Doctor Who: The Girl Who Said No

Chapter 21 - The Big Day

       

OLIVIA – LONDON – 14 MONTHS LATER

"Clara, try him again, please!"

"If you've had no joy reaching him, I doubt I will."

There were people all over the house.  Sam and his son, Max, were crashing at a hotel with a couple of Sam's cousins for the weekend whilst his family took up every bed, sofabed, inflatable or camping bed they could find and crammed them in to every nook and cranny my house had to offer.

I stayed tucked safely away in my room with the four people who weren't driving me crazy today, Clara, Siobhan, Kate and Sam's daughter, Zoe.  The only person missing was the Doctor.

"I told him to give me some space, not to stay away." I said, rubbing my temples whilst sitting in front of my vanity table.

"Stop stressing and stop rubbing." Siobhan ordered, "You're ruining my masterpiece."

She forced me to face her and started applying yet more make-up.  I jumped at the sound of a car pulling up outside whilst Kate went to the nearest window and peered out.

"Zoe, it's your Dad." Kate said and Zoe ran to collect her things, "You'd better go.  You're riding with him."

"See you soon, Ol." She said, bending to give me a quick peck.  "Good luck!"

Zoe was gone not five minutes when Clara's phone rang.  "It's him!" she squeaked.

"Answer it!"

Clara escorted Kate and Siobhan out of the room for me to have some privacy to talk with the Doctor.  The first thing I heard was the whirring of the TARDIS engines.  Whatever he was doing, The Doctor had the call on speakerphone.

"Hello?"

"Hello!  Olivia?"

"Doctor, where the hell are you?  I've been trying to reach you for months."

"Yes, I know had a bit of trouble that needed seeing to but I'm on my way now."

"Okay, well, hurry up.  The sooner you get off the phone, the sooner you'll get here."

"Actually, I need you to stay on the phone for a couple more minutes."

"Why?"

"Well, I've been away a bit longer than I intended to be."

"How long?"

"A couple of years."

"Well, it's only been over a year for us here so it's not that much of a difference."

"Oh actually there is a difference."

"Doctor, you're starting to worry me.  What difference?"

"The TARDIS is scrambling with the phone so you hear the voice you are most familiar with any minute now it'll start to change."

"Why?"

"I've regenerated." He said after a beat.

I flopped back down in my seat. "Okay."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, you just took me by surprise, is all."

"Well, I thought it would be easier this way than to just show up with a completely different face." He said, his voice now altering slightly to something a bit deeper and gruff.

"How did it happen?"

"I'll explain soon.  I'm almost there."

"Okay, be here on time please.  It's really important."