Fight For Freedom |4| The Ascension

Chapter Ten: The Beginning of Everything

"I thought I'd find you here," Zoë smiled, seeing her mother in the midst of making a cup of tea.

McKenzie turned, smiling. "You want one?"

"Please," the blonde agreed, taking a seat at the counter.

McKenzie brought the cups over, taking a seat opposite. "So what's up?"

Zoë hesitated, taking a sip of her tea. "What's it like, with Dad?"

"What, being with him?" The blonde nodded. "It's..." McKenzie sighed, smiling. "It's equal and infinite and the best feeling. There's no obligation. Every day I choose him and every day he chooses me too." She watched her daughter carefully. "Is this about Pietro?"

"Yeah," Zoë nodded. "I want to be sure."

"Well, what's it like with him?"

Zoë bit her lip. "On Earth, we live in a world that's so noisy, constantly shouting, full of conversation and laughter and so much sound - the indomitable, unmistakable sound of life. And - and it feels like, with him, I only have to whisper. He makes me feel strong. Like if he believed I could do it, I could light up the whole world, just for a day. " She smiled slightly. "I've seen all those things, all those wars, and I never knew, I didn't realise, but I get it now. Like world war one. I didn't understand how you could get to that point, how you could willingly kill people like that, but I get it now. All those people, they all lost their minds and killed, all because they couldn't bear to let the people they love die. I feel it. I felt it in Sokovia. I wanted to kill Ultron for ever attacking us, but I... I felt it with him, too. When we saw the Daleks, I... I was just so scared they would hurt him."

"And it's the best thing ever, right?" McKenzie guessed. "Because even with all the shit in the universe, all the people out to kill you, all the battles you'll have to fight, everything you'll lose, if he's with you, it'll all be okay. He gives you hope, and that's what matters because that's only thing stronger than fear."

"I'm just worried I might do something. I'm not sure what I'd do if he were to get hurt, and I'm scared I'll do something terrible," Zoë admitted, looking up from her tea to meet her mother's eyes.

And she smiled. "It's okay. That's what growing up is for. You learn how to love, you learn all these rules about what to do in every situation, and then you fall for someone and everything is thrown into complete and utter chaos and at the same time, it's the most at peace you've ever been. You learn rules about how to look after yourself in the universe and then you find someone to care for and you break all those rules to make sure they're safe. But you're strong, both of you. You've won a war. You walked into the middle of the London Blitz together, faced off with Daleks, the ultimate in racial cleansing, and you both walked out just fine. You're stronger than you know."

Zoë smiled. "How do you have such a positive outlook, after all these wars?"

McKenzie shrugged. "I guess, in the end, we're all just little animals, falling in love and having breakfast beneath billions of stars, and that's a real comforting thought. I've seen so many people die, so much pain, and hatred, and war. And after all that, I have two beautiful daughters, and they're falling in love with good men right in front of my eyes. I just have to look for things like that, and it will be okay. And as Professor Dumbledore says -"

Zoë said it with her. "Happiness can always be found even in the darkest of times if only one remembers to turn on the light." They both laughed.

McKenzie grinned. "Am I really that predictable?"

"No," Zoë assured her. "It's good. You learned all these beautiful things about love and happiness and hope from a woman fought her own war, day after day, and won it. It's the best thing there is." She stood, having finished her tea, and came round the counter to hug her mother. "I love you, Mum. Never stop being this you."

"I'll try not to," McKenzie promised. "Go on, get to bed. Sweet dreams." Once her daughter had gone, she sighed to herself, smiling. "I remember that feeling. My little girl is in love." And she sat there, smiling goofily until she ran out of tea.

And that night, everyone in the TARDIS went to bed and fell asleep with their loves, dreaming happy dreams of birdsong and togetherness.

~~~

What did I tell you about expecting fluff?

Hope you enjoyed!