Noemi was sitting happily strapped into the jump-seat and Gabriella was standing next to the console while the Doctor tosses around a golden ball. "Right then, Gabriella and Noemi Ruscello, you tell me," the Doctor smirks, setting the ball down. "Where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time? It's your choice! What's it going to be?"
"That's too much," Gabriella's eyes widen slightly as she tries to decide.
If they went to the future, they could see how much humanity has changed, how much it's grown. But if they went to the past, then Noemi could see how humanity used to live. "Erm... forward?" she looks over at her daughter, who was talking conspiratorially with her stuffed unicorn. "Noemi!" she giggles.
Noemi jumps, nearly dropping Jewel and she hugs him to her chest, "sì, mamma?"
"Do you want to go to the future or the past in the Doctor's time machine?" Gabriella asks.
"Hm..." Noemi's face scrunches up in concentration before she brightens. "Future!" she decides.
"Alright," Gabriella turns to the Doctor, who was watching the girls with a smile. "I've no idea if she actually understands what's happening, but forward," she smiles.
The Doctor smiles back, getting the TARDIS ready to take off, "how far?"
Gabriella tilts her head back and forth for a moment, "one hundred years?" she asks, thinking that wouldn't be too overwhelming for her or Noemi.
The Doctor nods, setting the date. The console room shakes - Gabriella holding onto the console tightly and Noemi giggling - as the TARDIS hurtles through the vortex. A moment later, the engines stop and the room is still once more. "There you go," the Doctor grins. "Step outside those doors and it's the twenty-second century!" he gestures to the doors.
"No way..." Gabriella breathes, looking between the door and the Doctor.
The Doctor smiles, wondering how far he could push it, "that's a bit boring, though," he shrugs. "Do you want to go further?" he looks between the girls.
"Sì! Sì! Sì!" Noemi cheers.
"Gabriella?"
"Fine by me," she laughs.
The Doctor sets the TARDIS a bit further and turns to the girls when the engines stop, "ten thousand years in the future! Step outside and it's the year 12,005, the New Roman Empire," he smirks.
"You think you're so impressive, don't you?" Gabriella tries to scoff, but it was ruined by her look of wonder to the TARDIS doors.
"I am so impressive," the Doctor smirks.
Gabriella bites her bottom lip, "you wish," she smiles, raising an eyebrow in challenge and sending Noemi a wink when she giggles.
"Right then, you asked for it," the Doctor walks around the console, pressing buttons and turning knobs. "I know exactly where to go... hold on!"
The TARDIS jolts sharply as the Doctor bounces around the console, piloting them off. Noemi squeals happily, clutching onto to her safety straps. Gabriella laughs, holding onto the console to stay upright, "is it always like this?" she calls over the noise.
"Oh, yeah!" the Doctor laughs, rushing past her to pull a lever, landing them.
"Get me out, mamma!" Noemi demands, pulling on her straps.
"Oi, what do you say?" Gabriella raises an eyebrow, walking over to the jump-seat.
"... please?" Noemi mutters with her head down.
"Bene," Gabriella smiles, tapping Noemi under the chin before undoing the straps. "Where are we?" she looks back at the Doctor and he just nods to the door with a smirk. "What's out there?" she smiles, getting the same thing in reply.
Gabriella slips off her jacket, folding it over the railing before doing the same with Noemi's. Noemi beams, grabbing her mother's hand and dragging her to the door excitedly. The two step out and look around the room they were in curiously. The room looks like it was made of wooden tile and there were steps with bleacher-like seats on either side. On the far wall was a rectangular indention that opens up to a huge viewing window. Gabriella and Noemi hurry down the steps while the Doctor comes out, using his sonic on a panel by the doors to the room. The shutter comes down to reveal a view of the Earth down below. The Doctor watches with a soft smile as the girls walk up to the window in awe.
"Mamma, it's the world!" Noemi gasps, pressing her little face up against the window.
