If you want to help me financially, you can do it on
https://ko-fi.com/neverluckysmile
As much as she tried to bask in the relief of being zapped away from the werewolf and with Eleven, her insides started twisting again, that deep, destructive feeling of heavy-set guilt eating away at her once again. If the Doctor noticed, he didn't comment on it. When he came up with his ridiculous, if not completely adorable, idea of changing Kazran in a Christmas Carol-style attempt at redemption, he'd not questioned her as she tore her hand away from his grasp or, as she did on the TARDIS on the way back to his childhood, taken a couple of steps backwards. He'd just rambled on as normal, letting her have her own space as he explained how he was going to help the little boy who'd been left, abused and alone by his father.
"If we give him good memories, they'll alter his perception of the rest of reality." He'd explained to her. Danni nodded along, because that was what happened.
"And in turn will save the ship." She finished and he grinned, pointing at her with both hands.
"Exactly, you clever thing, you." He praised and she blushed. He rushed over to the doors, stepping outside onto a roof and Danni followed with a frown.
"Why are we outside?" She asked.
"Well, I didn't want to startle him by materialising out of thin air." He explained as if it was obvious.
"That's never the case. You love appearing out of nowhere, it's like your trademark." He shushed her, practically admitting that he'd mistimed and headed over to a window, pushing the circular pieces of glass open. Inside was a young boy, staring at them in wonder.
"Who are you?" He asked and the Doctor smiled.
"Hi. I'm the Doctor." He motioned to Danni, "This is my Danni... this is Danni. We're your new babysitters." He jumped into the room, Danni sitting on the window ledge and sliding in much more gracefully.
"Where's Mrs Mantovani?" The young Kazran asked.
"Oh, you'll never guess! Clever old Mrs Manters, she only went and won the lottery!" The Doctor exclaimed, running over to the bed and jumping on it, bouncing like a child.
"There isn't any lottery!" Kazran protested and Danni walked over, leaning against the desk Kazran was sat at.
"We know." She told him with a knowing grin, "But she still won it, and here we are." Kazran frowned, confused as he stared up at her, trying to work out if they were telling the truth or not.
"If you're my babysitters, why are you climbing in the window?" He asked her. She opened her mouth to reply but the Doctor hopped over, standing between the two.
"Cos if we were climbing out, we'd be going in the wrong direction. Pay attention." He retorted and Danni smacked him.
"Don't be rude to the poor lad. It's only fair he ask us some questions if we're going to be in his house." She replied. Kazran blinked at her, surprised. No one had ever stood up for him before. He was always told to be quiet, or stay out of the way.
"Why are you wearing handcuffs?" He asked her curiously and she turned to look at the Doctor pointedly.
"Because someone won't take them off." She replied angrily and the Doctor grimaced guiltily.
"Oh yeah, sorry." He pulled out his screwdriver, taking her hands in his and quickly unlocked them. The metal cuffs fell to the floor with a clatter but the Doctor didn't let go of her hands, rubbing his thumbs over the back of them as he smiled sadly. His gaze was locked with the little black band around her free wrist, the teleportation device Koschei had given her when he'd taken her to Wales. She couldn't take it off, every time she went to her chest would ache and she'd get flashing of him falling to the floor after Lucy had shot him. He'd tried to escape with her, he hadn't hit her. Her head was a jumble of different emotions. She wanted the Doctor to forgive her, but at the same time she wanted him to hate her. She wanted to carry one with Eleven in denial, enjoying every moment and pretending they were okay, like they'd done at Amy's wedding. She wanted to be with Koschei, she wanted him alive, but at the same time she would never willingly give the Doctor up for him. Between the two men, she'd choose the Doctor. And later versions seemed to have forgiven her, but she couldn't forgive herself.
Then there was the fact he'd married River. She'd not been past that point again since it'd happened. Jack had said the proposal had been real, but he'd still gone and married River. It wasn't a real marriage, but what did that mean? It might not have been legally binding, but if it was real to the pair of them...
The Doctor gently twisted the black band around her wrist, making it sit the right way up before letting her hands drop, giving her the jolt she needed to come back to reality.
"What's that?" Kazran asked, intrigued by the glowing green device that had been able to unlock the cuffs. Danni smiled down at him.
"That is a sonic screwdriver." She explained, "And it's going to help up lure the fish." His face lit up, hopeful for a moment before the memory of his father came back and it fell away into hardened disbelief.
"Are you both really a babysitters?" He accused and the Doctor nodded, puffing his chest out.
"I think you'll find I'm universally recognised as a mature and responsible adult." He whipped out his psychic paper and held up proudly.
"It's just a lot of wavy lines." Kazran replied, completely unimpressed. The Doctor flipped it around, seeing that the paper had, in fact, just displayed a load of lines, unable to cooperate with the lie.
"Yeah, it's shorted out. Finally, a lie too big." Danni giggled and held her hand out.
