𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 ✧ 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 Ⅱ [✓]

Closing Time Pt. 1

"There's a list on the fridge" Sophie says.

"I saw it" Craig replies.

"And I've labelled the food and sort of numbered it."

"Sophie, you don't need to number food."

"It's just a suggestion. Also, my mum might phone."

"Might?"

"And your Mum, and my Dad, and you know, just some people."

"I can cope on my own. Now, please go and have a rest. You need it. I love you."

"I love you, too. And thank you for this. And I do know you can cope on your own. And I may have drawn some arrows in the fridge.

"You really have to go now."

*Time skip*

"Mum, it's not just you. I'm phoning everybody. I'm texting the world. Craig Owens can do it on his own. No one is coming to help me" Craig says, there's a sudden knock at the door "Mum, I'm going to have to call you back" Craig puts the phone down "I'm coping. I'm coping on my own. I'm coping on my own!..." he walks to the front door and opens it "...I'm coping on my own!" he goes wide-eyed.

"Hello, Craig. We're back!" {Y/N} grins.

"She didn't. How could she phone you two?"

"How could who phone us? Nobody phoned us, we're just here. Oh, you've redecorated. I don't like it" the Doctor pulls a face.

"It's a different house. We moved."

"Yes, that's it."

"{Y/N}, Doctor, what are you doing here?" Craig asks.

"Social call. Thought it was about time we tried one out. How are you?" {Y/N} asks.

"I'm fine."

"This is the bit where we say we're fine too, isn't it?" the Doctor asks looking at {Y/N} who nods "we're fine, too. Good. Love to Sophie. Bye" the Doctor and {Y/N} turn to leave, then the lights flicker "something's wrong" the Doctor runs inside and heads upstairs with his sonic screwdriver out, Craig and {Y/N} run after him "on your own, you said. But you're not. You're not on your own."

"Just shush," Craig says.

"Increased sulphur emissions. And look at the state of this place. What are you not telling us?" the Doctor asks.

"Doctor, please."

"Shush."

"No, you shush."

"Shush!"

"Shush!"

"No, you shush!"

"Doctor!" the Doctor bursts into the room.

"Whatever you are, get off this planet!" Craig and {Y/N} enter just as a baby starts crying.

"You've woken him!" Craig says.

*Time skip*

"So, when you say on your own..." the Doctor trails off.

"Yes, I meant on my own with the baby. Yes. Because no one thinks I can cope on my own. Which is so unfair, because I can't cope on my own with him. I can't. He just cries all the time. I mean, do they have off switches?" Craig asks as {Y/N} and the Doctor sit at the table.

"Human beings. No. Believe me, I've checked" the Doctor replies.

"No, babies."

"Same difference."

"Sometimes this works though. Shush" {Y/N} says, the baby goes quiet and coos at her, she smiles.

"Can you teach me to do that?" Craig asks looking at {Y/N}.

"Probably not."

"Oh, please. Come on, I need something. I'm rubbish at this."

"At what?"

"Being a dad. You read all the books, and they tell you you'll know what to do if you follow your instincts. I have no instinct. That's what this weekend's about, trying to prove to people I can do this one thing well" the Doctor is flicking through the books on the table. He laughs at Daisy's Wild Ride. {Y/N} looks at the Doctor with a raised eyebrow.

"So, what did you call him? Will I blush?" the Doctor asks.

"No, we didn't call him the Doctor."

"No, I didn't think you would."

"He's called Alfie. What are you both doing here anyway?" Craig asks.

"Yes, he likes that, Alfie, though personally, he prefers to be called Stormageddon, Dark Lord Of All" {Y/N} replies.

"Sorry, what?"

"That's what he calls himself."

"And how do you know that?"

"We speak baby" {Y/N} replies as the Doctor gets up.

"Of course, you do. I don't even know when his nappy needs changing, and I'm the one supposed to be his dad. Oh God!" Craig sits down.

"Yeah. He's wondering where his mum is? Where is Sophie?" the Doctor asks.

"She's gone away with Melina for the weekend. She needs a rest."

"No, he's your dad. You can't just call him Not Mum" {Y/N} says looking at Alfie.

"Not Mum?" Craig asks.

"That's you. Also Not Mum, that's me. And everybody else is... peasants. That's a bit unfortunate, however {Y/N} is second mum" the Doctor says.

"What are you both here for? What's happening?"

"We just popped in to say hello" {Y/N} says.

"You two don't do that. I checked upstairs when we moved, it's real. And next door, both sides, they're humans. Is it the fridge? Are there aliens in my fridge?"

"We just want to see you, Craig! Cross our hearts. We've been knocking about on our own for a bit. Bit of a farewell tour. One last thing, popping in to see you, then we're off to the Alignment of Exedor" {Y/N} says.

"The Alignment of Exedor?"

"Seventeen galaxies in perfect unison. Meant to be spectacular. We can't miss it. Literally can't. It's locked in a time stasis field. We get one crack at flying our TARDIS straight into it, if we get our dates right. Which we have" the Doctor says.

"Sounds nice" {Y/N} looks through the local paper.

"So this is us, popping in and popping out again. Just being social. Just having a laugh."

"Never mind that" {Y/N} says.

"Never mind what?" Craig asks.

"Nothing."

"No, you've noticed something. You've got your noticing face on. I have nightmares about that face."

"Ooo, nope, given up all that. Done noticing things. We didn't even notice that, for example. Well, got to go. Good seeing you, Craig. Goodbye, Stormageddon" the Doctor does his air kisses to Alfie while {Y/N} pats his head, Alfie coos.

"No, no, wait, wait. Can you do the shushing thing?" Craig asks.

"No, it only works once, and only on life forms with underdeveloped brains" {Y/N} says.

"Hang on. You said farewell tour. What do you mean, farewell?"

"Shush" {Y/N} says, Craig goes silent, and the Doctor and her walk out.

"Just go. Stop noticing. Just go. Stop noticing, just go. Stop noticing, just go..." the Doctor mutters.

"Stop it. Are we noticing? No. No, we're not. And what we are not doing is scanning for electrical fluctuations" {Y/N} says scanning around with her sonic.

"Oh, shut up, you. We're just dropping in on a friend. The last thing we need right now is a patina of teleport energy. We're going. Do you hear me? Going. Not staying, going. We are through saving them. We are going away now" the Doctor says, as the two lean against the TARDIS.

---

~Bread 🍞