"You lot," the Doctor smiles, heading down to stand between the girls with his hands in his pockets. "You spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids-"
"Beef wants to hurt me?" Noemi stares up at him with wide eyes. "But I love beef!" she pouts.
"It's a figure of speech, little love," the Doctor smiles down at her, Gabriella smiling at the affectionate name he'd used for her daughter. "But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive," he continues, sending his soulmate a wink. "This is the year 5.5/apple/26; five billion years in your future, and this is the day," he looks down at his watch. "Hold on..." he trails off and the sun flares, turning a bright reddish-orange. "This is the day the sun expands," he smirks at the looks of complete wonder on the girls' faces. "Welcome to the end of the world," he murmurs softly.
"... you brought me and my daughter to the end of the world," Gabriella breathes out. "I mean, not what I thought for a first... trip, but not bad," she smiles, faltering on the word trip. I almost called it a date, she thinks to herself as her cheeks turn a light pink and her heart picks up a bit at the thought.
"Can we go explore, Doctor?" Noemi looks up at him with her 'power puppy-eyes'.
"Course we can!" the Doctor grins, picking her up and setting her on his hip, ticking her side.
"Ah, stop! Stop!" Noemi squeals, trying to squirm out of his hold.
The Doctor laughs, carrying the girl out of the room with Gabriella following. Maybe this will turn out good for all three of us, she thinks to herself, smiling softly.
***
PA - Shuttles five and six now docking! Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation, and religion! Earth Death is scheduled for 15:39, followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite!
"That's... organized," Gabriella looks up at the ceiling. "So, when it says 'guests', does that mean Humans? Have they come to say goodbye to the Earth?" she asks curiously.
"No, it means aliens," the Doctor replies, snorting quietly at Noemi as she pretends to scan Jewel with his sonic.
"What are aliens doing on this spaceship? What's it all for?"
"It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck," the Doctor explains. "The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn," he shrugs, stopping at a set of doors that read 'Manchester Suite'. "Give it here, Noemi," he holds his hand out to the four-year-old.
"... fine," Noemi pouts, handing the Doctor his sonic and he sets her down so he can access the wall panel by the doors.
Gabriella blinks a few times at his perfect pronunciation before shaking her head, "why are aliens so interested in watching the Earth die?" she asks curiously.
"Fun," the Doctor answers, getting the doors open and the trio walk in.
The room was large with three side-by-side windows that run across the ceiling and down the floor. Noemi squeals loudly, hugging her unicorn and skipping around, looking at all the different artifacts that were lining the room. Gabriella and the Doctor follow after her. "Mind you," the Doctor smirks. "When I said the great and the good, what I mean is, the rich."
"Ah," Gabriella nods. "So, it's like a party for the elite? Come and watch the home of the Humans burn?"
"Exactly," the Doctor smiles.
"But, hold on..." Gabriella frowns when they get to the window. "Rosa and me watched this on Newsround Extra... the sun expanding? That takes millions of years!"
"Yeah, but the planet's now property of the National Trust and they've been keeping it preserved," the Doctor explains. "See down there?" he points.
"What are they?" Noemi giggles at the little flashes of light, making both the Doctor and Gabriella jump slightly.
"They're gravity satellites," the Doctor answers. "Holding back the sun," he explains.
Gabriella tilts her head, looking at the Earth, "the planet looks the same as it does in our time... I thought the plates shifted?"
"Mamma, why would plates move? How would you eat off 'em?" Noemi looks up at her mother, her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.
"No, colibì, I mean tectonic plates," Gabriella smiles, kneeling down. "The Earth has an outer layer that's called the crust-"
"Like a pie?" Noemi asks with wide eyes.
"Sort of," Gabriella chuckles. "The pieces of the crust are called tectonic plates and they move around because underneath them is magma-"
"Magma comes out of vulcani!" Noemi throws her arms up in the air, Jewel dangling from her hand.
"Molto bene, colibrì," Gabriella smiles, patting her head. "She likes the destructive nature of volcanoes," she explains to the Doctor, who was watching the girls. "Well, that and when you make a paper mache one, it makes a huge mess," she tickles Noemi's stomach, making her squirm away with a giggle.
