LOSS AND HEALING
Chapter Eighteen After an hour, the rain stopped and when the sun came out, Jack went outside to walk around the property and take in his surroundings. Eleven came outside and walked up to him while he was staring at the barren field to the right of the house. He glanced over his shoulder when the Doctor came up to him. "We really are out in the middle of nowhere," he said to him as Eleven came to his side and stopped. "Yes, we are and the surrounding area is a bit dismal, to say the least," Eleven said. "That's why you gave them the lottery ticket? So they could get out of here?" "If they want. This house has been in their family a long time and it was built for them and the children have a lot of freedom but they deserve far more than this," he said, gesturing to the barren field across the road from the house. "I want to give them that opportunity." "I haven't known them long but I like them, they're a nice family," Jack said. "Yes, they've been good to us so I want to return the love they've shown all of us," Eleven said. "They did this for us even after they found out about me being an alien and us being time travelers. They've tolerant, loving people and the children are fun to be with." Jack nodded and smiled. "So what happened?" he asked Eleven. "I saw the other you in that bar and you looked a bit down. I guess you knew the end was coming?" Eleven nodded. "I got a burst of deadly radiation. It killed me but I had time to say goodbye to everyone. And you? Did you and Alonso…" "It was a fling, nothing more," Jack said, shaking his head. "He's a nice guy but I was still mourning Ianto and I couldn't be there for him completely. We're friends though so thanks for introducing us all the same." They looked over their shoulder when the door opened and Ten, Martha, Sarah Jane and River came outside with Rex. Rex saw Eleven and he chuckled when he leapt off the side of the porch and zoomed towards him. "And you've become friendly with the dog," Jack teased his friend. "Yeah, he's a friendly bloke and very protective of all of us," Eleven said while Rex slowed and walked up to him. Rex wagged his tail while Eleven and Jack petted him. While they were doing that, Eleven heard the door open and Mandy came outside wearing a pink jacket. She walked down to Ten, Sarah Jane, River and Martha who were standing by the truck while Ten pointed out some things to them at the back of the property. He stopped talking and Eleven listened to Mandy while she told him that Ruth, Dan, Alicia and Great Uncle Tom were coming over. "Oh good," Eleven said to Jack, "more of the family are coming. They're also very nice people." "Look at you, a ready made family of your very own now," Jack teased. "I always had a ready made family, they were the people I traveled with." "Oh, so I'm family then? I guess I was right in calling you Dad then," Jack said. "Hey!" Mandy said, trotting towards them while Ten and his friends watched her. "Hey!" "Hay? I don't see a farm around here!" Eleven said to her. "Huh?" Mandy said, stopping behind him. "Never mind!" Eleven said while Jack laughed. "What is it?" "Mommy called Aunt Ruth and Uncle Dan and Great Aunt Alicia and Great Uncle Tom and they're coming to see us," Mandy said. "They're bringing presents for Sissy's birthday and coming to talk to everyone." "Brilliant. Does that mean we have to lock you in the cupboard so you won't misbehave?" Eleven said. Jack giggled at the blank look on Mandy's face. "She's a child, Doc. I don't think she understands all those long, complicated words that just flew out of your mouth," he said, patting Mandy on the head. "Ah well, she has the gist of it," he said, picking Mandy up and holding her close. "Are you excited about having fun tonight?" he said to her. "Yes. I want you to come on my birthday too." "When is your birthday?" Jack giggled when Mandy gave him another blank look. "Sooo, ask the parent, I see," Eleven said while Jack sniggered. XOXOXOXOXOXOX When it started raining again, they went back inside and Eleven asked Lori about the other birthdays after putting Mandy down. Lori chuckled. "Mine is November 14 and so is Brit, actually. I had quite a birthday present fifteen years ago and Tom is one week before us, November 7th. Mandy is October 30th and Jim is a new year's baby, actually. January 1st. So you won't have to worry about any more birthdays until the end of October," she said. "So the others are coming to celebrate as well?" Eleven said, leaning on the kitchen counter. "Yes, I called them to make sure they were alright. Alicia and Tom actually had a couple of trees fall on their property but it was back by the gravel pit, thank God. Dan and Ruth didn't have any damage so everyone made it through unscathed. But I told them what happened and about everyone coming and they