Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Mia Tyler was known for many things amongst her family and had already quite the reputation for being only ten years old.

She was highly intelligent, well read and quickly bored – like her father.

She was quick-witted, fast on her feet and usually grumpy without her 8-10 hours of sleep – like her mother.

She was always keen on justice, got into trouble more than she would admit and could talk a mile an hour – like both of her parents.

In personality, Mia was the perfect fusion of both her parents. She possessed her father's quick thinking and love for the unknown and her mother's feisty spirit and resilience. It was a unique combination, one that often kept those around her on their toes.

Also, she wasn´t known to be the most cautious or quiet. She moved through life with a boundless enthusiasm that often led to her creating quite the ruckus. A treat that was especially annoying to her uncle Tony, who had the very unthankful job looking after his niece as he was saving up for a new computer.

Their family might be rich and if he wanted, his parents could buy him a new computer every day, but his mother was always keen to remind him that they weren´t anything better than others and managed to keep the family down to earth. If he wanted to anything that couldn´t be covered by his own allowance money, he either would have to wait for Christmas, his birthday or until he had saved up enough.

It was one of those uneventful evening when everything went downhill.

Mias parents were absent for a work-related trip – she was used to it by now, even if she didn’t like it. They never said much about their work and even Mia understood that it was something so important, that it had to be kept secret, like those secret-agents she sometimes saw on the Telly. That and that it also involved her Grandad, as they all worked in the Organization, he was the director of. Torchwood.

Everyone knew it and the headquarters in the middle of London were well-known. But official it was just some agency for health and safety between earth and extraterrestrial beings. Well, Aliens. It was no secret that they existed and sometimes found their way to earth. Torchwood helped them in those cases. At least if the rumors were right. It was a very grey area with no official answers, as Torchwood tried to keep a low profile. They had helped end a big war almost 20 years ago, as her grandma would proudly tell her when she was younger and point out how her dad had helped them then, as well when the whole star-issue had taken place. Tony loved those stories, Mia as well when she was younger. But in her eyes her parents were already heroes, the big background never really had interested in now. She knew some of their adventures, but they had told her them like fairy tales as a kid, so in her mind everything seemed to be when it came to how her parents met. She’d rather knew what they did nowadays when they left her with Tony or her Grandparents.

Mia was sitting across Tony as they ate their Pizza, ordered secretly as their both hated to cook. She half-heartedly took a bite of her tuna and watched Tony in the meantime, tapping something away on his phone while casually folding a piece of pizza and stuffing it into his mouth in one bite. The very opposite of how he would behave when they had dinner with Pete and Jackie. Then he was his usual calm self, but with more manners. She had noticed very early on that although Tony was her mum’s brother, they had very little in common. Tony was quiet, well-behaved but could lash out if needed. Much like her grandma. In Mia’s opinion he was boring, even for a teenager. He rarely did anything interesting, was too careful and had been raised into a housecat. Everyone knew he was there, but only the lucky ones would notice him. But cats were chaotic, so maybe he was a very quiet housecat - present but easily overlooked. Her dad liked cats and often made fun when comparing Rose and Tony.

"Watcha doing on that thing anyway?" Mia asked chewingly and nodded towards Tonys phone, a device that seemed to be an extension of his hand.

Tony looked up from his phone, his expression shifting from concentration to amusement. "Just some online game," he replied, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "You know, trying to beat my high score. You wouldn't understand, Mia. It requires a strategic mind."

Mia rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, please. I'm sure I could beat your high score with my eyes closed," she retorted, her competitive spirit ignited.

Tony chuckled, not taking her challenge too seriously. "Maybe one day you'll prove me wrong. But for now, let's focus on something more important, like finishing this pizza before it gets cold and wobbly. Also, try to swallow before you speak.”

With a mouthful of pizza, Mia contemplated Tony's explanation about his phone game. She couldn’t help but be intrigued, despite her initial teasing. "Come on, let me see," she said, reaching across the table to grab Tony's phone.

Tony hesitated for a moment, then handed her the phone with a grin. "Prepare to be amazed," he said, his tone mocking.

Mia studied the screen intently, her brows furrowing in concentration. The game was a complex strategy game, with colorful graphics and intricate puzzles. She could see why Tony was so engrossed in it. She swiped her finger across the screen, making swift moves that indicated her familiarity with touch-based games.

For a moment, Tony was taken aback. Mia's determination and quick reflexes were impressive. She maneuvered through the game with ease, her competitive nature coming to the forefront. Soon enough, she surpassed Tony's high score, a triumphant grin on her face.

Tony stared at the screen in disbelief. "I... I didn’t expect that," he admitted, his eyes wide with surprise.

Mia shrugged nonchalantly, taking another bite of her pizza. "Never underestimate the power of a determined mind and a love for pizza," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “Not so little and dumb as you thought, aye?”

With a sigh Tony took his phone back and looked at Mia with a mixture of concern and disbelief.

“Mimi, we had this discussion already. I never called you dumb or too little. Simply too young and inexperienced. I´m sorry, really. But no means no”

“But mum and dad…”

“…also said no. Under no circumstances and even if you beg, to quote Rose. And if your mum says no, it means no. End of discussion.”

“Just one peek!” Mia now begged, putting on her best puppy-eyed gaze, but Tony was unfazed and crossed his arms.

“No. Your dad will kill me if you even dare to step into his office or even his lab. No matter if they try to clone rats or build a spaceship. Which they don´t, so stop nagging. And even if, why would he keep it in the basement?”, he mocked and rolled his eyes. He hated his endless discussions about the secret projects of one John Tyler-Noble. Not that anyone called him that, as he always insisted that others called him the Doctor. Tony was used to it by now and if anything, it only underlined the weird character of his brother-in-law.

Mia pouted, her bottom lip sticking out in a perfect imitation of her mother when she didn’t get her way. Tony, however, was immune to her adorable antics. He had learned to be resilient, especially when it came to protecting the secrets hidden within the Tyler household.

"Mia, I know you're curious, but your parents have their reasons for keeping their work a secret," Tony said, his tone firm but gentle. "It's not just about your safety; it's about the safety of everyone involved. The less people know, the better."

"But I want to be involved too," Mia protested, her frustration evident in her voice. "I'm not a child anymore, Tony. I can handle it."

Tony sighed, recognizing the determination in Mia's eyes. He understood her desire to be part of her parents' world; after all, he had felt the same way when he was her age. But he also knew the risks involved.

"I get it, Mia. I really do," Tony said, his voice softening. "But your parents, they worry about you. And not even I know what they all do at Torchwood. Not even I get to know what they´re up to. Not from your parents and sure as hell not from mine. Just accept it until they tell you by themselves one day. Including any theoretical spaceships hidden in the basement.”

Mia slumped in her chair, her shoulders sagging with disappointment. She hated it when Tony was right, which seemed to happen more often than she would like to admit.

