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immediate notice in Valarie's demeanor shift. Of course, she had been through some things lately. But this was odd. Different. Yes, everything about her seemed different.

The first notice was that night back in nineteen-thirteen. She was such a touchy, affectionate person. When she refused to hug or touch him at first he felt something was wrong. Yes, perhaps she really did not want because of the thick layer of dried mud on her face, in her hair, and on that gown. But something in his gut told him otherwise. The way she hid her face from him after.

Since then she avoided his contact like the plague. He would press his arm against her to lean down and show her something on the console and she would wiggle away, placing space between them. When he would grab onto her arm or hand to lead her and Martha around some foreign planet she would loosely hold back before withdrawing her hand completely.

He had also caught her zoning out a lot. Like something heavy weighed on her conscious. It was that indication that sprung an idea into his mind.

The TARDIS rocked gently and stocked with its signature thud, suggesting a landing. Martha looked up, Valarie enthralled within a book to take up empty time. He bounced in place.

"Val, come on now. Got something for you that I think is just what you need." He grinned. He reached a hand towards her and she eyed it. She looked at him before slinking out of the chair and brushing past the open hand. He kept it extended for a second after she passed before recoiling it to his pocket awkwardly.

She opened the TARDIS door and he nudged her out. Before her stood a home.

"You've brought me home?" She asked, confused.

"Oh, just for a night. We will be back tomorrow." He rested a hand on her shoulder. She tensed at the touch but deep down did not want him to take it away. "You've seen kinds out of it lately. Thought, it's probably been a while since you saw your family. And no one needs to go forever without seeing their family."

"How," she began, "how long do you plan on leaving me for?" She asked, looking up against him. The top of her head rested against his chest as her neck craned awkwardly to him.

"Oh, just for tonight. Let you get a good nights rest. While the TARDIS may have infinite rooms it is rather harder then it should be to find a comfy bed." He laughed. She stepped onto the side walk and turned to him. She studied him as he leaned against the blue wooden door frame, and tucked hair blowing in the breeze behind an ear.

"Promise that you'll be back?"

"Hey, cross my heart. Well, hearts." He teased as he did an x in the air over each side of his chest and raised a hand as if taking an oath.

"What about a pinky promise?" She joked.

"Oh, a pink promise. The most serious of promises as deemed by the Shadow Proclamation." He gasped and stuck a picky out. She locked hers with his before withdrawing and stepping back. The door sealed and the classic whirling of the box began. The air picked up, and it began to fade from in front of her.

"Valarie?" A voice from behind asked. She turned towards it and saw her mother leaned out of the door staring at her. Her mother stepped out fully of the door.

"Mum." She breathed and rushed her mother, wrapping her arms around her tightly. While she was unsure of where the Doctor had gotten the idea she was homesick from, she did miss her family. Nearly dying a few times does that, she supposed.

"Oh, oh, okay." Her mother stiffly chuckled, shocked at her daughters sudden affection. "I go weeks without hearing from you and now you are all....oh, what the hell." She laughed. She pulled back, looking at her daughter. She leaned back into the house as she lead her in.

"Eddie! Eddie, darling, come on."

"What?" Her father called back in annoyance.

"Edward!" Her mother barked. She looked back at the open living room as her fathers heavy footsteps drew close. He appeared in the door frame.

"Laura, what could possibly be so-" he froze upon seeing his middle child. "Val, sweetheart!" He cried. He moved to her and she met him halfway, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"Oh, how have you been?" He asked, obviously seeming to forget their phone call a little while back.

"I've been good, daddy." She laughed.

"Oh you two sit, I'm about done with lunch." He ushered for her mother and her to take their seats on the couch. They sat down, her mother taking her hands between hers. The TV was on before them, a news broadcast that had to do with the next election.

"Now, what have you been up to?"

"Oh, I've just been..."she fought for something that wasn't a complete lie, "traveling." She smiled at her mother.

"Traveling?" Her mother cooed. "Where? Go with anyone?" She asked.

"Uh, just all over. With two friends." She explained.

"Friends. Anyone I knew? Oh! Which reminds me, that Lucas boy who chased you in school came by here the other day. You know, darling, he has shaped up quite a bit. Heard he has a good job." Her mother suggested. Valarie almost wanted to laugh at the thought.

"Oh you know he was a creep mum!" She half whined with a smile. Her eyes settled on the TV, watching as a candidate for Prime Minister spoke. He was a man in his thirties. He had thin hair, and a charismatic look about him.

"Is the election soon?" She asked. She hadn't exactly been in a good position to keep up with current events. She wasn't even sure what day it was she had been dropped off at. Her eyes began to wonder from the candidate making promises on the screen to the decor of her parents house.

Pictures scattered the shelves and walls. While it seemed like there were so many, the Scott family was a large one. In order, the Scott children were William, or 'Willy', Mabel, Valarie was the third child, and then Matthew, Chris, and Peter.

Their ages ranged from thirty-two to thirteen, with William being born in nineteen-seventy-five and Chris and Peter, who were twins, being born in nineteen-ninety-four placing them at thirteen. William and Mabel were both married already and happily had children. Mabel exceeded Valarie in age by seven years, and William exceeded by eleven. Her parents loved to joke that they only wanted two, but after Valarie's birth just decided to let whatever happen happen.

