The Slower Path

The Slower Path - Part 2

***PART DOS***

When we return to the apartment, shopping bags in hand, it is almost midnight. I am so tired, I could fall asleep on the steps we're slowly making our way up. The Doctor fumbles with the keys as we approach the door. "If only I could just snap instead of having to enter with these keys." He says with a smirk. I laugh and say "This isn't the Tardis, Doctor." When he finally finds the right key, we burst into the living room. Waiting for us is our kitten, Louis. Of course, The Doctor doesn't call him Louis, he suggested we call him the Doctor jr. He was so disappointed that Tony, my new brother, wasn't called the Doctor that he was determined to name something after himself. He decided on the cat. I told him no, but he wouldn't budge. So I guess now he's called Louis, and the Doctor jr. "I thought I told you to feed Louis yesterday!" I say as I look at the poor kitten, wallowing by his food bowl. The Doctor looks confused for a moment then acts as if he's had a realization. "Oh you mean the Doctor jr!" He says, trying not to smile. "I did feed him yesterday, he must have eaten it all." I raise my eyebrows. "Wow, he is going to be a very fat cat. And I thought we agreed on Louis?" "Nah Louis is too common. The Doctor jr, now that's original." He replies. I roll my eyes, giggling. "Fine, you call him whatever you want. I'm going to bed." I say, yawning. He picks up our bags and says "Right behind you." We walk to the bedroom together.

As I pull on my pajama bottoms, I think back to my conversation with mum earlier. I tried to forget about it the best I could while we were shopping, but it just kept coming back. Mum is getting so insecure that she's counting on me to spend every waking moment with her. And to think she blames the Doctor for me wanting to move out! Well, technically he is the reason, but I just wanted to live together, just us. She's always been a bit jealous of the Doctor, ever since "he" came back. You would think she would be a lot happier now that she has dad back again. But I guess she's been without him for so long, she's started to depend on me. I figured now that dad's back, I can go off on my own. But she's so clingy, and blames the Doctor. I don't want to see the day she finally tells him how she feels about him. Honestly, I don't know how he would react, and I don't want to find out. I must have a weird look on my face, because when the Doctor comes in he asks me "Are you okay?" Yeah, I'm fine." I answer. Hah. Fine. Also known as stressed, upset, and fearful.