"But what if I promise to be careful? What if I promise not to get in the way?" Mia tried one last attempt, her eyes pleading with Tony to reconsider.

Tony hesitated, his gaze softening as he looked at Mia. He knew her too well, knew that she possessed the same adventurous spirit as her parents. In that moment, he saw Rose's determination and the Doctor's curiosity reflected in her eyes. But as much as he loved his niece, he wouldn’t dare to overstep the given rules.

“Sorry, moppet. Not this time.”

Mia slumped in her chair, her disappointment palpable. She understood Tony's concerns, but it didn't stop her from feeling frustrated.

Tony and Mia finished their pizza in relative silence, the conversation about Torchwood and the secret projects subsiding into an uneasy quiet. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a nearby lamp casting long shadows across the walls of the living room. Mia fiddled with the edge of her pizza crust, lost in thought. Tony, on the other hand, focused on his phone, determined to distract himself from the heaviness of the topic.

As the minutes ticked by, Mia couldn't shake off her curiosity. The desire to explore her parents' world  gnawed at her insides. She glanced at Tony, who was still engrossed in his phone game. A plan began to form in her mind, a daring idea that might just grant her access to the secrets she longed to uncover.

Quietly, Mia pushed her chair back and stood up, her determination outweighing her fear of consequences. With silent steps, she made her way to the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew the layout of the house like the back of her hand, having spent her entire life exploring every nook and cranny. She tiptoed past her parents' study, towards the door towards the basement. Her eyes lingering on the closed door.

The room held an air of mystery, and Mia was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. She wasn´t allowed alone downstairs since she knew how to open doors by herself and thus it was always locked. But unbeknownst to her parents, had had become a pro at lockpicking at the age of eight, after losing her keys for the fourth time and having spend two hours in the cold after school, as no one was home and she unable to get in. The guide on how to get around every lock had been lent from the library the very next day by her.

Mia's small hand reached into her pocket and pulled out a set of lockpicks. She had become skilled at this art, a talent she had honed in secret, far away from prying eyes. Carefully, she inserted the lockpick into the keyhole and began to work her magic, her eyes narrowed in concentration. The lock clicked softly, and Mia's heart raced with a mixture of excitement and fear. She didn’t move for a moment, listening for any noises. But from the living room she only heard the noise from Tonys game and concluded that he hadn’t heard her.

With bated breath, she turned the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open, revealing the darkness of the basement beyond. She hesitated for a moment, her mind flashing with Tony's warnings and her parents' strict instructions. But her curiosity got the better of her, and she stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

The basement was dimly lit, illuminated by a single overhead light bulb that cast eerie shadows on the walls. Dust motes floated in the air, dancing in the faint light. Mia took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. She moved further into the room, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

The basement was cluttered with various gadgets and contraptions, most of which Mia couldn't make sense of. Strange devices adorned the shelves, and peculiar instruments were scattered across tables. It was like a mad scientist's workshop, a place where the impossible seemed to come to life.

Her eyes fell on a peculiar-looking contraption in the corner of the room. It was a metallic structure with blinking lights and intricate round symbols etched into its surface. Mia's curiosity piqued, and she approached it cautiously. She reached out to touch it, her fingers grazing the cold metal.

As soon as her skin made contact with the surface, the contraption sprang to life. Lights flickered, and a low hum filled the air. Mia gasped, taking a step back in awe and fear. She watched in fascination as the device seemed to come alive, its purpose unknown to her.

Intrigued and somewhat frightened, Mia couldn't tear her eyes away from the mysterious contraption. It hummed with energy, and the air around it seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly power. Despite her initial fear, her curiosity got the best of her, and she moved closer again, her hand hovering just above the surface.

With a deep breath, she summoned her courage and touched the device once more. This time, a surge of energy coursed through her fingertips, sending shivers down her spine.

Suddenly the computer and several devices sprang to life, lightening up the dark basement in various colors. She thought about turning around, going back upstairs, but her determination got the better of her. With the better lights the computer provided, she looked again at the strange contraception and noticed a coral-like branch being stuck to the side. It was as big as her arm and began to glow golden.

Mia's eyes widened in amazement as the coral-like branch emitted a warm, golden glow. Mesmerized by its beauty, she reached out to touch it gently. To her surprise, the moment her fingers made contact with the glowing coral, a rush of images flooded her mind. Visions of distant planets, alien landscapes, and futuristic cities flashed before her eyes. It was as if the coral was showing her glimpses of a universe far beyond her comprehension.

Caught in the whirlwind of visions, Mia felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation. She could hear strange voices whispering in unknown languages, and yet, she somehow understood them. The knowledge of ancient civilizations and advanced technologies flooded her mind, overwhelming her senses. She went to retreat her hand but was unable to.

“What the…” she spoke and slowly began to panic. With her second hand she went and tried to extract her hand, but only got stuck with now both hands attached to the coral. Desperation surged through Mia as she tried to pull her hands away, but they remained firmly stuck to the glowing coral. Fear clawed at her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her mind raced, searching for a way out of this surreal and terrifying situation.

“Let me go!”, she began to yell and put her foot onto the metallic body and pulled stronger. But it didn’t help and instead of detaching herself, she kicked over something and flicked a switch at the floor. Beside her computer suddenly began to flicker red.

The sudden change in lights caught Mia's attention, and she looked over to see the computer screen displaying a series of complex symbols and codes. It seemed to react to her presence and the energy emanating from the coral. The symbols glowed ominously in the dim light of the basement, casting an eerie glow on Mia's frightened face.

Panicked, Mia struggled even harder, her desperation fueling her efforts to free herself from the strange grip of the coral. She called out for help, her voice echoing in the confined space of the basement. But there was no one to hear her cries, no one to rescue her from the bizarre and dangerous situation she had found herself in.

The symbols on the computer screen began to change rapidly, morphing into a language Mia couldn't comprehend. The basement seemed to vibrate with energy, and Mia felt a strange sensation, as if the very fabric of reality around her was shifting. The air crackled with an otherworldly power, and Mia's hair stood on end.

In a desperate attempt to break free, Mia closed her eyes and focused all her energy on pulling her hands away from the coral. She could feel the tingling sensation in her fingertips, the warmth of the energy enveloping her hands. With a final burst of strength, she yanked her hands away, tearing them from the grip of the glowing coral.

The moment her hands were free, the basement was engulfed in a blinding light. Mia shielded her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. When the light subsided, she cautiously opened her eyes and found herself no longer in the basement.

Chapter Text

Mia blinked in confusion, her eyes adjusting to the sudden change in surroundings. She found herself standing on a bustling street in the heart of London. The familiar sights and sounds of the city enveloped her, but something felt off. But in her slight shocked state, she immediately brushed it off.

