Hey guys, I have a reeeeeally difficult and important exam in the school I chose, this Friday. But I decided to publish this chapter anyway. Hope you like it.

Btw I am sorry if I started to make longer chapters. It's just now I update more rarely than before but I want you guys to still have a chapter of this book to read. So sorry for that and, if you don't like it, write to me and I'll change it.

Now read and wish me good luck!

~~~

Melody's pov:

The Doctor was working on the console, deep in thoughts, while I watched him, leaning on the realigns. I haven't heard the previous conversation between him and Donna outside but, whatever they said, made the Doctor not exactly happy.

I watched him curiously, my arms crossed across my chest, wondering of what was he thinking. Things would be so much easy if we would know how to read thoughts. I licked my down lip, thinking, until I decided to finally ask. I pushed myself off of the railings «Doctor?»

«Right!» he suddenly exclaimed. «Where do I drop you off?»

«Same place the next day after our meeting- but- Doctor?»

«The field it is, then!» he ignored the question again, pulling a lever up, not once looking up at me.

«Doctor?» I was now standing next to him.

He finally looked up at me «Why d'you always insist that I leave you there? I could drop you off at your home.» he said, with a raised brow.

«I don't have a home.» I told him, dismissively, frowning at his strange behavior.

«Oh...» he said glancing in nothingness for a bit. «I guess we're in two then.» he said. He then darted off around the console.

I sighed in annoyance. He was trying to escape from my question, but there was no way he was going too. «Doctor?»

«You know what, though? I think we're lucky. We're free people! No house, no rules, no one to keep us away from adventure and trouble. Well, maybe I'd have to think twice on the last one-»

«Doctor??»

«-Although, trouble is fun. At least you don't get bored, which is already a good thing!-»

«Doctor???»

«Yeah, good thing. Or maybe not. You know what never stops? Trouble! And where trouble comes, I come! So yeah, good! Or maybe not... Anyways-» but I interrupted him as I walked to stand in front of him and cupped his face into my hands making him look down in my eyes. He was taller and was looking at me from up, and just then I noticed what filled his eyes. Regret, pain, sorrow...

«Doctor.» I said softly, but firmly.

He didn't answer he just looked at me for a long moment.

I looked in those sad eyes, those eyes behind which he was trying to hide all his sadness, but he couldn't hide it from me. He looked down, braking our eye contact.

«I-I'm sorry...» he whispered stumbling on words as his voice cracked in hurt.

Not knowing what else to say I enveloped him in a hug, wrapping my arms around his neck and burring my face in his shoulder.

After a second of hesitation, in which he tried hardly not to loose his balance, he hugged me back, squeezing my body tighter to his, his strong arms lifting me up to his same level, so I had to stand on the tip of of my toes to reach the ground. We stood there for a really long time.

I knew he needed that hug. As I said before, I knew when he needed consolation, and that was that moment. I enjoyed his touch. It suddenly reminded me of 11...

How he would always hug or kiss me. I loved his affection towards me... I also missed him so much. But by then I already understood that it would've taken time for me to see him again. That was probably the reason of the kiss. It was a good bye. A farewell, perhaps. Or, most luckily, just a later... Or so I hope...

«Is everything going to be fine?» he suddenly asked, his voice cracking in pain. I just then realized how vulnerable he was in that moment. How hurt that poor Time Lord was. He never showed that to his companions, he never asked them such stupid questions which he probably knew the answer on. He never wanted their pity, or being reassured and that's what made me understand how much the situation was bad. Whatever happened, it broke his hearts.

I wanted to tell him yes. That everything was going to be okay so he could've felt happier... But I didn't want to lie. I already told a lot of lies to him and I wasn't going to lie about this.

I put my chin on his shoulder, freeing my mouth so I could speak. «...I don't know... What d'you think? Is it going to be fine, Doctor?»

He let out a chuckle «Isn't it always.»

I let out a chuckle too. It slowly faded as I stared into distance, thinking. «I think...» I finally spoke up. «Our life is a story... And every story has an ending. Good or bad that's not the matter. The plot is. The story itself...» I told him. I waited for him to answer, but he didn't. He remained in silence, still hugging me.

I smirked slightly, then opened my mouth and spoke those words I didn't know would've became his future one day «...We're all stories in the end, Doctor. You make it a good one.» I told him.

I could've bet he smirked, but I couldn't see him as his face was hidden, behind me.

Eventually we pulled away and, after a moment of looking at each other with sad smiles, I placed a kiss on his forehead caressing his cheek with my thumb softly and smiling to him. He smiled back.

Some minutes later he pulled the lever and the TARDIS let out her always groaning.

«What are you going to do now?» I dared to ask.

