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Slowly clearing off the kitchen table Dinah smiled absently to herself. It was Christmas, and somehow she had found herself spending the holiday with her ex-husband. And despite the ex in front of husband, Dinah was happy. Christmas dinner was just the two of them this year. It should have felt odd or awkward, but in reality it had been rather easy. They fell into old habits quickly, Quentin insisting on doing the cooking while Dinah poured over lesson plans and student essays. They exchanged witty banter and laughter throughout the meal, relaxing and enjoying one another’s company.
Now they were cleaning up together, Quentin at the sink humming softly along to the radio as Di brought him their dirtied dishes. Placing the last of the dishes next to him Dinah let out a content sigh, which soon turned into a fit of giggles when she heard her husband curse under his breath as his wet hands caused a glass to slip out of his hands. He turned to look at her, eyes narrowing in a mock glare. Dinah let her giggles erupt into full laughter as he huffed and dried his hands on a kitchen towel.
Turning to her he offered her his hand, which she accepted with a skeptical look on her face. He pulled her into him and after settling his other hand on her hip said, “Dance with me Di.” A broad smile stretching across his face.
Dinah let out a sigh and an “If you insist”, her smile growing to match his as they swayed softly in time to the music. Quentin’s hand wrapped around her waist pulling her further into him as she snaked hers up over his shoulder and around his neck. After a moment she laid her head against his shoulder letting out a deep breath.
They stayed like that as the radio changed from song, to song, to song. Gradually their movements began to slow until they were barely moving anymore, each hyper aware of the other and not much else. After finding they had completely stopped, Dinah lifted her head to face Quentin, eyes locking, her fingers toying with the hair at the nape of his neck. He tightened his arms around her again, pulling her tight against his body and slowly leaning in.
“Quen” Dinah whispered. He paused, trying to decipher the situation.
“Quentin” She tried again. This time it was clear what she wanted, and they both started to slowly close the gap.
A sharp knock on the door startled them apart, hitting their heads together as they jumped. Quentin’s hand still held hers as they laughed together, neither one of them eager to answer the door.
The knock came again, accompanied by a voice. “River! River, I know you’re here” more knocking. “River. She told me you were here.”
Dinah gasped and pulled her hand roughly out of her husband’s, rushing to get to the door. When she got to the edge of the kitchen she turned to a stunned Quentin and begged, “Let me take care of this. I need you to stay here.”
He began to protest but she fixed him with a look. A look that shut him up quickly. It was one she used on him in the past. The one that reminded him that she wasn’t just a professor, that she had other business as well.
Another round of persistent knocks came with an exasperated “River!” She turned, her face set in a thin line and continued to the door. She flung open the door with a scowl on her face.
“What” she demanded.
“River.” Came the unfortunate Scottish reply.
“River isn’t here Doctor.” She ground out. “So I suggest you leave.”
There was a pause while his menacing eyebrows knit together. “WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO YOUR HAIR?” came his furious reply.
Dinah could hear Quentin shuffling and knew he was becoming restless and worried. She glanced behind her and sighed, knowing she would have to face the inevitable. Turning once again to face the Doctor she set her jaw and repeated herself. “River isn’t here, Doctor. Whoever told you she would be was wrong. Now if you’ll please excuse me.”
The Doctor grabbed her wrist as she began to turn away. “River.” He simply said again.
“I am not River Song. River Song is dead, Doctor. Scan me if you must. I am as human as anyone else who lives on this pet planet of yours.” she spat.
“The TARDIS told me you were here. You can’t lie to me River.” He said with a low growl.
After a moment she gave a resigned sigh and turned to poke her head around the door. As she suspected Quentin was waiting anxiously on the opposite side of the room, staying right at the edge of the kitchen as she had asked him to. She smiled softly at him and beckoned him over to the door. He took a few steps toward her before pausing and looking at her in question. She nodded with her smile still intact and he quickly crossed the rest of the room. Dinah let the door fall open and Quentin stepped up behind her, placing a comforting hand on the small of her back.
“Di.” He said in a reassuring tone, nodding for her to continue.