Her mind, still reeling from the strange experience in the basement, struggled to comprehend the reality of her situation. She glanced around, trying to make sense of her surroundings. The towering buildings, the iconic red double-decker buses, and the distant sound of Big Ben chiming in the background—it all seemed so real and yet surreal at the same time.

A wave of panic washed over Mia. She clutched her hands to her chest, feeling the rapid beat of her heart against her palms. "This can't be right," she muttered to herself, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "I was just in the basement at home. How did I end up here?"

Mia frantically searched her pockets for her phone, hoping to call her parents or Tony for help. But to her dismay, the device was missing. In her struggle to free herself from the glowing coral, she must have dropped it in the basement. As Mia's panic intensified, she scanned the bustling street, searching for any sign of familiarity. She felt like an intruder in her own city, and the people passing by paid her no mind, lost in their own lives.

With growing unease, Mia wandered through the crowded street, her mind racing with questions. She hoped to come across a familiar landmark or a friendly face that could help her make sense of her situation. She tried to recall everything she knew about the city's layout, trying to pinpoint her location. The only thing she knew for certain, was the fact that she was in London. Unfortunately she was only used to her own neighborhood and that was on the other side of town, as she never was allowed to go into the city alone given her age and in the past she never had paid that much attention where she was. Her family has always been with her when they went shopping in the busier parts of London.

Mia took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She decided to keep walking, hoping that she might stumble upon something familiar or encounter someone who could help her. The bustling crowd moved around her, indifferent to her internal turmoil.

As she walked, Mia noticed a small park nearby. She made her way toward it, thinking that a moment of solitude might help clear her mind. The park was a peaceful oasis amidst the urban chaos. Mia found a bench beneath a large oak tree and sat down, taking in the surroundings.

She replayed the events in her mind, trying to make sense of how she had ended up in this strange situation. Her thoughts drifted back to the glowing coral and the peculiar contraption in the basement. Had that thing teleported her across the city? Was had dad invention a new way of transportation? She distantly remembered how her grandfather had told her about the yellow travel discs they had used to teleport in the past, but they had almost destroyed the environment and the planet and were no longer used. Maybe her dad wanted to reinvent those discs without causing a heatwave? Her head began to hurt, and she leaned back, massaging her temples.

“Okay Mia, focus. You can do this. Time to gather the facts: You transported into the middle of London, are at..”, she looked around for any signs that could tell her where she was. “St. James Park? Right, that makes it easier. Been here before, even if it looks weird.”

Slowly, she managed to calm herself and a vague plan began to formulate in her mind. Get into the Tube towards Canary Wharf, go to Torchwood One Tower and hope that her grandad was at work today. Well, at least they would call him she was there, and he could pick her up, she thought and began to search for the Tube Station. Silently she had to laugh about herself. She was ten years old and knew normally how to get around. But then again, she had also never been teleported. But as soon as her grandad would bring her home and fix it, even this adventure would be over and she home again. It was always like this, so why not now.  

Determined, Mia made her way towards the nearest Tube station, her steps purposeful despite the uncertainty that still clouded her mind. She navigated the bustling streets with the confidence of someone much older, drawing on her innate curiosity and resourcefulness.

Arriving at the Tube station, Mia approached the ticket machine, her eyes scanning the instructions. She rummaged through her pockets, hoping to find enough change to buy a ticket. After a few moments, she managed to scrape together the required fare and purchased a ticket to Canary Wharf.

As she waited for the train, Mia's mind raced with thoughts of her family, her parents, and Tony. What would they be thinking? Would they be looking for her? She tried to push away the worry, reminding herself that her grandad would surely find a way to bring her back home.

When the train arrived, Mia boarded and found an empty seat by the window. She watched the cityscape pass by as the train moved through the tunnels. The rhythmic clattering of the tracks and the muffled sounds of the city outside had a strangely soothing effect on her frazzled nerves.

But as soon as she approached where she was sure to find the Torchwood Tower, her faith was washed away at once. She knew the building, had been there often since she was a baby and knew her way around it. But to her shattering surprise, instead of a building she found herself in the middle of a small park-like plaza, lined with a few wall made out of marble and with many names engraved onto each of them.

Mia stared in disbelief at the unfamiliar surroundings. This was definitely not the Torchwood Tower she knew. Confusion and fear gripped her heart, squeezing it tightly. She glanced around, desperately trying to make sense of her situation. The names engraved on the marble walls caught her attention. It was a memorial of some sort, a place of remembrance.

Steeling herself, Mia approached one of the walls and read the names. They were the names of people who had lost their lives in some tragic event.

 “In remembrance to the victims of the Battle of Canary Wharf in 2007 – never forgotten to be always in our minds”, she read the inscription. Wasn’t that the war where her family had participated and won? Unconsciously she began to read the names on the walls in the hope to find maybe anything that sounded familiar. She remembered how her mom told her about her best friend Mickey and how she had last seen him there. But she couldn’t remember if he had died or not. After a few minutes she was getting impatient when her gaze stopped at two familiar names.

Rose Marion Tyler                                           1987 – 2007

Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler                1967 – 2007

Without noticing Mia began to walk backwards, her eyes wide open and still staring at the names.

“But…this…what?”, she stuttered in a frantic whisper to herself.

Mia's mind reeled with disbelief and horror. She felt a profound sense of loss and confusion, her mind struggling to accept the impossible truth before her. Her mother and her grandmother were listed as victims of a battle that had taken before she was even born - a time that felt distant and surreal to her. Questions raced through her mind, each one more troubling than the last. How could her mother and grandmother have died in a battle when they were alive and well just hours ago? Why was she standing in front of a memorial for events that had happened long before her time, when just days ago when on this very place had been a building. A sense of utter helplessness washed over her. Grief and disbelief warred within her, and a deep ache settled in her chest. This couldn’t be right. She pinched her arm hard, testing a theory. But the pain and proof on how real this was, only made her feel worse. If her mom and gran were dad in this…other reality, what about her dad and grandad? They had to be somewhere!

“Phone gone, no computer, Torchwood also gone…”, she began to think loudly and let herself fall onto a nearby bench. The reality around her felt like a cruel, distorted version of the life she knew. She desperately tried to make sense of the situation. Her logical mind rebelled against the impossibility of the scenario.

In an attempt to gain some control over the situation, Mia retraced her steps mentally. The glowing coral in her basement, the inexplicable teleportation, and now this alternate reality where her mother and grandmother were listed as deceased. It was as if she had stepped into a parallel universe, a concept she had heard her parents discuss during dinner conversations, but one that had always seemed like science fiction. She had always ignored those discussions, because it always sounded like boring grown-up-stuff and not something she was interested in. Now she wished she knew more about this or that she would simply wake up and everything would be just a dream. But it felt way too real. She wanted to cry. But something inside hindered her, and a small voice told her to stay strong. She could do this!

Determined, she stood up and looked around. What had her grandma told her when she was little?