He didn't seem to mind me asking «Ah!... I'll probably go somewhere in the past. Or visit a planet... Just gonna do what I always do.» he said, looking up at me from behind the console, one hand in his pocket.

I chuckled half-heartedly «Put yourself in trouble?»

He grinned «Oh, yes!»

That caused me to chuckle louder. He then returned to look down as my laugh faded.

I smiled a little and then spoke. «Earth 2007, London. July 6th.» I told him, but it wasn't me speaking. I mean, yeah, it was but... I didn't know why I said that.

I mentally frowned "What the...?"

"Trust me." A voice in my mind said. It was my voice but again, it wasn't me. I always had that voice in my head. That little voice that tells you what to do. I think everybody has one. But it never spoke at my place. It never said things I didn't know.

But, now that I think about it, maybe it was it speaking all the time... All those things it was impossible for me to know.

The Doctor looked up at me with a questioning look.

I decided to trust the voice in my head, whatever it was. «Take a look.» I said, then sending him a wink as I picked up my jacket. I then started walking to the doors my gaze stuck on the floor, a self-fond smirk on my lips.

I reached the door and opened it. Just how I expected, the same field was lying outside of the TARDIS. I looked around, the wind caressing my face gently and ruffling my hair.

I looked behind me and, as I expected, the Doctor was standing in front of the console, leaning on it, hands in his pockets as he watched me.

«Be careful, will you?» I asked, pleadingly.

He smirked slightly from the corner of his lips «Not promising you anything.» he replayed. That was one of the things that never changed in the Doctor. Even if he regenerated, he would still had this one thing. This way to live for trouble. He was a magnetic field for it. It just followed him.

I smiled at him, from the corner of my lips «See ya' then.» I said. He gave me a nod.

Understanding that was all I was getting I walked out. I was closing the door when «Oh, Doctor!» I flew the door back open to look at him, remembering something.

He raised a brow. «Yes?»

I gulped, trying to formulate my question. When I finally did, I spoke up «You said Donna was fed with particles for over six months, correct?»

He nodded.

«Well, then how is it possible I have them inside of me too? I never worked there nor have I had contacts with these people, so how is that possible?» I inquired, frowning in confusion.

He looked up, like if he was thinking even though I knew he wasn't. In fact, he already knew the answer. «Would rather hear the truth?» he asked, looking straight into my eyes.

I gulped once again, afraid of what he might've said, but nodded.

He watched me for a second, observing my features from that distance. He then smirked slightly «You've always been a mystery to me, Melody Smith.» he finally replayed, his voice having a pitch of admiration in it.

I blushed slightly, letting out a chuckle. As I looked back at him, he was grinning. 

«Later, Doc.» I grinned.

He chuckled «Later, Mel.»

With that I shut the doors and walked slightly forward, turning to watch as the blue police box disappeared. It slowly did, it's groaning echoing in the empty field.

When there was nothing standing at that spot anymore, I turned around and started to walk off.

I decided I would've recuperated my bag then maybe eat something. But I never had the chance to do this things.

«Whoooooosh whoooooosh whooooooooosh.» I heard behind me. I spun around, to face the spot where the TARDIS stood before.

Slowly and lazily a sign 'Police Box' started appearing. Then the rest of the box did.

It stood there for a long moment. I watched it curiously, my head titled to the side. This TARDIS looked older but also, somehow, younger. I wanted to approach it when the door flew open and a head popped out at the opposite side of where I was standing.

«I hope I didn't get the wrong place! No, it's the same. Same place next day.» a voice I know oh so well, spoke.

«How are you planning on finding her though? It's a big city. What are you gonna do, go around and knock on every door?» a girl asked in a strong British accent, with a high pitch of sarcasm from inside.

I slowly started making my way around and to the doors and, just when I turned to the corner, I saw the Doctor (9th) shrugging looking inside the TARDIS. «Worths a try.» he said. «C'mon.» he then told the girl inside and started walking. Only to walk into me. 

He wasn't walking that fast so the impact didn't make me loose my balance.

«Ops, sorry.» he looked down at me. Our gazes met and his once icy blue eyes sparkled with excitement. I stared up at him and, just when I was about to grin happily, I stopped myself deciding to put on a little show.

«Melody! I found her!» he shouted the last part, looking back over his shoulder in the direction of the TARDIS, then looking back at me grinning like a little child who just got a new toy.

I frowned. «Excuse me... do I know you?»

His grin dropped, and became a frown. Even though I was a good actress I was trying hard not to laugh and maintain my frowning and confused face.

«Oh... Umm... Well... You see...» he said, glancing beside him in the process trying to find the words to explain himself. «...I must've got the day wrong. This is my fault I- must've- um-»

But I interrupted him when he saw the wildest grin creeping slowly on my face, as I watched him.