Turning to face the Doctor she introduced the two. “Quentin, this is Doctor John Smith—a colleague from the University. Doctor, this is my husband Quentin Lance.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Quentin, this is Doctor John Smith—a colleague from the University. Doctor, this is my husband Quentin Lance.”There was a pause before the Doctor let out a burst of laughter. Dinah was properly seething now. She glared at him and stepped further into Quentin’s side, letting him wrap his arm firmly around her waist. Seeing this the Doctor stopped laughing abruptly, confusion etching itself into his features. “Is this me then?” he asks. “I’ve to say I’m a bit disappointed.”Dinah takes slow deliberate steps in his direction, her eyes boring into him. She can faintly hear Quentin asking her something as she steps away from him, but her focus is on the Doctor. After a couple of steps and a few tense moments she pulls back her hand and slaps him across the face. Harder than he can ever remember River hitting him, he stumbles and staggers while she turns and storms back inside the house. She reappears however only moments later with a pen and notepad in hand, scribbling furiously. As she rips the page out and hands it to the Doctor without explanation a taxi cab pulls up in front of the house. At the sight of the brunette climbing out of the car, Dinah immediately transforms. Instead of the raging lioness she had been, her eyes are now filled with joy and brimming with tears. The firm frame of her body has melted and turned soft, no longer the warrior. A sob wretches itself from her throat as she pushes past the Doctor and flings herself at the young woman. After a moment of laughing and crying into the embrace Quentin calls from behind them, “Is it my turn yet?”Breaking away from the older woman the girl runs to Quentin and throws her arms around his neck. “Dad!” she squeals happily as he picks her up and spins her. When he has set her back on her feet Dinah has made her way back to them wiping tears from her face. The Doctor seemingly forgotten the trio make their way inside to finish celebrating Christmas. A moment later as the Doctor is still standing on the porch stunned the girl comes rushing back outside yelling over her shoulder about forgetting her luggage. After grabbing her bags and turning to go back inside she bumps into the Doctor and startles. The Doctor clears his throat and says, “I assume this the family you were wanting to visit for the holidays then?” The girls continues to stare at him, her mouth agape. “Clara?” He asks. She pulls herself together and stands up straighter. “Yes, Doctor. This is my family.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Not long ago Quentin had retired for the night. Mumbling his excuses that the girls had ignored. Instead they had focused on getting settled into the loveseat, cocooned in blankets and Clara resting in Dinah’s arms. After a while Dinah finally decided to ask what had been on her mind.
“Clara, how old are you?” she asked softly.
“I’m not really sure anymore. Twenty six? That seems about right.” Clara replied.
“And,” Dinah began, closing her eyes and taking a brief moment before continuing, “And how old was she, were you- how old were you when you died?”
Clara let out a deep breath. “Twenty two.” She said in a small voice.
“How did it happen?” Dinah asked. Silent tears streaming down her face.
“How it always happens.” She said. “I met the Doctor.” Her answer was met with silence. The only sound was of the shaky breaths her mother was attempting to keep under control. After sitting in the quiet for some time Clara asked what had been on her mind.
“How long has it been for you? Since you last saw me?”
“Seven years.” Came the reply. “You left as soon as you turned eighteen. Do you remember? Wanted to go off and see the world. And of course we couldn’t stop you. Heaven knows I tried. You kept in touch the first few years. Said you had settled somewhere in England. We haven’t really heard from you since. I never thought I would see you again.” She ended with a sob.
Clara held tighter to Dinah, burying her face in her shoulder, afraid to look up and see the tears running down her face.
“I fell in love.” She tells her mother. “He was a maths teacher at my school. Used to be a soldier. The kids used to tease us.” She chuckled. After a few minutes she continued. “I lost him. On the phone with him when he died. His name was Danny. Danny Pink.”
The two sat and held one another as they both shed tears. If Dinah felt Clara’s tears through her top she didn’t mention it. And if the top of Clara’s head felt a bit wet she ignored it. It wasn’t until later that Clara realized something wasn’t quite right.
“Where is Laurel and Sara? Are they not celebrating Christmas this year?” she inquired.
She felt Dinah stiffen and take a deep breath. She looked up at her to see her mother staring straight ahead. “No.” She said. “They aren’t celebrating Christmas with us this year.” Clara settled back down to cuddle some more with her mom, feeling her relax as the subject was dropped. They fell asleep together on the couch, which was where Quentin found them a few hours later. He untangled their arms and legs from one another and carried Clara to the guest room where Dinah had been staying. When Clara had gotten there they moved all of Dinah’s things into Quentin’s room, deciding that she would stay there with him. Especially because Clara had no idea about the divorce. When Quentin picked up Dinah to take her to bed next she woke up, looking at him through squinted eyes.
“Quentin?” She mumbled.
“Yeah Di?”
“Our baby’s home.” She said with a sleepy smile against his neck.
“I know sweetheart.” He said, kissing the top of her head. She snuggled deeper into his arms, seeming so comfortable he regretted the need to set her down. He settled her beneath the covers of the bed before climbing in next to her and wrapping his arm around her waist. She gave a content sigh and burrowed in close to his body. Christmas was turning out better than any of them expected.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Clara woke up to her mother bouncing excitedly next to her bed.