"Why does the world look the same, Doctor?" Noemi asks, looking up at the Doctor.
"The plates did move, but the Trust moved 'em back," he explains. "That's a classic Earth! But now... the money's run out so nature takes over," he shrugs.
"How long does it have?" Gabriella asks.
"About half an hour and the planet gets roasted," the Doctor smiles and Gabriella raises an eyebrow at his almost excited tone, though she notes that his eyes had darkened.
"What about people? Are they gonna be hurt?" Noemi asks, pressing her hands to the glass and looking down at the Earth with wide, sad eyes.
"It's empty, they're all gone, no one left," the Doctor assures the two.
"Just Noemi and me, then," Gabriella murmurs, thinking how odd it is to be in a place where Rose and Jackie are long dead.
"Who the hell are you?" a voice demands.
The three turn simultaneously to see a man with deep blue skin, golden eyes with slits as pupils, black leopard-like spots on his face and neck, and a light blue jewel on his forehead. The Doctor raises an eyebrow, "oh, that's nice, thanks," he rolls his eyes.
"Mamma," Noemi pulls on Gabriella's jean's chain to grab her attention. "Is he a alien?" she whispers.
Gabriella blinks at the blue man, the steward for a moment before looking down at her daughter, "yes, colibrì," she whispers back.
"But how did you get in?" the steward eyes the three of them. "This is a maximum hospitality zone! The guests have disembarked! They're on their way any second now!"
"That's me, I'm a guest!" the Doctor replies. "Look, I've got an invitation, look," he pulls out a leather wallet that he shows the steward, whose eyes widen. "There, you see? It's fine, see? The Doctor plus two: I'm the Doctor, this is Gabriella and Noemi Ruscello! They're my pluses! Is that alright?"
"Well... obviously... apologies, et cetera," the steward splutters before composing himself. "If you're on board, we'd better start... enjoy!" he smiles before rushing off to a podium on the other side of the room.
"What was that?" Gabriella asks curiously, moving to look at the blank paper and her eyes widen when she sees an invitation with 'the Doctor plus two' written on it.
"The paper's slightly psychic; it shows them whatever I want them to see," he explains. "Saves a lot of time," he shrugs, slipping it back into his pocket.
"He's blue," Noemi whispers.
"Yeah," the Doctor smiles down at her.
"He was mean," she pouts, folding her arms.
Gabriella snorts, picking Noemi up, "I think he's just stressed, Emi, we're not really supposed to be here," she smiles.
Noemi gasps, holding Jewel to her chest, "are we breaking rules?" she looks between the Doctor and her mother with wide eyes.
"... yes," Gabriella admits.
"We're not doing anything bad, though, are we?" the Doctor smiles.
Noemi's face scrunches up, "mamma says that breaking rules is bad," she frowns.
"Well..." Gabriella's own face scrunches up. "Not... not every time you break a rule is a bad thing... we're not committing any crimes, we're just... observing," she tries to explain. That's gonna come back to bite me, she thinks to herself with a sigh.
"Oh! Ok, mamma," Noemi smiles.
"We have in attendance the Doctor and Gabriella and Noemi Ruscello, thank you!" the steward announces. "All staff to their positions!" he claps and a ton of small, blue people appear in all-black uniforms. "Hurry now, thank you! Quick as we can! Come along, come along! And now, might I introduce the next honored guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees! Namely; Jabe, Lute, and Coffa," he announces.
Gabriella and Noemi watch in awe as a woman - who was quite literally a tree - walks in wearing a beautiful red and gold gown and she has two male escorts with her in all black.