If you get lost, go to an adult. When possible, you go into a store and ask them to call the police. They will help you.

To her dismay, she couldn’t see any shops nearby, only office buildings that seemed all to be closed. But she spotted an elderly man sitting at the memorial that looked friendly enough.

“Excuse me, Sir?”, she hesitantly approached him. “I..I think I’m lost.”

The elderly man looked up from the flowers he had been arranging at the memorial, his eyes kind and understanding. He gave Mia a gentle smile, a mix of sympathy and concern in his expression.

“Well, aren’t you a brave one to ask for help,” he said kindly, patting the space next to him on the bench. “Come, sit. Tell me, what seems to be troubling you, young lady?”

Mia took a seat next to the kind old man, grateful for his comforting presence. She struggled to find the right words to explain her bizarre and quite unique situation. Maybe she should keep that part with her theory about alternative universes out for now, she reckoned.

"I... I was at home, and then I ended up here," she began, her voice trembling with uncertainty as she began to explain. “I need to call my dad or my grandpa, but I lost my phone.”

The old man listened attentively; his eyes filled with understanding. He fumbled in his pocked for a moment before pressing a mobile phone into Mia’s hands. “That shouldn’t be an issue. Do you know what number you need to call?”

Mia looked with wide eyes at the man, her gaze full of appreciation and quickly she gave him a small smile and nodded. “Yes! And I can really use it?”

A laugh echoed and the man nodded affirmative. “Of course. Go on, I bet your family will probably be worried.”

That was all Mia needed and began to dial without hesitation. She put the phone to her ear, waiting for the warm voice of her fathers greeting and…

The number you´ve dialed is not in service.

Disbelieving she looked at the now dead line, before trying it again. But with the same response.

“But…this can´t be! I know dad’s number! I just called him yesterday!”, she cried out, feeling the panic rise again.

“Shhh, maybe try another number?”, came it carefully suggested from the old man, who put his hand onto her shoulder to calm Mia down.

But even as she tried her grandpa’s number…

The number you´ve dialed is not in service.

She felt like a puppet whose strings have been cut and that crashed without mercy towards the ground. She wished Tony would come around the next corner, giving her a stern talking about rules, privacy and wandering-off or even a lecture from her parents. Anything, really. But not even knowing where they were or where she could go let her feel immensely helpless. She remembered the kitten they had found a few years earlier in their garden without its mother and she had helped nurse until their neighbors had adopted it. Had the kitten felt the same? Lonely, clueless, and scared. She might be smart for her age and a touch cookie as her grandpa often called her, but she was still a child!

Mia sat there, overwhelmed by the impossibility of her situation. The kind old man continued to offer her a reassuring presence, but the sense of isolation and helplessness gnawed at her. Her world had been turned upside down, and she had no idea how to make it right.

In a last-ditch effort to find some connection, Mia decided to reach out to her parents' workplace. She dialed the number for Torchwood, hoping that maybe someone would pick up… But the result was the same—no service. She stared at the phone, her hands trembling with frustration and fear.

Now her hope went out the police. She insisted to go there alone after the old man had given her the directions where she had to go. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but she never wanted to rely onto some stranger and felt as if she had already used his kindness more than enough. But that didn’t stop him from writing his contacts onto a small piece of paper and giving it insistent to her with making her promise to call him if she needed help and when she had found her parents. He remined her a bit of her own grandpa, always looking out for others and helping where needed. It was a family curse in a way sometimes, but she still took the paper thankful.

Weary a pair of eyes followed her, until Mia was no longer seen. He couldn’t put his finger why the little girl seemed so familiar to him, but with a sad smile etching his face Wilfred Mott went home that evening in the hopes that this lost little soul would find her way back home.

Chapter Text

“I´m sorry, sweetheart, but I can´t find anyone you asked for. Are you really sure that you´re not playing a prank with us?”

Shivering Mia clutched the cut with cocoa in her hands – a little treat from the police officer that had taken her case an hour ago.

Mia stared at the kind police officer with wide, teary eyes. She had recounted her story to him, and his skepticism only deepened her sense of desperation. She had hoped that the police would be able to help her, but instead, she felt like she was met with disbelief.

The police officer sighed, his expression softening. He could see the genuine fear and worry in the young girl's eyes.

"I believe you're scared, but the story you're telling is... well, it's not something I've ever heard before. And we couldn't find any record of your family in the city." He quietly explained to her and put a piece of paper in front of her. “Look, here. This is a copy from our index. The names you told me are valid and those persons existed, but they all died long before you were born. Rose and Jackie Tyler are deceased since 2007, that was over 15 years ago, before you were born. Pete Tyler died already in 1987. And you father isn´t even in our system. No John Noble or John Tyler-Noble. Also, no Tony Tyler had even been registered in this country. So I’m sorry, but I have trouble to believe you.”

Mia's heart sank further with every word the police officer said. She felt a profound sense of loss and confusion. The reality she knew seemed to be slipping away, replaced by a world where her family was unknown, and the life she remembered didn't exist.

"But I swear it's true! Something happened, something strange with this coral-like thing in our basement. I touched it, and then I was here!" Mia's voice wavered, a mix of frustration and desperation. She clutched the cup of cocoa as if it were the only anchor keeping her grounded.

Officer Davies leaned back in his chair, studying Mia for a moment before speaking gently. "I understand that you're scared, but teleportation, alternate realities… It all sounds like science fiction, sweetheart. Maybe you had a bad dream or got disoriented and ended up in a part of London you didn't recognize. Sometimes our minds can play tricks on us."

Mia's eyes widened with frustration. "But I'm not making this up! I know what I saw, and I know my family is real! There has to be a way to prove it!" She felt the desperation welling up inside her, a burning need to make someone believe her, to find a way back home.

Officer Davies sighed, his expression softening with sympathy. He reached out and gently patted Mia's hand. "Look, I'll file a missing person’s report for you, just in case. But in the meantime, maybe it's best if we find a relative or a guardian who can take care of you."

Mia nodded, feeling defeated. She understood that the officer was trying to help, but his words only deepened her sense of isolation. If no one believed her, how could she ever find her way back home?

"Okay," she whispered, her voice small and shaky. A lump forming in her throat. The reality of her situation was sinking in, and the prospect of being placed with strangers only heightened her fear. She longed for the familiar embrace of her parents, the comforting presence of her grandad, and the annoying but endearing antics of her uncle Tony.

As Officer Davies left the room to make the necessary calls, Mia clutched the cup of cocoa tighter, seeking solace in its warmth. She felt utterly alone in a world that was both strange and terrifying. The bustling sounds of the police station, once so ordinary, now felt overwhelming. She wished more than anything to wake up from this nightmare, to find herself back in her own home, safe and sound.

A few minutes later he came back, his face questioning. “I checked the system again to find some of your relatives, Mia. While I couldn’t find your father, I got some results for his last name. Are you familiar with the name Donna Noble? Or maybe Sylvia Noble?”

