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𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎
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In the early hours of Saturday morning, Aster Tyler was wide awake and bursting with energy. For the first time in months, she had had a dreamless sleep and relished in the fact that she had made it all the way through the night without waking up.
A small smile was pressed against her lips while her hands were wrapped around a steaming cup of freshly made tea. Leaning back on the sofa, the young woman blew onto the beverage before taking a tentative sip.
Resting on top of her lap was a plain white plate with one slice of jam-covered toast. Upon waking, Aster had found herself feeling hungry. Long before he had left, the brunette began skipping meals and only eating dinner. Even then, it was only something small.
In the end, she had become accustomed to the feeling and never noticed it anymore. But that morning, she did and instead of ignoring it like she usually would have, she decided it was time she got something to eat.
Holding the cup by the handle, Aster reached down and picked up the warm piece of food, raised it to her lips and took a bite. A small noise tumbled out of her throat as crumbs scattered down her nightshirt.
Rolling her eyes, the brunette tried her hardest to ignore the scratchy feeling as she finished her toast in five bites. Wiping her mouth and licking her fingers, Aster took a large gulp of her tea as she grabbed her plate and stood up from the partly destroyed sofa.
Padding into the kitchen, she placed the plate in the sink before downing the last of her tea and doing the same with the cup. Leaving the tiled room, Aster quietly slipped past the bedrooms, trying not to step on any creaky parts of the floor.
Wrapping her fingers around the wooden handle, Aster turned it to the right and pushed the door open. Pulling on the string, the brunette squinted her eyes as a harsh ray of light exploded in front of her.
Rushing inside, she quickly closed the door, being cautious not to let it slam before twisting the lock. Letting out a small sigh of relief, the brunette stepped in front of the mirror and frowned. Wow, I really do look terrible.
Her eyes held the darkest and deepest bags she had ever seen. Hell, it looked worse than Bella's when the teen went catatonic. Her hair had knotted in her sleep, leaving her to look like a bird had created a nest on top of her head. Her cheeks were defined and sickly looking while her lips were pale and cracked.
Unable to look at her reflection a moment longer, Aster turned around. Leaning down, she turned on the taps before pulling up the little button that connected them to the shower. Leaning back, she pulled the curtain to stop the water from going everywhere.
While the water warmed up, she opened the bathroom cabinet and plucked up her toothpaste box. Opening it up, she pulled out her toothbrush and toothpaste. Rinsing the brush underneath the tap, she placed some paste on it before she scrubbed at her teeth.
Once she was sure they were as clean as they were going to get, she spat it out, rinsed out her mouth, cleaned her brush and put everything back inside the cabinet.
Riding herself of her clothing, the brunette woman pulled back the curtain and stepped inside the bath before pulling it closed behind her. Shutting her eyes, Aster leaned her head back and sighed as the hot water cascaded down her lean figure, soothing all of her aches and pains.
Opening her mahogany orbs, Aster ran her hands down her hair before she picked up her Mango & Pineapple scented shampoo. Pouring a small amount into her hand, she lathered it through her hair before rinsing it out and repeating the process.
Once all of the soap was out of her waist-long hair, she picked up her conditioner and dumped a large amount onto her hand. Scrubbing that through her hair, she ducked her head underneath the water.
Now that all of it was washed out, she used her Strawberry Radox shower gel to scrub her body. Which she did until her skin turned from a pale white to a dark pink. Standing underneath the water flow, she watched as the jets washed all of the soap down the drain.
Turning off the shower, Aster ran her hands down her body, flicking off any access water before she pulled back the curtain. Gripping onto the side of the bath, she carefully climbed out.
Shaking her head, Aster grabbed the pink towel and wrapped it around her body before doing the same with her hair. Leaning over the toilet, she opened the window to stop the room from getting damp.
Unlocking the door, she turned off the light and stepped out into the hall. Grip the top of the towel, she quickly slipped into her bedroom, ignoring how the cold air gave her goosebumps. Shutting the door behind her, she made her way to her chest of draws.