"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace; if you could keep the room circulating, thank you! Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon!" a heavy-set blue alien with a large head comes through the doors on a hover-chair and Noemi hides her face in Gabriella's shoulder to hide her giggle. "And next, from Finacial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme!" a group of cloaked figures walk in and Gabriella eyes them while the Doctor smiles at the girls' reactions. "The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, we have the brothers Hop Pyleen, thank you!" two reptilian aliens that were wearing fur cloaks walk in. "Carl Spark Plug," a pair of what looks like robots with cloaks that have large hoods walk in. "Mr. and Mrs. Pakoo," a pair of bird-like aliens walk in. "The Ambassadors from the City-State of Binding Light," a pair of almost amphibious-like aliens walk in.
The three trees come up to the Doctor, Jabe in the front and her companions behind her holding trays of little plant shoots. "The Gift of Peace," Jabe smiles, getting one of the plants. "I bring you a cutting of my grandfather," she hands it to the Doctor.
"Is he ok?" Noemi asks with wide eyes, looking at the little plant in the Doctor's hand.
"I assure you, he is quite alright," Jabe smiles.
"Thank you," the Doctor nods, handing the plant to Noemi and she beams happily. "Yes... gifts... er," he feels his pockets, not finding anything.
"Mamma," Noemi cuts in. "Can I give Miss Jabe a gift?" she asks.
"Of course you can, colibrì," Gabriella smiles.
Noemi squirms out of her mother's arms and reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small, bead bracelet. "I made it in playgroup," she smiles, holding it out to the tree woman.
"Oh," Jabe smiles, kneeling down to Noemi's height and taking the bracelet from her. "That's very sweet of you, little one," she pats Noemi on the head, making the four-year-old giggle.
"You can call me 'Emi'!" she beams up at her while she straightens back up.
"Very well, Emi," Jabe smiles, sending the girl a wink before walking off with her companions following after her.
The steward announces the next guest, "from the Silver Devastation - the sponsor of the main event - please welcome the Face of Boe!"
Gabriella's eyes widen when a huge tank is wheeled in with an equally huge head inside. How does that even happen? she thinks to herself faintly. The Face of Boe looks over to the time-traveling trio and his eyes soften at the little girl, who was now talking to the little plant in her hand and introducing it to her unicorn. His lips twitch up in a smile, though, when he sees the Doctor and Gabriella gravitating toward each other unknowingly. How odd to see them so young and unsure of one another, he chuckles to himself as he moves through the room.
Next, the Moxx comes up to the three and the Doctor grins, "the Moxx of Balhoon!" he greets cheerily.
"My felicitations on this historical happenstance," the Moxx replies in an oddly squeaky voice. "I give you the gift of bodily saliva," he spits and it lands in Gabriella's eye, making her yelp quietly and Noemi giggle.
"Thank you very much," the Doctor barely gets around his laughter.
Noemi scrambles over, taking another beaded bracelet from her pocket, "here you go, Mr. Balloon," she smiles, holding it out and making the Doctor snort loudly.
"I thank you, child," the Moxx takes it, taking no mind to her getting his name wrong as he puts the bracelet on his wrist before moving on.
"Noemi... how many of those have you got?" Gabriella asks her daughter, raising an eyebrow.
"... a few," she answers, kicking the ground with her toe and holding her new plant and Jewel close.
The Doctor smiles down at the girl before turning to the next guests that walk up, "ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme!"
"Doctor..." Noemi pulls on the leg of his trousers, making him look down curiously.
She holds out another bracelet, hiding a bit behind the Doctor. The Adherents were creepy with their black cloaks and they scared the little girl. The Doctor sends her a reassuring smile, taking the bracelet and holding it out to the Adherents, "I give you a token of peace made by the talented Noemi Ruscello," he holds it out, sending Noemi a wink.
The lead Adherent takes the bracelet and then holds out a huge metal arm, "a gift of peace in all good faith," he replies in a deep voice, handing the Doctor a metal ball.
The Doctor smiles, tossing it in the air before handing it to Gabriella. The young blonde looks at it curiously, weighing it in her hand. It's hollow, she thinks to herself in mild surprise. Before she could see if there was any way to open it, the steward speaks up again, "and last but not least, our very special guest! Ladies and gentlemen, trees and mutli-forms, consider the Earth below! In memory of this dying world, we call forth the Last Human! The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen!"
