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Four days. It had been four, long days in the Williams' household. Danni and the Doctor had moved into their spare bedroom and Amy was considering breaking their 'no entering the bedroom' rule because the Doctor had been feeling rather... excited that they were living in a normal house again, and she and Rory were struggling to sleep with her imaginary friends being so amorous across the hallway.
Rory still went to work, but because Amy was freelancing she stayed at home and looked after the pair, once again reaffirming the idea that she was their mother and they were her children. She didn't like it, and so had tried to keep them busy by keeping the Doctor entertained while sending Danni, the more sensible of the two, out on errands. Which is where she was when Rory came home and found her sat in the front room with the Doctor, the television off because presumably it had become boring, again, and the Doctor lying upside-down on their sofa. Rory took perch next to him, the trio sitting in silence.
"Four days. Nothing!" The Doctor suddenly snarled, reached out and grabbing one of the cubes on the coffee table in front of them, shaking it angrily, "Nothing! Not a single change in any cube," He began slapping it in his frustration, "anywhere in the world." He placed the cube down and used the back of the sofa to pull himself up, "Four days! And I'm still in your lounge!"
"You were the one who wanted to observe them." Amy retorted, more than annoyed by his whiny behaviour at this point. How did Danni put up with him for any length of time, because she really didn't remember him being this bad.
"Yes, well, I thought they'd do something, didn't I? Not just sit there while everyone eats endless cereal!" He cried out, pulling himself over the back of the sofa before starting to pace around the room, heading out into the corridor.
"You said we had to be patient." Rory pointed out and the Doctor came back in through the door, pointing at them angrily.
"Yes, you, you! Not me! I hate being patient! Patience is for wimps!" He flopped back down in between them, looking around helplessly, "I can't live like this. Don't make me. I need to be busy."
"Back!" Amy almost cried in relief as Danni came through the front door. If anyone could make the Doctor stop whining it was her. She'd even let them go upstairs on their own if it make him shut up.
"You've been ages, where have you been?" Amy called back, because she'd only sent her out for some cereal and milk.
"Oh, I couldn't remember which cereal you wanted." Danni explained as she appeared in the doorway, carrying several shopping bags, "So I bought a load. I like this food shopping thing, I never used to but it's kinda fun and the man behind the checkout was really nice to me." The Doctor sat a bit straighter, eyeing her suspiciously.
"What man behind the checkout?" He asked and she reached into one of the bags, pulling out a packet of Jammy Dodgers and chucking them out him. He caught them, grinning like a child and ripped the packet open, munching on one.
"Thank you Danni-Girl!" He cheered and she shrugged, a frown appearing as she took in the exasperated looks of the the two Williams'.
"Has he been moaning again?" Both of them nodded eagerly and she sighed, cocking an eyebrow as she shot the Doctor a pointed look.
"I can't do this!" He exclaimed, having the decency to at least look slightly guilty, "It's too boring, all this waiting!"
"Fine, put these away." She motioned to the bags in her hands, "then you can go do what you like, okay?" His eyes lit up and he dashed over, placing a kiss on her lips that made both Amy and Rory turn away, because as always the Doctor pulled her up against him, wrapping his arm around her waist. She responded for a moment before pulling away, "Not that." She reprimanded and he pouted.
"Fine!" He grumbled, taking the bags off her. Danni watched him head into the kitchen and look at the cupboards thoughtfully before she headed into the living room, flopping in between the two Ponds.
"Thank you so much." Amy told her sincerely, pulling her in for a hug and Danni chuckled, patting her on the back.
"Was he really being that bad?" She asked.
"He hasn't shut up since you left." Amy replied, "You're not allowed to leave him here on his own anymore."
"Deal." She agreed, because she knew how hard he could be when he was bored, "Did you know this universe does Lucky Charms in the supermarkets?" She asked them both, "Because my old universe they were taken away for being too sugary, but you can get them here. I bought four packets!" Amy shared a pained look with her husband. Just what they needed, more sugar in the house.
~0~0~0~
The Doctor decided that their kitchen needed completely rearranging, so that must have wasted at least three hours. Then he saw the state of their fence in the back yard, how did they let their house fall into such disrepair, so decided to give the entire thing a new coat of paint. He'd been detracted by a football he found in the bushes, calling Danni out to see him play keepsie uppies five million times. Well, that's what he told her anyway to make himself seem much better than the guy at the supermarket. She'd seemed rather impressed, clapping and praising him so it worked at any rate. Then he'd mowed the grace, hoovered the lounge, fixed Rory's car despite the man telling him nothing was wrong with it.