“Mum…” She groaned. “’s too early.”
Dinah laughed and pounced onto her daughter’s bed. She poked and she prodded her, bouncing on the bed lightly tossing her, anything to get her to wake up. Eventually Clara rolled over and glared sleepily at her much too awake mother. Dinah put on a face of pure innocence and shrugged, a smile playing at the corner of her lips.
“What?” Clara asked, finally giving in to the curiosity her mother’s behavior brought.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just found the perfect present for you since you missed Christmas yesterday.” She said nonchalantly, choosing to inspect her fingernails as she said it.
Clara shot up with wide eyes, without a doubt awake now. Dinah laughed and reached to the ground where she had placed the gift. Without another word she handed it to Clara, waiting for her to open it. Clara ripped off the wrapping paper as if she were a small child again, eagerly opening the box it had concealed. When she saw the contents of the box she looked up at her mom, confused by what she found.
Dinah released the lip she hadn’t realized she had been nervously nibbling on and began her explanation. “That is called a vortex manipulator. It was mine, a long time ago. You’ve traveled enough through time now that I know I can trust you to do this. You, my dear Clara, really are the impossible girl. And that means you get to go pick up your present.”
“Pick up my present?” Clara asked. More confused now than when she had first opened the box.
“Yes.” Her mother replied. “You are going to meet your grandparents.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Quentin stood leaning against the doorway of the kitchen, still in his uniform from his day at work. He watched as Dinah swayed around the room to whatever imaginary music she had decided to hear.
After a few moments he asked from the doorway, “Where’s Clara? She didn’t leave did she?”
Dinah started and whipped her head around to look at him, eyes wide. After less than a second a soft smile had replaced her surprise and she switched the knife in her hand back to cutting vegetables, rather than ready to throw. As she turned back to what she had been doing before being interrupted she answered, “Out. A few friends of hers from the UK are flying in today. She wants us to meet them.”
Quentin started to say something but Dinah turned towards him, knife pointing in his direction. “Not one word.” He opened his mouth to speak again but she shook the knife at him and said “I do not want to hear about how well it went the last time one of our children brought a friend to dinner and I most certainly do not want to hear you complain about them staying with us. She’s our baby that we haven’t seen in seven years Quentin. Seven years! So, Not. One. Word.” She fixed him with a final glare and turned back to the meal preparations.
Quentin sighed and moved over to the counter she was working at. He gently pried the knife out of her hand and cradled it in both of his. “Di?” he said, ducking to try and catch her eye. She huffed and looked away, still allowing him to hold her hand in his. He grasped her hand tightly in one of his larger ones, brushing her hair out of her face with the other.
He stepped away from the counter, lightly tugging on her arm. He was surprised when she followed him without a fight. He walked them into the next room and directed her to the couch. He sat beside her, hand still in his.
“I think it’s a great idea.” He said after a moment. She sniffed in response and adjusted herself in her seat, moving slightly closer to him. Quentin sighed. “I need you to talk to me Dinah. I can’t know what is wrong until you tell me.”
He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb, waiting for her to say something. She shifted her attention to his tie, her eyes staring blankly at it as her hands fiddled with the edges.
“I don’t want to tell her.” She finally said, a rough edge to her voice he knew meant she was already fighting tears.
“Tell who what Di?” he encouraged. “Clara.” She muttered. “I don’t want to tell her about the divorce. About any of it.” He brought his hand up to rub the arm of the hand that was now fisted in his shirt.
“And how is that going to work?” he asked. She shrugged her shoulders, eyes still focused on his tie as he continued.
“I hate to be that guy Dinah but how is not telling her about any of it going to work? In this town? She is bound to have heard at least three different versions of it by the time she gets home. And what about when she wants to see her sisters? How is that supposed to work?”
He heard her sniffle again and could see the tracks of tears running down her face. Letting go of her hand he put his arms around her, bringing her to his chest as she let out a strangled sob. “I’m sorry Di.” He said softly as he ran one hand through her hair. “Why don’t you want to tell her about the divorce” he whispered.