He stared at me even more confused.

I waved a dismissing hand at him «Just kidding. Hello, Doc!» with that I jumped on him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He tried hard not to loose his balance.

«Wait...» the very confused Doctor thought aloud after a little bit. «So... You know and remember me?»

I giggled, my arms wrapped around his neck «How could I ever forget you?»

I could feel him grinning from behind me. He then wrapped his arms around my waist, squeezing me to him tightly.

I couldn't stop grinning. I was so happy to feel him so close. I couldn't deny it, I loved our closeness. I always did.

Still hugging him, I decided to ask «How long has it been for you?»

«Five adventures.»

I pulled back putting on a shocked face «How did you survive for that long without me?» I asked, faking to be bemused by that. I actually wasn't. Well, maybe slightly, but I knew with Rose he was in right hands. I didn't worry about him too much, he was a grown up Time Lord. What I did worry about though was 11th. He was... A... Um... Well... Yeah...

The Doctor who was standing in front of me, opened his mouth to speak but was anticipated «Oh, he didn't shut up about you.» a voice behind me said.

I spun around only to see Rose standing in the TARDIS's doorframe.

My grin became wider as she spoke on «He would sometimes mutter your name while thinking or just pull out your name from nowhere in a conversation.» she continued, with a grin, her arms crossed across her chest.

«Awh.» I said, looking behind at a really blushing Doctor «Well...» he started but didn't finish as he looked down scratching the back of his neck.

I looked back at Rose. «He missed you.» she assured.

I grinned wider.

«Now, give me a hug, woman.» she said as she pushed herself from the doorway and opened her arms out for me.

I approached her and gladly pulled her into an embrace, wrapping my arms around her neck and squeezing her to me. I didn't realize how much I missed the two of them until now.

I could hear the footsteps of the Doctor from behind me when I pulled back from the embrace.

«Well, then! We'd be off?» he asked, not saying what I knew he intended to.

Rose knew it too and spoke it for him, grinning «Melody, you wanna join?»

I looked up at the Doctor by my side and, when I was sure that I could see in his eyes that he wanted me to come, I turned back to Rose «Oh, I can't refuse now, can I?»

The three of us grinned widely again and Rose pulled me in another embrace. Then we entered the TARDIS.

My grin became wider as I walked up to the console and gave her a gentile pat. «Hey, sweetie, I'm back.» I told her.

Suddenly the whole place glowed and the engines started functioning while the TARDIS groaned happily. I laughed at her, obvious to the Doctors and Roses shocked faces behind me. I took my jacket off then hanged it on the railings. I then turned around to face the couple.

«Well, then. Where are we going Doctor?» I asked.

He grinned «Not where.» he pulled a lever and the TARDIS started her groaning once more «When!» he exclaimed.

In other times I would've just roll my eyes at him show offing, but now I was just too happy. So I just laughed. As I looked back at the Doctor, our gazed met. He was smiling from the corner of his lips while watching me and so was I. We watched each other, forgetting Rose was in the room or that there was a world around us.

We watched each other until BANG!

I fell on the console, Rose on the jump chair and the Doctor on the railings.

I looked first at Rose then at him. He was looking down at the screen «What was that??» I shouted to be heard over the noise of the shuddering TARDIS.

«Working on it!» he shouted back. I approached him and stood beside looking at the screen. What I saw was not good.

«It's an emergency!» I said to myself.

The TARDIS, in fact, hurtled through space.

Rose made over to us «What's the emergency?» she asked.

«It's mauve.» he replayed.

Doctor and I rushed around the console, as the TARDIS shuddered and shook.

«Mauve?» Rose questioned, her eyes flickering first to the Doctor then to me and back.

«The universally recognized colour for danger.» he replayed.

«What happened to red?»

«That's just humans. By everyone else's standards, red's camp.»

«Oh, the misunderstandings. All those red alerts, all that dancing.» I told, shaking my head disapprovingly.

He chuckled. Then he gestured to the object we were following through the Time Vortex on the monitor. «It's got a very basic flight computer - I've hacked in, slaved the TARDIS. Where it goes, we go.» the Doctor said.

«And how safe is it?» Rose asked, standing at the other side of the Doctor.

«Totally.»

Part of the console exploded. I gave him a look.

«Okay, reasonably. Should have said reasonably there.» he told me.

I rolled my eyes.

The object meanwhile hurtled through the Vortex.

My eyes widened «Oh, no.» I muttered.

«What?» Rose asked in fear.

«Doctor?» I called.

«Oh, no, no, no, no, no! It's jumping time tracks, getting away from us.» he said.