He headed back into the front room, sitting in between Rory and Amy again on the sofa as Danni sat crossed legged in front of the television, watching Fairly Odd Parents.
"That's better. Nothing like a bit of activity to pass the time." He declared, chucking his arms around their shoulders and his feet up on the coffee table, " How long was I gone?" Hours, he bet. Could have been days, after all he could never keep track of how long he'd been. Rory checked his watch.
"Uh, about an hour." The Doctor's face fell and Danni groaned, spinning on the spot.
"Oh Rory..." She started as the Doctor shook his head decisively.
"I can't do it. No." He jumped back over the back of the soda, rushing into the TARDIS. Alarmed, Danni, Rory and Amy rushed in after him.
"Where are you going?" Amy called as the Doctor fell still at the sight of Brian sat at his console, on a folding chair, watching one of the cubes sat on the console happily.
"Brian! You're still here." He declared, confused. Brian nodded.
"You told me to watch the cubes." He replied.
"Four days ago." The Doctor pointed out, Brian looking pleasantly surprised.
"Oh! Doesn't time fly when you're alone with your thoughts." He mused.
"But you've not come out." Rory stated, having thought his father had gone home days ago, "Where have you been sleeping? Or eating?"
"Danni's been bringing me sandwiches, haven't you dearie?" Brian explained, Danni nodding.
"Can't let you starve, Brian." Danni replied.
"How did you know my dad was here but I didn't?" Rory exclaimed.
"He emailed me." She replied, typing in the air. Brian pulled out a Smartphone from his top pocket and Rory stared at it, amazed. His dad, the technophobe, had a Smartphone?
"Danni showed me how to use it." He explained, "Wonderful little gizmo." Danni beamed at him as Rory shook his head. One problem at a time, he couldn't process Danni and his dad just yet.
"You can't just leave, Doctor." He told the Time Lord as Brian stood up, Danni folding his chair for him and handing it back with another smile.
"Yes, course I can. Quick jaunt. Restore sanity. Ooh!" He snapped his fingers as he had a brilliant idea, "Hey!" He draped his arms over Amy and Rory's shoulders, "Come with us, if you like."
"They can't just go off like that." Brian protested and the Doctor looked genuinely baffled.
"Can't they? Can't you?" He asked, looking between the two, "That's how it goes, isn't it?"
"I've got my job." Rory pointed out.
"Oh, yes, Rory, the universe is awaiting, but you have a little job to go to." The Doctor dismissed and Rory's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"It's not little. It's important to me. Look, what you do isn't all there is." He snapped and the Doctor blinked, taken aback by the offence Rory seemed to have taken.
"I never said it was." He muttered, looking between the two again. He was losing them already, he was not ready for this, "All right, fine. Just me and Danni then, right?" He looked at her expectantly, but she looked down and away, tugging at her sleeves nervously.
"I don't want to go." She whispered, stunning everyone. The Doctor's hearts plummeted and it must have shown on his face because she reached out, grabbing one of his hands in both of hers, "I love running with you, of course I do." She insisted, placing a kiss on his knuckles, "I love what we do together, and I love you more than anything. But I've not had a normal, human life in five years. I just want to have it again for a while. I was enjoying it." He looked down at his hand in hers, then back up again.
"You don't want to come with me?" The 'either' he wanted to add was left unsaid, but she knew him well enough to shake her head vigorously.
"Of course I do." She repeated, "I just want one month here, please." He reached up with his free hand, cupping her face. She looked so desperate to convince him, and if this is what she wanted... He wasn't happy about it, losing even a second with her was absolutely devastating when he knew she could be there by his side instead.
"Four weeks." He countered and she grinned, letting go of his hand.
"Four weeks and I'll be by your side again." She reassured him.
"Promise?" She nodded, reaching up and crossing her chest twice, stopping halfway through the second one in embarrassment because she didn't have two hearts, "Fine." He let her go, reaching into his pocket and pulling out one of the many credit cards he carried around for her, "You'll need this." She took it with a smile and ran to Amy and Rory's side as he turned to the console, "I'll be back, soon. Monitor the cubes. Call me. I'll have the TARDIS set to every Earth newsfeed." He explained, "I'll be back in four weeks." Danni took Amy's hand, gently leading the trio out of the TARDIS because she knew if they didn't leave then, he'd change his mind. They all watched the TARDIS disappear with a gust of wind and Amy looked down at Danni.
