FOUR

 The following twenty four hours was a frantic blur whilst I said numerous goodbyes to my relatives (I was sad to see my Nana Joan and great aunt Mavis go) and packed for my departure. The Doctor after spending a few hours under my parent’s roof, parted company the next day. Apparently there had been reported sightings of an extraterrestrial, a ravenous creature known as a Hoix found in the vicinity of our local Sainsbury’s. I left the Doctor to deal with the situation, I knew he would come back for me. I decided it was a good time to catch up with my friend Jasmine, feeling a little guilty that she missed out on the Doctor and his TARDIS I tried to explain that I was travelling but I didn’t have the heart to tell her the whole story… Then I managed to secure a month’s holiday (I figured the Doctor would be able to get me home within the month) after explaining my absence to my manager and using my relationship break up as an excuse. After years of reliability and no time off for sickness, my manager actually believed the story of my break down. (I decided to leave out the part about time travelling.) With my dad’s help I returned to the flat I used to share with Mike and found he wasn’t at home, so I collected my belongings and left for the last time. And much to my mum’s disappointment, a few hours later the Doctor turned up, successful in tracking down the Hoix. It was time to say goodbye to my parents.

 “You must be mad Anna! What’s the matter with you. No one in our family does anything adventurous…” We were stood outside my parent’s house and as my mum sighed doggedly and folded her arms defensively across her chest, she wasn’t going to give up without a fight. “I still can’t quite believe it, though from everything you have told us, this way of life, it’s dangerous. What if you get stuck somewhere? What if…”

 I threw my arms around my mum and held her tightly.

 “I will return home mum, I’ve already gone away and come back.” I showed her my TARDIS built phone. “And we will keep in touch this time. And the Doctor, he’ll look after me and I’ll look after him, it’s what we do.”

 “But Anna…” My mum sighed with frustration and then struck with a new found realization she smiled faintly. “You’ve changed.”

 “I met the Doctor and he showed me another life.” I smiled back. “Is that such a bad thing? I need to do this mum. You should see it out there, all of time and space, exploring the whole wide Universe. I can’t give that up, not yet…”

 “I will look after your daughter Caroline Bailey…” The Doctor added full of sincerity, his dark eyes burning intensely into my mum’s. 

 “But whoever you are. Whatever you are… You call yourself a Lord of Time but that means nothing to me Doctor. You can’t guarantee my daughters safety can you?”

 The Doctor looked away slightly, we all knew he couldn’t make a promise of that kind.

 “This is Anna’s choice, Caroline. Even if we both think she’s crazy, just look at this life she’s found, nothing as wonderful and miraculous as this has ever happened to anyone in our family.” My dad turned to face the Doctor. “I know you will look after my daughter Doctor.”

 The Doctor nodded to my dad, a growing sympathy and respect between my father and the Time Lord. At least one of parents liked the Doctor.

 “Mum, Dad, I’ll be home in no time at all…” But as I said those words, I felt awfully selfish. I had to do this quick, before I changed my mind. I dived inside the TARDIS and watched the Doctor set the coordinates as I dematerialized out of my parent’s life but not for as long as I thought. Time flies, when you’re having the time of your life.

 So that was the Doctor’s first meeting with my parents (not forgetting most of my relatives, my ex-boyfriend, neighbours etc…)  And the second time I returned home and the Doctor met my parents again?…Well that was the time the world almost ended.