«What exactly is this thing?»

«No idea.» the Doctor and I said in sync.

«And why are we chasing it?» Rose asked.

«It's mauve and dangerous. And about 30 seconds from the centre of London.»

The object hurtled towards Earth, with the TARDIS in hot pursuit.

Feels like trouble.

3rd pov:

The TARDIS materialized behind some bleak looking houses in London. Rose exited, followed by Melody then the Doctor.

«Do you know how long we can knock around space without having to bump into Earth?» The Doctor asked Rose, putting his hands into his pockets, while Melody wrapped her long gray scarf around her neck.

«Five days? Or is that just when we're out of milk?» Rose joked, earning a chuckle from Melody.

«Of all the species in all the universe and it has to come out of a cow.» he commented causing Melody to laugh this time. He smiled at her.

They walked away from the TARDIS obvious to someone watching them.

«Must have come down somewhere quite close.» Melody said looking around herself, observing the dark alley. «Within a mile, anyway.» she hypnotized.

«It can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month.» the Doctor added, as they continued walking.

«A month?!» Rose asked, looking at the couple as if they were crazy. «We were right behind it!»

«It was jumping time tracks all over the place, we're bound to be a little bit out. Do you wanna drive?»  the Doctor joked.

«Yeah... how much is "a little"?»

«A bit.»

Melody chuckled, her hands in her pockets. Though, she couldn't scroll off the feeling that someone was watching them.

«Is that exactly a bit?» Rose asked.

«Ish.» Melody said.

The Doctor grinned to himself.

«What's the plan, then? Are you two gonna do a scan for alien tech or something?» Rose asked the couple who were heading to a door at the end of the alley.

«Rose, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm gonna ask.» He showed Rose his psychic paper.

«Doctor John Smith, Ministry of Astroids.» Rose read, the Doctor and her obvious to Melody grinning behind their backs. Ah, the so famous name.

«Psychic Paper, tells you...»

«Whatever you want it to tell me, I remember.» Rose replayed, annoyed slightly.

The Doctor threw her a sheepish look «Sorry.»

«Not very Spock, is it? Just asking?»

Melody let out a giggle, as the two girls watched the Doctor trying to get through a door, their arms crossed across their chests.

«Door, music, people. What d'you think?» he asked, turning to the two girls.

Melody looked at Rose beside her. «What do we think?» she asked.

«We think you should do a scan for alien tech.» Rose told the Doctor, Melody nodding in approval.

The Doctor rolled his eyes holding his sonic to the door.

«Gimme some Spock! For once, would it kill ya?» Rose pleaded.

«Are you sure about that t-shirt?» he asked her instead.

Rose was wearing a garish Union Jack t-shirt. Rose looked down at it. «Too early to say. I'm taking it out for a spin.» she said.

The Doctor continued trying to open the lock with his sonic, Melody watching curiously as he did.

Suddenly Rose heard something. It was a voice. An eerie voice. «Muuuu-mmy?»She spun around looking for the source of the voice.

«Muuuu-mmy?» a child on the roof with an anti-gas mask on called. The Doctor meanwhile cracked the lock, him and Melody seeming not to hear the voice. As he did, he dropped the hand he was holding the screwdriver in, down and replaced it with Melody's hand, almost automatically. She didn't complain, but couldn't deny that the feeling of emptiness she felt before with the 10th Doctor, was long gone.

The Doctor looked over his shoulder at Rose, who was still looking for the source of the voice «Come on if you're coming. Won't take a minute.» he said, then went through the door pulling Melody behind by her hand. Rose didn't follow the couple, instead continuing looking around for the child.

«Muuuuumy?» it called again.

Rose finally spotted the child standing on a roof-top.

«Doctor? Melody? There's a kid up there!» Rose urged. But the Doctor and Melody were already inside. Rose ran to try and find a way onto the roof, watched by the child.

[DARKENED CORRIDOR]

The Doctor, followed the sound of the voices and music, pulling Melody right behind, she peering curiously from behind him.

The duo then found theirselves in a crowded drinking den, full of smoke and chatter. Melody looked around with wide eyes. She never stopped for a little to think of just how weird it was seeing the past, future and other planets, but when she did, she couldn't help but grin wider. 

There was a little stage with musicians playing a soft jazz song while the singer, a woman dressed in a white dress, sang "For nobody else gave me the thrill, when I have found I love you still, it had to be you, wonderful you... It had to be you ". She finished the song just then. The Doctor and Melody stood next to a wall not noticed by the other people in the room, who were sitting behind their tables.

The audience applauded joined then by Melody and The Doctor who just then stopped holding each other's hand.

The Doctor then approached the stage and jumped on it.

