Born of Fire (Doctor Who AU)

Chapter 22 Mummy, There's a Spaceman in my Bed.

Nora stood at the window watching a silver Sportster come down the street toward her house. Her heart felt as if it had taken up residence in her throat. Five years. Five blessed, relatively peaceful years were about to come crashing to an end. She still didn't understand why the Child Welfare Office would think it was okay to let Ian back in their lives. 'He's gone through all the counselling the courts required. He has rights, Mrs Filson." Rights, she thought. How could he have rights after putting me in the hospital for a week? Nora closed her eyes for a brief moment, hoping that when she opened them, the street would be empty. But it wasn't. Damn, he isn't even supposed to be here, she thought, fighting the wave of panic threatening to overwhelm her.

Nora closed her eyes again, this time making sure to breathe slowly and deeply. When she felt her heart slow, she held her hands out to make sure they were not trembling and forced a smile. With one more deep sigh, she turned from the window and walked with measured steps to the door. The last thing that she wanted besides Ian's presence was Daniel waking up and stumbling into a confrontation. He was in no condition to deal with her ex-husband. She drew one more breath and opened the door to a rambunctious child and Ian.

"Mummy," Robbie squealed throwing himself against her. The momentum knocked her back giving Ian the opening he needed to step inside.

"Shh, Robbie. Inside voice remember." She kissed the top of his head as she wrapped her son in a tight hug. "Did ya have a good time with your da'?" Nora asked the question while running her fingers through his hair hoping she managed to hide that she was checking for marks.

The boy cast a wary glance at the man who was supposed to be his father. "Sure, yeah. He has tri-vast games for his telly 'n' the lady is okay. She doesn't cook lik' you do, Mummy."

Nora watched Ian's face darken. "Put your rucksack in your cubby; we'll unpack it after." She gave him a gentle push toward his corner of the lounge then turned to face Ian. In his mid-thirties, muscled, with a ruddy complexion, strawberry blond hair and blue eyes, Ian could still send a girl's heart racing. She'd loved that remarkably handsome face once, and revelled in the way his hands felt on her body. They'd lasted two months before she realised what he was. She'd hung a painting in his flat without asking. Now, the possessive way that he cast a look at the art on her walls and the expensive furniture in her lounge sent a shiver through her.

"Bit fancier than when I lived here, innit?" Ian sneered. "Ye git some jimmy keeping ye ?"

"I have a job, Ian."

"Doin' what?" he scoffed. "Not that decoratin' crap you used to go on aboot?"

"I'm an Interior Designer. Why are you here, Ian? You were supposed to drop him off at the CWO at four."

"Aye, well, I wanted to see how my kid is livin'. Make sure he's in a proper environment and all. He said he plays football. Says he's even won a trophy. I wanted to see what kind of league you put him in."

"He's in an under seven league for children with disabilities," she said flatly.

Ian's lip curled in disgust. "He's in a what?" he sneered.

"Keep your voice down, he's very proud of his accomplishments." She glanced over at Robbie already heading for the bathroom. Tension always made him need to go wee. Nora looked back at Ian wishing he would go before Daniel woke up.

Ian's eye's narrowed. "No kid of mine is playing in a league like that. I'll get him a proper placement first thing tomorrow."

"No you won't. He is under enough pressure with this."

"Stop treating him like jessie, he'll soon get used to pressure," Ian said.

Nora winced inwardly. Nothing had changed in the five years since she'd filed for their divorce. "Keep your voice down, he's very proud of his accomplishments."