Pulling open the top one, she rummage around for a little while until she pulled out a creased, white button-up top with little anchors all over it. Throwing that onto her bed from over her shoulder, Aster used her hip to nudge it closed.
Tugging the one underneath, she pulled out a pair of blue skinny jeans that held a small rip on one of the knees. It hadn't even been there when she had been given them. It had happened after she tripped up the stairs at work.
The fabric had caught on one of the grip safety steps and tore. At first, she was going to throw them away and just get a new pair but in the end, she decided to keep them and only use them at home.
She really couldn't be bothered to go through the hassle of searching the shops for her size. Because she was a very tall woman, it was difficult because they were either just right in the leg but tight on the waist or just right on the waist and too short on the legs.
Her friend, River had been the one who had gotten her this pair. Since the two were the same height, and had similar styles - Or used to anyway - they would always lend each other clothes when they were together. And if they were buying themselves something and thought the other would like it, they'd grab a second pair.
Throwing them over her shoulder and onto her bed, Aster closed the drawer and made her way to her beside unit that held all of her undergarments.
Placing a set onto the bed, she used the towel to scrub herself dry before pulling them on. Grabbing the jeans, she slipped her legs inside before doing the awkward jump as she pulled them up.
Tucking her arms into her shirt, she buttoned it up before she pulled the towel off of her head. Scrunching up her hair, she dried what she could before she brushed it out and put it into a high bob.
Grabbing a baby pink jumper off of the back of her door, she threw that on, rubbing her hands up and down her cold arms. Sitting down on her bed, she tugged on a set of socks before slipping her feet into a pair of pink trainers.
Tugging on a white bobble hat on top of her head, Aster grabbed her phone and slipped it into her back pocket. While hiding a yawn behind her hand, the brunette woman picked up the towels and left her room.
Tiptoeing past the bedrooms, she ducked into the kitchen and chucked the damp towels into the washing machine before heading towards the front door.
After The Doctor had made his views clear last night, Rose had stormed off into the flat with Mickey and Jackie following close behind. When Aster had attempted to go after them, the man had gently grabbed her arm to stop her.
He had asked her to think over his offer during the night and to get back to him early the next morning. He had explained that there was also something he needed to talk to her about and it was better to say it while everyone else was asleep.
Aster knew that she probably shouldn't go to speak to a man she doesn't even know, alone while everyone else slept. Who knew what would happen? But against her better judgment, she'd decided she'd do it. Besides, she didn't feel any malicious intent towards her.
As she walked down the mountain of stairs, the young woman pulled her phone out of her back pocket. Pressing the button on the side, she watched as the screen flashed before it turned itself on.
The phone was quiet for a few moments before it bombarded her with notifications. She had three messages and four missed calls from Uncle Charlie. Five messages and twenty missed calls from Bella and one message from River.
Clicking on the messages, Aster withheld a wince. They were all rather much the same, asking her if she was okay, to call them back and to know what the hell was going on. But River's one had her frowning her brows in confusion.
From - River -
To - Aster -
- For the love of God, when he asks, say YES! -
"Okay," Aster drawled out. Choosing to ignore it, for now, the brunette woman clicked on Bella's contact and immediately pressed the phone to her ear.
The phone rang for three seconds before it was picked up. "Aster?" A croaky voice asked. Aster had to withhold a gasp at how rough it sounded. "Aster, is that you? Are you there? Are you hurt? Aster!?"
The brunette was quiet for a moment, "Yeah, it's me. I'm fine. Honestly, not a scratch on me. What about you guys? Are you two alright? Are either of you hurt?" She asked as she placed her hand on the door and pushed it open.
"You're asking about us!?" Bella screeched down the phone. "Us?" She clarified. "What about you!? We saw it on the News! You had that great big spaceship hovering over London! And half of Forks had that blue light thing! Dad and I tried to get a hold of you but it kept going straight to voicemail. Are you okay? Do you need us to come down and get you?"
Walking around the corner, Aster saw the blue police box sitting at the end of the street. "I'm fine, Bells. I will admit, I was terrified. Hell, I still am really but all in all, I'm okay. So are the rest of us." She told her, holding back on some information. She didn't think it was best to tell her over the phone.
