "Okay, open them."  He opened his eyes and gasped.

Lily had made breakfast.  Toast with butter, scrambled eggs, and tea.  He smiled, laughing.  "Where did you learn to cook?"  She giggled.  "I read some books in the library.  I practice when you shower."  She grabbed his arm.  "Come on, eat!"  He grabbed his plate and sat down, taking a bite.

The eggs were disgusting, almost raw.  Still, she made them, so he attempted to look pleased.  "Mmm.  Yum."  He choked them down and tried a bit of the toast.  It was better, just a little burnt.  Thankfully the tea was perfect.  "A fine cup of tea, Lily.  I'm proud of you."  She grinned, glad she pleased her father. 

He stood and ruffled her curly blonde hair.  "Get dressed.  We're going to go around town today.  I'm thinking you need some new clothes.  Her eyes brightened, and she ran off into her bedroom.  He chuckled and scraped the plates clean of their "breakfast", then went to see if she was ready.

 She was looking in her mirror.  He noticed she was wearing her favorite top, now covered with stains, and shorts.  For shoes she wore sandals.  He smiled.  "It's about time we got rid of that top."  She pouted at him.  "Why?"  "It's covered with stains and you're grown out of it.  Don't worry, we'll get you one like it, okay?"

She sighed.  "Fiiiiiine."  She drew out the word, obviously upset.  He gestured for her to come over to him.  She did, and he gave her a hug.  "How about this; we get some ice cream too, eh?  How about that?"  She grinned and laughed.  "Okay, Dad!"  

He knew he was spoiling her, but she deserved it.  She rarely got to have fun, and this kind of thing made her happy, and when she was happy, so was he.  

Her mother, whoever she is, would be rather upset at the amount of stuff he buys for Lily.  There was no doubt in his mind that he spent to much money to make her happy, but a little spoiling couldn't hurt her.  

With a smile, he followed Lily into the main room, watching her run around the console energetically.  "Lily!"  He spoke sternly, and she stopped running.  "Sorry, Dad."  "How about after ice cream, we go to the park?  I believe there's a little pond nearby where we could feed the ducks as well."  He knew the animals would get her to go.  She made a happy shrieking noise.  "Yay!"  She started to run once more, not listening to his attempts to tell her to stop.

He sighed and sat back against a chair, already feeling the exaustion that would come upon him.  Really, he just wanted to go back to sleep.

Sadly, it was too late for sleep.  Startling both him and Lily, there came a knock on the door.  Lily looked at him.  "Aren't you going to answer that?"  He strightened his bow tie and shirt.  "Of course."  He stood up from the chair and stretched, then walked over to the doors slowly.

 He opened the doors and stuck his head out, then gasped.  A curvy woman stood before him, with a bright smile and curly blonde hair.  "R-River!?"  She laughed.  "You look so alarmed!"  She sighed happily.  "Hello, Sweetie!"