Forged in Ice (Doctor Who AU Novel)

Chapter 4 It's Nollaig, What Could Go wrong?

Rose tucked her legs under her body, sipping what had to be the twentieth cuppa of the morning. She tried not to stare at the kitchen clock, but she couldn't help the nervous glance every few seconds. She'd spent most of the morning wondering how much longer it would be before Pete called. This day hearkened back to the night months ago when they all sat around wondering if he'd survived a silly shopping trip. The biggest difference between then and now, the entire household were wondering the same thing. They had left a pile of presents for Daniel untouched under the tree. Poor little Robbie had refused to open the gifts from Daniel or his mum, declaring he would not touch them until his dad came home. No amount of begging from his grandparents would convince him otherwise. Unable to sit still, and to hide his own worry, Don grabbed the boys up to try out the new sleds. The last she saw him, he was shepherding two boys up the hill behind the mansion. With any luck Robbie would be too tired to kick off again.

Mr Harris walked through, asked if she needed anything, and then disappeared up the stairs. The McGregors were in the lounge, getting to know Adela a little better, and Jackie -- if Rose knew her mother, she was on the phone to her friend Clarice, discussing the sad facts of this whole mess. What was it about this holiday that always invited disaster? The only thing missing now was something crashing somewhere, but then the day was only half over. Unable to take any more waiting, she took the last bite of her scone, and made her decision. She was halfway to the kitchen phone when it rang. "I've got it," she yelled before anyone else could grab it up. The receiver was in her hand by the second ring.

"Dad?" she said.

"No, Rose, it's me," Nora replied.

"Nora, what's wrong? Is he alright?"

"He's -- awake. Sort of," Nora asked.

"What does that mean: sort of?"  

"It means -- he is very confused. His vision is blurry and his right side is a bit weaker than the left. He doesn't recognise anyone, not even Pete. He drifts off, then jerks back, demanding to know where his mother is and threatens us. He doesn't remember his name; keeps telling us we have it wrong. Katherine is with him. She wants to know if you and your mother can come in, to see if it triggers anything."

"Who does he think he is; the Doctor?"

"I don't know, but he's asking where Grace is. Who's Grace?"

"Grace? Who the bloody hell is Grace?" Rose asked. 

"Well, we were sort of hoping you would know the answer to that. Can you just get Jackie and come in?"

"I have no idea who Grace is. We can be there in twenty or sooner if the roads are clear."

"Rose?"

"Yeah,"

"How is Robbie?" Nora asked, her voice filled with worry.

"He's good. Don took the boys sledding out in the woods. This weather doesn't bother him. He can't figure out why as he puts it, 'a little snowfall,' is a big deal. Where he comes from, they measure snow in feet not pathetic centimetres or inches. I just wanted to smack him. Anyway, Robbie won't open his presents from you and Daniel until Daniel comes home. But other than that, he's been okay. He's not been cheeky to anyone. Well, he glared at Mum once, but she chased him down for the Tyler cure."

The sound of Nora's half-hearted chuckle made Rose wince. "What is the cure?" Nora asked.

"She chased him down, grabbed him up, pitched him on the sofa and gave him raspberry kisses.  She always used it on Mickey when he acted up. Of course, he was five and I was one, so I don't really remember, but she would do it to me too."