Mia's eyes widened at the mention of the name Donna Noble. It was a name she had heard before, a name that seemed oddly familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. She furrowed her brow, trying to recall any connection to that name within the context of her family.

"Um, yeah," she hesitated, her voice uncertain. "Donna Noble... she's my dad's... sister? I think? I've heard the name from my parents, but I've never met her. I don't really know anything about her."

Officer Davies nodded, noting down the information in his notebook. “I'll try to reach out to her and see if she can come and pick you up.”

With hat he left her to wait. Mia crossed her arms on the table and put her head onto them. She was tired after not being able to sleep since eating dinner with Tony. With a yawn she closed her eyes, feeling drowsy and fell into a well needed slumber.

~~~

To say that Donna Noble had a bad day was probably the understatement of the week. Ever since UNIT had managed to locate her and reactivate her memories a few years earlier, her life had made a turn.

In the years since the return of her memories, Donna had joined UNIT, working with them to monitor and protect the Earth from extraterrestrial threats. She had even used her extensive knowledge from her time with the Doctor to help the organization, often proving herself to be invaluable. Except for that, she tried to stay out of the Doctors sight for the time being. Not that she resented them, but the betrayal of the memory wipe still stung deep, and she wasn’t ready to face the Time Lord so far. Also, it had been some regenerations for the Doctor, and she knew she wasn’t the only one that had been left behind since they had last met. From what Kate and Jack had told her, they were now blonde and female presenting. But who knew it that was still true.

All in all, the events of that day had been particularly trying. First her car wouldn’t start, then she was out of tea and the coffee-to-go on the Tube was a bag idea in general. But those things she could easily forget. There had been a sudden increase in temporal anomalies around London earlier that day, and UNIT was on high alert. Donna had been called in to assist in analyzing the situation and offering her insights into potential alien involvement. But nothing futile had come out so far and nothing had been found except a small blip and then it was gone. No one knew what it could be, but it had been too sudden and immense to swipe it under the carpet.

She was in the middle of a heated discussion with a group of scientists and UNIT officers when her phone rang. Donna's eyes darted to the screen, and she frowned in confusion at the unfamiliar number. With a sigh, she excused herself and stepped away from the group to answer the call.

"Donna Noble," she answered, her tone a mix of curiosity and irritation.

"Good evening Mrs. Noble. This is  Officer Davies from the Metropolitan Police. I hope I'm not disturbing you, but we have a young girl here, Mia Tyler, who claims to be related to you. She's in a quite unusual situation, and we thought you might be the closest family we could contact."

Donna's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Mia Tyler? I don't have any relatives by that name. Are you sure you got the right person?"

Officer Davies hesitated for a moment before replying, "Well, she mentioned that you might be her aunt, although she seemed uncertain. We couldn't find any other family members in our records. She's a bit shaken up, talking about teleportation and alternate realities. I know it sounds far-fetched, but she's just a kid and seemingly very imaginative. She's clearly distressed, maybe that’s the reason for her quite colorful story."

Donna's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the young girl's unusual claims. Teleportation, alternate realities—it sounded like something straight out of her own experiences with the Doctor. Memories of her travels through time and space stirred within her, and a shiver ran down her spine. While she had tried to move on from her adventures, fate seemed to have other plans for her. Also, if she really was a Tyler, she knew immediately where to link her to.

Taking a deep breath, Donna nodded even though Officer Davies couldn't see her over the phone. "Alright, Officer Davies. I'll come to the station and see what this is all about. I'll be there as soon as I can."

After hanging up, Donna quickly excused herself from her UNIT duties, leaving her colleagues with a hurried explanation. She hailed a cab and made her way to the police station, her mind racing with thoughts of the peculiar situation ahead. The drive to the station felt like an eternity, her mind filled with questions and apprehension.

When Donna arrived at the police station, Officer Davies greeted her with a tired but kind smile. He led her to a small room where Mia was sitting, her eyes tired and unfocused, but widened when she saw Donna. Donna's heart went out to the young girl, seeing the fear and confusion in her eyes. She sat down across from Mia, offering a reassuring smile.

It didn’t take her even three seconds to put one and one together, to know who Mia was. Blonde unruly hair, brown eyes with just a smack of green and freckles spread out like the stars at night.

Donna couldn't help but chuckle at the striking resemblance between Mia and the Doctor. The young girl had the same inquisitive expression, the same spark in her eyes, and even the same stubborn tilt of her head. It was as if a piece of her old friend had been reincarnated in this young girl.

"Mia?" Donna asked, her voice gentle. "I'm Donna. I heard you might be looking for me."

Mia's eyes widened in recognition; her fear momentarily replaced by surprise. "You're Donna Noble? The Donna Noble who traveled with my dad?"

Donna nodded, her lips curling into a warm smile. "Something like that, though I've hung up my traveling shoes since then. So, what's all this about alternate realities and teleportation?"

Mia hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure how to begin. "It's a bit complicated, but I was in our basement, and there was this coral thing, and I touched it, and then suddenly I was in London, but it's not our London, can´t be! `Cause there’s no Torchwood, no one knows where my family is and the police officer said you might be my aunt because you share my dad’s last name and know him, but it sounds so crazy, and I don't know what to do!" Mia gasped, forgetting to breath as the words came out her like a frantic waterfall and her hands gesticulating wildly.

Donna listened patiently, her expression softening with empathy.

"Well, crazy or not, I've seen my fair share of impossible things. If you're saying you're a Tyler, then I believe you. Rose is your mum, right?”, Donna asked with a small smile.

Mia's eyes widened in amazement, and her voice trembled with a mix of relief and hope. "Yes, yes, that's my mum!“

„I remember her, met her briefly years ago. Its all a bit complicated, but I’ll explain it as good as I can to you.”

Donna's eyes softened with understanding as she looked at Mia. She reached out and gently placed a hand on Mia's, offering her reassurance. "I can imagine how overwhelming this all must be for you, dear. But don't worry, I'll help you make sense of it. First things first, though, let me deal with the officers. They don't need to remember any of this, it's best if they forget all about it."

With a slight frown of concentration, Donna activated her retrogression device, standard equipment for any UNIT employee. The officers' memories of Mia and the strange situation began to fade, replaced by a vague sense of having dealt with a routine case. Donna made sure to leave no traces of their encounter, ensuring that Mia's story wouldn't draw unwanted attention from UNIT.

Once the officers' memories were successfully altered, Donna took Mia's hand, leading her out of the police station. "Now, how about we grab some chips? I find that chips have a magical way of making complicated things seem a bit simpler."

Mia watched with fascination as Donna seemingly worked a bit of magic to erase the memories of the police officers. It was like something out of a science fiction story, which felt oddly fitting given the circumstances.

Half an hour later, sitting at a corner table in the cozy chip shop, Donna and Mia dug into their portions of hot chips. Donna explained to Mia about the Doctor, the Time Lords, and the incredible journeys they had shared across the universe. She described the TARDIS, the Doctor's time-traveling spaceship that was much larger on the inside—a concept that utterly fascinated Mia. She had heard portions of it when she was younger, as part of her goodnight stories. But for her it was mostly like fairytales and not reality.

"But why doesn't my dad talk about all this?" Mia asked, her brow furrowing with confusion.

Donna sighed, a mixture of sadness and understanding in her eyes. "Your dad, well, he's a special case, sweetheart. He called it a metacrisis. He was created during a crisis situation, a version of the Doctor who was part human. It's a bit complicated, but it happened during one of our adventures. Your dad, or John as he's known in your universe, decided to live a more ordinary life and stayed with your mum.”

“So, there is another dad and mine is a clone?”, Mia asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

“No, he´s not a clone, sweetheart. More like…a twin or a very close sibling. He is his own person. Well, maybe a little bit like me, as I was the one that touched the hand.” Donna gave her a grin.

Mia seemed to think. “Okay, so the Doctor from this universe is my dad’s brother what makes you really dads’ sister?”

“It´s the easiest answer. But don´t tall that your dad, spaceman wouldn’t let me hear the end of it”, she rolled her eyes with a mischievous grin.

 Mia grinned back, appreciating Donna's humor despite the seriousness of the situation. "Got it, secret family code," she said with a playful wink.

Donna chuckled, her heart warming at Mia's resilience. "Exactly, you're catching on quick."