"What does mine say?" She asked and he handed it to her, a big grin on his face. He loved it when she giggled, and as she seemed sad this trip he would do anything he could to put that smile on her face, "Danielle Fielding. Professional Babysitter." She read out smugly, "In charge of looking after the universe's biggest child. Hey, that must be you." He pouted, yanking it out of her hand and putting it back in his pocket. Stupid psychic paper.
"I am not a child." He grumbled before leaning in closer to Kazran, "OK, no, not really a babysitter, but it's Christmas Eve. You don't want a real one, you want us two."
"Why? What's so special about you?" Kazran asked.
"Didn't you hear Danni-Girl?" The Doctor replied teasingly, "We're going to find us some fish."
~0~0~0~
And that was how they ended up in the wardrobe. Danni had to admit that she wasn't entirely happy with this plan, and she had pointed out to the Doctor that she had just almost been killed by a werewolf whilst being locked in a cupboard, and she didn't want to go through anything like that again. The Doctor had protested, saying that he was in there with her as well, and that the door wasn't even locked so nothing bad could possibly happen, jinxing the whole exercise. Kazran had stated quite surely that there was no such thing as werewolves, to which Danni had pointed out that there was no such thing as fish in the fog on some planets and he shouldn't dismiss anything until he had proof either way.
The Doctor had the screwdriver attached to a piece of string which hung outside the door like a fishing line, it tied around his finger as they waited for the fish to appear.
"So why are you so interested in fish?" The Doctor asked in a whisper, them all trying to stay quiet so they didn't scare anyway any fish that were attracted to the Doctor's screwdriver.
"Cos they're scary." Kazran offered as a reason and the Doctor nodded slowly.
"Good answer." He agreed. He was quite attracted to scary things, and things he knew nothing about. He glanced at Danni, even now he felt there was so much she was hiding. But, he was determined to find it all out.
"The wrong answer, but an answer nonetheless." Danni interjected from the other side of the boy and Kazran blushed. Like that. How did she know he was lying?
"What kind of tie is that?" Kazran asked, trying to take the focus off him and onto the Doctor.
"A cool one." The Doctor replied immediately and Danni nodded.
"The coolest." She agreed and he adjusted it smugly, obviously very happy at the woman's like of his clothings. Maybe the Doctor wanted her to be his girlfriend or something. Like he did with Meredith at school. She'd seen the fish as well.
"Why is it cool?" Kazran asked her and she shrugged.
"Why is anything cool?" She replied.
"Why are you REALLY interested in fish?" The Doctor asked Kazran, who shifted on the cold floor, wrapping his arms around he knees tighter.
"My school. During the last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack." He explained sadly, "Loads of them, a whole shoal. No-one was hurt, but it was the most fish ever seen below the mountains."
"Were you scared?" The Doctor asked him and he shook his head.
"I wasn't there. I was off sick." Kazran replied forlornly and the Doctor grinned.
"Ooh, lucky you." He whispered excitedly. Danni rolled her eyes and shook her head. He saw her cue and frowned, "Not lucky?"
"It's all anyone ever talks about now, the day the fish came." Kazran said, "Everyone's got a story."
"But you don't." The Doctor realised, glancing at the camera he'd brought in that was sat on the floor in front of them, all three in focus, "I see." Kazran saw his gaze shift and looked at the camera as well.
"Why are you recording this?" Kazran asked. The Doctor looked up at him and smirked.
"Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?" He asked in reply and Kazran paused, bewildered at the sudden change in subject.
"Sorry, what?"
"Cos you're not paying attention now." The Doctor continued and Kazran noticed it, the string on the Doctor's finger, gently tugging. The sign a fish was on the other side. The trio watched the string move for a moment before the Doctor held his finger to him mouth, shushing them both. He stood up, leaning against the door to listen outside.
"Doctor, are you sure?" Kazran asked and the Doctor nodded.
"Trust me." He commanded and Kazran nodded, looking away.
"OK." He replied uncertainly and the Doctor's gaze turned harder.
"Oi!" He scolded and Kazran blinked, Eyes on the tie. Look at me. I wear it and I don't care. Trust me?" Kazran grinned and nodded.
"Yes." He breathed happily and the Doctor opened the door.
"That's why it's cool." He slipped out and Danni grabbed Kazran's arm as he began to follow the Doctor out.
"We should stay here." She told the boy quietly as the Doctor pushed the door to again.
"I want to see the fish." Kazran replied just as quietly.
"It's not a fish." She explained, "It's a shark."
"A shark?" He asked in surprise and she nodded, "And he just went outside with a shark there?"
"He doesn't know it's a shark. He just thinks it fish." She explained with a smile.
"Should we get him to come back?"
"Not yet." She told him.
"Why not?"
"Because he almost got me eaten by a werewolf." She replied, "I think I deserve to scare him with a shark, don't you?" Kazran stared at her, not sure what to make of this strange woman. She didn't seem like any of the boring girls he knew from school, who were only interested in imitating their mothers and gossiping about other girls.
"Is it because you have a boy's name that you act like one?" He asked her boldly and she looked at him, confused.
"I don't think I act like a boy." She replied, "I act like I want to."