«Excuse me! Excuse me!» he said into the microphone «Could I have everybody's attention just for a mo? Be very quick, eh... hello!» he waved cheerily, Melody raising her brow in amusement as she watched him with her arms folded on her chest.

The Doctor continued «Eh... might seem like a stupid question, but has anything fallen from the sky recently?»

There was complete silence. The Doctor looked around expectantly. Suddenly, man by man, everyone started laughing.

Melody frowned looking around, confusingly and so did the Doctor, staring at the people in the room.

«Sorry, have I said something funny?» the Doctor asked. As an answer the audience laughed even more.

Just then Melody noticed a poster on the wall, realization filling her eyes. Then with desperation as she closed her eyes and brought two finger to her nose, pinching the border.

«It's just, there's this thing I need to find, would've fallen from the sky a couple of days ago.» meanwhile the Doctor continued.

A siren sounded loud, causing Melody to open her eyes and look up at the Doctor. The people started to evacuate the room.

«Would've landed quite near here...» the Doctor said. He then looked up at the ceiling, in the direction from which the sirens seem to be coming.

«With a very loud...» he then caught Melody's hopeless eyes. She mentioned the direction of the poster with her head and he followed the direction with his eyes.

Through the crowds of people all clamouring to leave the building, he noticed a poster tacked to the wall, bearing the legend "Hitler will send no warning".

«Bang...» he finished. Then sighed and closed his eyes in despair.

«Fantastic!» he exclaimed, sarcastically, jumping down from the stage into the now empty room. «There's no way we can find it now.» he said as he stopped in front of Melody.

She shrugged one shoulder, still leaning on the wall with her arms crossed across her chest. «You could always consider Rose's idea.» she told him.

He scoffed «I don't need scanning! I am perfectly able to find it by myself!» he said.

«Admit it, you just don't want Rose to be right.» Melody told, giving him an incredulous look.

He scoffed again «She is not right! I am right! And I will prove it! I will find that thing.» he said, defensively.

But Melody didn't seem to hear him as she looked back at the door with a frown «Talking about her, where is she?» She then asked, looking back up at him.

He sighed in slight annoyance, though relaxing. «She's outside.» he told.

Melody grinned. «Come along then.» she said cheerfully, and dragged him out from the drinking den by the sleeve of his leather jacket, and down the corridor.

They emerged outside, in the alley from before.

«Rose!» Melody shouted letting go of the Doctors sleeve.

«Rose!» he shouted this time, not getting again any answer.

He rounded a corner to where the TARDIS was parked, Melody following slightly behind. As she did too, she noticed a cat sitting on top a dustbin, meowing at her.

The meow caused the Doctor to turn around only to see Melody picking the cat up then caressing his head softly.

«You know, he thinks... one day. Just one day, maybe... He's gonna meet someone who gets the whole 'don't wander off' thing.» she told to the cat.

«But also he knows, that probably won't ever happen. I think he likes it, though, what d'you think?» she asked the cat. The Doctor approached her and caressed softly the head of the cat in Melody's hands.

«Perhaps...» he said, then shaking his head. Melody grinned at him, keeping her eyes on the kitten in her hands.

Suddenly, the TARDIS phone started to ring. Brow furrowed, the Doctor, after giving Melody a confused look which she returned, walked over to the TARDIS and opened the compartment behind which the phone was hidden. He stared at it.

«How can you be ringing? What's that about? Ringing?» The Doctor asked, more to himself. Melody gave the cat one last caress before putting him back down in his spot and walking over to the Doctors side.

He took his sonic out.

«What am I supposed to do with a ringing phone?» The Doctor asked confused, while Melody watched the phone frowning.

She went to take it but «Don't answer it. It's not for you.» someone behind them said.

Melody jumped from the surprise as the two spun around to face a girl in a old dark colored coat. They looked at her questioningly.

«And how do you know that?» the Doctor asked.

«'Cos I do. And I'm tellin' ya, don't answer it.» the girl replayed.

«Well, if you know so much, tell me this, how can it be ringing?» he asked, the duo turning back to the to the phone.

«It's not even a real phone. It's not connected, it's not...» Melody started spinning back around to face the girl, only to see she disappeared.

The Doctor noticed that too. The two paused, feeling utterly confused, then looked back at the phone.

After exchanging a look with Melody, he hesitantly picked it up and held it to his ear.

«Hello?» he asked.

There was silence aside from crackling.

«This is the Doctor speaking.»

Just more crackling.

«How may I help you?» the Doctor asked grinning down at Melody by his side.

«Mummy?» he suddenly heard. His skeptical grin faded from his face. «Mummy?» the voice of a child asked again on the other end of the phone.