As they continued their conversation, Donna shared stories about her time with the Doctor, the adventures, the laughter, and even the dangers. She spoke of the incredible beings they had met, the Daleks, the Cybermen, and the awe-inspiring wonders of the universe. Mia listened with wide-eyed fascination, hanging onto every word as if she were hearing the most thrilling bedtime story.

It didn’t surprise Donna when she noticed how Mia slowly began to nod away. It was clear that this whole day hat taken its toll to her and that she was bone-dead tired. She didn’t even need to convince Mia much to come with her, as the little girl seemed to trust her. When they sat in the cab towards Donna’s flat, she felt a small head leaning against her arm and the child attached to his fast asleep. She wasn’t much of a religious person but couldn’t help but send a small prayer toward any deity that might listen and to ask them that they would be able to bring her back home. The pain of been parted from her family had been painted all over Mia’s face since they met. Until then she would do her best to look after her – she was family after all.

Upon reaching Donna's flat she tried to gently wake her up, but only got a disagreeing grumble from her new companion. Thanking the constructors for installing a lift into her building, she resigned and carefully carried the sleeping Mia inside, laying her on the couch. She would never complain again about the slender figure Mia seemingly had inherited from her father. Still, she hoped never needing to lift a ten-year-old again.

“I´m getting too old for this. Just wait until we meet again you sod of a Martian…”, she mumbled to herself, while looking for a blanket and tucking Mia into her makeshift bed.

She pulled a soft blanket over the sleeping girl, ensuring she was comfortable. Despite the unusual circumstances, Donna felt a strong sense of protectiveness towards Mia. It was confusing for her. She somewhat resented the Time Lord for what he did and the sheer carelessness that often came with the adventures.

It was pure luck that UNIT had found her and worked on giving her back her memories, with success. She may have lost most the knowledge from the metacrisis und thus wasn’t the Doctor Donna anymore but had gained back everything else.

After being dropped back home after the whole mess on the Crucible and with Davros, she had trouble to stand on her own legs. She didn’t know what it was, but a deep feeling  inside of her of something being lost accompanied her every step she went. Not even her marriage with Shaun had made her happy enough to prevent the claws of a deep depression that slowly had caught her and managed to drag her down for years. It was better now – she went to therapy ordered by Kate, had had her family and even Shaun back- as at least a friend - and a job that gave her purpose with others who had made similar experiences as she had.  She had found some great colleagues and friends at UNIT. Kate Steward was a strict, but fair boss and by now a good friend to Donna. With Ace she had found a companion that knew how much the Doctor could hurt someone and some other faces that had simply been left behind. They even had tried to invite her to the Companion Support Group with the latest of the Doctors companions. But she had only been there once, it was simply too much to bear for her. She understood those who struggled to hear about other incarnations of the same Doctor. Especially when she remembered Ian’s reaction as they told him about the whole regeneration complexity. Poor man almost had a heart attack, while Yaz looked as if she was about to cry and given moment. That also was something that didn´t quite got into her mind, as for her the Doctor always pined for Rose. But then again maybe regeneration allowed that the Doctor could heal and find now love. They were over 3000 years old if the records were right after all. Also, she hadn’t seen the last incarnations, so she tried not to judge anyone.

She felt a pang of both anger and sadness, a mix of emotions that had become all too familiar. Yet, looking at Mia, sleeping peacefully on her couch, Donna couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility and even a strange kind of gratitude for the adventures she had shared with the Time Lord. Those experiences had shaped her into the person she was now, someone who could face the extraordinary with courage and compassion. And it hadn’t been Mia’s father in the end that caused her trouble. From what she had witnessed in their brief encounter, he still had his own character and resented some of the Time Lords actions as the human side inside him influenced his moral compass a bit. Seemingly enough to keep the whole past and his Time Lord persona separate from Mia, who didn´t knew a thing about her intergalactic heritage.

Donna sighed, shaking her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. The complexities of Time Lord life and the adventures she had shared with the Doctor were overwhelming at times. But looking at Mia, she knew that she couldn't let her own frustrations cloud her responsibility toward the young girl.

Quietly, Donna settled down in a nearby armchair, her eyes still on Mia's sleeping form. She realized that she had a unique task here, a chance to offer Mia a sense of stability and understanding in a world that had suddenly turned topsy-turvy.

In the quiet of her flat, Donna reached for her phone and sent a quick text message. She informed Kate that she had a family emergency but would come in soon. First, she would ensure that Mia was okay before hurling her into any new chaos. She had already a plan, how to maybe brighten Mia’s day a bit and making up for neglecting a certain person the last few weeks a bit too much, while watching her sleep.

“Mum…” Donna stirred from her half-sleep, her senses immediately alert as she heard the soft whimper. She looked towards the sofa, where Mia was still sleeping, her face contorted in distress. Donna moved quickly, sitting beside Mia and gently brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"Mum," Mia murmured again, her voice filled with sadness and fear.

Donna's heart clenched at the desperate whisper. She knew that Mia must be experiencing some kind of nightmare, her mind grappling with the overwhelming events of the day. Donna reached out, her touch light and comforting, trying to soothe the young girl without waking her abruptly.

"Mia, it's okay," Donna murmured softly, her voice a gentle lull. "You're safe here. I'm right here with you, sweetheart."

Mia's brow furrowed, and her distressed murmurs grew louder. Donna continued to speak in a calming tone, hoping to reach Mia through the veil of her dreams. "You're with family, Mia. You're not alone. Whatever you're facing, we'll face it together."

Donna's words seemed to work their way into Mia's subconscious, gradually easing the tension in her expression. She pulled the blanked higher as soon as Mia had clamed down again and continued to sleep silently.

What a day, Donna thought. It wasn’t every day that she gained a new family member to look after out of the blue. But she had dealt with worse things, she reckoned. How much trouble could a kid at this age cause anyway?

Chapter Text

With big eyes Mia watched out of the Window from the Top-Floor at UNIT headquarters and looked over the width of London, stretched out in front of her.

It wasn’t Donnas first choice, but probably the best to take Mia with her to work the next day. She wanted to shield her somehow to ensure that the girl wouldn’t be overwhelmed too much by everything. But she was relieved to see that they had underestimated Mia and her resilience, as she took in everything with genuine interest instead of fear.

Mia's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she took in the high-tech gadgets and the controlled chaos of the organization. She marveled at the screens displaying data, the scientists engrossed in their research, and the occasional glimpses of what seemed like otherworldly technology. For a moment, it felt like she was living a part of the stories Donna had told her the night before.

Donna guided Mia towards Kate Stewart's office, her mind racing with how to explain Mia's presence without drawing too much attention. Kate was engrossed in a discussion with a scientist when they arrived, but she glanced up, her expression softening when she saw Donna and the young girl.

"Donna! Good to see you," Kate greeted with a warm smile. Her eyes then shifted to Mia. "And who do we have here?"

Donna took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "Kate, this is Mia. She's, well, she's sort of family. A distant relative. She's with me at the moment. There's a bit of a family emergency. It´s a tad complicated, to be honest."

Kate nodded understandingly, recognizing the delicate situation. She knew how interpretative the word complicated could be and decided to wait for Donna to explain it if she was ready. So she crouched down next to Donna and found herself eye to eye with Mia.

"Of course, Donna. Welcome to UNIT, Mia. I'm Kate Stewart." She extended her hand, and Mia shook it tentatively, a shy smile playing on her lips.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Mia replied politely, trying to match the formality of the setting.

Kate gave Mia an encouraging smile, before lifting herself back up and guided them into her office, where she ordered some tea and snacks for them before sitting down at the little lounge beside one f the windows.

“So…anything new while I was gone regarding the signal we had received?” Donan asked to start off the conversation. Kate shook her head.

“Nothing. It came as it went. A blip and nothing more”, she answered and leaned back.

A slow sigh escaped Donna. “I have a theory of what might have happened”, she said slowly and then glanced towards Mia. “Let’s say, Mia is a very distant relative. One might say from another universe if her statements are right. You remember the whole metacrisis-situation?”

Kate only raised an amused eyebrow and Donna’s expression sobered. “Right. Well, it seems as if the interdimensional wall didn’t quite close all the way and Mia somehow managed to break through them.”

Now it was Mia’s turn to receive Kate’s slightly confused gaze and she leaned a bit closer towards Donna, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the serious conversation. "Yes, it's like that. I was at home, and then I touched something in our basement, this coral thing, and suddenly I was here, but it's not our London. There's no Torchwood, and no one knows where my family is."

