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Post by The Eleventh Doctor on Feb 2, 2010 22:47:44 GMT -5
“Lindisfarne Castle, On Holy Island, in Berwick-upon-Tweed.”
The Doctor entered the destination and then turned to look at Addi in vague surprise. Nobility? There was every chance he could get in trouble for taking her away and bringing her home too late... but surprisingly that was a chance he was willing to take.
“Good! Let’s have it then, Doctor! – wait, what should I be doing?”
"Umm..." He hit a few buttons, running around the console to make sure everything was as it should be. "Holding on would be a good idea," he suggest before pushing down one of the levers and throwing the TARDIS into motion.
Grabbing the nearest edge, the Doctor clung tightly to the console, eyes squeezed shut as he hoped with all his might that his quick fix up would hold. Not two minutes later, the TARDIS came to a suddent halt. After a moments pause he ran to the door and peered outside, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw where the were.
"Lindisfarne Castle, On Holy Island, in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Milady," he said, mock bowing as he ushered the girl out of the TARDIS.
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Post by Addi Ackerman on Feb 3, 2010 0:24:47 GMT -5
"Umm... Holding on would be a good idea,"
Addi started to laugh at his joke... and only realized a few seconds too late that he was most definitely not joking. When the TARDIS rumbled to life, she completely lost her balance and found herself knocked to the floor rather ungracefully before she could hold on to anything. Feeling rather sorry for herself, she just tried to stay as still as possible until everything stopped jolting about, and she felt it was safe to stand again.
“Seat belts,” she muttered, rubbing her head. She could sense the Doctor running about already, and she sort of felt like she was going to lose her lunch. “You need bloody seatbelts.”
Still holding a hand to her head, she made her way after him to the door, and then dropped her hand to her side while she stared in awe at her childhood home looming a short distance away from them. It really worked! The Doctor could go wherever the hell he wanted to... whenever he wanted to... and this was all reality.
"Lindisfarne Castle, On Holy Island, in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Milady,"
She snorted with laughter and allowed him to lead her outside. “Thank you, good sir,” she replied, curtseying to him before taking a moment to look around her. It was as beautiful as ever, this island... it was just as she had left it. Turning slightly to look at the water she noticed that the tide was in, so she pointed to it and smiled. “It’s only safe to use the road from Berwick for about eight hours a day before the ocean covers it. The tide comes in quite fast... and then you’re stuck either here or over there.”
At this, she glanced back at the TARDIS behind them, which was the tiny Police Call Box from the outside again, and grinned broadly. She wouldn’t be stuck here ever again... or at least not for a while. She may have been placing a lot of blind faith in the Doctor for changing her life, but she didn’t rightly care as of yet. So far he hadn’t let her down.
Taking hold of his arm, she pulled him on toward the castle on the rock and through the field before it. “I can’t believe I’m already taking you home to meet my family... you haven’t even bought me dinner yet,” she joked.
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Post by The Eleventh Doctor on Feb 3, 2010 15:38:32 GMT -5
“Thank you, good sir,”
Addi's home was beautiful if a little secluded. It made the Doctor think of why he loved the human race so much. When they finally set their minds to actually creating something, boy did they create something.
“It’s only safe to use the road from Berwick for about eight hours a day before the ocean covers it. The tide comes in quite fast... and then you’re stuck either here or over there.”
The Doctor glanced sideways at Addi. "Sounds lonely," he said. Not that he was one to talk about lonliness. He was technically the lonliest person in the entire universe.
“I can’t believe I’m already taking you home to meet my family... you haven’t even bought me dinner yet,”
As Addi grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the castle, the Doctor made a slightly startled noise before allowing her to drag him to her home.
"How about I get you dinner after," he suggested. "You can name the when and where."
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Post by Addi Ackerman on Feb 10, 2010 23:05:32 GMT -5
"Sounds lonely,"
“Mmhm...” she nodded as she stared at the water, still smiling. As stifling as Holy Island could be for a child growing up, it was highly galvanizing to one’s creative abilities. “But you see a lot of stars on the island, so it’s a fair trade.”
"How about I get you dinner after, You can name the when and where."
She tapped her nose with her index finger and beamed at him. “Genius, Doc.”