He felt her push away from his chest and finally bring her head up to meet his eyes. “Because I wish it weren’t true.” A moment passed before Quentin spoke up. “Me too.” He said, watching her smile and settle back in against his chest.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It took Quentin 16 minutes and 38 seconds, give or take a few of those, to fall asleep. Dinah had kept track, relishing every moment she got to spend in her husband’s arms. She spent two more listening to his even breathing and the beginnings of soft snores. Reluctantly she pulled his arms gently from around her waist and stood up. She stretched for a moment and looked back down at the sleeping man, wishing for nothing more than to curl back up against him and go to sleep herself. She sighed and forced herself to move away from the couch and into their bedroom. She fished her shoes out from under the bed and after pausing briefly to slip them on she made her way back through the house to the kitchen. She pulled a pen and note pad out of the drawer, leaving a note on the kitchen table to let Quentin know she wouldn’t be gone more than a half hour, back in plenty of time to finish dinner before their daughter arrived. Grabbing her coat and her purse she walked to the door, taking one last look at Quentin who was now sprawled over the entire couch, before stepping forward and turning the handle. Slipping quietly out the front door she let out a deep breath as she turned and squared her shoulders. She walked through the streets with a purpose, confidence growing with each step. Finally she came to a stop at the edge of a local park. In front of her sat a man on a bench. A man on a bench with silver hair and incredibly thick eyebrows. Waiting for her. Just like she asked him to be. She took a seat at the end of the bench opposite him, folding her hands in her lap and her eyes on the children running about in front of them. From beside her she heard him clear his throat. “Coordinates. A bit easy don’t you think?”She snorted and turned, making eye contact with him. “What do you want Doctor?” She inquired. “Why are you here?”“I missed you.” He shrugged, facing away from her. “I thought it was time I saw my wife again. Maybe convince her to stay with me this time.”“Then why are you here Doctor?” Dinah stressed. He furrowed his eyebrows, glaring at the ground. After a moment he turned to her and asked, “What is that supposed to mean? Where else am I supposed to be? You are here.”Closing her eyes tightly Dinah groaned softly. Opening her eyes again she looked at him, pausing a moment before turning to face him with her whole body. She took a deep breath and decided to let it all out. “This isn’t easy. What I need to tell you Doctor, it won’t be easy to hear. You can ask questions if you need to, but do not interrupt. Wait until I finish speaking. Okay?” She waited for him to nod before continuing. “River Song died on a planet known as The Library. Her consciousness was saved into the planet’s data core where it still resides. What was River Song, the Time-Lady, died and was saved into the database. All the things that made her who she is. Her altered DNA, training from the Silence, her connection to the TARDIS, her love for you, the memories of time and space. All of that saved by some well-meaning young Time-Lord to the data core of the biggest library in the Universe.” She paused and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before continuing. “And what was left was a human. When the Time-Lord in her died the sliver of regeneration energy she still had activated. It wasn’t enough to save her, but it was enough to leave the body younger than it had been. A seventeen year old version of her former body remained, along with vague stamps on her memory of someone else’s life. She found her way to earth where she created a life for herself. And it has been a good life.”Finishing her monologue she turned forward again, signaling that she was finished. “So, not my wife?” he asked in a thick voice. She shook her head once, indicating that she indeed was not his wife. He sat for a moment contemplating what to ask next before deciding on, “Who are you?”She smiled at this, turning to meet his gaze. “Dinah Drake Lance.” She said. “Nice to meet you.”He let out a deep short laugh accompanied by a small smile. He sobered quickly and asked, “Clara? How is that…” Her smile broadened. “My daughter.”He huffed in response, not satisfied with her answer. “How?” he asked again.She laughed. “I was a Time-Lady for centuries and you expect me not to realize when my child is an echo? And of one of your companions no less?” She laughed louder. “It was my first child Doctor. I had gone from human-plus to increasingly more plus, then died and was left a human. Some consequence had to come from that and I guess that was it. Somebody has to give birth to all those echoes of hers. All those lives she lives just to save you. Did you ever realize she must have had families?”She could tell she struck a chord with that, his face contorting as he contemplated her words. Choosing a different topic he said, “I thought your memories of River’s life were ‘vague stamps on your memory’? How do you know any of this?”She sighed. “The memories grew deeper as time went on. As my new memory started expanding it created room to house more details of the old memories.” She paused. “She loved you. She still does somewhere out there. But those parts of her, the parts that make her yours, they aren’t here. They are out there simultaneously terrorizing and seducing the Universe. Go find her.” She stood as she finished speaking, preparing to leave. He stood as well, extending a hand for her to shake, “It was nice to meet you Dinah.” He said. “It was nice to meet you too, Doctor.” She said as she clasped his hand. He turned back a few moments after they had turned in opposite directions to leave. “Your husband, is he good to you?” he called out. She turned and smiled, “Yes. Better than I deserve.”He chuckled at that. “See you around, Professor Lance.”