Kate exchanged a glance with Donna, understanding the gravity of the situation. "It sounds far-fetched, but we've seen our fair share of impossible things here at UNIT. Do you have any idea how you ended up here, Mia?"

Mia shook her head, a mix of confusion and desperation in her expression. "No, I don't. I wish I did. I just want to go back home."

Donna placed a comforting hand on Mia's shoulder. "We'll do our best to figure this out, sweetheart. Kate, do you think there's a chance of tracking the energy residue from the anomaly she mentioned?"

Kate pondered for a moment. "It's a long shot, but worth a try. We've had technology to detect temporal anomalies before; maybe we can trace residual energy if there was indeed a portal or something similar involved."

Mia's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. "You can really do that?"

Kate offered a reassuring smile. "We'll do our best. But it could take some time, and I'll might need your help, Mia."

Mia nodded eagerly, her determination evident. "I'll do whatever it takes to get back home."

Donna smiled at Mia's resilience, proud of the young girl's courage amidst the confusion. "You're a brave one, Mia. We'll work together to figure this out. And until then you´re more than welcome to stay with me – in fact, I´d be more than happy if you did.”

“You´re just worried that you´ll have to pick me up from the police station again”, came the dry answer and Donna began to laugh. It was a relief to see Mia getting more comfortable with her and even Kate had to hide a grin.

“Do I want to know that story?”, she asked instead.

Donna chuckled, realizing she had stepped into an amusing part of the tale.

"Oh, it's nothing serious. Just a misunderstanding at the station. But I can assure you, Mia's not a troublemaker."

Mia grinned cheekily, enjoying the banter and the playful atmosphere that was slowly building.

"Nah, just a girl trying to find her way home," she quipped, making everyone chuckle.

Kate leaned back in her chair, contemplating the situation.

"Well, as fascinating as this interdimensional family reunion is, I'm afraid it's not a standard UNIT case. However, if it's a potential breach in the dimensional barriers, it's something we need to handle carefully." Donna nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"Of course, Kate. We won't expect you to solve it all, but any help would be appreciated." Kate smiled warmly. "I'll have our team run some scans and see if there's any residual energy left behind. Mia, if you can remember anything more specific about the device or the room you were in when this happened, it could be incredibly helpful."

Mia furrowed her brow, trying to recall the details: "It was in our basement. There was this coral-like structure, glowing softly. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie."

Kate noted down the details.

"Sounds intriguing. We'll see what we can find. But for now, how about we get you settled in, Mia?" Donna nodded, grateful for Kate's support.

"That sounds like a good plan. I'll take Mia home, and we can regroup once we've gathered our thoughts."

Before they left the office, Kate stopped Donna by placing a hand onto her arm for a moment and looked at her apologetic. Donna already knew what came next.

“I´m sorry, but I simply have to warn you that we might need to involve…others into this. Especiallyin that case, as she is related to…”, she stuttered at the end. Donne only sighed.

“To the Doctor. You can say their name, Kate. I wont die when the stupid alien is mentioned. Just because I need some time to forgive, doesn’t mean you can´t talk about them. It´s okay. I have proof of what happened as my guest for the unforeseeable future, so time to move on I guess.”

Kate only squeezed her arm one more time before they airs their final goodbyes.

As they left Kate's office, Mia glanced up at Donna. "She's nice."

Donna smiled. "She is. A bit serious at times, but she's one of the good ones." They exited the building and headed back outside. “And now we´ve got someone to visit. C´mon, I hope you like hot cocoa and long stories about stargazing.”

Donna and Mia exited UNIT headquarters, the cool breeze of the evening greeting them. The sun had begun its descent, casting a warm glow over the city. Donna hailed a cab, and soon they were on their way to visit one of Donna's favorite people in the world – her granddad, Wilfred Mott.

The cab pulled up in front of Wilf's house, and Donna paid the fare with a smile. She and Mia stepped out, and Donna couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as she approached the familiar doorstep. She knocked on the door, anticipation building in her chest.

The door swung open, and there stood Wilf, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Donna! Oh, it's been too long, my love.”

“A week!” Donna said and gently hugged him. But immediately reeled back and look at him. “Hello Gramps!”

He playfully wiggled his finger in mock-sternness “Like I said, too long! Your mother is driving me nuts! I maybe went into the city yesterday and she made a fuss when I came back a little later than usual. But I may need your help, I saw this little girl back at the memorial, at Canary Wharf, you know that one, and she was all alone and I worry that she got lost. Poor little thing, and I know you have these whole contacts and technology, so maybe you could look for her? Just so I know she got home? She was maybe 9 or so, had this big brown eyes, brown-reddish hair just like… ”

He stopped in his ramblings when he saw the small figure behind Donna, now looking at him with wide eyes and a slight smile, waving quietly.

“Hello”, Mia greeted a bit shy, clearly not expecting to see the same man from Canary Wharf again. “´s nice to see you again.”

Now it was Donnas turn to be confused as she looked from Mia and Wilf back and forth.

“Oh my word, you had me worried my dear!”, Wilf exclaimed and put his hand in front of his mouth. And it didn’t take him long to realize that his wish for Mia to find her family hasn’t been fulfilled so far. So, he did the only thing he could think of and ushered Donna and her new companion inside.

Within the next hour, he learned what had really happened back on the day when he had seen the Doctor the last time and how Mia was somehow related to Donnas family as well as the Doctor. Nothing really surprised him anymore and he felt tears pooling in his eyes when he saw how Mia’s posture slumped more and more into itself the more Donna told him.

He knew how to read people after more than 90 years living amongst them. It was apparent that Mia wasn’t herself. The fine lines on her forehead were very recent, as well as the dark circles under her eyes. The unruly and wild curls around her head seemed to be more tangled than he would guess they were normally and the way how Mia would push her hand into her hair to fidget with it only validated his thoughts. The hand on her ear was recognized as a nervous habit he had witnessed from the Doctor and that his daughter had inherited. Well, if he could count him as her father. So maybe her uncle. The whole metacrisis confused him a tad more than he liked.

But Donna seemed to have taken the role as an aunt – temporary guardian, godparent? - to heart. Many times, her gaze would go towards the girl sitting beside her, and a supportive hand would try to soothe her by gently stroking over her back.

It didn’t take long for Wilf to set his hopes into whatever being was responsible for bringing Mia home. He knew what it was like to be away from home with people he didn’t knew but had to trust. Well, Mia wasn’t a soldier and bombs weren’t flying around, yet he could only fathom the toll the girl had to endure. Crossing universes isn’t something a child her age should do even once, now she was seemingly trapped with no way back. At least hopefully until they found a way.

In the end they stayed until it had long gone dark outside, ordered takeaway and when Donna was about to get ready to head back home after cleaning up the dishes, she found a sleeping Mia curled up in the armchair.

“Are you sure you don´t want to stay here? You´re no bother at all!”, Wilf pleaded insistingly, but Donna shook her head.

“I need my bed for at least a night, and don´t you dare trying to lure me into letting you sleep on this barmy couch, gramps! You need your bed; I need mine and Mia as well. Maybe I should get my guest room ready, who knows how long she will stay.”

With that being said, she went to hoist up Mia into her arms and slowly managed to load her into the car without waking her up. A last promise to Wilf to visit again, with Mia, and just minutes later the never-ending traffic had her again.

It surprised her how easy she had taken a liking to Mia and had gotten used to her presence. Maybe Shaun had been right, and she would have been a decent mother if it had worked out between them. But for now, she would have to adjust her life according to Mia until she could go back home.

…if she would, that it. She might have had the conscience of the Doctor in her head, but she was still a painfully realistic person by now. So many great things had happened to her, and she had been lucky, yet she knew how fast this could change. Life rarely ever went how someone might want it and it wasn’t that she could simply manifest Mia’s parents by will nor could she even contact them.

The last few times they had managed to cross the universes had been by sheer coincidence, so trying to force it this time…it seemed impossible. And with the Doctor barely being reachable there days, she didn’t ever hope for their help. And if, she would have to make Kate doing the talking. It was stupid to resent them after so long, but she knew by now that the Doctor didn’t have to take such drastic measures.

All right, they were an idiot with two working braincells at times and especially in stressful situations tended to be even more idiotic for their own good. But Donna had trusted them with her life and everything, just to have everything almost erased for good because the almighty Time Lord had a bad day.