Addi then broke into meaningless, happy chatter about what her favourite cuisines were, and what her favourite time periods in history were, and what moments in the future she would like to experience... but all of this chatter seemed to die away as they started up the ridiculously steep slope to the castle, and the people working around her childhood home started to recognize her. She spotted one of the maids all the way at the top of the slope, who shrieked with glee upon seeing her and then scurried out of view. Addi pulled an apologetic face and turned to the Doctor when they reached the top. “My mum is a lot to handle,” she warned. “If you want to turn back now, you should run fast. Three... two...” she counted under her breath. “One.”
“Adalia Isabel de FitzJames!” The voice sounded angry, but Addi knew better. Her mother would be in a fit of tears by the time she turned around. “I knew it! I knew you were coming, you devil child!”
“Nice to see you too, mum,” she replied lazily, and turned on the spot just in time to be pulled into a crushing hug by her mother. When she managed to pry herself away and look into her mother’s now tear-stained face, and breathe in the familiar, strong scent of the incense that she was always burning, Addi had to swallow hard so that she wouldn’t cry either. She reached out and fixed a stray piece of her mother’s hair that had fallen out of the elegant bun during all the action, and smiled weakly.
“Lord love us!” Her mother swatted her hand away and fixed her hair herself, her face red with excitement. “How on earth did you get on the island with the causeway flooded? You didn’t swim again!? I told your brother just this morning that you were due for a visit, saw it in both of your horoscopes – oh my stars, have you lost weight?”
“No mum.”
“Ah! You’ve gained it then.”
“I haven’t.”
“Well then have you lost the use of your fingers!?” she demanded, placing her hands on her hips and continuing to sound rather mental. “Not a phone call! Not a letter! No word from you in months! I stopped telling people I even had a daughter.”
“I’ve been –”
“Busy. Yeah right. Save it.” The woman reached out and placed her hands on both sides of her daughter’s face, examining her closely. There were still the ghosts of tears of joy in her eyes, and it looked as though she was trying very hard to stop them from flowing again. “I’m just glad that you’re here now, little soul! Come, come in out of this wretched wind... you know how it gets here... we’ve got tea on... your brother is just about to – oh merciful Gaia, it’s true!”
She had only just noticed the Doctor. Addi blinked in confusion and turned to look at him. What was true?
Her mother fixed her hair again and smiled, clearly trying to make herself look a bit less like a wildwoman and more like a noblewoman.
“Introductions now, Adalia, you stupid girl!”
Addi sighed. It wasn’t as though she would have gotten a word in edgewise if she had tried, but there you are. “Mum, this is the Doctor. Doctor, this is my mother, Duchess Isabel of Berwick. She’s only slightly mad.”
The woman giggled and held out her hand to him while Addi shuffled her feet and looked away, clearly embarrassed by her mother’s behaviour. “Aren’t you a bit young to be a doctor, you clever boy?”
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Post by The Eleventh Doctor on Feb 11, 2010 0:01:51 GMT -5
“My mum is a lot to handle,” The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Addi, but said nothing. He was 906, he was sure he could handle one mother. “If you want to turn back now, you should run fast. Three... two...One.”
“Adalia Isabel de FitzJames!”[/b]
Or perhaps not.
He watched in awe as Addi and her mother interacted. Or rather Addi's mother yelled and Addi occasionally managed half a sentence. It was rather an interesting experience, watching mothers and daughters interact. He had assumed, wrongly it seemed, that all mothers and daugters acted the same.
“I’m just glad that you’re here now, little soul! Come, come in out of this wretched wind... you know how it gets here... we’ve got tea on... your brother is just about to – oh merciful Gaia, it’s true!”[/b]
The Doctor forced himself not to step back as Addi's mother turned her attention to him and managed a smile.
“Introductions now, Adalia, you stupid girl!”[/b]
“Mum, this is the Doctor. Doctor, this is my mother, Duchess Isabel of Berwick. She’s only slightly mad.”
"Wonderful to meet you," he said, taking the woman's hand and trying to keep his face neutral through the woman's odd behaviour.
“Aren’t you a bit young to be a doctor, you clever boy?”[/b]
"No... why do people keep thinking that?" he asked, frowning as he raised a hand to his face, trying to figure out how young he looked. Realising this might look ridiculous he lowered his hand and turned his attention to something that seemed more important. "May I ask, Duchess... what's true?"
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Post by Addi Ackerman on Feb 14, 2010 23:28:41 GMT -5
"No... why do people keep thinking that?"