“See you later… Doctor Song.” She winked and with that she was gone. Back to her home and her husband. Just as he was off to his and his wife.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Closing the door behind her Dinah found herself in a considerably better mood than she had been earlier in the day. She shrugged out of her coat, dropping her purse at her feet before heading towards the kitchen to finish dinner. She didn’t quite make it there however, distracted by the sight of Quentin still snuggled into the couch. She smiled softly, toed off her shoes, and pulled out the blanket they kept under the coffee table. She stepped up, nudging him further into the couch before sitting down on the edge of it. She draped the blanket over his legs and turned to tuck her own in alongside them before laying down and pulling it to their chests. She hummed and snuggled back into him, enjoying the warm feeling of another body next to her own. She felt him shuffle and turn behind her, his arm wrapping possessively around her waist. With his breath on the back of her neck and her feet huddled between his she drifted off to sleep, deciding they could definitely order in for dinner tonight. - - - - - - - - - - - - - With a crackle, a pop, and a puff of smoke Clara found herself attempting to keep her footing as she appeared on the front steps of a small house just out of the hustle and bustle of New York City. She grabbed onto the railing at her side to steady herself as she heard a crash and the sound of running feet from inside the house. The door swung open and a woman with long legs and long red hair appeared. “River?” the woman exclaimed, a bit out of breath. “Gran!” Clara said as her face split into a wide grin. “Grandad! “ She said excitedly as she ran up the remaining steps to embrace the woman and the man who had joined them. She stepped back and after a look at their shocked faces said, “Right. Got a bit ahead of myself there. Introductions?”The red haired woman nodded as the man behind her said, “Right. I’m Rory, this is my wife Amy. And you are?” “Clara. Do you mind if I come in?” not waiting for an answer she walked past them and into the house. Amy and Rory exchanged surprised looks before following the girl into their front room. Amy stopped abruptly just before she reached the place where Rory and Clara were standing. “Wait, did you just call me Gran?” “Maybe I shouldn’t have lead with that.” Clara said, rethinking her entrance. “How about I start over. Anyone in the mood for backstory?” she asked as she made herself comfortable on their sofa. Rory shrugged and motioned for her to continue while grabbing Amy’s arm and directing her to the chair across the room, where he perched himself on the armrest. “My name is Clara. Just Clara, makes things less confusing. I’m the Doctor’s companion. Think I still am. Not quite sure though… Anyway, traveling with the Doctor, entered his time-stream, split myself into millions of pieces, was born and died over and over again,” She said, as if ticking off a list. “And now to the good part. In one of my lifetimes I was the daughter of Quentin and Dinah Lance. Mum knew I was an echo. Not sure how now that I think of it, but she knew who I was. I died, but I remembered. This me. I’m the original that the copies were made of. I can remember them sometimes. But I remembered her as if I had lived it all myself. So I decided to go home to them. And since this me had traveled with the Doctor I knew a bit more. And I realized just who my mum was. And although I call her mum, the people of the Universe know her better as River Song.” A gasp could be heard from the couple across from her. “Or to you, Melody Pond.”She gazed at the couple, Amy with big eyes and a knuckle white grip on her husband’s hand, Rory slack-jawed and frozen. “Oh!” Clara exclaimed loudly, making the Ponds jump. “It’s Christmas! She wants you to meet the family!” She paused, “I think I should tell you she isn’t exactly River though. Something happened to her and she died. She had very little regeneration energy and it could only save her human bit. The Time-Lord is gone. It left her a teenager of her former self. She didn’t have any memories at first. So she became Dinah Drake, met my father, fell in love, got married, had a few kids, and lived a normal life!”They continued to stare at her, processing the information. Clara waited for them to say something, and after several minutes she decided she might as well go on. “She is still your daughter. And she became a real super hero too. Well, I use the term super hero, Dad says vigilante, but she still saves people. Secret identity and everything.” Another moment passed before Amy spoke up, “I have a granddaughter.” She whispered reverently with tears in her eyes. “You have three” Clara corrected. A laugh bubbled out of Amy and the tears began to fall. Rory let out the breath he had been holding and with a smile reached to wipe the tears off of her face.Once the silence had been broken they talked for hours, trading stories back and forth, getting to know each other. Amy asked about her Raggedy Man, Clara told her about some of the things they had done and about his regeneration. Rory asked about her dad, wanting to make sure his little girl was being treated right. After talking late into the night they decided to get a couple hours of sleep before popping back to the Lance’s in the morning.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Dinah was pulled out of sleep by the sound of the front door closing, accompanied by a “Mum?” She heard her husband groan into her neck and felt him bury his face in her hair. Clara’s voice came again a minute later, closer this time. Still not willing to respond yet she squeezed Quentin’s fingers that were tangled in her own pulled the blanket tighter around her with her other hand.
