THE ADVENTURES OF RAZZMATAZZ, THE TIME CAT

Chapter Eight

Jackie hurried and straightened up the lounge while she waited for her daughter to knock on the door. When she was finished with that, she ran to the bedroom, grabbed a small pink gift sack and set it on the sofa. She ran to the door when she heard knocking and heard Rose calling to her. She flung it open and embraced Rose tightly.

"Oh, I haven't seen you in ages and you didn't come home for your birthday as well!" Jackie said.

"It's my birthday?" Rose said in shock.

"Past your birthday, Rose. I waited for you to come home but he didn't bring you. And where is he anyway?" she said, looking over Rose's shoulder, "and where's this friend you were talking about? I don't see anyone else."

"They're hiding," Rose said sheepishly.

"Hiding? What for?" Jackie said.

"The Doctor has a kitten and he's afraid you're going to eat her."

Jackie rolled her eyes.

"Come in here, he can sit with his kitten inside the TARDIS," she said while Rose tried to explain about Sarah Jane.

"Mum, he has another friend as well," Rose protested while Jackie slammed the door.

"They can chat in the TARDIS. You missed your birthday, young lady!" Jackie said.

"No, I didn't."

"You did. It's been a month since your birthday," Jackie said.

"Not for me. I'm still 20. We landed today but I'm not keeping track of time like that. I'm still 20," Rose said. "I will come back when I'm actually 21, promise."

"Well, here then," Jackie said, picking up the sack and handing it to her. "Just call it a welcome home gift then."

Rose took the sack from her and froze when she heard a knock at the door.

"That's the Doctor, Mum," she said to Jackie.

"So?" Jackie said.

"Mum, open the door and let him in," Rose said.

"Go away; I'm not eating your bleedin' cat, Doctor!" Jackie hollered at the door.

"Rose! Let us in!" the Doctor said through the door as he pounded harder.

Jackie sighed when Rose stared at her and she stomped to the door. She flung open the door, an insult on the tip of her lips. It quickly vanished when she saw Sarah Jane standing beside the Doctor. The Doctor was holding Razzy in his hands and had a peeved look on his face.

"That was a joke, that bit about you eating my cat. Can you take a joke, Jackie?" the Doctor said to her.

"I didn't know you had a human guest with ya and yes, I can take a joke," Jackie said.

The Doctor looked at Sarah Jane and rolled his eyes when she turned and walked away. The Doctor let Sarah Jane go inside before he stepped inside the flat and closed the door behind him.

"This is my friend, Sarah Jane. Sarah, this is Rose's mother, Jackie," he said, gesturing to her.

"Pleasure," Sarah Jane said, extending her hand to Jackie.

"Likewise," Jackie said, shaking it. "How do you know the Doctor?"

"I traveled with him during his third and fourth life," Sarah Jane said.

"And you survived?" Jackie said in shock.

"Um…yes," Sarah Jane said, trying not to laugh at the glower on the Doctor's face.

"Well, come and have a cup of tea then. Is that for me?" Jackie said, pointing to Razzy.

"No, she's not for you," the Doctor said, holding Razzy close to his body. "She's mine."

"He found her at a pet shop," Rose said to her mother.

"So how do you take care of it then?" Jackie said to the Doctor.

"It's a she and I take care of her in the same way a normal person does," the Doctor said as he and Sarah Jane sit down in the lounge.

"And here I thought you and Rose did nothing but run all day long," Jackie said before she headed for the kitchen.

Sarah Jane chuckled when the Doctor stuck his tongue out at her when she wasn't looking.

"Now, Doctor, be good," Rose said as she sat down beside him.

"Go Razzy," the Doctor said, putting her down on the floor. "Pee on something."

"Doctor," Rose said while Sarah Jane giggled.

"What? I didn't say anything," the Doctor said innocently while Razzy explored the area around the furniture.

Razzy mewed as she headed towards the kitchen. Jackie peeked out of the kitchen and smiled at her.

"Hello then, are you hungry?" she asked the mewling kitten.

"Better question is, is Jackie hungry?" the Doctor muttered to his companions.

"Come here," Jackie said, walking over to Razzy. "I'll feed you in case the Doctor didn't."

"I did feed her!" the Doctor said indignantly while Sarah Jane and Rose giggled. "I do feed my cat, Jackie."

"What is her name then?" Jackie said, picking Razzy up and petting her. "And why is your cat wearing a jumper?"

"Her name is Razzmatazz and it was a bit nipply outside today so I took precautions."

Rose and Sarah Jane bit their lips when they saw the odd look on Jackie's face.

"I'm sorry? Your cat is called…what?"

"Razzmatazz. Call her Razzy, everyone does," the Doctor said.

"And of course he chooses an odd name rather than something like Fluffy," Jackie said as she walked into the kitchen with Razzy.

"Fluffy is boring and overused!" the Doctor yelled at the kitchen.

He settled back in his chair, listening while Jackie talked baby talk to Razzy.

"See, right now she's turning on the oven and planning to roast my cat," he said to his companions.

"Right, Doctor," Rose said.

"She is. She's probably planning kitty roast as we speak. She's just speaking nicely to Razzy to lull her into a false sense of security."

He suddenly noticed the little gift sack next to Rose.

"What is that?" he said, pointing to it.

Rose looked at it and held it up.

"Mum thought it was past my birthday," she said. "Which it is but I'm not going by her time, I'm going by TARDIS time and I told her I'm not 21 yet. But she got me a gift."

"What is it?" Sarah Jane said.

"Dunno, haven't looked at it yet," Rose said with a shrug.

They watched while she reached into the bag and pulled out a book. She looked at the cover.

"The Traveler's Survival Guide," she said, handing the book to the Doctor.

"Really?" the Doctor said, opening the book. "Just what is your mother implying by giving you this?"

"That you can't protect me so I have to protect myself?" Rose said innocently.

"She did mention that she was surprised I was still alive," Sarah Jane said.

"She did indeed…and where is she? It's gone quiet. Is she eating my cat?" the Doctor said, looking at the kitchen door.

"I'm not eating your bleedin' cat, Doctor," Jackie said, coming to the kitchen door. "She's eating some leftovers."

"Did you cook these leftovers?" the Doctor said, his eyes wide with horror.

"No, it's Chinese takeaway. Is that alright?" Jackie said.

"Well, she's never had any but I suppose we'll find out if its okay when she starts pooing all over the place," the Doctor said casually.

"If she does, you clean it up," Jackie said.

"Rose can, this was her idea and speaking of Rose…" he said, holding up the book.

"I thought she might need that," Jackie said.

"I told you I'd protect her."

"Yeah, I went ahead and got the book anyway," Jackie said. "What about the necklace? Do you like that?"

"Necklace?" Rose said before checking the sack again.

She felt around and felt a tiny jewelry box at the bottom under the tissue paper. She took it out and opened it and gasped when she pulled out a gold chain and a gold rose pendant.

"I love it! Thanks, Mum," Rose said.

"Good, I'm glad you like it. Happy birthday, whether or not you count it," she said.

She looked down when Razzy came out of the kitchen, mewling. The Doctor stood up and feigned shock when he saw no jumper on his cat.

"Hey! She's naked," he said with mock horror as he pointed to Razzy. "How dare you. Razzy is freezing now. I'll sue you if she gets kitty pneumonia!"

Sarah Jane and Rose giggled when Jackie rolled her eyes and shook her head as she walked back into the kitchen, muttering under her breath about how she felt sorry for the kitten because she was owned by a loony now.

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