Addi snorted with laughter as she watched him touch his face, and slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. She was going to have to remember to find him a mirror before they were on their way... or not. He was rather amusing.
Her mother shot her a disapproving look. Clearly she did not think that the Doctor was to be ridiculed. “Don’t be rude!” she snapped, before turning her attention back to the young man and softening her expression considerably. “I meant no offense, Doctor,” she explained. “I simply meant that you appear no older than my immature twenty-two year old daughter over there. Obviously you must just have an intelligence that is out of this world.”
Addi coughed.
"May I ask, Duchess... what's true?"
The woman flashed a smile at him, her eyebrows raised as she gave him the same knowing look that all mothers seemed to have ingrained into them by nature. She appeared to pause for a long moment, and Addi recognized that she must have been thinking something over and over, as if deciding whether or not it was best to reveal the truth – she remembered seeing that look many a time, like when she would ask about if fairies were real, or if Father Christmas existed, or if that boy would ever ring her back.
“Mum?” Addi finally said uncertainly. She felt a bit nervous about getting an answer... not that she was ashamed of her mother, but the woman often did tend to say some strange things, and she probably hadn’t screened the Doctor about her as well as she probably should have done. And her mum always seemed to know a great deal without having to be told a thing.
“In horoscopes, dear,” she shrugged at him, snapping out of her fixed gaze. “I check them everyday, for myself and both of my children. She has been working her way up to meeting you for weeks now, I watched it happen. Funny how the littlest, seemingly unimportant things build up to something much bigger than you’d ever expect.”
She paused for a moment. “You want to take her away. But it would be dangerous.”
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Post by The Eleventh Doctor on Feb 15, 2010 0:38:37 GMT -5
The Doctor lowered his hand from his face, though otherwise ignored Addi's snort of laughter and focused his attention entirely on her mother, who though strangely intense, was much more polite.
“I meant no offense, Doctor, I simply meant that you appear no older than my immature twenty-two year old daughter over there. Obviously you must just have an intelligence that is out of this world.”[/b]
Well... that was quite perceptive of her really. He cracked a small smile, glancing at Addi quickly before turning back to the Duchess and wait for her to answer is question. But she was wearing that look that he had seen on women who knew more than they might be willing to divulge. The Sybil in particular wore that look a lot.
“In horoscopes, dear, I check them everyday, for myself and both of my children. She has been working her way up to meeting you for weeks now, I watched it happen. Funny how the littlest, seemingly unimportant things build up to something much bigger than you’d ever expect.”[/b]
"Really?" he asked, looking over at Addi. He hadn't really thought all that much about the accuracy of horoscopes, though now that he did think about it, it made a lot of sense.
“You want to take her away. But it would be dangerous.”[/b]
The Doctor hesitated a moment before answering. "Yes," he said truthfully, knowing that there was obviously no point in trying to hide it.
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Post by Addi Ackerman on Feb 15, 2010 2:12:08 GMT -5
"Really?"
Addi met his eye and smiled, giving him a small nod. There wasn’t a member of her family that didn’t believe wholeheartedly in the accuracy of such things. Addi was no different... though it was hard to keep it up at school, where she was supposed to be all scientific and boring. She had just always loved the stars, and trusted what her mother said about them... and it was kind of amusing to think that the donut she ate a few days ago could have been the one thing that set her on course to the Doctor. Now the Doctor was going to take her to her beloved stars if she asked him to.
God bless donuts.
"Yes,"
Addi’s mother tilted her head to the side while she observed him, and she paused for a long moment. “I don’t even need to ask to know that this is what you want,” she finally said calmly, her voice directed toward her daughter though her eyes never left the Doctor.
“I’m going with him!” Addi answered. She had noticed the Doctor hesitating before he answered her mother, and it made her feel slightly nervous. “I’m going with you,” she said weakly and looked up at him, just to confirm.
“You were always reckless. But I would dropkick you if you didn’t go,” the woman granted quietly. Then, after another brief pause, she began fiddling with the numerous necklaces she had around her neck – thick, chunky wooden ones, right down to slinky, silver ones – until she found the one she wanted. Taking it from around her neck, she pulled the small, silver star-shaped pendant off of the chain, and placed it in the Doctor’s hand.
“This symbol represented the mysteries of the universe in the middle ages,” she explained, clasping his hand with the two of hers and looking at him earnestly. “It was believed by many, then, that good fortunes were determined by the stars. I like to think they still are.” The woman smiled at him, her eyes turning slightly misty. “It’s for luck, Doctor. Keep it with you.”