She heard the shuffling of feet and then there was a hand on her arm shaking her. “Melody?” a voice asked. She popped one eye open and mumbled sleepily, “Hello mother dear.” Amy smiled and Dinah felt a hand brushing the hair from her face and a pair of lips leave a soft kiss on the top of her head. She opened her other eye and looked up to see her father beaming down at her. “Hello Dad.” She said with a little smile.
She then reached behind her and patted Quentin’s leg. “Quen.” She said, trying to speak a little louder than she had been. He groaned again and pulled her tighter into him. She turned her body to face his and whispered, her nose touching his, “Wake up.” Feeling her breath on his lips he began to wake up, wrapping his legs around hers and running his hand up and down her back. She heard him mumble something she couldn’t make out and giggled. “Quentin, our guests are here.”
His eyes popped open at that and he froze. Looking into his eyes she smiled, nuzzled his nose with hers, and sat up to face their guests.
She looked at her parents again, her smile growing as she realized they were really there. She stood and pulled the blanket off of her husband, knowing that would encourage him to get up a bit quicker. Folding the blanket to put back under the coffee table she welcomed “Clara’s friends” and told them to make themselves at home.
“I’m sorry we were asleep when you arrived.” She apologized. “I had planned to be a better hostess” She said as she gathered up her shoes to move out of the middle of the floor. When she came back from depositing her shoes and the other little things she had found along the way Quentin was sitting up and making polite conversation with Amy and Rory.
Dinah smiled to herself, brimming with happiness at seeing her husband and her parents in the same place. She made her way over and stood behind Quentin, hand on his shoulder as he conversed with the other couple. After a few minutes Dinah decided to stay and join in on the conversation. She sat down next to Quentin, leaving her hand on his shoulder/back. His hand came up to rest on her thigh, his thumb lightly stroking the material there.
Amy was carefully tracking every movement of the two, silently analyzing them. She caught Dinah’s eye and Dinah could see the calculating look on her face. Immediately blushing she brought both of her hands to her lap and looked down at them. She felt Quentin’s hand stop on her leg before gently squeezing.
“Are you alright Mrs. Lance?” Rory asked, concern flooding his voice. She placed her hand over Quentin’s on her leg and looked up at her father and said, “Yes, I’m alright. Thank you Rory. I just remembered I forgot about dinner. I feel a little embarrassed really.” Standing she turned to address Quentin, “And you still haven’t changed out of your uniform. You go and change, I will find something for dinner.”
Quentin stood and she turned to Amy, Rory and Clara. “Is there anything you three are dying to have for dinner? We can order in too if you like.”
“Pizza and a movie?” Clara asked.
“Please?” Quentin added from where he still stood beside her. Dinah laughed and swatted his bum. “Go!” She said, still laughing as she pointed him toward the bedroom. “And call Laurel while you’re at it!” She called to him as he walked down the hallway. “See if she wants to join us.”
Turning back to her parents she pulled them out of their seats and captured them in a tight hug. “I am so happy you are here.” She said breathlessly. Pulling back to look at them she added, “This is going to be fun.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Amy, Rory, and Clara had set out to find blankets and pillows, determined to make the perfect indoor picnic for their movie night. Dinah shook her head fondly, turning to head into the kitchen after watching them bound out in all directions.
She began clearing away what she had lain out for dinner preparations earlier that day. Just as she was finishing up Amy ran in. She began opening cupboards, seemingly searching for something. Behind her Dinah cleared her throat and Amy spun around. Dinah folded her arms across her chest and raised her eyebrows, feeling a bit as though the mother/daughter dynamic was reversed.
“Cups?” Amy asked. Dinah continued to stare at her. Amy sighed, “Can you show me where the cups are? My husband and I are a little parched and could use a glass of water. Please.”
Dinah smirked and opened the cupboard which held the glasses. “I’m surprised you are only just now asking for water. Traveling by vortex manipulator, especially the first time, can do that to a person.” She filled two glasses with water and handed them to Amy.
Amy thanked her, and she picked up the last item she needed to put away. “I do have a question though.” She heard Amy say.
“And what is that?” She asked as she turned away from her to open another cupboard.
“Is your hair still curly?” Amy asked, a certain glee filling her voice. Dinah was confused for a fraction of a second before she felt the water from the glasses she had just handed her being poured over her head.
She let a moment pass in shock before whipping around and yelling, “Amelia!”
Amy quickly set the glasses on the counter and took off running into the other room, jumping over the sofa and taking refuge behind an unsuspecting Rory.
Dinah had to stop herself from running after her, taking deep breaths and reminding herself how much she had missed them and that killing her mother now might be a smidge too soon.
