Yowzah Oneshot Collection (2)

196(G)Mattex

             And a Happy New Year

                     GrumpyJenn

“What happened to River Song?” Matt repeated the interviewer’s question. “Can’t say. Spoilers.”

The truth was, Matt thought, that he didn’t actually know why River Song was not so much as mentioned in the Christmas Special. It was spoilers for him too, and maybe even for Alex, though he doubted that. Moff was careful about keeping Alex in the loop. But the fans and the reporters kept on about it, as though he would be allowed to tell them even if he did know. All he had been allowed to reveal was that Clara kissed the Doctor - not the other way round - and that Clara herself was very timey-wimey. As if the fans hadn’t figured that out by themselves.

He wondered what Alex thought of it, all the rumours he’d read. Alex and Steven had had a falling-out, Alex and Matt had had a falling out, Clara was River, or River’s daughter, or Jenny-the-Doctor’s-Daughter, or a flesh avatar of the TARDIS or Susan from the very first episode or Romana or the bloody Master... the permutations were endless, and most of them were ridiculous. Unless they were Steven’s idea; he could make the weirdest and most nonsensical things seem reasonable, even if timey-wimey in the extreme. Matt had even shown Steven a fan theory wherein Clara was Mary Poppins, who was a Time Lord, and although Steven had laughed, there had been a very thoughtful look on his face.

Matt was surprised and pleased when his mobile rang, and the ringtone - Hello, Sweetie in that throaty voice - indicated that it was Alex ringing. “Hello, Miss Kingston,” he said in a low and intimate tone as he answered, “Calling to declare your undying love, are you?” She laughed and flirted right back.

“Sorry, darling, I’m the Master and your ninth self all rolled up into one, didn’t you know? Or was that Clara?” She laughed again. “The stories are outrageous, aren’t they, darling?” The chuckle turned into a sigh, and she said in a lower tone, “I do rather miss it though, Matt. You and me and Karen and Arthur, all together. Right. Well...” She trailed off and her voice grew bright again. “I’m in town - well, in London - for a fortnight and I’d like to see you,” Matt bit his tongue hard to keep from exclaiming in delight; she wanted to see him. But she was still talking. “All of you,” she said, and he felt so disappointed he didn’t even make the obvious joke.

“I’m in London. You can have me,” Matt heard himself saying, and he hurried on before she thought... well. “And I think Darvill’s in town. But you’ll have to pry Kaz from her mum’s cold, dead hands in Inverness if you want to see her. Haven’t you seen her at all in L.A.?”

“I haven’t been in L.A. darling,” Alex said. “I was at Christmas but by then Karen was here. In Inverness, I mean. Before that I was in Australia with Brian for the convention.” She sighed. “In any case, I’d love to see you. And Arthur.”

“Right then,” Matt said as cheerfully as he could manage. “You come on over to my flat and I’ll ring Darvill up.” He ignored her babbling protests that she didn’t really mean now; she was sure they must have better things to do than hang about with her. “Alex. Alex. If you’re not too knackered over the flight, I’d love to see you. I’ll feed you...” Now he was wheedling and Alex acquiesced. She'd be there at half-six, they decided, and if nothing in his flat appealed to her, they’d go out to eat. Matt would ring Darvill. “Make you feel welcome back on your own home shore, Alex.”

--/--

Alex hoped she’d feel welcome. Because right now, she felt stupid. Mooning after him like a lovesick fan, jealous that he’d... well, not Matt as such, but the Doctor - the eleventh one - he was hers, dammit, and River didn’t even get a mention. Not even a sorry, I’m a married man. It was stupid; River wasn’t mentioned in every episode, and she hadn’t really thought much of it after that daft little pang of jealousy as Clara kissed the Doctor. Which she quickly suppressed as she was watching the episode with her daughter of course.