Ties Between Freedom and Love

✦26✦

Chapter Twenty-Six
Time Disasters And Time Agents

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The Doctor walked into the house with Rose beside him. He smiled a little when several little kids ran in. He rounded the corner and leaned his head into the dining room to hear children talking.

"It's got to be black market!" one of the boys said. "You couldn't get all this on coupons."

"Ernie, how many times?" the young woman, the Doctor and Rose were following, asked. "We're guests in this house! We will not make comments of that kind. Washing up!"

They all burst out laughing at her, "Oh, Nancy!" the boy exclaimed.

"So she's Nancy," the Doctor mused as he and Rose kept back, trying not to be seen until they wanted to be.

"What are we doing here?" Rose whispered, her eyes darting back and forth.

He looked to the table as Nancy held a plate of meat out, instructing the children to each take a slice. "Finding answers, Rose. The TARDIS doesn't just suddenly ring out of nowhere for nothing, you know," he replied.

Rose tried to catch his arm, but he was walking past her and into the dining room before she could. Silently he took a seat and waited for someone to notice him. Each of the children took a slice of meat, one after the other, saying, "Thank you, Miss."

They absently handed the plate to him and he grinned while Rose facepalmed, she stood off to the side as she watched the scene unfold.

"Thanks, Miss," the Doctor said brightly and everyone at the table gasped.

"It's alright," Nancy nervously reassured before any of the kids could run out of the room scared. "Everybody stay where they are."

"Good here, innit?" the Doctor asked, smiling at them. "Who's got the salt?"

"Back in your seats," Nancy ordered, keeping eye contact with him. "He and his friend shouldn't be here either," she said as Rose walked over to the Doctor's side.

The Doctor nodded as everyone took their seats again, "So, you lot, what's the story?"

"What do you mean?" one of the boys asked.

"You're homeless right?" he guessed. "Living rough?"

"Why do you wanna know that?" another boy asked as Rose sat down beside the Doctor. "Are you a copper?"

"Of course I'm not a copper," the Doctor scoffed. "What's a copper gonna do with you lot anyway? Arrest you for starving?" he leaned forward in his chair as they laughed. "I make it 1941," he figured glancing at Rose, who shrugged. "You lot shouldn't even be in London. Should've evacuated the country by now."

"I was evacuated. Sent me to a farm," one of the boys said.

"Why did you come back then?" Rose asked, her tone gentle as she looked at the boy.

"There was a man there. . ."

"Yeah, same with Ernie," another pointed out. "Two homes ago."

"Shut up!" Ernie, the first boy, told him. "It's better on the streets anyway. It's better food."

"Yeah, Nancy always gets the best food for us."

Rose smiled admiringly at the mentioned girl, "So that's what you do, is it, Nancy?"

"What is?" Nancy looked up from her plate in frustration.

"Soon as the sirens go, you find a big fat family meal, still warm on the table with everyone down in the air-raids shelter and bingo!" the Doctor explained. "Feeding frenzy for the homeless kids of London town. Puddings for all, as long as the bombs don't get you."