Walking past her parents and her daughter who were all standing together laughing quietly she said in a low voice, “Just you wait Amelia Jessica Pond.”
She headed to Quentin’s room where she could change into dry clothes and towel her hair. When she opened the door and walked in she saw that Quentin had left his clothes strewn across the bed and she smiled fondly. She never imagined there would come a time when she missed her husband making a mess of their room, but it had. And she was happy that she got that back. Even if it was just for the time-being.
She heard his voice coming from the bathroom, still talking to Laurel. Knowing his routine she figured it was safe and whipped off her top. She had been staying in his room with him a few days now, but hadn’t dared to dress in front of him. In truth she was feeling a bit shy. Something that was new to Dinah where Quentin was concerned.
She bent to rummage through her clothes in the case on the floor, smiling broadly when she heard him tell their little girl that he loved her and they would see her soon.
Knowing he would be out of the bathroom any moment she quickly found the top she had been looking for and pulled it on. Just as she was finishing adjusting the view of her cleavage (she had picked that specific blouse to show it off, hoping it would encourage him to make some kind of move) he walked back into the bedroom.
“Di can you hand me the shirt on the back of that chair?” he asked, not alarmed at her presence. It was then that it registered he wasn’t wearing a shirt, his bare chest looking just as delicious as it always had.
She forced herself to look away as she blushed, knowing that staring at her shirtless ex-husband any longer would result in her pouncing on him. She took the shirt from the back of the chair and threw it at him, it landing completely over his face. He laughed from underneath the cloth, pulling it away and looking up at Dinah. His breath hitched and he stared at her, only a few seconds too long.
“Um, your hair.” He finally forced himself to say. “Did something happen?”
Dinah chuckled, “The children got the best of me this time.”
He smiled and he laughed with her until they had both finished dressing, then heading out to see if the ‘children’ had completely destroyed the place or not.
After helping the three others arrange the furniture, blankets, and pillows they each sat down to claim their spot. Dinah was just starting to sit when the doorbell rang.
“I got it!” she announced as she grabbed her purse and opened the door expecting to pay the delivery man. But what greeted her was a very different sight.
“Mom. You’re still here” Laurel said in the disbelieving and accusatory tone she seems to reserve for her mother.
Her smile faltered. “Your father didn’t mention that when he called you?” She asked as she stepped aside to let her daughter in.
“No.” Laurel replied. Dinah took a deep breath and followed her into the house.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“You’re here.” Clara said simply.“And you’re British.” Laurel replied just the same. There was a pause and everyone was on edge waiting to see how this would play out. Another moment passed and then the two sisters simultaneously broke out into wide grins and embraced each other. Dinah let out a sigh of relief and felt it was relatively safe enough to leave them alone. She excused herself to the kitchen, not noticing that her mother had followed her out of the room. She groaned internally at the puddle still in the middle of the kitchen floor and pulled out a towel to start mopping it up. When all of the water had been absorbed into the towel she stood up and began to wring it out in the sink. “Mels, what’s wrong?” Amy asked from where she leaned against the counter. If Amy’s sudden question startled Dinah she didn’t show it. She continued to stare into the sink, waiting a moment before choosing to confide in her. “I made a mistake. I left them. A few years ago. Laurel despises me, Quentin… doesn’t. And I’m not sure which is worse.” Amy replied immediately, “That man in there looks at you like you hung the bloody stars. Which, in fact, you sort of did. And you look at him the way Rory looks at me.”Dinah looked up sharply, her eyes widening just a fraction. Amy sputtered out a laugh. “Oh, your face! You look just like him.” She continued to laugh and Dinah huffed. Reaching up to move her now frizzy curls from her face. After a moment Amy sobered. “You know I’m proud of you, yeah?” Dinah gave a slight nod of her head, a small smile appearing on her face. “Now,” Amy continued, “Let’s go get our boys before your father starts asking your husband what his intentions are.” - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dinah and Quentin sat side by side in the dark, both pretending to watch the movie playing on the screen in front of them. It was Quentin who eventually broke the silence. “Are you ever going to tell me who that man was?” he whispered. “What man?” Dinah answered warily, not liking where she knew the conversation was headed.“The one who showed up on my doorstep on Christmas. You slapped him.”Dinah tried to laugh. “Just a colleague from the University. Doctor Smith.”“Di,” He said, turning to look at her. “Who is he really? And don’t say a professor. I know he isn’t.” He reached out and grabbed her hand. She started to pretest but he cut her off. “You went Canary on me back there.” He paused. “Sweetheart, I just need to know that you are safe.”She smiled broadly at the endearment and finally turned to look back at him. “I know.” She said softly, squeezing his hand. “Thank you.” She pulled his arm around her and cuddled into his side. Quentin smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He knew that she was avoiding his question, but having her pulled in close to his side and feeling her heart beat next to his, he was content with not knowing.