"You don't seem like any of the girls I know." He explained and she shrugged.
"They must be really boring then." She replied and he nodded.
"Extremely." They both laughed, pausing in surprise at the Doctor's exclamation of fright from outside the door.
"Doctor?" Danni called, slightly worried, "Are you okay?"
"Erm..." Was his reply.
"Maybe you should come back in and away from the shark." She called back.
"Is it really a shark?" Kazran asked, "What colour is it?"
"Big. Big colour." The door flew open and the Doctor scrambled in, closing it and pressing his back against it. The shark swan straight into it, the whole cupboard shaking at the force.
"What's happening?" Kazran asked him.
"Well, concentrating on the plusses, you've definitely got a story of your own now. Also, I got a good look at the fish, and I understand the fog, which'll help me land a spaceship in the future, and save a lot of lives. And I'll get some readings off my sonic screwdriver when I get it off the shark in your bedroom."
"So, there's a shark in my bedroom?" Kazran exclaimed, "Danni's right?"
"Danni is always right, but that's beside the point." The Doctor retorted. The shark stopped trying to smash it's way into the wardrobe. Danni took Kazran by the hand and pulled him away from the door as the Doctor looked over his shoulder at the door.
"Has it gone? What's it doing?" Kazran asked urgently.
"What do you call it if you don't have any feet, and you're taking a run-up?" The Doctor replied. Danni rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the pair.
"Move, you moron!" She exclaimed loudly as the shark burst through the wooden doors, becoming trapped by the sheer size of it's body. The three fell to the floor, Danni and the Doctor shielding the young boy. The shark began snapping at them, the screwdriver glowing in it's throat and flashing it's teeth an eerie green.
"It's going to eat us, it's going to eat us, it's going to eat us... Is it going to eat us?" Kazran asked anxiously and the Doctor looked down at him.
"Maybe we're going to eat it, but I don't like the odds." He replied and Danni nudged him angrily, "Ow!" He cried, rubbing his side.
"Of course it's not going to eat us." Danni reassured him, "You think if I knew a shark was coming I'd let it happen if we were all going to die?" Kazran shook his head and she beamed at him, "We're fine. Plus, it's stuck in the door. All we have to worry about is getting out."
"If I had my screwdriver, I could probably stun it." The Doctor mused and she glared at him.
"Well, you don't." She snapped, "It's in the belly of a fog shark. Any other great ideas?"
"It's within reach." He protested, "There's a real chance, the way it's wedged in the doorway, of keeping its mouth open."
"There is?" Kazran asked, skeptical and Danni shook her head.
"Oh no, you don't." She warned but the Doctor ignored her, turning to Kazran.
"Agree with me. Cos I've only got two goes, and then it's your turn." He rolled his sleeves up ready.
"Two goes?" Kazran exclaimed and the Doctor nodded, holding his arms aloft.
"Two arms. Right, then! OK. Geronimo! Open wide!" He jumped up, running at the shark.
"Oh, don't!" Danni cried, but it was too late.
~0~0~0~
The Doctor retrieved what was left of the screwdriver from the shark's stomach, but the poor beast had been out of it's environment for too long and was dying. That was how they met Abigail, a quite frankly stunningly beautiful woman with an even more astounding voice. With the help of her singing, and also her icebox, they were able to get the shark back up into it's natural habitat, safe and still very much alive. They took the icebox back, and Abigail stepped inside. She didn't want her family to suffer because their 'security' had escaped.
"If you should ever wish to visit again..." Abigail told them all. The Doctor leant on the edge of the icebox, crossing one ankle over the other.
"Well, you know, if Danni-Girl and I are ever in the neighbourhood..." He began.
"He comes every Christmas Eve." Kazran interrupted and the Doctor looked down at him, alarmed, "Yeah, he does, every time. He promises!"
"We both promise." Danni replied and the Doctor shook his head.
"Hold on, no we..." Kazran slammed the door shut, freezing Abigail in the second it locked. Danni looked up at the Doctor, eyes bright in joy.
"Oh, this'll be amazing!" She exclaimed, taking Kazran by the hand and leading him out of the large storage room, "I do love Christmas, you know sweetie? We'll bring loads of trees, and decorations. And cake, can't forget the cake..." She rambled as they left him standing there. He ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head fondly. She never got proper Christmas's. The last one, for her at any rate, would have been aboard the Valiant. He felt his hands tense slightly and he forced himself to relax, to let go of the jealousy that rose in his chest. He knew she chose him, that the Master might have tried to brainwash her with the drumming, but even after everything he could offer, she would still choose him. She was still his Danni-Girl, he hadn't even let the end of the universe take her away from him. Not anymore, not again. The only thing that could stop him keeping her by his side was her Manipulator zooming her away.
She was his, always and forever. If he had to live a thousand Christmas Eve's he'd make sure that she never had the desire to leave him again. He took off with large strides, following them and wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders, rambling about the idea he had about dolphins and carriage rides.
She was his, always and forever. And he'd seen the wedding ring that proved it.