Gabriella perks up a bit in curiosity, the last Human? What comes through the door makes Noemi squeak and hide more behind the Doctor as she clutches onto Jewel for comfort and Gabriella's eyes widen, her jaw drops, and her stomach churns. A metal frame with skin stretched out across it is wheeled in with two men dressed in head-to-toe hospital whites - her surgeons. Gabriella holds her sleeved wrist to her mouth, he nose wrinkling when she sees the blood pulsing in the skin and... is that a brain!? she thinks faintly, seeing a tank below the skin with a brain that was hooked up to wires. The Doctor sees their discomfort and picks Noemi up, settling her on his hip and she buries her face against his shoulder while he uses his free hand to take Gabriella's. The young blonde tightens her grip on his hand but doesn't look away from Cassandra.
"Oh, now don't stare! I know, I know! It's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference! Look how thin I am! Thin and dainty! I don't look a day over two thousand!" Cassandra smiles. "Moisturize me, moisturize me," she orders and one of the surgeons sprays her with an acid solution. "Truly, I am the Last Human!" she announces and Gabriella couldn't help the quiet scoff that leaves her mouth. "My father was a Texan and my mother from the Artic Desert! They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil! I have come to honor them and say goodbye... oh, no tears, no tears... I'm sorry," she sniffles and one of the surgeons wipes away her tears with a handkerchief. "But behold! I bring gifts!" she announces as one of the little staff persons comes in carrying what looks like a fossilized egg. "From the Earth itself: the last remaining ostrich egg! Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils-"
"That's not true, Doctor," Noemi whispers with a little frown, not bringing her face up from the Doctor's shoulder. "Mamma told me about ostriches..."
"Hush, little love," the Doctor tells her gently, squeezing her briefly.
"-or was that my third husband?" Cassandra jokes. "Oh, no! Oh, don't laugh! I'll get laughter lines!" she laughs. "And here, another rarity," she smiles as a vintage jukebox is brought in. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod! It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers! Play on!" she orders.
One of the staff moves over and presses a button on the jukebox. A track is selected and Tainted Love by Soft Cell begins to play. Gabriella looks around the room with wide eyes as the aliens begin to socialize and her heart starts to beat faster as her breathing quickens. Grabbing her daughter from the Doctor and holds Noemi's face to her neck as she runs from the room, feeling overwhelmed and needing to catch her breath. It happened so quickly, the Doctor could barely react. When it registers that his soulmate had run off with Noemi, he starts to follow after but is stopped by Jabe calling out to him. Turning, he's blinded by a flash from her hand-held computer. "Thank you," Jabe smirks, walking off.
The Doctor frowns in confusion but shakes his head. I can worry about that later, I need to find Gabriella and Noemi before they get lost or into trouble.
***
Gabriella had found a small little window to stand by with Noemi in her arms, her face still nuzzled against her neck. "Cassandra was scary, mamma," she whispers, clutching onto her mother.
"I know, colibrì... I know..." Gabriella breathes, rubbing her back soothingly.
A noise makes Gabriella jump and she looks to see an alien that looks similar to the steward come around the corner who was wearing overalls and a ballcap. Noemi looks up from Gabriella's shoulder and her eyes widen at the alien woman.
"Erm... sorry... are we not allowed to be here?" Gabriella asks, hoping that she wasn't causing any trouble.
The woman, Raffalo looks around warily, "you have to give us permission to talk," she whispers.
"Um... you have permission?" Gabriella frowns, finding it strange that she couldn't speak freely.
Raffalo brightens, touched by the woman's kindness, "thank you," she smiles. "And no, you're not in the way," she shakes her head, coming over to a panel on the wall. "Guests are allowed anywhere," she unlocks the panel and sets the door to the side.
"Ok..." Gabriella nods.
"What's your name?" Noemi asks curiously, finding this alien a lot less scary than 'the Last Human'.
"Raffalo," she smiles while she gets out a few tools.
"Raffalo?" Noemi wrinkles her nose as she tries to get the pronunciation right.