"You're really staying behind?" She asked, still stunned and Danni nodded.
"Only for four weeks." She reminded, "He'll pick me up then."
"Are you sure?" Rory countered, "His time keeping is awful."
"Not for me." She insisted, staring at the space the TARDIS had just stood and wondering if it was a bad idea after all, "Not for me." She repeated in a whisper.
~0~0~0~
Danni sat down next to Brian, still in her pyjamas as she sipped a cup of tea. He was setting up his old fashioned yet reliable video camera, pointing it down at one of the cubes, the one he'd be observing right from the start. Just as the Doctor had asked, he watched the cubes religiously, between looking after his garden of course. Danni pulled her foot up onto the chair, resting her chin on her knee as Rory also entered with his own cup of tea. He walked past her, giving her a sympathetic rub on the shoulder as he did. She shot him a grateful smile and he sat next to her at the table.
"Brian's log. Day 67." The older man declared after he turned the camera on and Danni winced slightly, gazing out the patio doors behind her. She had started to regret her decision to stay with Amy and Rory the moment the TARDIS had disappeared, but had quickly realised she had been so happy she had stayed. Everything was kind of a novelty, going to the shops, watching daytime television, being bored. None of it was part of her life anymore, and she began to enjoy herself. Even the dinner Amy had forced her to attend at her friend Jemma's house had been strangely fun to go to. Then day 28 came. And it went, and that regret slammed back into her like a train. Amy and Rory might have slowly begun to decide that maybe the everyday human life was for them, but Danni just saw how much it wasn't for her. And now it was day 67, and she was still there.
"You can't call it that." Rory told his father, "'Brian's log'?"
"Brian's log." Brian repeated pointedly, talking to the camera and not his son, "Day 67. Cube was quiet all night, once again. Cube was quiet all day. As per previously, no movement, no change in measurements. End of entry." He turned to camera off, looking at Danni for approval. She nodded, smiling at him and he nodded once, happy with his recording. He'd moved it to Rory's house that day because they were all worried about her, and Brian thought that she might enjoy helping him watch the cubes for the Doctor.
"You stay up and watch it all the time?" Rory asked incredulously.
"I film it while I'm asleep. When I wake up, I watch the footage on fast-forward. I email the result to UNIT." Brian explained, spelling out the abbreviation rather than calling 'unit' like everyone else, "My middle name is diligence."
"Wow! I can't wait to see day 68." Rory muttered sarcastically and Brian shot him a sideways glance.
"Don't mock my log." He reprimanded, "I'm doing what the Doctor asked."
"Yeah, Rory." Danni added, "He's doing valuable work for the planet." She turned to Brian, "The Doctor would be very proud, Brian." The man nodded.
"Thank you Danielle." He replied, "At least someone appreciates my work." Rory sighed, standing up.
"I'll make you a cup of tea, Dad." Rory settled on, knowing he was never going to win there. As he reached the doorway, Brian turned in his seat.
"Not so much milk this time." He reminded and Rory hung his head, Danni giggling in the background.
~0~0~0~
Danni looked at her phone yet again, but nothing had changed except the time. She had left countless messages on the Doctor's machine, ranging from confusion, to anger and back to despair. He hadn't rung back, and she didn't know she was expecting him to now. Even Amy had tried to contact him on behalf of her friend, in fact Danni was sure she was still trying even though she had given up a week or so ago. It wasn't like he checked his messages anyway.
It had hit December; Christmas Time. Usually Danni's favourite time of the year and even in her melancholy mood, she had to admit she was enjoying being wrapped up in the warm coat and scarf she had bought, shopping bags in her mittened hands as she headed through the main street of Gloucester. She'd gone Christmas shopping on the credit card the Doctor had given her. A new set of plant pots for Brian, a lovely dress for Amy and a new Thriller by an author she'd never heard of for Rory. With some new underwear, a nod to when UNIT had burst in all them months ago. And a new set of bow-ties for the Doctor, with a golden wedding band nestled in the bag, ready to be wrapped up in the bright red one she'd bought for him. Because he wouldn't miss Christmas, like he'd missed her birthday. And when he turned up, he'd open it up completely unaware and find the ring. She'd get down on one knee and try to calmly ask him to marry her, but would most likely end up begging him. She nodded to herself, she could handle that.
~0~0~0~
Amy and Rory opened the front door Christmas Day night, around half ten, quickly look around for any sign of the Time Lord returning. They been at Brian's all day and Amy's parent's all evening, celebrating the day with their families with varying degrees of food and alcohol.
