Touch The Sky: Doctor Who/Studio C [Book 3]

Imperfectly Extraordinary

Imperfectly Extraordinary

(Original Interlude)

Matt felt himself bristle but couldn't quite stop it. "I'm sorry?"

Jason didn't answer, but as abruptly as he'd spoken, almost everyone else in the room did too.

"You two have been together?"

"Why didn't you say you were coming?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Are you pregnant?"

"Matt, weren't you with the Doctor?"

From the corner of his eye, Matt saw Mallory slink back a little, putting herself slightly behind him. With a careful motion, he caught one of her clenched hands in his own. After a moment, her tension eased enough to grip back.

"Sorry, 'the doctor'?" That voice was Aaron's, rising above the gradually quieting others. "Doctor who?"

The tiniest note of humor came to Mallory's voice. "Yeah, exactly." Several cast members shot her confused glances while the rest—those who had actually spent time with the Time Lord—had knowing looks on their faces. Silence fell over the room again.

"Mal," Natalie finally started, her gaze straying toward Mallory's belly before jerking back up to her face. "Is this why you left...?"

Mallory cleared her throat before she managed, "No. No, the reasons I gave you for leaving were genuine." She smoothed a hand over her stomach, gesture confirming the thoughts that had to be flitting through everyone's minds. "I just had a bit of a wrench thrown in my plans once I got there."

"So wait... you're... but I thought... except..." James started several different sentences before he sat back against the couch. "I'm confused."

"I think we all are," Jeremy told him.

"Some of us more than others," Dalton piped up.

Matt blew out a breath and realized they were going to have to bring the new three in on their time traveling secret, as well.

"Okay, so let's just get this straight," Stacey said. "Mattory baby...?"

Mallory let out a tiny chuckle, her eyes suspiciously bright. "Yes."

"Yessssss," he echoed, making a gesture of victory. A handful of people shot him glares.

"Can we sit?" Mallory finally ventured. Natalie nodded and got to her feet, leaving Mallory to drop into her vacated seat and Matt to perch on the arm of the couch next to her.

He had thought, after so many times going through their story, that perhaps it would get quicker and easier to tell. Instead, it seemed to grow exponentially longer every time they had to go through it.

~~~

Thankfully, with those who had been through the Year to back Matt and Mallory up, it didn't seem like Tori, Aaron, and Dalton were inclined to put their friends in an insane asylum. On the other hand, Tori was the only one of the three who didn't take the chance to go home early.

With the group now reduced to eleven and a fair bit quieter than before, Mallory felt her gaze continually drawn to the door. Matt must have noticed, because he finally said, "We really should probably be going."

"You can't leave already," Stacey insisted.

"The Doctor and Donna are waiting for us," Matt said ruefully.