Melody's POV
The rain finally stopped on the last day of school. Kelli and I celebrated by going out for ice cream.
"Can you believe the rain stopped in time for summer?" Kelli asked. I nodded, trying to not drip ice cream everywhere. "Everyone's out today."
"I noticed. It was, what, a ten minute line at the ice cream parlor counter?" Kelli grinned. "I thought I was going to go insane."
"Me too," I took a bite of ice cream.
"You have ice cream all over your face," Kelli giggled, throwing me a napkin. I wiped off my mouth. "How do I do this? How is this possible?"
"I know the answer: you are magical," Kelli grinned.
"Nah, I'm just the world's messiest eater," I laughed. "I am magical in that way that I can get food everywhere."
"I remember when you got cream cheese on your forehead and your elbow," Kelli said. "Remember that?"
"How could I forget?" my ice cream fell off the cone. "Crud. At least I ate most of it."
"And you've still got the cone," Kelli pointed out. I took a huge bite out of the cone and grinned. "I like me cones."
"Excuse me," said a familiar voice. I spun around in my seat to look at the man that had been in our doorway a couple days ago!
"Um, who are you?" Kelli asked.
"I need to talk to Melody. Alone," the man said. I slowly stood up and took another bite of the cone. Then I threw it out. Wiping off my mouth, I followed the man. "Where are we going? And how do you know my name?"
"You've grown up. A lot since I last saw you. You were, what, thirteen?" the man said.
"I've never met you in my life. Are you a stalker? The only thing keeping me from calling the police is the fact I saw Ella talking to you. Who are you?" I asked.
"I'm not a stalker, Melody," he said. "I figured you wouldn't recognize me. It has been four years, and I have changed a lot," the man smiled.
"Who the hell are you?" I snapped, fighting to keep my voice level.
"Just come with me," he told me. We walked in silence for a moment, then I noticed something that hadn't been there for a long time. Something that looked like-
"Oh my God it's the TARDIS!" I cried, running towards it. I tripped over a stone and hit the TARDIS with my face. I quickly scrambled to my feet. "How did you know this was there?"
"Melody, I really need to talk to you," he said. He leaned against it. "Melody, remember how your father left you four years ago?"
"How do you know this?" I demanded.
He swallowed and continued. "Well, Melody, I'm telling you that I'm back."
It hit me then and there. "No! You're lying, you're-I don't believe you!" I screamed, turning on my heel and running. Why? Why, after all these years, has he come back now?
He's regenerated, I thought to myself. He's regenerated. But how? What happened to make him regenerate? So many questions swirled around my head and I had to stop running. I turned back to face him again. I was prepared now. It had started to rain. Again.
When I came back, he was in the same position. "Do you believe me now?" he asked.
"Sorta-I need more proof." The rain was coming down thicker and faster. He took my hand and put on the left side of his chest. I felt a strong heartbeat. Then he moved it over.
"I can't believe it," I whispered. "Why, after four years, have you finally come back? Why?" I was beginning to sound angry, and I was.
"I'm sorry," he said, pulling me to his chest.
"I'm still having a hard time believing you," I said.
"How much proof do you need?" he asked.
"It's just... Ella was right. I did feel like you had given up on me. Are you going to take me again? Are you?"
He nodded and I pulled away. "I need to get home. Ella will be worried."
He nodded. "Do you want an umbrella?" but I was already running.
Doctor's POV
I watched her sprint away. When she disappeared, I turned and unlocked the door of the TARDIS. She sounded like she wanted to believe me but wasn't sure if she should. I stepped inside the TARDIS, looked around, and smiled. Stairs. Lots and lots of stairs. Melody's gonna be pretty bruised after this, I thought to myself, remembering Melody's tendency of face-planting on the TARDIS.
Melody was seventeen years old. In a year, she'd be of age. I couldn't believe how much she had changed. Her hair was lighter in colour and she was much taller. I realized she was in her senior year at high school. She was grown up, and I felt like it was all too fast. I still remembered her as the four-year old who threw frogs in my lap.
I leaned against the TARDIS. No point going somewhere. I sat down in the seat and stared at the ceiling. "What am I gonna do?" I wondered out loud.
Ella's POV
"Not more rain," I complained as Melody stepped over the welcome mat.
"Ella, have you met the Doctor?" Melody asked.
"Well, yes. I was twelve at the time," I said. "Why?"
"What did he look like?" she asked.
"Like he does now. Why?" but Melody brushed by me, muttering to herself, "How? How?"
She lifted her head. "Time travel, of course. Duh."
I decided not to question her, especially since my sister, Stella, had just come home. "I'm hooome!" she sang.
"For once, will you not yell I'm home when you're home?" I complained.
"Melody does it," Stella shot me a sly grin.
"And I get on her case about it too. Go get out of those wet clothes," I told her.
"Okay, Mom," Stella said with a smirk. I glared at her. She stuck her tongue out at me and left the room.
Sometimes I question if Stella's a real adult.
The lights flickered and I saw a bolt of lightning. Following was a rumble of thunder and Melody running into the living room with a panicked look in her eyes. She hated thunderstorms.
The lights went out just as Stella walked in. "Dear, dear," Melody called from the couch, "it looks like the lights don't like it when you enter the room." A bolt of lightning, followed almost simutaniously by thunder, made her jump and bury her face in the pillow.
"You're the one to talk," Stella snapped. "At least I don't jump to the moon when a little thunder rumbles."
"A little?!" Melody shrieked. "That last one made the house shake!!"
"I know," Stella grinned. "I love thunder."
"You're crazy," Melody grumbled.
"Aren't we all?" Stella asked.
Doctor's POV
I heard the rain pattering against the roof of the TARDIS and soon heard the thunder. It was quite a storm out there. I wondered how Melody was dealing with it.
No matter. I'd find out in the morning.
YOU ARE READING
The Doctor's Daughter (#Wattys 2014)
Fanfiction"I am part were cat, part Time Lord. When I was two, my mother was murdered in front of me by a Dalek. I stopped talking after that, and ran away from my father when I was seven. My father never knew why I stopped talking; he just assumed it was the...