Bella let out a loud sigh of relief while the creaking of stairs echoed through the phone. "Oh thank God. Dad, I have Aster on the phone. She's okay. I'm putting you on speaker." There was a low rustling before Charlie's voice spoke through the speaker, "I'm so glad you are alright. We were so worried, we couldn't get ahold of you. What happened?"
Pausing mid-stride, Aster leaned her back against the wall while her eyes drifted towards the sky. "I promise you, I'm fine." She sighed. "Somehow they had managed to get a hold of a space probe holding human blood inside. That's how they controlled people. They wanted to enslave us but something happened to make them leave. But they're gone, you don't have to worry about them anymore."
"How on Earth do you know all of that?" Bella asked, not in an unkind tone but rather one filled with curiosity. "That didn't say anything about that on the News."
Aster mentally cursed herself. "Yeah, they wouldn't." She said quickly while rubbing her eye. "You saw on the News how Harriet Jones was beamed up onto the ship? Well me and my family were outside looking up at the thing when she was transported back onto Earth. She landed a few feet away from us and somehow Rose knows her - don't ask me why because I don't know - so she told us."
"Okay," Bella and Charlie said together. Aster knew that they both could tell that she was lying. It wasn't her strong suit, so it wasn't that hard. She just hoped they got the message and didn't push it any further. "But your safe now?" Charlie asked.
"Yeah," Aster nodded her head as she pushed herself off of the wall. "Yeah, I'm safe. Look, I've got to let you guys go but I promise to call you back soon." Stopping in front of the Tardis doors, let out a small sigh, "I love you two, I'll speak to you later, bye."
Hanging up the phone before another word could be said, the brunette woman placed it into her back pocket. Pulling the sleeves of her jumper over her hands, she hesitantly knocked on the door only to jump back as they opened on their own.
Poking her head inside, Aster refused to enter until she was verbally invited. "Doctor!?" She called out, her voice echoing around the beautifully structured room. She still couldn't get over how amazing the entire place was. How it defied logic by making the impossible, possible was downright amazing.
Gripping her arms nervously, the young woman failed to notice how the room brightened considerably while an excited hum ran around the room. The Doctor, however, did. With a beaming smile, he poked his head out from underneath the console. "Aster!?" He called out.
Placing his hands on top of the metal grating, the Doctor pushed him out of the hole before covering it up and dusting his hands onto his trousers. With his smile getting even wider, he noticed his Bonded standing outside in the cold. "You can come in," he said quickly, ushering her inside.
Aster sighed in comfort as a warm gust of air wrapped itself around her body, throwing away her cold chill. Hearing a noise, she turned around to see the doors closing on their own. "How did you do that?" She asked in awe.
"It wasn't me," the Doctor told her with a smile as she turned to face him. Reaching out his arm, he patted the console fondly. "It was all her. My beautiful ship." There was a loud hum as the console lit up underneath his hand.
Thin, brown eyebrows raised in surprise. "She?" Aster asked, walking up the ramp. Her eyes drifted towards the ceiling in wonder, "She's alive?"
"Oh yes," the Doctor answered with a cheeky wink. "She is what we call a sentient ship. The last of her kind. She can hear, see and understand everything you say."
"That's." Aster stuttered, unable to think of the right words. "Wow," she gasped out in the end. "She's very beautiful." Looking towards the ceiling, the brunette woman smiled as a puff of hot air brushed past her face.
"Keep complimenting her and she may never let you go," The Doctor said teasingly. Leaning forward, he smirked at the blushing woman.
Clearing her throat, Aster mustered up the courage to look him in the eyes and felt her heart melt at the unrecognisable glint in his eyes. "So?" She asked. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"
The Doctor scratched the back of his neck, he'd spent the entire night trying to find the best way to tell her but his mind just kept coming up blank. He didn't even know where to start.
Taking a small step forward, Aster frowned in confusion. "Doctor?" She called out worriedly. Reaching forward, she pressed her finger onto his shoulder and pushed subtly but it was enough to snap the man out of his thoughts.