Melody's grin dropped too, as she watched the Doctor confused.

«Who is this? Who's speaking?» he asked.

«Are you my mummy?»

«Who is this?» the Doctor forced.

«Mummy?»

The Doctor didn't replay for a bit, thinking.

He eventually asked «How did you ring here? This isn't a real phone, it's not wired up to anything, it's...»

«Mummy?» the voice interrupted him. Then the line went dead.

The Doctor slowly replaced the phone in its cradle, frowning in confusion.

Melody meanwhile poked her head inside the TARDIS. «Rose? Rose, are you in there?»

Suddenly there was a crashing sound from behind them. Closing the phone compartment and grabbing Melody's hand, the Doctor ran to follow the sound. He hurried out of the alleyway, and into a street.

[GARDEN]

«The planes are coming. Can't you hear them? Into the shelter. None of your nonsense, now MOVE it!» the Doctor and Melody heard as they were following the sound of the voices. The couple stood on top of a dustbin to look over the garden wall. A fat woman was ushering a small boy into a shelter.

«Come on, come on, get in there.» she turned around «Arthur! Arthur! Will you hurry up? Didn't you hear the sirens?»

Eventually a fat man emerged from the house. «Middle of dinner, every night. Bloomin' Germans.» he muttered, annoyed. Then looked skywards and yelled «Don't you eat?»

Beside the Doctor, Melody sniggered catching so his attention. He looked down at her and smiled without her noticing since she was curiously watching the family in the garden. He then returned looking at them.

«I can hear the planes!» the woman exclaimed, concerned for her husband who was still yelling «Don't you eat?!» skywards.

«Oh, keep your voice down, will ya? There's an air raid!» with that she pushed him into the shelter then followed him down there. «Get in... there's a war on.»

«I know there is...»

Once they were inside, door closed, the girl from before creeped out from behind the shelter and into the back door of the house, unaware that she was being watched by the Doctor and Melody.

Melody, her eyes still fixed on the point where the girl disappeared, grabbed the Doctors hand then jumped down the bin. Checking if he was safely staying by her side on the ground she looked up. He looked down at her and gave her a smile through tightened lips.

She rolled her eyes, smiling «C'mon.» with that she dragged him towards the house.

[KITCHEN]

The girl entered the kitchen where there was an unfinished meal on the table. Looking around, she put her bag down and opened a cupboard. She began to take some tins out, stuffing them in the bag as also some other things she saw in the around in the kitchen. Then she left the room.

Walking down the hallway she noticed another room, which made a smile creep on her face. She ran outside stopping in the middle of the walkway. She whistled three times then ran back inside and into the dining room.

She took her coat off and stood next to the table where a full meal was abandoned. Just when she started cutting the pice of meat, some children hurried inside.

«Many kids out there?» the girl asked them.

«Eh...» the two boys looked dazed at first as they saw that much food but, eventually, one muttered out «...yes, miss.»

The two children ran to the table and went to take the food but «Ah, still craving. Sit and wait.» the girl said.

The boys did as they were told, still looking dreamily at the food in front of them.

«We've got the whole air raid.» the girl said as she craved the meat.

«Look at that.» the boy, the one who spoke before the older one also, spoke. «Bet it's off the black market.» he told the younger boy.

«That's enough.» the girl cut. But smiled.

Some more children ran down the road into the house where the girl was serving dinner, obvious that they were watched by the masked child.

One boy kneeled down to tie his shoelace. The child took a few steps forward, just as the boy finished tying his shoelace and ran inside the house. The masked child advanced towards the door.

Meanwhile in the dining room there were now several children gathered around the table, waiting for their meal. The girl, the one from before also the older looking one, sliced the meat.

«It's got to be black market. He couldn't get all this on coupons.» a boy said.

«Ernie, how many times? We are guests in this house. We will not make comments of that kind. Washing up.» the girl told him severely.

The other children laughed at Ernie.

«Oh, Nancy!» the boy called the girl.

The girl, or Nancy, looked at one of the boys who sat around the table. «Haven't seen you at one of these before.»

The boy nodded at the boy sitting next to him «He told me about it.»

«Sleeping rough?»

«Yes, miss.»

«All right then.» Nancy passed the plate with the meat around. «One slice each, and I want to see everyone chewing properly.»

«Thank ya, miss!» a boy exclaimed.

«Thanks, miss!» another one did.

«Thank you miss.» and another one.

«Thanks, miss!» the Doctor did then passing the plate to the Melody, who was sitting by his side.

«Thank you!» she said.

Gasping in surprise, the children jumped backwards.

«It's all right! Everybody stay where you are!» Nancy calmed them.

