Broken: A Time Lord's Story (Doctor Who Novel)

Chapter 40 Back to Life

 The clear late November Saturday had just enough bite in the air to make the afternoon pleasantly cold.  Like the rest of the country, the day after Thanksgiving started the official Christmas season and for Elizabeth that meant tourists. The older homes clustered around the centre of town were decked out in Victorian style. Pine garlands intertwines with tiny lights  draped across the metal fences that defined the small front yards. At nightfall every visible window displayed flickering candle light. Of course, the lights were battery operated, but the effect did evoke the necessary nineteenth century feeling.

Hank pulled the van under the portico at the front of the hospital where everyone except Jack and the Doctor gathered for the short ride to downtown Elizabeth.  Nela and K'Nar clung  to each other under the watchful eye of G'Na and her assistant.  After a successful day of Christmas shopping, spending the afternoon enjoying this strange tradition filled them with excitement. Promptly at four-thirty, the group piled in the van and left Jack to entertain the Doctor.

It was evident that ‬winter wasn’t far off.  As they drove through town, Hank delighted the girls with tales of what he insisted the animals were whispering by their signs. According to him, it promised to be a cold and snowy winter.‭  By the time, he'd parked the van and they  walked the short distance to the V.I.P. seating, the girls were convinced that Hank was truly a hidden seer.  ‬The group had front row seats at the courthouse for ‬The Light Up Elizabeth‭ parade that kicked off the festival.  The sight of floats filled with costumed characters thrilled the girls. G'Na leaned against her assistant with tears at the sight of her daughter laughing. It was long before the normally staid queen joined the girls with squeals of delight.  By the time Santa arrived on a fire truck, she was questioning her grip on reality for the second time.  

It's good to laugh again, isn't it,  Your Majesty, her assistant .‭whispered to her mind.

Yes, yes it is.We have them back, don't we, she whispered back.

"Is he real, Santa, I mean?" Nela asked Sarah when they walked away.

"Of course he is.  He is the very symbol of kindness and generosity toward children." Nan answered. No one told the girls that the town's police chief managed a fairly good imitation

"And, Hank has arranged that you and  K'Nar get a private visit from the man of the hour."  Sarah finished.

‬At the end of the visit with souvenir pictures in hand, two thirteen year old girls, an alien Queen and her assistant joined, joined the populace strolling through the centre of town. It was long before the girls, with Ianto and Rory watching over them, pulled away to explore.

The town’s people dressed as Victorian age citizens wandered through the downtown centre, chatting and greeting tourists. Street vendors in costume sold little pies and cakes while local church choirs roamed singing nineteenth carols. ‬Someone dressed as Charles Dickens was in a store front window reading ‬'A Christmas Carol'.‭ ‬

Ianto and Rory were hard pressed to explain that Muslims didn't practice Christmas. The girls thought that was a shame, but before the explanation became complicated, the girls immediately asked for a carriage ride. It was proving hard to keep up with their over abundance of energy. Amy snapped pictures of the girls nervously running their delicate hands against the coarse winter coat of the chestnut mare that would pull their carriage. The two were gob-smacked by the size and strangeness of the animal. She snapped another of Ianto and Rory acting like overly worried uncles as the girls took their ride, and then tore off for the next point of interest and closest souvenir stand.

Just watching the two blossom into happy teens was Christmas for the queen and humans alike. The Queen still felt K'Nar's worry for her Lord, but as they spent time away from the hospital, it had become less frantic. She slowly believed that he truly was healing and that he was safe. Then three days ago, the Queen looked out Thete's window to the hospital gardens to see something that she had almost given up hope of ever seeing again. Under the watchful eye of Ianto and Rory, her daughter and Nela played. They were running through piles of dried leaves until they collapsed in fits of giggles to make faerie wings. The Queen stood and cried silent tears of joy. Now, she stood with Amy and their hosts and laughed at the ease both girls had managed to wrap Ianto and Rory around their fingers.