Before she could pull her hand away, the Time-Lord wrapped his fingers around it and held it in a firm but gentle grip. "I don't know how to tell you," he mumbled, his eyes lowering to the ground.
"Well, is it something important? Is it something that I need to know now?" She asked, squeezing his hand to capture his attention. When he locked eyes with her and nodded his head, she smiled. "Then just say it as it is. Rip off the plaster so to speak."
The Doctor hesitated for a moment before he sucked in a sharp breath. "Have you ever heard of the term, Soulmates?" He asked, frowning when he saw and felt her tense.
"Yes," Aster answered in a clipped and strained tone. Her mind flashed back to the day he told her she was his soulmate. They had been sitting in his bedroom in the Cullen household, listening to music when he clasped her hands and told her the truth. Well, at least she thought he had been. "Yes, I've heard of it."
The Doctor frowned at her sharp tone and distant eyes but continued all the same, "Well, TimeLords, my species, we have something similar. It's called a Bonded. It's like a soulmate, but so much more. We become anything, do anything he or she needs."
Hesitating for a moment, the Doctor continued, "We protect them until our last breath and we love them unconditionally. They become a part of us forever. Bonded's are so rare amongst my people, that anyone Bonded, was treated with the utmost care. Given the best of everything."
Tears pooled inside the eyes of the brunette as she tugged her hand out of his grasp and took three large steps back. Worry for her sister pooled in the bottom of her stomach. She could only hope he treated her better than how she was treated. "Oh?" Was all she could muster.
The Doctor frowned as for every step forward he took, she would take one back. The Tardis hummed in worry, having already seen everything the moment she stepped inside the ship. "Aster," he said hesitantly, taking another step forward. "Aster, it's you. You are my Bonded."
Aster shook her head erratically, "What?" She gasped before mumbling 'No' over and over again as she pushed herself back. Walking into the railing that curled around the room, the woman gripped it for her life.
"No, No you are not doing this," she said in a shaky voice as tears streamed down her face, leaving clear tracks. "I barely even know you and you say that I'm tied to you forever? No! I've done this before and I'm not doing it again. Choose someone else, right now!"
The Doctor took slow steps forward so as not to frighten the woman any more than what she already was. "Aster, what do you mean that you've been through this before?" He asked, worry filling his entire being.
Memories of what she experienced flashed through her mind, sending her to her knees as she consistently shook her head. At least, she would have fallen to her knees if the Doctor hadn't rushed forward and caught her in his arms.
"No," Aster gripped the sides of her head as she saw every memory she had of him. However, it soon faded away as a soft melody played inside her mind, taking her a thousand miles away, and soothing her gently. Dropping her hands, the woman let out a loud breath as she slumped into the man's arms.
Now that she was a lot calmer, she ran over the Doctors question. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't tell him the truth because then Alice would she and she'd tell him then he'd come and find her and kill them all. Call it paranoia, but she didn't want to die.
Raising his hand, the Doctor ran his fingers through her hair, gently taking out the tangles. Her hat had long since fallen to the floor, causing her hair to drop from its bob.
"It's okay," the Doctor said quietly, holding the woman against his chest. "You don't have to accept it yet. We can go at your pace. Why don't you travel with me for a little bit and if you still don't want it, I'll take you straight back home."
Aster pulled back enough to look at the man but stayed close enough that his hand remained in her hair. Looking into his eyes, through the blurriness of tears, she could see the pain swirling around inside them.
"I can't," she answered after a moment of silence while she shook her head. Breathing in a shaky breath, she used the sleeves of her jumper to rub at her eyes. "You are Rose's friend. You've known her longer. You can't push her away for me, I won't allow it. You need to take it back and choose her. She loves you. It's as clear as day."
The Doctor leaned his head forward and rested it upon hers before closing his eyes, "It doesn't work like that," he said softly. "I don't get a choice in who I'm bonded with. I never thought I would get a Bonded, especially after what I did. But I have, and it's you Aster. Not Rose. You. And this is my ship, I get to decide who stays and who goes."