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Post by The Eleventh Doctor on Feb 19, 2010 2:40:30 GMT -5
“I don’t even need to ask to know that this is what you want,”
“I’m going with him!... hesitating before he answered her mother, and it made her feel slightly nervous. “I’m going with you,”
"Of course you are," the Doctor said without hesitation, he had every intention of taking Addi wherever it was she wanted to go. Though her mother, while clearly a wonderful and lovely woman, was also slightly intimidating. "That is... if that's okay with you," he said, looking at the older woman.
“You were always reckless. But I would dropkick you if you didn’t go,”
This was not directed at him, but he took it to be some form of consent and he relaxed. It was good to know that at least this once, he wouldn't be hated by his companion's mother. It would be a nice change. He watched her fiddle with the necklaces she wore and widened his eyes in surprise when she handed him one.
“This symbol represented the mysteries of the universe in the middle ages, It was believed by many, then, that good fortunes were determined by the stars. I like to think they still are. It’s for luck, Doctor. Keep it with you.”[/b]
The Doctor chose not to mention that he actually recognised the symbol from one of his trips to the middle ages and nodded approvingly as he slipped the necklace around his own neck. "Thank you," he said happily. Gifts! No body ever gets him gifts.
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Post by Addi Ackerman on Feb 21, 2010 13:06:52 GMT -5
Addi smiled when she saw his surprise at receiving a gift and made a mental note to give him more in the future. She patted his shoulder affectionately and looked to her mum, then glanced behind the woman toward the castle, and nodded to it. “You said tea’s on?” she inquired. She wanted to get the hell out of here as soon as possible.
“Hm?” the woman blinked, looking round at her daughter after breaking the admiring stare she was giving the Doctor. “Tea! Yes, of course!” she clapped her hands together and then placed her arm through the Doctor’s once more, dragging him on ahead, again leaving Addi in the dust.
Addi followed slowly, feeling rather nervous now that it was sinking in that she was really home. Everything here seemed to remind her of her late father, and there was nothing worse for a girl than to have to think continually about her daddy’s passing. She felt slightly upset during the long walk toward the castle’s front doors, but as soon as they passed through them, and she found herself in the elegant, marble entrance hall, she seemed to relax just a bit. She could smell burning incense, and she could hear the soft sounds of classical music playing in the living room, and rather than make her feel sad, these familiar smells and sounds lifted her spirits just enough so that she no longer wanted to hit herself over the head with a shovel and bury herself in the backyard.
Upon entering the dining room, there were a few brief moments that Addi felt like she had fallen victim to some type of hug-massacre. The housekeepers and caterers, who were always forced to sit down with the family and eat all meals with them because her mum felt like it was only right, all leapt at her in excitement. Addi laughed and smiled at them, but her face fell slightly when her eyes landed on her twin brother, who was staring at her from the head of the table, a rather seriously look at his face. The room seemed to break into silence while they waited for the Duke to speak.
“You’re supposed to stand for a Lady, you tosser,” Addi shot sarcastically at him after a moment.
For the moment her brother didn’t show any sign of hearing her, but his eyes shifted to his mother and the man on her arm. He simply stared at him for a moment, and then looked back to his sister, glaring. “I don’t see a Lady,” he finally replied, his voice dry. He then stood up and moved to her, pulling into a strong bear-hug, making her shriek slightly and punch at him.
“Nice comeback,” Addi said over the ‘aww’s’ of the rest of the people in the room and the giggling of children. She turned and motioned to her friend. “Jake, Doctor. Doctor, Jake. Well technically he’s a Duke, but just call him Jake.”
“Welcome, mate!” Jake exclaimed, holding out his hand to shake. He looked at him a bit suspiciously, but was still smiling. “Doctor, aye? Bit young to--”
“No he isn’t,” Addi interrupted indignantly. “You’re a bit young to be a Duke, aren’t you?”
“Touché,” the Duke smirked, and left it at that.
The Duchess, who was now wiping her eyes after seeing the two of her children together in the same room again, sniffled and lifted her head from resting on the Doctor’s shoulder. “Well!” she breathed. “Have a seat, Doctor, have a seat! Adalia, go get packed before you eat. And brush your hair. I can’t have you traveling and representing Berwick looking like you have just crawled out of the underbrush like a madwoman.”
