Fixed in Time (Doctor Who Fanfiction)

Tears and Something

And so began the first year of loneliness. Seeing as I was still only seven, things weren't really that different. I still went to the same school and endured the same classes, my mum was still constantly busy and left me at home on my own, my grandmother still avoided me. The only real difference was the obvious, that the Doctor and Koschei weren't around.

Almost a year into their education at the Academy they sent me a postcard. It was one of my most cherished items since whenever I looked at it I was reminded of my two best friends. I sent them one back, explaining how things were back at home, telling them things like how I now spent time with my girl friends since the two boys weren't around. I'd discovered recently that I actually got on better with boys than girls, as even at this age all that the other girls wanted to talk about were things such as clothes and dolls and boys and stuff. A stereotype, I know, and not one I was a part of. I preferred talks of other planets and time lord things, which was what I usually talked about with Koschei and the Doctor. The girls did introduce me to the ribbon game they played, and even though it sounds boring running around with a ribbon, I actually found it quite enjoyable so that's what I did with them now.

The year passed slowly, but eventually I turned eight, and the little hope that had been inside me was extinguished. Everyone in my class had received an invitation to study at the Academy of the Time Lords; everyone except me that is. I urged my mother to write a letter to the High Council to ask for a place there, but the reply was negative. I was only half Gallifreyan, the letter reminded me, so becoming a time lord was not a possibility.

I was so angry at the reply that I had a tantrum, knocking most of the furniture in our small house over. When my mother came home that night, she was shocked and appalled at the mess, until she found me curled up into a ball under the covers of my bed, tired out from having sobbed for hours.

She immediately carried me out of bed into the lounge room, wrapped me in a warm blanket, made me a warm drink, and then sat down to talk to me.

"Susan," she asked me gently. "What's wrong?"

"The letter from the High Council came today." I told her tearfully. "I can't be a time lord ever!"

I burst into tears at my own words and mum spent a long while trying to calm me down again. She drew me into a hug, murmuring comforting words as she rubbed my back. Once I was calm again, she served dinner and I finished my drink. That night I went to bed early, too upset to do anything else.

The perfect thing to cheer me up came a year after this incident. The Doctor and Koschei had a four month break from the Academy (which was only fair considering they would study there for centuries), and so they came to see me.

Surprisingly my mother was home for once, and was presently surprised to find two excited young boys at the door, asking to see me. I'd told her about my two friends, but not excessively. Mum let the Doctor and Koschei in, and the first thing I noticed was how different they looked. They both had haircuts, more formal clothing, and a significant change in their eyes. Although I'd noticed a small difference after they'd first looked into the Untempered Schism, this change was more pronounced, as if they had been playing with the building blocks of time itself. That is of course, impossible, but I liked to pretend to be poetic back in those days.

After a short moment of us staring at each other, I finally spoke.

"Hello."

"Hi." The two boys said breathlessly, obviously excited to be back in their home town again.

"So how.... what.... how was.... What's it like at the Academy?" I asked, taking a while to decide precisely what to ask them.

The Doctor and Koschei exchanged a look. "It's.... awesome actually." Koschei stated hesitantly, as if afraid to upset me.