want to meet the new guests and they're going to drive some of them when we go to Chuck-E-Cheese tonight so we won't have to worry about renting another minivan." "Are you going to give them the same tour then?" Eleven teased. "Hey, if they want it, I'll be happy to oblige," Lori teased back. "And my opening line to them would be, you may have battled creatures of darkness but you haven't seen horror like this before." Eleven laughed. "I have to ask though, how long has Sarah Jane been traveling with you?" "Um…she traveled with me full time during my third and fourth lives and now I see her on occasion. She has a son called Luke and he and his friends help her out while she defends Earth. Luke was staying at his friend's house and that's why he isn't here but Sarah wants to bring him back sometime since Brit is around their age." "I like your friends. You pick very good traveling companions," Lori said. "Well, they have to be friendly as a rule. I don't want them mouthing off to aliens and causing me more problems than I have already." "That's true," Lori said. "Speaking of problems," Eleven said when Mandy walked into the kitchen. "There's Little Bear again!" "Grrrrr," Mandy said to him and she and Lori laughed when he backed against the counter again. Mandy walked over to the counter by the sink grabbed a plastic glass and stood on a small stool to get herself a drink of water. "Observe," Eleven said to Lori, "the bear in its natural habitat pauses for a drink of water." Lori laughed while Eleven gave her a cheesy grin. Suddenly, Ten stomped into the room, fake rage on his face while Mandy paused in her drinking to watch him walk up to her. "I was talking and you left me! That is not acceptable!" he said sternly, putting his hands on his hips. "No one leaves when I'm talking, no matter how thirsty they are! How dare you ignore me!" "RRRRRR!" Mandy growled loudly at him and Lori laughed when Ten let out a girly scream and ran back into the living room. "You guys are crazy but I love it," Lori said while everyone in the living room laughed at Ten. XOXOXOXOXOXOXO When Uncle Dan, Aunt Ruth, Great Uncle Tom and Great Aunt Alicia arrived, Lori set out some light refreshments and she and the Doctors brought up more chairs so everyone could sit. Lori lay down a little blanket for Mandy by the TV and she sat and played with her toys while the adults got to know one another. Dan, Ruth, Tom and Alicia had brought some gifts for Michelle along with four large pizzas for lunch and Lori put the gifts in the kitchen and the Doctors hid the pizzas from Mandy since it was not lunchtime yet. "Wow, our new family just keeps getting bigger by the moment," Tom said. "It's nice to meet some other people who have traveled with you," he said to the Doctors. "I hate that Donna and Amy and Rory are no longer with us but I hope you can find a solution." "We're trying our best," Eleven said. "Amy and Rory are here, Mommy," Mandy said, looking up. The room fell silent. "They are? Where?" Lori said to her while the adults looked at each other. Mandy pointed to empty space off to her right. "Right here," she said. "They're here too for Sissy's birthday." "What's this?" Alicia said. "I think Mandy can see Amy and Rory's spirits. Young children and animals are supposed to see ghosts and spirits better than adults can and both her and Rex have seen something." "Well, if they're dead now," Tom said. "I'm sure they're watching from Heaven and celebrating with us." "Not to mention this is how loyal the Doctor's friends are, they keep following him even after death," Jack said. Eleven glanced at Mandy giggling at thin air and smiled, imagining his in-laws pulling faces and amusing her. Then suddenly she fell silent and listened intently and Eleven wondered what she was hearing. His hearts ached, wishing he could hear them too. "Ooo," Mandy suddenly said before getting up and running to the Doctor. "Hey, Amy and Rory said you could see them if you want to," Mandy said, tugging on his arm. "Huh? How?" Eleven said while the room fell silent again. Mandy frowned and turned back to the air. "What you say, Rory, I forget," Mandy said. Eleven glanced at Ten while Mandy listened for a moment before turning back around to the Doctor. "He say that you have a…Cor-li-o-us Cry-stal in your TARDIS that could make it so you could see and hear them. You have to…" She listened again for a moment while the Doctors' eyes widened in mutual understanding. "You have to take it out and bring it up and it will show you stuff that's hidden," Mandy said to Eleven. "Oh, I'm an idiot sometimes," Eleven said, slapping his forehead. "You have this crystal?" Sarah Jane said. "I do. Wait a tic everyone, be right back!" Eleven said, getting up and heading for the stairs.
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