Aster's bottom lip nestled between her teeth as she closed her eyes in thought. Could she? Could she really travel with them without Rose getting upset? What if it was just for one trip? One trip before she went back to Forks?
Swallowing thickly, she pulled back and opened her eyes to see his staring at her. "One trip," she said with as much confidence as she could muster. "One trip and that is it. I will not have Rose thinking that I have stolen you from her."
The Doctor looked away so Aster wouldn't see him roll his eyes. He was never Rose's to begin with. Yes, he'd felt some type of pull towards her, it was one of the main reasons he asked her to come with him. But now he knew why, it was Aster, it was his mind's way of pulling him towards the woman he was currently holding.
"Doctor?" Aster called out, capturing the man's attention once more. Raising her brow, she repeated herself firmly. "One trip. That's it. One trip then you take me back home."
The Doctor nodded his head mutely. One trip, he muttered inside his head with a tired sigh. He could only hope one trip was enough to make her want to stay.
After a few minutes, The Doctor helped Aster back onto her feet before following up after her. After checking to make sure she didn't get any dirt on her clothes, he opened his mouth to speak when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Sharing a look of confusion, The Doctor left Aster by the console, knowing his Tardis would do everything in her power to protect her if necessary and walked towards the door.
Wrapping his fingers around the handle, he tugged the door open expecting to see Rose standing outside the door. He was, however, pleasantly surprised to see Jackie holding a large duffel bag.
Reaching forward, he quickly took the bag from her gasp and placed it behind the door inside the Tardis. "Thank you," Jackie said with a small breath as she rubbed her hands.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up from her calloused digits and locked eyes with the Doctor. "I know Aster is in there with you." She told him without blinking. "In that bag is all of her clothes. I'm asking you to take her with you. Take her on some amazing adventures and get her to smile again because I don't know what to do anymore."
Tears pooled inside the woman's eyes as she sniffled. It was surprising to see because he considered her to be a very strong woman. But even the strongest of people can only take so much.
"Someone has hurt my baby girl and nothing I do seems to help. She doesn't smile or laugh anymore and when she does, it's fake. And believe me when I say that the moment I get my hands on them, I'll kill 'em." She threatened with conviction. There was no changing her mind.
Taking a deep breath, the elder woman wiped underneath her eyes. "Can you help her?" She asked, "Can you make my baby happy again? Because that's all I want."
Stepping outside, the Doctor pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I'll do my very best." He vowed firmly. "That I can promise you. But she only wants to stay for one trip."
Pulling back, Jackie rolled her eyes fondly, "That's because she's worried about her sister." She said without hesitation. "She's always been like it. If Rose is doing something and she gets asked to try, she'll give it one go before stepping back. Even if she was really good at it."
The Doctor nodded his head in understanding. "I'll try and convince her to stay but ultimately it is her choice." He told her. "I won't force her to stay if she doesn't want to. But I'll make sure she's making the decision for herself. Not anybody else."
"Thank you," Jackie whispered. Rubbing her arms in warmth, she went to turn around when she remembered something important. "If she does stay, then you need to know. At night, she has nightmares."
Seeing the Doctor tilt his head, she continued. "They're not normal nightmares. She wakes up about five to six times a night, screaming at the top of her lungs. It sounds like she's being tortured so you just hold her tight. You hold her tight until the sun comes up and tell her everything's alright. But don't question her on it because then she'll clamp up. She likes to pretend they don't happen."
The Doctor nodded his head once more, this time tapping it to show that he was filing that away. "I'll look after her, I promise." He told her. As he watched her walk away, he couldn't help but wonder what had happened that was so bad she couldn't sleep.
With a small sigh, the Time-Lord closed the door and lingered for a moment. The mere thought that someone had hurt his Bonded made his blood boil. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the heavy bag and turned around.
Unlike her sister, the Doctor had noticed that Aster had stayed rooted to the spot instead of walking forward and hovering over his shoulder.
Twisting her fingers nervously, Aster watched as the Alien walked up the ramp with a very familiar bag in his grasp. "Why do you have that?" She asked curiously, her voice gentle and quiet.