Addi rolled her eyes and gave the Doctor a wink before turning on her heel and rushing out of the room.
Once she was gone, Jake clapped the Doctor hard on the back (probably harder than necessary) and pointed to a seat for him, then pulled out a chair for his mother, and moved back to the head of the table. He reached out and grabbed a sandwich in silence, chewing while his eyes watched the newcomer.
The giggling of children became louder as the room filled once more with chatter and the clanging of dishes and silverware, and one little girl tugged on the Doctor’s pant leg from under the table. “PLEASE SIR,” the tiny girl said very loudly, as if she was practicing to speak clearly. Her tight brown curls hugged her tanned face and she stared with bright green eyes up at the man, obviously not shy with strangers at all. She sat quite comfortably under the table with her little plate of sandwiches. “TELL ME BECAUSE I AM WONDERING, ARE YOU GOING TO MARRY MY COUSIN?”
“Gross!” came the reaction from a little boy, no older than three, also under the table.
“Jenna!” Jake scolded, sucking his head to look under the table. “That’s invasive, darling. And Gavin, shut it.”
The little girl shrugged and handed the Doctor a ham sandwich, and the little boy punched the Doctor in the shin for no reason at all.
Jake sighed and sat up straight, shooting the Doctor an apologetic look. “It’s a madhouse, this.” He motioned around the room, which was active and loud. “Italian, see. We shout everything. Tell me, what sort of Doctor are you? And what sort of Doctor picks up random women to travel with them?” The questions were asked in good humour, but the slight suspicion was back in his voice.
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Post by The Eleventh Doctor on Feb 22, 2010 1:35:23 GMT -5
The Doctor made a small 'oomph' noise as he as was dragged by Addi's mother further into the house. It was an interesting house. As far as humans went at least. He had seen architecture that Frank Lloyd Wright would cry to witness. But for this time period, for this species, Addi's home was spectacular.
He could practically feel the awkward tension in the room as Addi came face to face with who could only be her twin brother. Unless the Doctor was very much mistaken. But that hardly ever happened.
“You’re supposed to stand for a Lady, you tosser,”
“I don’t see a Lady,”
Definitely siblings, the Doctor thought as he watched the two hug... well... as he watched the brother hug, and Addi screech and punch. The Doctor smiled politely as Addi introduced him to her brother, Jake the Duke. This was quite probably the first time he had ever been introduced to the entire family of one of his companions... and also quite probably the last.
“Welcome, mate!"[/b] He shook Jake's hand and did not miss the suspicious look he recieved. Though it wasn't totally unexpected, he had been waiting for one of the numerous members of Addi's family to finally figure out that he barely new Addi and was about to take her far, far away. “Doctor, aye? Bit young to--”[/b]
“No he isn’t,” Addi interrupted before the Doctor could. “You’re a bit young to be a Duke, aren’t you?”
All this family stuff was making his head spin... and also making him a little nostalgiac. He hadn't had a family for quite some time after all. Before he could realise what was happening, the Doctor was sat at the table, watching Addi disappear out of the room, despite his best 'please don't leave me here with your crazy family' face.
He felt a tug on his pants leg and he smiled down at the small child under the table... until her question cause the smile to slip from his face. No... he didn't plan on marrying Addi... and he really hoped these people didn't think he was.
“It’s a madhouse, this.”[/b] The Doctor looked up at Jake the Duke and said nothing. He completely agreed, this was a mad house... but he thought it would be rude to say so. “Italian, see. We shout everything. Tell me, what sort of Doctor are you? And what sort of Doctor picks up random women to travel with them?”[/b]
Ah. Well. About that...
"I'm a Doctor of everything," he explained as simply as possible. "Science, Medicine, etcetera, etcetara..." No need to tell the rest of the family he was an alien. "And I'm also the kind of Doctor that could do with a lot of help. Your sister is just the kind of help I need."
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Post by Addi Ackerman on Feb 24, 2010 0:26:42 GMT -5
"I'm a Doctor of everything, Science, Medicine, etcetera, etcetera... And I'm also the kind of Doctor that could do with a lot of help. Your sister is just the kind of help I need."
Jake waited until he was finished his sandwich before replying. “My sister,” he muttered, his voice suddenly dark. Clearly he had taken offence to what was said. “is in college.”
“Jacobo!” His mother hissed as she poured a cup full of tea and handed it to the little girl under the table. “If she hears you, we’ll have world war three on our hands –”
“Honestly mother, you think it’s a good idea?” he interrupted apprehensively, nodding toward the Doctor.