The boy who was sitting next to the Doctor, stared at the him and Melody in shock, a piece of meat hanging out of his mouth.

Melody, who just now realized how hungry she was, took a bite of her meat, and even closed her eyes for the pleasure the food gave her mouth. She haven't ate anything since the fish and chips she took with the Doctor and Rose after the End of the World, which felt like in forever even though it wasn't that long ago.

«Good here, innit?» The Doctor asked.

«Who's got the salt?» Melody asked looking up from his plate as she still chewed the pice.

«Back in your seats! He shouldn't be here either.» Nancy told the children.

The Doctor and Melody smiled in sync as he helped himself, then her, to some sauce. She stared eating again as soon as she got it. Heck if she was hungry.

The children where still staring at them, still not quite sure if the couple was a treat or not.

«So, you lot... what's the story?» the Doctor then asked.

«What d'you mean?» a boy asked.

«You're homeless, right? Living rough?»

«Why d'you wanna know that? Are you two coppers?»

«Of course we're not a copper.» the Doctor said.

Melody, getting her mouth empty by swallowing down the pice, spoke up «What's a copper gonna do with you lot anyway? Arrest you for starving?»

The children laughed, and the ice was broken.

«I make it 1941, you lot shouldn't be in London. You should've been evacuated to the country by now.» the Doctor said.

«I was evacuated. They sent me to a farm.» a boy said.

«So why'd you come back?»

«There was a man there...»

«Yeah, same with Ernie. Two homes ago.» another boy said, as Melody put in her mouth another pice of meat now chewing more calmer because the terrible starve she felt before, stopped.

«Shut up. It's better on the streets anyway.» the boy, Earnie, said. «Better food.»

«Oh, I agree!» Melody stepped in, chewing her pice.

The whole table laughed.

«Yeah.» the boy then agreed. «Nancy always gets the best food for us.»

The Doctor smiled at Nancy.

«So, that's what you do is it, Nancy?»  he then asked her.

«What is?» she questioned back.

«As soon as the sirens go, you find a big fat family meal, still warm on the table with everyone down in the air raid shelter and, bingo! Feeding frenzy for the homeless kids of London Town. Puddings for all! As long as the bombs don't get you.»

«Something wrong with that?»

«Wrong with it? It's brilliant. I'm not sure if it's Marxism in action or a West End musical.»

The children looked confused, causing Melody to sniggered, as she finished her meal.

«Why'd you follow me? What d'you want?» Nancy asked, her eyes flickering from the Doctor to Melody.

Melody leaned on the table with her elbows resting, her chin on the knuckles of her closed fists, and spoke «We want to know how a phone that isn't a phone gets a phone call. You seem to be the one to ask.»

«I did you a favour. I told you not to answer it, that's all I'm telling ya.» Nancy answered.

«Great, thanks. And we wanna find a blonde in a Union Jack. I mean a specific one, we didn't just wake up this morning with a craving.» the Doctor said leaning back in his chair.

The children laughed. Nancy, however, didn't look impressed. She stood up.

«Anybody seen a girl like that?» the Doctor asked just as Nancy took his plate away.

«What've I done wrong?» The Doctor asked, indignantly.

«You took two slices.»

The children laughed at him, Melody joining, then giving him a pat on the shoulder and a nod like to say 'you-tried'.

«No blondes, no flags. Anything else before you leave?» Nancy asked.

«Yeah, there is actually. Thanks for asking. Something I've been looking for, would've fallen from the sky about a month ago, but not a bomb.» he took a notebook from his pocket «Not the usual kind anyway. Wouldn't have exploded. Would've just buried itself in the ground somewhere, and it would've looked something like...» he sketched then showed his scribbled drawing to them «This.»

Nancy looked at it intently but said nothing. Suddenly there was a knock on the window. The children gasped, Melody jumping a little.

«Mummy? Are you in there, mummy?»  a child outside called.

The Doctor went to the window and pulled the curtain aside. The child with the gasmask on his face was standing there, knocking. «Mummy?»

«Who was the last one in?» Nancy urged.

«They.» a boy said gesturing the couple.

«Nah, they came round the back. Who came in the front?»

«Me.» another boy whispered.

«Did you close the door?»

Melody now looked at them, frowning utterly confused. It was just a child.

«I...» the boy muttered.

«Did you close the door?» Nancy asked, impatiently.

«Mummy? Mummy?» the child outside sang. His shadow loomed outside the front door. «Muuuuum-my?»

Nancy rushed down the hallway and shut and bolted the door before the child could get in. She backed away, looking at the shadow of the child outside the door, terrified. The Doctor and Melody followed her from the kitchen and stood behind her.