"Yes, little miss," Raffalo nods. "I won't be long, I've just got to carry out some maintenance... there's a tiny little glitch in the Face of Boe's suite. There must be something blocking the system; he's not getting any hot water," she explains while she works.
"... you're a plumber?" Gabriella asks curiously.
"That's right, miss," Raffalo nods.
"They still have plumbers?" Gabriella breathes out in disbelief, a small smile pulling at her lips.
"I hope so, else I'm out of job," Raffalo laughs.
Gabriella chuckles, shifting Noemi on her hip, "so, where are you from, then?"
"Crespallion," Raffalo answers.
"Is that a planet?" Noemi frowns.
"No," Raffalo shakes her head with a small smile. "Crespallion's part of Jaggit Brocade, affiliated to the Scarlet Junction, Convex fifty-six," she explains. "And where are you from, misses?" she asks before her eyes widen. "If you don't mind me asking," she adds quickly.
"No, not at all," Gabriella shakes her head, trying to think of what to say; she couldn't very well say she and Noemi were Humans from the Earth about five billion years ago. "Erm... a long way away, I suppose," she mutters. "We just sort of hitched a lift with this man... he's a friend but I don't really know him that well... he's taking me and my daughter on a trip," she tries to explain and Raffalo looks at the mother and daughter in slight concern. "Anyway, don't let us keep you," she shakes her head. "Good luck with it," she smiles before starting to head off.
"Thank you, miss," Raffalo's voice makes her turn back. "... and um, thank you for the permission," she smiles shyly. "Not many people are that considerate..."
"You're welcome," Gabriella smiles. "See ya later," she waves.
"Bye, Miss Raffalo!" Noemi waves happily over her mother's shoulder.
"Bye, little miss," Raffalo laughs, waving as the two girls head off.
PA - Would the owner of the blue box in private gallery fifteen please report to the Steward's office immediately! Guests are reminded that the use of teleportation devices is strictly forbidden under Peace Treaty 5.4/cup/16! Thank you!
***
Gabriella had taken Noemi back to the viewing room that the TARDIS had materialized in it - though, the blue box was no longer there. The girls weren't quite ready to go back into the Manchester Suite yet.
Computer - Earth Death in twenty-five minutes.
"Nice," Gabriella snorts, setting the metal ball that the Adherents had given the Doctor - not noticing that it opens up and a sinister spider robot comes out - and she picks up the little plant. "Hello," she smiles, getting a giggle out of her daughter. "You know... my best mate's name is Rose and that's a sort of plant, you might be related," she chuckles, shaking her head.
"I picked a name," Noemi tells her.
"Oh?" Gabriella raises an eyebrow.
"Fiore (flower)!" she announces proudly. "Can the Doctor make it a house on the TARDIS?"
"I think that's a perfect name, colibrì," Gabriella smiles, tickling the little girl and making her giggle. "And you'll have to ask him."
"Gabriella? Emi?" the Doctor's voice comes from the corridor. "Are you in there, girls?" he pokes his head in the room. "Aye, aye!" he grins, walking in and sitting opposite them. "What do you think, then?" he asks, curious as to how they were taking everything.
"It's great... fine," Gabriella murmurs, sighing when she sees the Doctor's eyebrow raise. "They're just so alien - the aliens, I mean... you look at 'em and they're alien," she frowns, Neomi giggling.
"Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South," the Doctor jokes, smiling when he gets a snort out of the young blonde.
"Emi, why don't you go play with Jewel and Fiore down there?" Gabriella nods down by the viewing window.
"Ok, mamma," Noemi smiles, kissing her mother on the cheek and taking the plant and unicorn down the steps to play.
Gabriella sighs, moving over to sit by the Doctor, "I didn't expect them to be so... different," she shakes her head, leaning back on her hands. "I mean, you're an alien and you look Human," she looks him over.
"Humans look like me, my people came first," the Doctor retorts, leaning back on his elbow. "You ok?" he asks when he sees her lost in thought, moving his free hand to brush the backs of his fingers down her arm.
