Chapter Text
2146. The day the world went to shit as bombs fell turning cities into rubble and open grass fields into barren radioactive wastelands. Special pods called looms were installed in areas that had the best chances, and bunkers, for walled cities to be born. Loom born were grown till eight years of age before being born, sadly still needing guidance like newborns on how to talk, eat and survive from those who didn't parish. Sadly those “parents” all started to succumb to various cancers or illnesses brought on by the radiation and passed on.
The wastelands were hardly crossed for long distances which called for traders and bounty hunters to do the deed keeping supplies, wasteland news and credits flowing in a society that was working to bring itself back from near extinction. Stories and legends of horrific monsters, people falling over dead as they unknowingly walk through high radiation zones or even of people that has lived past the 50 year mark.
70 years later --- 2216:
The Doctor dusted off what he could from the oversized, heavily worn maroon coat, shifted his messenger bag, and tried to tame the mess of silver curls adorning his head before walking into the directors office of the Glasgow Wall. He quickly eyed a woman sitting in front of the directors desk before looking towards the usual corner of the office for his bounty. He didn't see anything that looked to be a transport box or bag that was usually given to him and looked towards the director, who was very clearly waiting for the question that was soon being spoken. “Where's the package?”
The brown haired mustached man raised his hand pointing it towards the small brown haired woman that was in the seat, “This is her. Mrs. -”
He furrowed his brow as he interrupted, “No, no, no.” He glanced down seeing the young woman as her face started to frown, “You know my rules. I don't deal with escorting people, females especially. So where's the package?”
“Well sadly you're going to have to especially since her and the package are together.”
The Doctor sighed and turned to finally look to her to see what he was really dealing with. The woman's round face was looking back at him with sad eyes as her hands slowly rubbing at the rounded bulge of her midsection of the calf length black smock dress she was wearing. He scoffed and looked back to the director as he went to press his hand on what he was expecting was a fake belly, “Yeah well making her look pregnant isn't going to fool anyone. I do admit it's pretty good for loom borns who hadn't seen a pregnant woman before.” It wasn't the woman's yelp that took him by surprise but the movement that occurred beneath his hand. He pulled his hand away and looked at her in complete shock, “oh, oh my lord.”
The director looked at him with a stoic face, “That's why it's not on the public boards.”
He stared at her for a few moments as thoughts passed through his mind. A pregnant loom born. After the first loom born desperately tried it was deemed impossible for them to produce new generations through natural means but this one had. He looked back to the director with worry as he knew that he had probably asked other hunters to do the task, “How many other hunters know about this?”
“I had sent just a price to a team who I thought would be interested as they usually don't care what it is. They replied back that it should be lower to not indicate it a suicide mission. So they don't know.”
“Why wasn't she taken sooner?”
The woman softly spoke up just before the director started to answer, “We – we tried to. Got lost on the first attack and then a storm made us have to take shelter then, um,” she sighed, “then something jumped Danny and I had to make my way on my own.”
The director added in, “plus it's been difficult to find hunters we could trust.”
The Doctor sighed shaking his head before looking to the director, “I can't do it, that's a month hike with her like she is. We're due for a rad storm in that time and I'm not going to get caught in that. Let alone everything else that can kill you.”
The director shifted a few papers in front of himself as he spoke,“You know well enough that London Wall is the best for her. They have the medical facilities to handle her and to figure out how this happened.”
The Doctor leaned towards the director lowering his voice almost to a whisper, “Little hint: they had sex.”
“You know what I mean.” He gave a small smirk, “Plus you already confirmed to take it on. You know the rule if you want to cease a contract.”
The Doctor stood back up grabbing the lapels of his coat and pursed his lips in thought. To break the contract which paid out 5000 credits, at 20% would be 1000 credits. 999 credits he didn't have. He exhaled through his nose and held out his hand to the director, “Credit chip.”
The director gave a smug grin as he pulled out a small stack of finger length rectangular blocks, almost looking like old time USB drives without the plastic casing, “Need the money I see.”
The Doctor scoffed as he pulled out a small device scanning the chips to see if they were indeed holding the credits, “I need to raid your medical supplies as well.”
“As always,” he held up his hand refusing the chip the Doctor was offering, “no that was figured in.”
“You know me too well.”
“Saying you raid them every time you're here. I expect it.”
“Place to stay? It's a little late to start on this suicide mission.”
“In the bunkhouse with the others.”
He rolled his eyes as he put the chips and reader into his coat pocket. He was never fond of bunkhouses as thieves and a lot of unnecessary testosterone wars happened. “Ugh..”
The woman spoke up again, “He can stay with me it has two beds.”
The director made a face towards her, “Mrs Pink I don't think-”
The Doctor scoffed, “I'm five times her age plus she's a package. I don't tamper with the packages.” He started to walk towards the door, “come on. Rather not be in here any longer.”
The woman tried her best to keep her pace with the Doctor after leaving the office, “You said you were five times my age.”
He nodded, “Aye.”
“Was that sarcasm or the truth?”
“Truth was 30 when shit hit the fan.” He motioned for her to lead the way once they got to the living areas that.
She lowered her voice as to not interrupt anyone that was currently in their rooms, “So how come there's so few of you?”
“Not everyone had access or could get to miles deep bunkers like in London. Even then the bombs came as a complete surprise.”
“Are you really a doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Know anything about babies?”
He did a quick laugh, “You just asked me if I was a doctor. Pretty certain that I do.”
“Well different doctors know different things.” She got to a door near the end of the hallway unlocking it, “here we are.”
“Clever.” He nodded as he followed her in and closed the door locking it. “Yes I do. Well, maybe. 70 years is a long time to not do anything relating to babies. Though I just remembered I should make sure you're even alright for the trip.”
“Will it hurt?”
He shook his head, “No.”
After a few questions and uncomfortable prods, luckily sitting on a somewhat comfortable bed, she watched the Doctor move the stethoscope around her belly curious what he was doing. “What are you listening for?”
The Doctor, who had his face turned away from her sight, sighed and softly spoke, “Heartbeat.”
She smirked, “My heartbeat is a little higher.”
“The baby's heartbeat.”
“You can hear that?”
He spoke back irritated, “I can when you're not talking.”
She shifted embarrassed and a little teary eyed as her hormones started to kick in at the worst time, “S-sorry.”
After a few moments the Doctor softly sighed pulling the stethoscope from his ears and hands it to her keeping the other part to her belly, “if it doesn't move you can hear. Might have to focus on hearing it.”
She lifted the ear pieces placing them into her ears and closed her eyes. She didn't know what she was hearing at first til she realized it was a very fast heartbeat, something she wasn't expecting, “Is the heartbeat always that fast?”
“Yes don't worry it's normal. Excuse me for a moment need to wash my hands.” He stood up moving into the bathroom, running the water for a few moments longer than just washing hands before coming back clearly having washed his face as well. “Anyway you're just a little malnourished, I don't blame you the food is shit.”
She pulled the ear pieces out and wiped her eyes of the tears she had as she listened to the heart beat, “But we're both okay?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
He took the stethoscope from her and stuffed them back into his bag then promptly sat in a chair near by the beds, “Save it for when we get to London.”
“You never got my name.”
“No I did as Alistair mentioned it, Mrs. Pink.”
“Clara.” She looked at him as he sat in the chair, arms crossed and looking at the rooms interior, “I take it Doctor isn't your real name?”
“No, it is.”
“I don't believe you.”
“I did have one yes but I forgot.”
“Still don't believe you.”
He furrowed his brow and finally glanced over to her, “You be amazed what you can forget in 70 years.”