One More Night

Chapter 3

It has been a week since the Doctor and River adopted Elyne. Back to their house on Darillium, they gave her a room close to their own, so they could check on her easily.

Elyne barely left her room for some days, too exhausted to move around. After five days, she started to feel better and wandered in the house, getting to know her parents. During the day, she was in River's care and in the Doctor's one during night.

Both of them were nice, but the Doctor looked intimidating, it was a bit hard for the little girl to warm up to him.

Soon, they somehow setted up a routine.

The Doctor stretched himself and started his morning's habits. He took a warm shower then dressed up with a black t-shirt and put a hoodie on. After his breakfast, he went to Elyne's room. He stepped in and looked at the bed, where the child was sleeping peacefully. For once she had a good sleep, it saddened him to wake her up.

" Elyne," he whispered, pulling the blankets from her, " Wake up."

The little girl whined, upset to be pulled from a comfortable sleep. When she saw the Doctor, she knew what was coming.

" Please," she almost cried, " please, don't... it hurts."

Twice a day, the Doctor massaged her back with a healing ointment, to prevent infections, tissues swelling and chronic pain. The Time Lord sat next to her and put some pomade on his hand, softly pulling her pyjama's t-shirt up. After a week, the smallest scars almost disappeared, leaving some purple lines marks. The biggest ones were still swollen, surrounded by massive hematomas. They were also the most painful. Unfortunaly, the Doctor had to press more on them to drain fluids.

The Doctor felt Elyne tense when he put his hand on her back, it broke his hearts everytime, but he had no choice. Elyne could not help but cry as he kept pressing against the wounds.

The Doctor knew how she felt about him, he would lie if he told he did not care. He tried his best to be tender to her, it was awkward, but he tried. He reached out one halting hand toward her and put it on top of her head, softly stroking her hairs, he saw River doing that to comfort her sometimes. He smiled when Elyne relaxed under his touch, it seemed to work.

Once he was done with the treatment, he covered her with blankets again and kept stroking her head to put her back to sleep. She did not push his hand away so he guessed that was a good sign. She even turned to look at him, surprised, the Doctor blinked, then he gave her a tender smile when she leaned into his hand, asking for more strokes, that he willingly gave her. He still had time before going to work so he enjoyed that bonding moment.

Some hours later, Elyne was woken up by River's soft kisses.

" Wake up, Sweetheart." River whispered.

Elyne yawned and stretched herself.

" Hello, Madam." she mumbled, still sleepy.

River chuckled.

" Madam ? No, Sweetheart," she softly pulled Elyne in her arms, " I'm Mummy, or River if you prefer."

" Ok, Mummy." Elyne snuggled in her mother's neck crook, smiling.

Having a mother felt so nice. For the first time in her short life, Elyne felt loved.