Pictures lined the walls in almost chronological order; the first ones of Will and Mabel holding each other in awkward poses as they were forced to for the professional photo. Eventually pictures of them holding a infant Valarie appeared and further down were images of Matthew, who was now seventeen, and then lastly the twins. There family was large and crazy, but they loved each other more then words could explain.

"Oh, that Harold Saxon. He makes such nice claims but something about him feels off." Her mother sighed. She then bounced in her seat and took her daughters hands, taking her attention back to her. Valarie had been admiring her parents wedding photo and how she resembled her mother. They had the same lips, eyes, and face shape. "Are you staying the night?" She asked.

"Yeah, I am." She responded. Her mother became giddy.

"Oh, then you and I can have a girls night!"

"Oh and your father mentioned the last time he heard from you were with some people? Are these the same people you are traveling with?" Her mother asked as she rose and motioned for her to follow her to the kitchen. She followed in and took a seat at the long wooden table.

"Yeah, they are."

"Well?" Her dad asked, now eating a sandwich he had made. "Who are they?" He asked with a mouthful. Her mother and her sat across from one another as her father set his own meal down and carried two plates over for them. Growing up Valarie's parents, despite having six kids and being split between two teachers salaries rarely fought. Her father always swore marrying people who could cook had to do with it.

"Martha Jones. Sweet girl, a med student. Wants to be a doctor." She explained.

"But there's a guy. I heard a guy talking to you." Her father questioned.

"A guy?" Her mother's interest peaked and she gave a coy smile. Valarie rolled her eyes. Her mother was always trying to play matchmaker for her kids. In fact she was the one who set Mabel up with her wife, Jane.

"Just a friend." She sighed. "The Doctor."

"Doctor who?"

"Oh, uh. We just kinda call him the Doctor. He isn't from around here so there is no way you know him." She tried to brush the subject off. Before her father could press any further her mother took a seat across from her and leaned on her hands like a school girl wanting to hear more about drama. Valarie soaked the image of her mother in. While visibly a older woman with grey hair, only streaks of pale brown in it left, she was gorgeous. She radiated kindness in her round face and the freckles almost identical to her daughters.

"You want to know more about him?" Her mother nodded. "Well, he is kind. Smart. Oh lord, much smarter then anyone could dream of being."

——

Valarie'a childhood bedroom was almost like a preteen rooms frozen in time. Posters littered the walls and ceiling. They had not changed the room a day past the day she moved out, apart from new sheets on the bed and it being clean. Her mother had followed her to the room, shutting the door behind them. She sat on her daughters bed, and pulled her down with her. She grasped her hands in her own.

"Valarie." She leaned forward smiling at her, a knowing smile what Valarie had seen one too many times. She sighed.

"Yes?" She asked her mother, knowing whatever was to follow would annoy her deeply. Her mother pursed her lips before opening them and lowering her eyes.

"About this Doctor character...." Valarie groaned trying to hush her mother before what came next, which she already knew. "Is he, you know, it?" This was the same talk Valarie had heard her give her siblings every-time they ever meet anyone. If frustrated her now though because this talk came when they were with someone, not just traveling.

"Mum, no. Why would you get an idea that?-"

"The way you told us about him. The way you spoke about him, Val. It was different."

"Well, maybe I do have a crush but-"

"'No, sweetheart. I remember how you talked about that Luke boy when you had a crush on him when you were thirteen. This is different. You have feelings for this man, truly."

"But, it isn't that easy mum. And I know what you are going to say. Oh just go confess to him, but it is not that simple." She sighed, looking at her lap. "He doesn't see me that way and I know it." It had seemed that ever since she understood herself and her feelings it was all that remained on her mind. Like it was a constant itch that would not be satisfied. She wanted to desperately hide from him like an embarrassed school girl sometimes, and other times she just wanted to grab him and kiss him until neither of them could breathe. Sometime both of those emotions struck her at once.

"Valarie. How do you think your father and I ever ended up together? Or your sister and her wife? Or your brother and his wife? You have to make your move." Her mother's words might as well have fallen on deaf ears. The Doctor was an alien time traveler for Pete's sake; he could have basically anyone he wanted in the entire universe whenever he wanted them!

"Look at me." Her mother grabbed her cheeks between her hands and forced her daughter to look her in the eye. "You are beating yourself up over this, and I can see it on your face."

"Mum, no I am-"

"Valarie Aria Scott do not lie to me. Now, even if this Doctor bloke doesn't recognize how lucky he is to have someone like you loving him then that is simply his lost. "She let her go. "Are you going to keep traveling with him?"

She nodded her head sheepishly.

"Fine. But, you can't let this ruin your time with him or any of the places you go. And, I want to meet him."

"Well, when he comes to get me tomorrow you can."

"No. He will come for dinner tomorrow night with that Martha and me and your father will meet them properly." Her mother sternly decided. Valarie tried to argue as she left the room but it was to no avail. Valarie laid back on her bed, eyes locked on the ceiling. Her mother always viewed her children as, well, children.

But now Valarie's only worry was getting the Doctor through a dinner were he didn't make it just so obvious he was an alien.