~~~

They had set up the guest room for Mia to use the next day with the probably biggest shopping trip Donna had ever made in her life. But it was necessary because Mia had nothing but the clothes on her back until then.

It went well and it was obvious how much fun Mia had with picking everything out for herself. From bedding to clothes and obligatory stuff like a toothbrush and socks. Even a new phone and a tablet for her had found their way into the overflowing trunk of Donnas car when they went back home.

Seeing Mia so relaxed had been a welcoming change and Donna hoped to see more of this girl – the real Mia as she liked to think. Carefree, laughing when Donna spilled out her coffee over a stupid joke and making smart remarks. She saw the obvious traced of the Doctor in her when she would point out all the changes from the similar existing shopping center in her universe and bring in the weirdest facts. Like how many zeppelins would fit into the mall or how her uncle Tony would often hide away on those trips and was once found sleeping being a pair of bushes with a comic on his face.

All in all, Donna had officially a pre-teen living with her, and it showed.

The following days even more so, as she would find used mugs beside the bathtub, on the balcony or a sock under the couch. But to her own surprise, nothing really bothered her. She wasn’t the neatest person, so they fit together in a good way.  

But then came the evenings when everything came crashing down. Even at ten years old, Mia was still a child. A child that sneaked into the living room to watch cartoons in the early hours, that loved sweets and still very much missed her parents.

It broke Donna’s heart when she had to witness Mia crying herself to sleep the first few nights, sitting helplessly beside her and feeling tears pool in her own eyes as she tried to comfort the girl. Gently wiping the wet lines from her face and tucking her in when the exhaustion would finally send her sleeping. Only to find her in the middle of the night next to her bed, nervously gnawing in her finger and silently asking for Donnas help to chase the bad dreams away that haunted her.

She silently installed a night light after Mia had tripped over something in a panicked rush out of the room and had woken Donna with her fall to the ground. Neither of them would talk about it, but when Mia came to hug her that evening, it was answer enough for her.

To her dismay nothing fruitful had come from UNIT so far and Kate carefully said what she already though to herself: The chances of success were fairly small.