Gabriella smiles slightly, "yeah, just... I'm worried, ya know? I wish I could talk to Rosa, she usually helps calm me down," she bites her lip, looking at the Earth.
Computer - Earth Death in twenty minutes! Earth Death in twenty minutes!
"Tell you what," the Doctor smiles, sitting up. "Hand me your phone," he holds out his hand.
Gabriella frowns in confusion but complies. The Doctor takes the back off, "with a little bit of jiggery pokery..."
"Is that a technical term 'jiggery pokery'?" Gabriella smiles.
"Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery," the Doctor smirks, putting a new battery in. "What about you?"
"Nah, failed hullabaloo," Gabriella bites her lip to keep from laughing.
"Oh," the Doctor nods, rolling his eyes playfully. 'There you go," he hands her the mobile back.
Gabriella's eyebrows furrow as she scrolls through her contacts - she doesn't have very many - and lands on 'Rosa'. Putting the phone to her ear, her eyes widen when it actually starts to ring. After a couple, Rose answers, "Gabi!" she calls, sounding equally relieved and worried.
"Rosa," Gabriella smiles.
"Zia Rosa!" Noemi runs up the steps, taking the mobile from her mother. "Hi, Zia Rosa!" she squeals happily.
"Hi, munchkin... can I talk to your mum?" Rose asks carefully.
"... sì," Noemi pouts, handing the phone back to her mother.
"Rosa?" Gabriella frowns slightly.
"Why didn't you and Emi come home last night? I was worried, you know! I thought that the Doctor had kidnapped you or something!" Rose shouts into the phone, making Gabriella wince as she pulls it away and the Doctor snorts, biting his lip when his soulmate sends him a look.
"No, we weren't... kidnapped," Gabriella rolls her eyes.
"What does 'kidnapped' mean, Doctor?" Noemi asks him curiously.
"Nothing you need to worry about, little love," the Doctor smiles when she pouts, folding her arms.
"Look," Gabriella smiles, shaking her head at the two of them. "What day is it?" she asks curiously.
"Wednesday... all day," Rose replies. "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing! I was just calling to say..." she trails off, messing with her jeans chain. "I might not be home for a few days..." she mutters.
"Why? What's wrong?" Rose demands.
"Nothing, Rosa, promise," Gabriella sighs. "Look, Emi and me are just... traveling, there's nothing to worry about," she assures Rose.
"You are with the Doctor, aren't you?" Rose asks, her voice darkening. "Gabi, you don't even know him, he's a stranger! How can you trust him around Noemi like that!?"
"Oi, he saved all of us and I can do what I like," Gabriella snaps, anger bubbling inside her at the jab to her soulmate.
The Doctor takes Noemi when he notes her trembling lip and carries her down by the window. He sits down on the ground where the plant and unicorn still were and pulls Noemi down into his lap, starting to play with her quietly. Gabriella turns from them, lowering her voice, "you're not in charge of me, Rosa, and need I remind you that I'm the older one? If I trust the Doctor with my daughter, then it's none of your damn business!"
"Fine, then!" Rose snaps. "If you and your daughter get probed, don't come crying to me!"
"I won't," Gabriella scoffs quietly and hangs up, shoving her phone back in her pocket.
Gabriella puts her face in her hands, tears welling up. That had been the first fight her and Rose had ever gotten into and it was over a man. What if Rosa was right? What if I'm doing the wrong thing for Noemi? she thinks to herself and her stomach knots up. A small giggle grabs her attention and she looks to see the Doctor using Jewel to tickle Noemi, making her squeal as she tries to squirm away from him. Smiling softly, Gabriella shoves those thoughts down. How could it be the wrong thing when her daughter and soulmate look so happy and content together?
A sudden shudder runs through Platform One and the place shakes. The Doctor looks between the girls with a curious and excited smile, "that's not supposed to happen!"
A/N: so... instead of Gabriella getting into a fight with the Doctor, she got into a fight with Rose... let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! :*