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Clara walked silently beside her mother as they wound their way through the streets of town. She had finally given up asking where they were going. Dinah had met her in the kitchen this morning, handing her a coffee mug and her coat. She hadn’t said a word then and she was just as quiet now. Clara sent a nervous glance towards the other woman. The worry in the pit of her stomach was getting to be too much to handle. “Mom,” She began. Dinah immediately stopped her brisk pace and stood rooted on the sidewalk. She sniffed and pulled her coat tighter around herself as she began to walk again, slower this time. Once Clara caught back up with her she began to speak. “You’re father and I aren’t together anymore.” She said softly as she steered them off the walkway. “And I don’t mean starting today. I left him a few years ago. I left them. I didn’t want to have to tell you I’m sorry.”Clara listened until Dinah finished, stunned but somehow not surprised at the confession. She thought back through the last couple of days. Her parents had seemed so happy, so in love. So much in love in fact they seemed to simultaneously be teenagers experiencing new love and an elderly married couple. After thinking a moment Clara asked the only thing she could, “Why?” Dinah stared straight ahead as she walked, taking even and deliberate breaths. “Grief.” She said finally. “Your father and your sister dealt with it their own ways. And I was left alone. It was as if I had been cut off from them and their lives.” She stopped walking and sighed. “I kept hoping one day they would come home and we could be a family again. That we would talk to each other, hell, even look at each other. Eventually I gave up hope, and then I couldn’t stay there anymore. It was too much so I left.” She finally turned to look at Clara as she finished. “Grief for what?” her daughter inquired. Dinah pulled the girl into an embrace and whispered in her ear. “I am so sorry.” Clara looked up at her mother, curious what she meant. Dinah was staring off over her shoulder with tears gathering in her eyes. Clara turned to see if there was a person or something else behind her but what she found surprised her. They were in a cemetery. How did she not notice that they had been walking through headstones? “Mom?” She asked. More confused now than before. Dinah let her go and moved past her to the headstone behind her. She knelt on the ground next to it and looked up at Clara. She patted the ground next to her and her daughter knelt down beside her. Her mother took a deep breath and with gloved hands brushed the snow from the headstone in front of them. What Clara saw behind it made her stomach churn and a strangled sob escape from her throat. She shook her head. No, there had to be some mistake. She closed her eyes tightly as tears started escaping. Maybe when she opened them again it would be different. Slowly with a shuddering breath she opened her eyes again. And there it was. The same name she didn’t want to see on the grave. Sara Lance. Her sister. Tears and sobs escaped her as she sagged into her mother’s arms that had come around her. When her crying finally began to subside Dinah pulled back to cup her daughter’s face and bring it up to look at her. “You have to promise me you won’t do anything stupid Clara.” She blinked blankly at the words and Di spoke again. “You and the Doctor cannot tamper with this. Even if it were possible to get her back that idiot would screw it up somehow.” Clara let out a soft laugh at that and Dinah smiled in relief. She stood and helped her child up and put her arm around her shoulders as they made their way home again. - - - - - - - - - - - - - After arriving at the house Clara had taken a shower and insisted she spend some time showing her grandparents around the city. So Dinah bade them goodbye, with stern instructions to be back in time for dinner and not a second later. The girls had mocked her as they walked out the door and her father had pressed a kiss to her temple along with a quiet, “I promise Melody.” She smiled and leaned against the doorframe watching as they walked away. She came back to herself, realizing she had spaced out in the open doorway. She turned back into the house and closed the door. She busied herself cleaning what she could of the house before eventually deciding it wouldn’t be a bad thing to take a short nap. After the ordeal this morning she needed it. Besides no one was home, they would never know. As she had that thought the door opened and she groaned as she made her way back to the entryway to see who it was. She found Quentin there shrugging off his coat and hanging it beside the door. “You’re home already?” Dinah asked him.“Lunch.” He replied as he put his hand on her arm and kissed her cheek before walking into the kitchen. She froze at the contact and after a minute or two shook her head to clear it and followed him into the kitchen. They began working around each other to get their food ready. It was natural and easy for them to fall back into their old routine. She had her head in the refrigerator searching for something when she heard him ask, “So, is Clara off spending the day with your parents then?” “Yeah,” she answered automatically. When she closed to door of the fridge his words finally registered. She turned quickly and searched his face to see if she had heard him right. His looked back at her unblinking. She felt the blood drain from her face and her knees buckle beneath her before not feeling anything at all.