The woman gaped at her son for a moment and then began fiddling with her necklaces nervously. “Of course I do,” she breathed. “His aura is special. Besides, Adalia wants to go with him.”
Jake shrugged a shoulder and bit into another sandwich. “She also wanted a flying horse when we were six.”
The woman smiled slightly, remembering. “Dear little soul,” she whispered.
“You’ll bring her back to visit, yeah?” Jake asked the Doctor quickly. “And make sure she rings us?”
“Who’s the mother here...?” the woman mused.
“Oh shut it. Listen, Doctor, let me put it to you this way.” Jake sighed and rearranged his posture, giving the stranger the same serious look that he gave most of his politician colleagues. A sort of fake-kindness lingered behind his words, overshadowed only by the brightness of the expression in his eyes. “I still don’t get it. You can’t be a doctor of everything, it’s impossible. And you can’t possibly want Addi’s help, because she does nothing good for anyone but cause trouble. What’s your deal?”
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Post by The Eleventh Doctor on Feb 24, 2010 1:15:22 GMT -5
“My sister, is in college.”
The Doctor kept his face impassive as Jake spoke. He was beginning to get the feeling the Duke didn't like him all too much. He said nothing, though paid close attentiong as Addi's brother and Addi's mother argued... about him.
“She also wanted a flying horse when we were six.”
The Doctor muttered something that sounded like "I could get her one of those" but he quickly covered any sound with a look of innocence and pretended he'd said nothing.
“You’ll bring her back to visit, yeah? And make sure she rings us?”
“Who’s the mother here...?” The Duchess said before the Doctor could promise to do exactly what Jake had asked.
“Oh shut it. Listen, Doctor, let me put it to you this way. I still don’t get it. You can’t be a doctor of everything, it’s impossible. And you can’t possibly want Addi’s help, because she does nothing good for anyone but cause trouble. What’s your deal?”
The Doctor raised an eyebrow at the Duke. "Do you really believe that?" he asked, side-stepping the topic of how it was he was a Doctor of everything. "Addi is brave, intelligent and determined... I've learnt that from knowing her only a few short hours. I understand that you're worried about her," he said, looking Jake right in the eye. "But I promise you that while she is with me, I will do everything in my power to keep her from harm."
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Post by Addi Ackerman on Feb 26, 2010 22:44:02 GMT -5
"Do you really believe that?"
Jake’s icy stare thawed a bit at the question and he sat back in his chair, letting out a slow breath. Of course he didn’t really believe that, he was just making a mad attempt at sabotage to try and get this ‘Doctor’ away from his sister. Just his everyday brotherly duty.
"Addi is brave, intelligent and determined... I've learnt that from knowing her only a few short hours. I understand that you're worried about her, But I promise you that while she is with me, I will do everything in my power to keep her from harm."
He stared for just a moment longer, and then tapped a song into the wooden table with his fingertips while he considered what he was just told. Throwing a glance across the table to his mother, he saw that she was staring with huge, admiring eyes at the Doctor, and he knew that he definitely had won her over, so he turned his attention back, and just looked at him.
Upstairs, Addi was rushing around her bedroom like a hurricane. She had no idea how long she was going to be away for, and she really had no idea what to expect – so her packing was like trying to shove a square block through a mysterious, unknown-shaped hole, and she just knew that she was going to forget something important. That’s always what happened.
She was so desperate to get out of there that she ended up just shoving random stuff into her duffle bag and sped toward the door, only to end up stopping in her tracks as she passed one of her dressers. A small, lime green digital camera sat there, staring at her in a sort of sad way – so she tilted her head to the side and thought about it. Would the Doctor get upset with her if she snuck it on to the TARDIS? He didn’t even need to know, did he? He’d broken her favourite camera, so she could hardly be expected to just wander around without one now. Photography was a big part of who she was. She took pictures everyday.
Addi snatched up the camera and shoved it into her bag, flying out of her bedroom and back down the stairs at top speed – until she smashed into the table at the foot of the staircase and managed to send the photographs that were on it sailing to the floor – but she continued on like it had never occurred.
Jake smirked at the loud noise and raised his eyebrows at the Doctor.