The Doctor looked down at the bag before looking back up at Aster. "Your mum brought it over. She figured that you'd be travelling with me." He told her, smiling as she nodded her head.
"But I'm only staying for one trip," she said quietly, attempting to take the bag from his hold. "I doubt I'll need an entire bag full of clothes." After a few moments of back and forth, she managed to grab the bag.
"Well, it's always good to have options." He shrugged nonchalantly. "The Tardis also has a wardrobe of her own so feel free to use that too." Reaching forward, he took the bag from her grasp, ignoring her protests. "Would you like to see your room?" He asked.
Dropping her outstretched arm to her side, Aster frowned. "I have a room?" She asked in confusion. Even going as far as to raise one of her brows.
The Doctor smiled a charming yet childlike smile that showed off his dimples. "Oh yes," wrapping his hand around hers, he began leading her out of the console room and into a long and vast hallway.
The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, never-ending. However, once they turned a corner, Aster was met with a wall that held only two doors. One was a dark blue with golden circles all over it while the other was a marble grey door with black vines stretching over the entire thing. In the middle of the door was her name, written in golden cursive writing.
"Oh you cheeky girl," the Doctor mused with a smirk, his eyes gliding towards the ceiling. "She's put you next to me." He explained, pointing towards the blue door. "That's my room."
Nodding her head, Aster went to walk inside on her own when the Doctor stopped her. "Before you go in there, I want you to imagine how you would want your room to look." He told her.
Aster frowned her brows in confusion but after a reassuring nod, she closed her eyes. It took a moment, but the woman was soon picturing how she wanted everything to look from the bedding to the paint and even the books.
Opening her eyes, she looked at the Doctor who had a smile on his face. Blushing at the intensity of his gaze, she lowered her eyes to the ground. "Can I?" She asked, sparing him a glance quick enough to see him nod. Opening the door, the brunette woman let out a loud gasp.
The room itself was everything she imagined it to be and more. It wasn't a very big room, it was just the size she wanted. The walls were painted dark grey and white. There was a large three-pane window on one wall and one singular one on the wall next to it.
In front of the window were a couple of cosy armchairs that had a small table and table lamp sitting between them. Next to that was a double bed with a mountain of pillows and a cream duvet. Above the bed were battery-operated led lights that were wrapped around small pegs and had photos attached to them. Next to the bed, there was an oak door, with black bolts scattered around it.
Across the bed was an oak wood sideboard dresser that held a table lamp on top and a DVD player. Above that on the wall was a flatscreen tv. Next to the Tv was another door, except this one was a dapper grey with white lines down it.
Walking into the room, the Doctor following behind, Aster stared in awe. Walking towards the grey door, she opens it and poked her head through. It was the bathroom.
That too wasn't a very big room. The room itself was pure white with a white counter and oak drawers. There was a shower at the end of the room and a mirror above the sink.
Closing that door, Both Aster and the Doctor walked over to each other. "You have a very beautiful room." The Doctor commented with a smile causing Aster to blush and look to the floor.
Opening the other door, Aster felt her jaw drop at the rows upon rows upon rows of books. Everywhere you looked, there were books. The room was a massive library and if Aster was being honest, it looked like something out of a fantasy film.
"Oooh," the Doctor drawled out with a smile while his hand patted the doorframe. "She connected your room with the library. You are being a very cheeky girl today." The Tardis hummed in response.
"I-I'm sorry," Aster apologised quickly. "I had no idea that she would do this. I thought about putting a bookshelf in my room. Not the entire library."
The Doctor reached over and squeezed her hand, "It's fine," he said reassuringly, a charming smile gracing his features. "As I said, she likes you. She doesn't do this for just anyone."
Nodding her head, Aster looked towards the ceiling. "Well, I'm very appreciative." She said timidly, "I really love my room, thank you for making it."
There was a soft hum and a gentle, warm breeze that brushed through her hair that had Aster smiling. She didn't know what it meant but she could only hope it was a 'You're welcome.'