That morning they'd been woken by an excited Danni banging on their bedroom door, telling them to stop being so lazy. They'd exchanged presents, Amy and Rory having gotten her a large hamper of American sweets, because it turned out most shops in the UK didn't sell Lucky Charms after all.
Brian had been delighted with his new plant pots, telling her the variety of flowers he could plant in them. He'd walked around to see them, enjoying how quiet the streets were on the sacred day, as he always did. Rory and Amy were going to his for Christmas Lunch, and she had been invited but she'd shaken her head, telling them with so much hope in her eyes that she had to be there for when the Doctor came back. They'd not been quite so optimistic, but after her insisting they go and enjoy their day, they'd left her there to wait.
"It's not here." Rory whispered worriedly and Amy shrugged.
"He could have parked in the back garden." She reasoned just as quietly, "Or up the street to surprise her." Neither of them believed it, though, and as she headed to the kitchen, Rory glanced into the living room.
"Oh no." He whispered sadly and Amy joined him to see Danni curled up in front of their fire, obviously asleep, the room strew with wrapping paper and the bow ties she'd proudly shown them, her present for the Doctor. Amy looked at her husband, confused and hurt on behalf of her sleeping friend.
"Why's he done this?" She asked him and he shrugged, stepping in and bending down to pick up a couple pieces of wrapping paper Danni had thrown away in her rage. Amy headed towards Danni, stepping over a bright red bow tie, her eye catching a shimmer of gold next to it. She bent down and picked up the gold band, her eyes wide in shock as she picked up the ring, "Oh no, Rory." He looked up and saw the wedding ring, the pair looking down at Danni, who slept on, oblivious to their sympathy.
~0~0~0~
Danni checked her phone again, this time for the time and not expecting anything else to have changed. He'd abandoned her, she knew it. The Doctor, her Doctor, had left and he wasn't coming back and she had to start getting on with the normal, everyday, human life she'd asked for. So, for New Year's Eve, she'd headed out to a party with Amy and Rory, determined to meet some of their friends and ring in the new year with her new family.
Turns out that with Mels, or River, there, Danni wasn't much of a party-goer anymore. The music was too loud, the people were too drunk and the conversation was lacking in anything sensible to talk about. And there was no karaoke, quite frankly it was a terrible party. Amy sat down on the chair next to her, looking out into the mass of people enjoying the last hour of the year.
"You look miserable." She declared and Danni shrugged.
"Bored." She replied loudly to be heard over the music. That was another thing, who really wanted to have to shout everything to be heard?
"Come dance with me." Amy moaned, obviously quite drunk, "It's only 11." Danni shook her head.
"I think I might just go home." Amy's house was only down the street and around the corner, barely a 10 minute walk away.
"What?" Amy shouted and Danni rolled her eyes.
"I'm going to go home!" She shouted back, becoming increasingly annoyed at the noise around her.
"Oh!" Amy nodded, even in her inebriated state she could see Danni was not enjoying herself, "I'll go get Rory." Danni shook her head.
"No, you two have fun." She stood up, placing a kiss on Amy's cheek, "Happy New Year, Amy." She headed for the doorway, Rory seeing her and looking over at his wife for an explanation. She shrugged in defeat and stumbled over, wrapping her arms around him.
"Dance with me, Mr Pond." She slurred, and Rory was just drunk enough to comply.
~0~0~0~
The clear night was beautiful, if not freezing, and Danni started walking with her nose stuck in the air, staring at the stars above. Nothing like a bright sky to remind her what she was missing, after all. Still she couldn't tear her eyes away, because she had to keep an eye out for a little blue box zooming across the sky. Part of her wondered if the Doctor was in trouble, if the reason he wasn't there was because he was somewhere, hurt and alone. But he wouldn't have actually gone anywhere without her, he hadn't even wanted to leave her behind.
Maybe he'd just mis-aimed then. Wouldn't have been the first time, and she doubted it would be the last. Maybe he was really on his way, with only seconds having past for him and months for her. The other way around, for once.
Or maybe he was fine, and running around the universe and not even thinking about her. Maybe he'd realised she was a burden, that he didn't actually love her and he was running away from telling her that he didn't want her anymore.
All these depressing, self-deprecating thoughts were shoved out of her head as she was slammed against the wall, a large man, covered in the shadow presented by the night pinning her against it.
"All right, beautiful." He hissed sickly, "Give us ya money, and no one get's hurt."