Addi burst back into the room, her smile wide and her cheeks flushed with colour. She adjusted the bag on her back and looked around at her family and friends, and then her eyes fell on the Doctor and her smile widened even larger, if possible. She imagined that he wanted to get out of there just as much s she did... especially because her little cousins were trying desperately to get his attention, suddenly all screaming at once, and one of them trying to get him to accept a half eaten sandwich.
“Ready, boss,” she nodded at him.
Her mother stood up. “But you’ve only just arrived! You haven’t eaten anything.”
“I’m not hun–”
“I didn’t ask if you were.”
“Mum, we have to –”
“The causeway’s still flooded for another two hours,” Jake put in.
“Adalia, you aren’t leaving yet. It’s too soon.”
Addi looked to the Doctor, giving him a significant look. “Sorry mum, but the Doctor – he has...” she searched for the words, hoping that he could come up with some type of lie to set them free better than she could. “To... go see his... grand... mother. Isn’t that right, mate? We have to go visit your Nan? Feed her cats and whatnot?”
Terrific lie, Addi. Very believable.
“He feeds his grandmother’s cats?”
“Yes mum, he does!” she snapped quickly. “The poor doll can’t rightly feed them all on her own, can she?”
The woman hesitated, and then let out an annoyed sigh. “Oh you are such a little liar,” she said. “Fine, fine. Go on then. It’s not as if we’re your family or anything.”
Addi smiled again and looked to her brother for his approval. Eventually he nodded at her, so she moved over to him and kissed his cheek. He cleared his throat and looked away, which only made Addi chuckle a bit and squeeze his shoulder. He was never good with emotional stuff. She had always envied that part of her brother... she was the twin who got all of the dramatic genes.
When she turned to hug the children, her brother pointed at the Doctor and gave him a serious look – but the look eventually broke into a bit of a smile, and he looked away again.
Addi’s mother was already out of her chair and threw her arms around the Doctor, hugging him tightly. “Take care of her,” she whispered in his ear. “Bring her back to me in one piece... and if you don’t... at least make sure she has fun as she breaks.” She stood back from him and fixed his hair, her eyes strained with tears as she looked at him. “A traveler like you needs a home that's built into the ground, sometimes. This can be yours. So take care of yourself, too, and come back soon.”
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Post by The Eleventh Doctor on Feb 27, 2010 20:27:59 GMT -5
As Addi's brother stared intently at him, the Doctor simply returned his gaze calmly. There was little else he could do after all. He did understand Jake's protectiveness, it was only natural in a brother to be weary of men taking their sister away. Even for purely unromantic reasons. But the Doctor had meant what he said. While travelling with him was dangerous, he would do everything he could to make sure Addi was able to return to her family when it was time.
His eyes moved in the direction of the hall as a loud crash came from somehwere not too far away. He assumed everything was fine as no body else seemed too worried. In fact he couldn't really tell if any one else had noticed it at all, what with all the small children screaming and climbing all over him.
"Ready, boss,"
The Doctor nodded and got to his feet, carefully making sure all the children around him did not fall or get stood on in the process. Addi's mother stood at the same time, and another minor argument began, this time about it being too soon to leave. The Doctor felt that it was actually a good time to leave, but he kept his mouth shut as he figured it wasn't really his place to say.
“Sorry mum, but the Doctor – he has... To... go see his... grand... mother. Isn’t that right, mate? We have to go visit your Nan? Feed her cats and whatnot?”
He didn't even bother to confirm or deny that lie as he was pretty sure not even the five year old that had finally managed to get him to take the sandwich would believe it. Instead he settled for raising his eyebrows at her and eating the sandwich.
“Oh you are such a little liar, Fine, fine. Go on then. It’s not as if we’re your family or anything.”[/b]
The Doctor turned to Jake for his approval after Addi had turned her attention to the children, and was given a point and a serious look. He managed to return this ith a half salute before Addi's mother threw her arms around him.
“Take care of her, her back to me in one piece... and if you don’t... at least make sure she has fun as she breaks.”[/b]
"She won't break," he promised. "But she will have fun."
“A traveler like you needs a home that's built into the ground, sometimes. This can be yours. So take care of yourself, too, and come back soon.” [/b]
He was a little surprised at that. He couldn't remember a time when a companions family offered him a place to be. True he had managed to eventually get along with the family members, but never quite to that extent. "Thank you," he said sincerely before turning his attention back to Addi, giving her a significant look. He wondered if he could get her off the island without any of them noticing the disappearing police box...
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