«What's this, then?» the Doctor asked, watching the shadow concernedly.

«It's never easy being the only child left out in the cold, you know.» Melody told her.

«I suppose you'd know.» Nancy said.

«I do actually, yes.» Melody smiled at her pleasantly.

Nancy decided not to question and instead said «It's not exactly a child.»

«Muuum-my?»

Nancy pushed past the Doctor and Melody and went back into the dining room. She addressed the children still sitting around the table «Right, everybody out, across the back garden and under the fence.»

They just looked at her.

«Now! Go! Move!»

That made they all jump out of their seats and run out of the door while Nancy put her coat on. Everyone apart from one little girl.

«Come on, baby. You've got to go. Okay? It's just like a game. Just like chasing. Take your coat, go on.» Nancy told her. The little girl jumped out of her seat.

«Go!» Nancy said.

Meanwhile, in the corridor, The Doctor and Melody watched the children pass, slightly confused.

«Mummy?» the child outside called, causing Melody to look at his silhouette behind the door, while the Doctor continued watching the children hurrying out. Melody took a few steps towards the door. She couldn't resist but feel sorry for the little boy.

She knew how it felt being left outside, in the cold, at night, alone. They used to make her eat outside when she argued about the Doctor with Miss Caroline. She still preferred that to when she sat in the orphanage dining room being while the other kids threw things and laughed at her, though.

«Please let me in, mummy.» the child pleaded. He stuck his hand through the letterbox. He had a scar on the back of his perfectly ordinary little hand. «Please let me in, mummy.»

«Are you all right?» The Doctor asked the child, causing Melody to snap out of her little daze.

«Please let me in.» the child said.

Nancy suddenly threw something against the door, which smashed into million little pieces, causing Melody to jump back a little. The child withdrew his hand.

«You mustn't let him touch ya!» Nancy warned.

«What happens if he touches me?» The Doctor questioned.

«He'll make you like him.»

«And what's he like?» Melody asked.

Nancy stepped away «I've gotta go.»

«Nancy, what's he like?» The Doctor asked.

The three of them look at each other. It took her a bit but eventually, Nancy spoke. «He's empty.» she said.

The phone suddenly rang. The Doctor and Melody looked at it.

«It's him.» Nancy said «He can make phones ring, he can. Just like with that police box you saw.»

The Doctor looked at the shadow of the child outside the door, then picked up the phone, while Melody continued watching the silhouette of the kid outside.

«Are you my mummy?» the child asked on the phone.

Nancy snatched the phone off the Doctor and slammed it back down. Suddenly, in another room, a radio turned itself on. It played music, but with the child's voice over it. «Mummy? Please let me in, mummy.»

The Doctor turned the tuner, Melody not following him into the room and resting to look at the little boy, deep in thoughts. A toy monkey suddenly sprang to life, smashing the musical plates one against the other while singsonging «Mummy? Muuum-my, muum-my...»

The Doctor picked up the monkey and looked at it.

«Stay if you want to.» Nancy said, then leaved.

«Mummy, mummy, mummy...» the monkey continued.

The child stuck his hand through the letterbox again.

«Mummy? Let me in please, mummy...»

Melody kneeled in front of the door, looking at the scarred little hand with a look of concern on her face. The Doctor stood behind her, watching her carefully, waiting to snap if something went wrong.

«Please let me in.»

«Hello, sweetie» Melody said, gently. She then gulped and shook her head a little «Your mummy isn't here.»

The child paused for a bit. Then spoke. «Are you my mummy?»

«No sorry, sweetie, no mummies here. None be here but us chickens.» She looked behind her. The house was deserted, except from her and the Doctor. So she looked back at the door, grinning. «Well, I guess just him and I. Just this two chickens.»

The Doctor couldn't help but chuckle silently.

«I'm scared.» the child said.

«Why are those other child frightened of you? You can tell me, I would understand.» she said, hoping the Doctor didn't memorize that bit and wouldn't have asked 'what did you mean when you said it' later.

«Please let me in, mummy. I'm scared of the bombs.» the child pleaded.

Melody looked up at the Doctor behind her, pleadingly but still cautiously «Doctor?» she asked for permission.

He thought for a moment. «Okay.» he eventually said.

Melody grinned happily.

«I'm opening the door now.» The Doctor said, making Melody stand though and placing her behind himself, protectively. The child withdrew his hand from the letterbox.

The Doctor drew back the bolts and opened the door. But he saw nothing since the child disappeared.

Melody and the Doctor frowned, confusingly. The Doctor then walked down the path and looked up and down the street.

Then back at the house where, in the doorway, stood Melody. But nothing. There was no sign of the child.

~~~~

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